Technology: Advanced Security
All reports
05/2024 - 05/2024
Enterprise Advanced Security (EAS): Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud with Advanced Security pack + EDR – DETECTION
Understand cyber security testing
An Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) product is more than antivirus, which is why it requires advanced testing. This means testers must behave like real attackers, following every step of an attack. While it’s tempting to save time by taking shortcuts, a tester must go through an entire attack to truly understand cyber security testing and the capabilities of EDR security products.
Each step of the attack must be realistic too. You can’t just make up what you think bad guys are doing and hope you’re right. This is why SE Labs tracks cybercriminal behaviour and builds tests based on how bad guys try to compromise victims. The cybersecurity industry is familiar with the concept of the
‘attack chain’, which is the combination of those attack steps.
Fortunately, the MITRE organisation has documented each step with its ATT&CK framework. While this doesn’t give an exact blueprint for realistic attacks, it does present a general structure that testers, security vendors and customers (you!) can use to run tests and understand test results.
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Understand cyber security testing
You can see how ATT&CK lists out the details of each attack, and how we represent the way we tested, in 4. Threat Intelligence, starting on page 13. This brings two main advantages: you can have confidence that the way we test is realistic and relevant; and you’re probably already familiar with this way of illustrating cyber attacks
Choose your reports and reviews carefully
We pride ourselves on a level of transparency that elevates our work above the less open reports available. But don’t just take our word for it. Our results help vendors improve their products and buyers choose the best for their own needs.
All reports
06/2024 - 06/2024
Data Corruption Detection (DCD): NetApp ONTAP Autonomous Ransomware Protection with AI – DETECTION
Ransomware on the Network
Avoid ransomware on the network. Ransomware is the most visible, most easily understood cyber threat affecting businesses today. Paralysed computer systems mean stalled business and loss of earnings. On top of that, a ransom demand provides a clear, countable value to a threat. A demand for “one million dollars!” is easier to quantify than the possible leak of intellectual property to a competitor.
One reason why ransomware is so ‘popular’ is that the attackers don’t have to produce their own. They outsource the production of ransomware to others, who provide Ransomware as a Service (Raas). Attackers then usually trick targets into running it, or at least into providing a route for the attackers to run it for them. Artificial intelligence systems make the creation of such social engineering attacks easier, cheaper and more effective than ever before.
Ransomware attacks on the network
In this report we have assembled a wide distribution of known ransomware malware and added variations designed to evade detection. We’ve listed the ransomware families used in Threat Intelligence on page 9. Each of these ransomware attacks targeted data that was monitored by NetApp’s solution.
If it can detect the changes made by known version of each of these files, all well and good. But if it can also detect changes made by each of the ransomware’s variations then we can conclude that the detection available is more proactive than simply reacting to yesterday’s unlucky victims.
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Choose your reports and reviews carefully
We pride ourselves on a level of transparency that elevates our work above the less open reports available. But don’t just take our word for it. This report has gone through the AMTSO certification process to ensure that we say what we’re going to do; do it; and can prove it. Our results help vendors improve their products and buyers choose the best for their own needs.
All reports
05/2024 - 05/2024
Email Security Services (ESS): Microsoft Defender for Office 365 2024 Q2
Email Security Is Essential
Email is one of the most common ways that threats will hit an organisation. It’s the first stage in a series of unpleasant, expensive events that leads to data theft, data destruction and business cessation. Email is one of the very few standard ways that hackers start their attacks, this is why email security is so essential.
Classic examples of email threats include phishing emails, designed to steal important information that aid deeper attacks. Emails can contain links to dangerous websites that can trick users into handing over critical information or may even directly attack the user’s computer. Attached documents may contain nasty surprises, such as backdoors that give attackers access to the business’ network. Access means theft and destruction (e.g. ransomware).
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If the email security service you use can stop most of that, it massively reduces the risk from hacking. Not using one is, frankly, irresponsible.
You cannot just plug in email security or rely on the security features provided by your email platform, though. Configuration is king. Given that most businesses in the UK and USA don’t have a cyber security plan, it’s likely that many Office 365 users have not changed their email security settings from the default. In this report we used Microsoft’s best practice configuration, rather than the default. Even then, after the test, Microsoft recommended changes.
Choose your reports and reviews carefully
We pride ourselves on a level of transparency that elevates our work above the less open reports available. But don’t just take our word for it. This report has gone through the AMTSO certification process to ensure that we say what we’re going to do; do it; and can prove it. Our results help vendors improve their products and buyers choose the best for their own needs.
