Fortinet Inc.

09/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/30/2024 14:07

FortiGuard Labs Outbreak Alerts Are Not Just Security Updates. They Are a Competitive Advantage.

In this complex and dynamic world of cybersecurity, awareness of your attack surface is paramount. Relying on traditional security measures in today's ever-evolving, AI-driven, sophisticated threat landscape is often not enough to protect against potential cyberthreats. Organizations need additional tools and solutions to remain informed and to protect against potential threats. One such strategic tool is receiving outbreak alerts from FortiGuard Labs.

Outbreak alerts start with a critical notification sent by FortiGuard Labs to subscribers when new or emerging cybersecurity threats, security incidents, vulnerabilities, malware, and ransomware are detected. These outbreak alerts provide details such as the background of the attack, the timeline of events, affected technologies, and related threat intelligence such as indicators of compromise (IoCs); tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs); and attack sequence used. While this level of detail could be viewed simply as security updates, outbreak alerts offer a significant competitive advantage for organizations looking to build a proactive and resilient secured network.

The Competitive Advantage of Outbreak Alerts

Imagine a scenario where a new malware or ransomware variant is circulating. Receiving an outbreak alert educates the organization, who might otherwise remain unaware in the dark until a data breach occurs. Valuable data could be compromised, systems could be crippled, and customer trust could be shattered.

Outbreak alerts empower your organization to take a proactive stance against such threats. Here is how they offer a competitive edge:

Early warning system: Outbreak alerts function as a real-time early warning system. Instead of discovering a potential threat later in the attack cycle, they provide valuable lead time. This allows security operations center teams to identify emerging threats, understand their potential impact, and take decisive action before they escalate into full-blown attacks.

Think of it like this: Imagine a fire alarm going off in your house after the flames have begun to engulf the kitchen. While the alarm will alert you to the danger, it is far better to have a smoke detector that warns of smoldering embers before they ignite. Outbreak alerts function as that smoke detector, giving organizations a critical time advantage to extinguish threats before they cause severe damage.

Proactive defense strategies: Timely outbreak alerts enable organizations to implement proactive defense strategies. With real-time intelligence on the latest threats provided by FortiGuard Labs, security teams can proactively patch vulnerabilities, implement segmentation strategies to limit lateral movement within the network, and isolate infected systems before attackers can exploit them.

Improved decision-making: The benefits extend beyond immediate threat mitigation. Timely insights from outbreak alerts enable security teams to make informed and effective decisions during an attack. This could involve prioritizing critical assets for additional protection, rerouting network traffic to bypass compromised systems, addressing any security gaps that they might have, or coordinating a swift and efficient incident response plan.

Enhanced customer confidence: Finally, a subscription to outbreak alerts can also demonstrate a proactive approach to security. By displaying a commitment to staying ahead of threats through outbreak alerts, organizations foster trust and build a reputation for prioritizing security. This can be a key differentiator in today's competitive landscape, where data breaches can result in financial losses and erode customer loyalty.

Best Practices

To fully leverage the competitive advantage of outbreak alerts, consider these best practices:

  • Invest in threat intelligence: Outbreak alerts are a valuable source of threat intelligence, but they are just one piece of the puzzle. Couple outbreak alerts with additional threat intelligence feeds from FortiGuard Labs to gain a comprehensive understanding of the evolving cyberthreat landscape.
  • Automate security tasks: Consider automating routine security tasks triggered by outbreak alerts. This could involve automated patching, system isolation, or alert escalation. Automation frees your security team to focus on more complex tasks and strategic decision-making.
  • Establish a clear incident response plan: A well-defined response plan allows your team to react swiftly and efficiently when an outbreak alert is received. The plan should outline roles, responsibilities, communication protocols, and mitigation strategies for diverse threats.

Outbreak alerts are derived from critical threat intelligence gathered by the Fortinet Security Fabric products combined with research from FortiGuard Labs. FortiGuard Labs monitors threats globally, identifying malicious actors and exploits. The intelligence further informs Fortinet products and solutions to protect organizations against attacks. This continuous cycle ensures outbreak alerts stay current, keeping you ahead of cyberthreats.

Outbreak Alerts Can Transform Your Cybersecurity Posture

Outbreak alerts are not just a passive security update and measure-they are a powerful tool that offers a significant competitive advantage in today's cybersecurity landscape. By providing valuable lead time, enabling proactive defense strategies, and empowering informed decision-making, outbreak alerts can help organizations stay ahead of evolving threats.

Explore how incorporating outbreak alerts into your security strategy can transform your organization's cybersecurity posture.

Subscribe Today

Don't wait for the next major cyberattack to make an adjustment. Subscribe to outbreak alerts today and give your organization the edge it needs to thrive in a world of ever-present and continually evolving threats.