Imperva Uses AI To Block AI-Weaponised Cyber Threats

• New technologies increase information technology connectivity and vulnerabilities, but they can also be used to fight against these problems.

• Imperva is positioning AI to fight against AI.

• The company conducts data research to identify the pattern of attacks and how the threat landscape is changing.

The number of security events taking place each day has seen an exponential rise as more and more companies shift to new technologies to improve the operation and efficiency of their business models. But, new technologies can bring more threats to corporate security.

As these new technologies increase information technology connectivity and vulnerabilities, they can also be used to fight against these problems. Cybersecurity software maker Imperva Inc. uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to do threat analytics and predictive attack research for its clients.

In cybersecurity, staying one step ahead of the competition is a necessity. As malicious users start using AI systems in their products, cybersecurity must figure out how to adapt on the fly to combat these threats that have the potential to evolve. Imperva is positioning AI to fight against AI.

We are fighting against technologies like AI. But we are also using those technologies to help us decide where we need to continue to add capabilities to stop [cyberattacks].

- Pam Murphy, CEO, Imperva

Murphy discussed how Imperva uses data to protect consumers from security threats, the company’s focus on consumer needs.

READ MORE: Delivering on the promise of security AI to help defenders protect today’s hybrid environments

Blocking Out One Million Threats A Minute

Imperva has what it calls a “threat research group,” whose job is to assess data that passes through the company’s content delivery network. Imperva protects over 3 million databases and looks at about 25 petabytes of data daily, offering solutions in the cloud and on-premises.

Murphy mentioned that the company’s data collection centers get records for each attempted attack on a network that Imperva is protecting.  She said, “We get the benefit of basically seeing all that are hitting our customers every day. We block about 1 million attacks every minute.”

The collection of this data enables Imperva to analyze incoming sequences and determine what they’re looking at to figure out what part of their cybersecurity defense should be shored up. For example, the data allows Imperva to conduct research to identify the pattern of attacks and how the threat landscape is changing. According to Murphy, this guides the company to augment its products to prevent those attacks.

Before, a lot of the attacks were just sort of fast and furious. Now we’re seeing a pattern towards slow — slow and continuous.

- Pam Murphy, CEO, Imperva

Imperva is in a unique position to determine the needs of their clientele and respond to those requirements given access to vast volumes of data. By pushing the boundaries of cybersecurity innovation, Imperva intends to combine its data collection system with analytics to help them develop solutions that can be applied across the board.

Murphy wants to harness her knowledge of customer demand to perfect Imperva’s market approach. The idea is to deliver a more complete and integrated solution for enterprise customers. She said, “Our focus is on what do customers need rather than what software tech companies or security companies think that they need." The new approach involves making the tools easier to use and showing customers the breadth of the company’s solutions.

With a focus innovation, Imperva plans to launch a range of tools in the year ahead.

READ MORE: Five Ways Imperva Attack Analytics Helps You Cut Through the Event Noise