Ransomware vs. Endpoint Security
Ransomware vs. Endpoint Security – Results from the largest public ransomware test
In this report, we analyse ransomware vs. endpoint security. Ransomware is the most visible, most easily understood cyber threat affecting businesses today. Paralysed computer systems mean stalled business and loss of earnings. On top of that, a ransom demand provides a clear, countable value to a threat. A demand for “one million dollars!” is easier to quantify than the possible leak of intellectual property to a competitor.
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Product factsheet:
In this report, we have taken two main approaches to assessing how well products can detect and protect against ransomware.
Ransomware Deep Attacks
For the first part of this test, we analysed the common tactics of ransomware gangs and created two custom gangs that use a wider variety of methods. In all cases, we run the attack from the very start, including attempting to access targets with stolen credentials or other means. We then move through the system and sometimes the network, before deploying the ransomware as the final payload.
Ransomware Direct Attacks
The second part of the test takes a wide distribution of known malware and adds variations designed to
evade detection. We’ve listed the ransomware families used in Hackers vs. Targets on page 9. We sent each of these ransomware payloads directly to target systems using realistic techniques, such as through
email social engineering attacks. This is a full but short attack chain. In this part of the test, we ensure any protection features are enabled in the product.
Choose your reports and reviews carefully
We pride ourselves on a level of transparency that elevates our work above the less open reports available. But don’t just take our word for it. Our results help vendors improve their products and buyers choose the best for their own needs.
Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR)
Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR)
CDR tested for removal of known and unknown threats
SE Labs tested OPSWAT Deep CDR (Content Disarm and Reconstruction) against targeted attacks using file-based threats. These attacks are designed to compromise systems and penetrate target networks by hiding threats inside files that appear to be innocent.
Testers hid threats inside a variety of common file formats, such as office documents, web pages and archive files.
Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) vs. hidden threats
These files were assessed by the CDR system, which attempted to remove known and unknown threats. The results show the extent to which the threat prevention system achieved that goal accurately.
Read more reports here.
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Product factsheet:
CDR solutions work differently than traditional solutions
CDR security solutions take a different approach than many others. Instead of detecting threats, they pull files apart and put them back together again. The idea is that anything bad gets dropped by the wayside, and only good things can pass through.
This approach is particularly appropriate when considering the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. You might send a useful file to a colleague, but an attacker intercepts it and adds a little extra something, like a remote access tool. When you open it, you see what you would expect, while the attacker gains access to your system.
Choose your reports and reviews carefully
We pride ourselves on a level of transparency that elevates our work above the less open reports available. But don’t just take our word for it. Our results help vendors improve their products and buyers choose the best for their own needs.
All reports
09/2023 - 09/2023
Enterprise Advanced Security (EDR): Cisco Secure Endpoint – PROTECTION
Cisco Secure Endpoint
Testing protection against fully featured attacks
SE Labs tested Cisco Secure Endpoint – Protection against targeted attacks based on the Turla threat. These attacks are designed to compromise systems and penetrate target networks in the same way as the advanced persistent hacking group known as Turla operates to breach systems and networks.
There are many opportunities to spot and stop attackers. Products can detect them when attackers send phishing emails to targets. Or later, when other emails contain links to malicious code. Some kick into action when malware enters the system. Others sit up and notice when the attackers exhibit bad behaviour on the network.
Ultimately you want your chosen security product to prevent a breach one way or another, but it’s more ideal to stop a threat early, rather than watch as it wreaks havoc before stopping it and trying to clean up.
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Product factsheets:
Results
Cisco Secure Endpoint scored a 100% Protection Accuracy Rating for blocking every threat at the initial delivery stage. The product did not generate any false positives, meaning that it didn’t wrongly detect or hamper harmless, legitimate software.
It also prevented all of the malicious activities from running, incurring no penalties for allowing the full or partial execution of targeted attacks.
Choose your reports and reviews carefully
We pride ourselves on a level of transparency that elevates our work above the less open reports available. But don’t just take our word for it. Our results help vendors improve their products and buyers choose the best for their own needs.
Cisco Secure Endpoint – DETECTION
Testing protection against fully featured attacks
SE Labs tested Cisco Secure Endpoint against targeted attacks based on the Turla threat. These attacks are designed to compromise systems and penetrate target networks in the same way as the advanced persistent hacking group known as Turla operates to breach systems and networks.
An Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) product is more than anti-virus, which is why it requires advanced testing. This means testers must behave like real attackers, following every step of an attack. While it’s tempting to save time by taking shortcuts, a tester must go through an entire attack to truly understand the capabilities of EDR security products.
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Product factsheets:
Results – Cisco Secure Endpoint (Detection)
Cisco scored a 100% Detection Accuracy Rating for detecting every element of the Turla attacks, starting from the delivery of the spear phishing attachment through to all the subsequent malicious activities in the attack chain. It also prevented all of the malicious activities from running, incurring no penalties for allowing the full or partial execution of targeted attacks. The product did not generate false positives, meaning that it didn’t wrongly detect or hamper harmless, legitimate software.
