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Despite the best efforts of cyber and information security professionals, it seems like cyber criminals are always one step ahead of us. They can fly under the radar for long periods of time, make it difficult to detect and prevent them from penetrating our systems. As a result, cybersecurity is an ever-evolving undertaking, and businesses must reassess their security tools regularly.
So why is it that cyber criminals always manage to be one step ahead?
Leave-no-trace malware
Leave-no-trace malware is one way cyber criminals are able to avoid exposure and remain undetected on company networks for months at a time. Cyber criminals have the tools and the ability to remain undetected on company networks for months. Companies need to reassess security tools simultaneously.
Tools to behave like legitimate users
Full and convincing user identities can be stitched together for mere dollars, meaning that fraudsters can create pitch-perfect social engineering attacks. With the right tools, an individual with malicious intentions, but the right techniques, could easily pass themselves off as a legitimate user.
Lack of qualified personnel
One of the biggest issues security professionals face is that there is not enough trained and experienced IT enterprise security personnel. A lack of clear definition around security policies and integration between security layers and solutions allows criminals to fly under the radar.
Your processes are static
Nobody likes change, including cyber criminals. We want to keep systems and processes static because it makes life and work easier. Attackers love static systems and processes because it makes it easier for them to study their subjects, learn the ins and outs, and figure out exactly how they can compromise your data. If you want to make it difficult for sophisticated cyber attackers, create a culture that thrives on change.
Moving their infrastructures
Cyber criminals move their infrastructure and conceal their tracks to avoid detection by consistently creating new domains and establishing new infrastructure.
“Its’s no small feat to keep up with how cyber criminals operate. Attackers have an incredibly vibrant underground community where they can buy or rent anything from command & control (C&C) infrastructure to sophisticated exploit kits to bare metal malware,” said Stephen Newman, CTO of Damballa. Businesses must be regularly updating and improving their systems in order to keep up.
One missing factor, Hackers are working on vulnerabilities almost 24×7, 365 days per year. Example is the hacker facility that was completed and identified, located in China. Other governments also support a local hacker community. This makes the job of security professionals all the more difficult due to playing catch up.
Great comment, there are a lot of pressures on security professionals.