Vectra AI upgrades platform to counter GenAI cyber threats

Vectra AI has unveiled an upgrade to its Platform, taking on the rising threat vectors from the hasty uptake of Generative AI (GenAI) tools. The enhanced AI Platform deploys patented Attack Signal Intelligence™, utilising behaviour-based AI to outmanoeuvre cyber attackers exploiting GenAI, thus enabling security operations centre (SOC) teams to tackle GenAI attacks with AI.

The swift development and ascendency of GenAI tools have led many organisations to integrate these into their platforms to streamline procedures and boost productivity. While advantageous, genAI tools like Microsoft Copilot can potentially create new attack surfaces as they require access to proprietary corporate data. Therefore, whilst GenAI tools can enhance the operational speed for employees and organisations, they simultaneously offer the same advantage to cyber attackers, enabling them to accelerate the spread of their identity abuses.

Highlighting the need for robust defence systems, Hitesh Sheth, founder and CEO of Vectra AI, commented, “With more enterprises now using GenAI tools to boost employee productivity, SOC teams face a new attack surface, one that can only be protected with AI... Our new AI-driven detections for GenAI attacks empower SOC teams to fight AI with AI, enabling them to operate at the same speed and scale as attackers.”

Sheth argues the necessity for SOC defenders to harness AI for combating AI-empowered attacks. Vectra AI Platform uses AI and machine learning (ML) to recognise threats across multiple environments including network, identity, cloud, SaaS, and GenAI attack surfaces. The patented Attack Signal Intelligence allows SOC defenders the ability to identify and isolate real attacks swiftly and with precision. With added GenAI coverage, the Vectra AI Platform gears up SOC teams to identify and subvert emerging attacker techniques that exploit GenAI tools.

Vectra AI Platform now identifies attackers that infringe an identity and exploit Microsoft Copilot for M365 to execute their onslaughts, gaining access to sensitive applications and data speedily. Additionally, the enhanced AI Platform provides GenAI detection coverage for Microsoft Copilot abuses. This includes suspicious access, data discovery, and jailbreak attack techniques, correlation, and attribution of GenAI detections across multiple domains, prioritisation of Microsoft Copilot GenAI detections with detections across network (Vectra NDR), Identity (Vectra ITDR), and cloud (Vectra CDR) and integration of metadata across these domains for instant and advanced investigations. It also enables native, automated, and managed response actions to secure hosts and accounts involved in an attack.

Jeff Reed, chief product officer at Vectra AI, spoke regarding the popularity of Microsoft Copilot for M365 amongst businesses. “Over 40% of Vectra AI’s identity customers have begun to adopt Microsoft Copilot for M365 in their enterprise... This new expansion of the Vectra AI Platform helps SOC defenders protect identities and stop attackers abusing GenAI tools.”

The Vectra AI platform aims to arm defenders with the most integrated and accurate signal, powering extended detection and response (XDR). With the capability to effectively hunt, detect, prioritise, investigate and respond to threats across the entire hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure in mere minutes, the aim is to quash threats before they escalate to breaches.