Unified threat management solutions provide IT teams with a simplified approach to efficient security management. A UTM appliance is a single device that can be plugged into the company network to monitor multiple security applications.
The UTM centralized framework allows quicker detection of incoming threats than individual devices that operate independently. It reduces the overall number of security devices a company requires and saves on operational expenses.
Detecting Malware
An essential part of a UTM is detecting malware, allowing it to act quickly to prevent cybercriminals from accessing your organization’s network. While there are a variety of ways to detect malware, including scanning for suspicious files, analyzing the behavior of a file, and detecting other anomalies in a network, an NGFW has the added benefit of being able to use machine learning technologies to automatically scan your business and determine whether a file is malicious.
This type of analysis is particularly effective for detecting malware that cannot be detected through traditional means, such as adware or ransomware. The software will analyze a file to see if it is a threat by using technical indicators, such as the file name, hashes, strings, and other information, such as what operating system the computer is running on.
A unified threat management (UTM) solution offers many benefits, including reducing complexity in your organization’s security infrastructure. With a single hardware or software installation, the UTM can provide various security functions, such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, virtual private networking, antivirus protection, and more. It is much more efficient than deploying point solutions that must be managed separately, saving your business time, resources, and money.
Blocking Malware
A UTM system provides an essential layer of protection against malicious threats that may have bypassed the detection capabilities of other tools. The system analyzes program behavior to protect against known and unknown threats proactively. It can also prevent programs from making changes to the endpoint, terminate them, and clean files and objects associated with a threat.
Unlike standalone security products that require their hardware and software to work, UTMs integrate multiple technologies into one solution. The centralized setup can reduce the number of devices you need to maintain, leading to cost savings. Plus, the unified nature of UTM solutions makes them easier to manage.
Detecting and responding to complex security threats requires advanced technology. An appropriate UTM system can provide the right tools for the job, from AI and SOAR (security orchestration, automation, and response) to security information and event management (SIEM). It ensures you can investigate multi-chain attacks and Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) intelligently and connect your existing security apps under a single dashboard. It also helps you reduce noise and detect real threats — from compromised credentials holding your most valuable data to ransomware nested in your network.
Detecting Threats
Unified threat management solutions can help identify incoming threats using several methods. For example, they can be preconfigured to detect known malware by filtering it out of data streams and blocking it from penetrating the system. They can also detect novel malware by analyzing its characteristics and behavior. This method is called heuristic analysis and involves using rules to flag malicious programs.
Unifying multiple security tools into a single solution reduces the number of devices your organization needs to deploy and manage, saving you on hardware costs and workforce. Additionally, UTMs can adapt and integrate new security functions into a centralized framework, which is more accessible than having separate systems for each function.
Cyberattacks are increasing, and many organizations lack the resources to keep up with them. In addition, implementing a UTM can be prohibitive for small businesses and emerging markets. It can lead to cybersecurity gaps, which are more challenging to overcome.
A UTM can monitor thousands of endpoints and cloud services to detect potential threats. It can then provide the team with a comprehensive overview of potential vulnerabilities and the types of threats that are impacting the business. This information can be used to develop an effective strategy for protecting against cyberattacks.
Responding to Threats
CISOs and CSOs must quickly detect, investigate, and respond to security incidents to mitigate threats. A UTM solution that supports a variety of threat response capabilities can help them do just that, including advanced threat detection and analysis, sandboxing, network analytics, automated SOAR (security orchestration, automation, and response), and more. This unified approach helps teams tackle multi-chain attacks, prioritize threats, and find vulnerabilities quickly and accurately.
With cyberattacks becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent, a single point of failure can break through the defense wall, leaving organizations vulnerable to attack. As a result, more is needed to have multiple standalone systems in place to safeguard against these threats.
In addition to the benefits mentioned earlier, UTM solutions are often more cost-effective than having separate systems. They can provide more functionality than traditional firewalls and antivirus systems without requiring as many resources.
Many factors are fueling the growth of the unified threat management industry. These include increasing cases of data breaches, the growing convergence between cyberspace and physical systems, and the high demand for cybersecurity technologies among SMEs and emerging businesses. However, a shortage of unified threat management professionals and budget constraints hamper the growth of this market. Nevertheless, the unified threat management industry will thrive in the coming years.