Rising attack exposure, threat sophistication spur interest in detection engineering

The Evolution of Threat Detection: From Reactive to Proactive

The survey’s data suggests that many companies have not just adopted detection engineering practices but have made it a strategic focus of their cyber risk mitigation efforts. In fact, “just a decade ago, detection engineering was a relatively unknown role in cybersecurity,” the report stated. “Now, it is emerging as one of the most critical roles in security operations.”

More than the Usual Threat Detection Practices

Proponents argue that detection engineering differs from traditional threat detection practices in approach, methodology, and integration with the development lifecycle. Threat detection processes are typically more reactive and rely on pre-built rules and signatures from vendors that offer limited customization for the organizations using them. In contrast, detection engineering applies software development principles to create and maintain custom detection logic for an organization’s specific environment and threat landscape.

Behavior-Based Detections

Often, this involves a stronger emphasis on behavior-based detections, the integration of threat intelligence to create detections aligned with real-world adversary tactics, and the use of threat modeling to anticipate potential attack paths. “Unlike conventional threat detection, which often relies on static signatures and pre-built rules, detection engineering is behavior-driven, context-aware, and tailored to an organization’s unique threat landscape,” says Heath Renfrow, CISO and co-founder of Fenix24, a cyber disaster recovery firm.

“It involves a blend of security operations, threat intelligence, and data science to build more adaptive and resilient detection capabilities,” Renfrow adds. “This approach is critical in today’s threat landscape, where attackers are constantly evolving and adapting their tactics to evade traditional detection methods.”

Context-Aware Detection

Detection engineering is not just about creating custom detection logic but also about creating context-aware detection mechanisms. This involves integrating threat intelligence with detection systems to provide a deeper understanding of the threat landscape and to create detections that are tailored to an organization’s specific environment.

From Reactive to Proactive

By adopting a detection engineering approach, organizations can shift from a reactive to a proactive posture. Rather than waiting for threats to materialize and then responding to them, organizations can anticipate and prevent attacks by developing detection capabilities that are tailored to their specific environment and threat landscape.

Conclusion

In conclusion, detection engineering is an emerging field that is critical to an organization’s cyber risk mitigation efforts. By adopting a detection engineering approach, organizations can shift from a reactive to a proactive posture and stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape. It is essential for organizations to prioritize detection engineering and to invest in the skills and resources necessary to build and maintain custom detection logic.