One of the most common misconceptions in file upload cybersecurity is that some tools are “sufficient” on their own – this is simply not the case. In our latest white paper, OPSWAT CEO and founder Benny Czarny offers a comprehensive look at what it takes to prevent malware threats in today’s ever-evolving file upload security landscape, and a big part of that is understanding where the pitfalls are and how to resolve them. avoid them.
The first step in this process is to understand that three commonly used tools or solutions are not enough on their own. Let’s explore this concept and take a closer look at a better solution.
Understanding the challenge
Modern web applications are complex and utilize internet-connected IT systems that interface with critical OT systems, as well as leveraging a wide range of cloud providers and protocols. All of these systems transfer and store highly sensitive and valuable data in government, healthcare, energy, finance and other critical sectors around the world, bringing with them threats capable of causing serious harm.
Securing file uploads to detect and prevent malware infiltration is critical. As this threat vector grows and the attack surface expands, ensuring these sectors remain secure becomes of utmost importance. This is why building and enforcing a reliable, proven security strategy is critical moving forward.
Tools of the trade
One tool alone is simply not enough. Here are three commonly used tools that, when used alone to protect file uploads, don’t offer adequate protection, and why that’s the case:
1. Scan files for malware
Everyone is familiar with anti-malware, but not all anti-malware engines, or scanning modes, are created equal. Interestingly, there is still so much confusion about effectiveness rates when it comes to “always-on” real-time protection that monitors an entire system versus, for example, static file scanning strategies that must be performed manually or scheduled . Real-time scanning can show effectiveness rates of almost 100%, while in contrast, static scanning is significantly lower with rates ranging from 6 to 76%. To avoid a false sense of security, organizations need to know exactly what they’re getting with each deployment mode.
2. Web Application Firewall
Many experts believe that by installing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) they are protected from malicious file uploads. The reality is that this is not quite the case, as web application firewalls primarily protect against attacks at the application layer (OSI Layer 7). They are not specifically designed to prevent malware infections that could target other layers or spread through different channels, such as email attachments or removable media. Additionally, they struggle with encrypted traffic (like https) and typically rely on a single anti-malware solution for threat detection.
3. Sandboxing
Sandboxing is a technique originally used to analyze malware by isolating and executing suspicious files in a controlled environment to understand their behavior and detect potential signs of malware. On their own, sandboxes face limitations such as the weakness of advanced, time-based evasion techniques that obfuscate or delay malicious activity, and environment-specific triggers in adaptive malware. They are resource-intensive, prone to false positives and negatives, and offer limited coverage specifically for file-based malware.
In-depth cyber defense
So, if you can’t rely on these methods alone, what is the answer? This is one of the spaces where OPSWAT has spent the last 20 years innovating. Our MetaDefender platform leverages market-leading and globally trusted technologies to form an easy-to-implement, integrated-by-design cybersecurity strategy with defense-in-depth protection for file uploads.
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| Multi-Scan: Uses over 30 of the world’s best antivirus engines to detect nearly 100% of threats |
Multiple scan
Since the effectiveness of individual anti-malware solutions for static analysis ranges from 6% to 76%, we decided to integrate multiple commercially available anti-malware solutions into our solution and take advantage of their combined power. With more than 30 leading anti-malware engines running simultaneously, our effectiveness rates are just under 100% while being optimized for speed.
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| Deep content deletion and reconstruction: Disinfect, lock and remove file objects and regenerate a safe copy |
Deep content disinsertion and reconstruction (deep CDR)
To further strengthen our defenses, we have pioneered a unique methodology, called Deep Content Disarm and Reconstruction (Deep CDR). Awarded a AAA, 100% protection rating by SE Labs, Our unique technology provides comprehensive prevention-based security for file uploads by neutralizing potential threats before they can cause harm. Evaluates and verifies file type and consistency and validates file extensions to prevent masquerading and alerts organizations if they are under attack. It then separates files into discrete components, removes potentially malicious objects, and reconstructs usable files, reconstructing metadata and preserving all file characteristics.
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| Proactive data loss prevention: Reduce alert fatigue by obscuring sensitive data |
Proactive Data Loss Prevention (Proactive DLP)
OPSWAT’s Proactive Data Loss Prevention (DLP) module was specifically developed to address growing concerns around compliance and regulation, data leakage and risks associated with file uploads. Our solution detects and protects sensitive information within various file types, including text-based, image-based, and video-based templates.
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| Adaptive Sandbox: Adaptive threat analysis technology enables zero-day malware detection and extracts more indicators of compromise. |
Real-time adaptive sandbox
To overcome the limitations of traditional sandboxing, OPSWAT has developed a unique emulation-based sandbox with adaptive threat analysis. Pairing this with our Multiscanning and Deep CDR technologies, it provides a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to malware detection and prevention. Our emulation-based approach can rapidly deobfuscate and analyze even the most complex, cutting-edge, environmentally sensitive malware in less than 15 seconds.
What’s next?
These are just some of the technologies that power the MetaDefender platform. Like the modules described in this article, there are others created specifically to meet various use cases and critical infrastructure protection needs. Like the threat landscape around us, we are innovating to stay one step ahead and stay ahead of the latest threats.
We invite you to read the entire white paper here, and when you’re ready to discover why OPSWAT is the critical advantage in file upload cybersecurity, talk to one of our experts for a free demo.