Read more of our reports here.
Endpoint Detection Compared
Endpoint Detection Compared
SE Labs tested and compared a variety of Endpoint Detection and Response products against a range of hacking attacks designed to compromise systems and penetrate target networks in the same way as criminals and other attackers breach systems and networks. Full chains of attack were used, meaning that testers behaved as real attackers, probing targets using a variety of tools, techniques and vectors before attempting to gain lower-level and more powerful access. Finally, the testers/ attackers attempted to complete their missions, which might include stealing information, damaging systems and connecting to other systems on the network.
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An Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) product is more than anti-virus, which is why it requires advanced testing. This means testers must behave like real attackers, following every step of an attack. While it’s tempting to save time by taking shortcuts, a tester must go through an entire attack to truly understand the capabilities of EDR security products.
Each step of the attack must be realistic too. You can’t just make up what you think bad guys are doing and hope you’re right. This is why SE Labs tracks cyber criminal behaviour and builds tests based on how bad guys try to compromise victims. The cyber security industry is familiar with the concept of the ‘attack chain’, which is the combination of those attack steps.
Fortunately, the MITRE organisation has documented each step with its ATT&CK framework. While this doesn’t give an exact blueprint for realistic attacks, it does present a general structure that testers, security vendors and customers (you!) can use to run tests and understand test results.
Read more reports here.
Endpoint Detection and Response is more than anti-virus
Understand cyber security testing with visible threat intelligence
An Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) product is more than anti-virus, which is why it requires advanced testing. This means testers must behave like real attackers, following every step of an attack.
Our reports help you choose the best enterprise security products that can protect you from ransomware and other types of attack. See the value of cybersecurity testing with visible threat intelligence.
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Product factsheet:
Some EDR products are designed solely to watch and inform, while others can also get involved and remove threats either as soon as they appear or after they start causing damage.
For the ‘stoppers’ we run the Enterprise Advanced Security test in Protection mode. For ‘watchers’ like SenseOn we can demonstrate effectiveness by testing in Detection Mode.
An Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) product is more than anti-virus
In this report we look at how SenseOn handled full breach attempts. At which stages did it detect? And did it allow business as usual, or alter wrongly against legitimate applications?
The targeted attacks used in this test replicate those used by the following attack groups in the real world:
- Turla
- Ke3chang
- Threat Group-3390
- Kimsuky
Read this SE Labs assessment and discover how SenseOn handles advanced targeted attacks. Find the value in early detection systems. We also describe in detail how each of the attack groups have worked in the past and how we’ve copied their tools and techniques to create a realistic test that reflects real-world security situations.
Does it actually matter if your company is hacked?
And why are some businesses overconfident that they are secure?
Does it matter if your company is hacked? A true story: There was a team manager, a head of IT and a chief financial officer. I asked each if they considered their network to be secure, hacked or in some other state. The ex-military team manager was supremely confident that the secure network was, as its optimistic name suggested, secure. The IT manager said, “I don’t know,” and the CFO said, “I don’t know, and does it matter?” Does it matter if your company is hacked?!
It does matter, because when businesses are compromised it affects their ability to perform their main function: to make money.
Oue reports help you choose the best enterprise and SMB security products that can protect your organisation from ransomware and other types of attacks.
Email Security Services (ESS) test: Enterprise and SMB test explained
This test examined the effectiveness of five email security solutions. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Google Workspace Enterprise are commercial email platforms. Trellix Email Security, WithSecure Email Security and Mailcow Open Source solution are third-party ‘add-on’ services designed to provide additional security. Of the ‘add-ons’, the services from Trellix and WithSecure are commercial, while Mailcow’s is open-source.
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Product factsheets:
Does it matter if your company is hacked?
There are a couple of common reasons why people don’t think their organisations will be hacked. Firstly, they think that their security is the best. Secondly, they don’t think they are a worthy target. But all businesses are targets because they are designed to make money. And if they cannot operate, they can’t perform their main function – making money.
Hackers know this and extort money from victims by stealing their data and threatening to release it to the public, exposing victims to large regulatory fines and litigation. And, of course, there’s the embarrassment factor of looking amateur. Hackers can also encrypt data on business systems, paralysing companies until they pay up.
We pride ourselves on a level of transparency that elevates our work above the less open reports available. But don’t just take our word for it. Our results help vendors improve their products and buyers choose the best for their own needs.
Read this SE Labs assessment of world-leading email security products and discover how they handle well-known threats and targeted attacks.
