BlackFog 4.2 offers a new feature called “execution prevention” within the settings. This option provides a new technique for preventing malware execution.
Typically, organizations and previous editions of BlackFog utilized a whitelisting approach, whereby execution of rogue malware was prevented by blocking execution in specific directories such as temporary folders or application data directories. Whilst very effective at preventing malware, the downside was that many legitimate applications often used these locations as well. Even though this is against guidelines, companies such as Google and Microsoft’s own applications sometimes used this method, meaning that when you installed a new application that used these directories you had to whitelist the files. Users found this to be invasive so we decided to develop a new approach.
We have eliminated whitelisting in favor of process monitoring and application validation. This is a behavioral technique for detecting malicious activity. The principle behind this technique is that malware often masquerades as other applications, spawns from system processes and executes in certain ways. In these scenarios we introspect all of the processes to see if they are being hijacked, replicated or simply spoofed. As with the data exfiltration rules, this is done in real-time.
Ultimately this will lead to less false positives and ensure more accurate protection than whitelisting can ever provide. In addition, this will protect execution across the entire device rather than specific directories.
Related Posts
Top 5 MSP Cyberattacks in 2023/2024
In 2023 and 2024, several high-profile cyberattacks targeted managed service providers (MSPs), disrupting services for their clients. Learn about the top 5 MSP attacks during this period, including incidents at CTS, Tietoevry, Lumen Technologies, HTC Global Services, and Südwestfalen IT.
Data Privacy vs Data Security: Why you Need to Know the Difference
Are you aware of the differences between data privacy vs data security that may impact how you develop a comprehensive protection strategy
Ongoing: New Ransomware Gangs in 2024
Ransomware gangs continue to break records and BlackFog will track all new ransomware gangs in 2024.
Healthcare Industry Targeted by Cybercrime
Why is the healthcare industry targeted so frequently? In 2023, there were 136 publicized attacks, a 134% increase from the year before.
What Should a Company do After a Data Breach? Key Steps you Need to Know About
Does your firm know what to do in the immediate aftermath of discovering a data breach?
Does Your Business Have an Effective Data Security Policy?
What should firms include when creating a comprehensive data security policy?