Remote Threat Detection is defined as an array of security solutions that defend against complex malware and cyberattacks that target sensitive data.

As cybercriminals learn and adapt and cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated every day, cybersecurity technology has evolved to keep up and anticipate potential threats and attacks that could pose a risk to companies, governments, and other organizations. But even with security protection technology anticipating the actions of bad actors, new and unknown attacks can still occur, especially if an organization doesn’t have the right advanced security controls in place.

Advanced threat protection (ATP) is defined as an array of security solutions that defend against complex malware and cyberattacks that target sensitive data. ATP technology can help an organization adapt to the ever-changing strategies of cybercriminals and better anticipate and prevent costly security breaches.

A threat or attack is considered advanced when attackers have unlimited resources or tools to carry out the attack and maintain access to a network, have access to continued funding to adapt the attack as needed, or if the attack is specifically created to target a specific organization, among other instances.

To understand how to defend against advanced threats, it’s important first to understand what they are and how they can impact your organization.

An advanced persistent threat (APT) is defined as an attack in which an unauthorized person or group stealthily gains access to an organization’s network and remains there undetected for an extended amount of time. APT attacks are often carefully coordinated and customized to target a specific company and use malware that can bypass or dodge common security protections. These attacks are a prime example of a malicious attack that requires equally sophisticated security technology to prevent and mitigate.

Once the attacker has gained access to the network, usually by phishing or installing malware, they can view company files, conversations, data, and other sensitive material. By going undetected for an extended period of time, from weeks or months to years in some cases, the attacker can gather significant amounts of company data to use for myriad malicious purposes.