Advanced Threat Protection: 5 Defensive Layers and 5 Best Practices

What Is Advanced Threat Protection? 

Advanced threat protection refers to security measures that protect IT systems from cyber threats. Threat protection solutions proactively detect, mitigate, and respond to threats that are challenging to identify with standard security measures. Unlike traditional antivirus or firewall systems, advanced threat protection employs technologies such as machine learning, behavioral analysis, and threat intelligence to combat risks in real time.

Threat protection frameworks focus on identifying and countering threats that often evade conventional security tools. These technologies use methodologies that extend beyond signature-based detection, seeking patterns indicative of malicious activity and suspicious behavior. By continually evolving, threat protection helps organizations protect their digital assets against evolving threats.

This is part of a series of articles about information security

What Makes a Threat “Advanced?”

An advanced threat goes beyond conventional cyberattacks by employing sophisticated tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to bypass traditional security defenses. These threats are often well-funded, persistent, and targeted, making them significantly harder to detect and mitigate.

One defining characteristic of an advanced threat is its ability to evade signature-based detection mechanisms. Attackers frequently use zero-day exploits, polymorphic malware, and fileless attacks to remain undetected. These methods allow them to infiltrate systems without triggering alarms from standard antivirus or firewall protections.

Advanced threats often focus on long-term objectives. Unlike opportunistic attacks, which seek immediate gains, advanced threats often aim to establish persistent access, allowing attackers to gather intelligence, disrupt operations, or exfiltrate sensitive data over time. In advanced persistent threats (APTs), attackers use stealthy techniques such as privilege escalation and lateral movement to maintain control over a compromised network.

Additionally, advanced threats may leverage multiple attack vectors, combining phishing, social engineering, and vulnerabilities in software or hardware to increase their chances of success. This multi-faceted approach makes it difficult for organizations to predict and defend against these threats.

Common Types and Examples of Advanced Threats 

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

Advanced persistent threats (APTs) are prolonged and targeted cyber campaigns aimed at specific entities. These threats aim to gain unauthorized access to networks without detection, maintaining a presence to extract valuable information over time. APTs often originate from sophisticated hackers, including state-sponsored groups.

APTs exploit vulnerabilities in systems, often using social engineering, to establish an entry point within a network. Once inside, attackers move laterally, escalating privileges and extracting data while avoiding detection by remaining concealed. The persistent nature of APTs makes them highly dangerous as they can operate undetected for extended periods.

Zero-Day Exploits

Zero-day exploits target software vulnerabilities not publicly known before or on the day they are discovered, making them difficult to defend against preemptively. These exploits capitalize on security flaws that have not yet been patched, allowing attackers to infiltrate systems silently and swiftly. 

The surprising nature of zero-day attacks requires organizations to adopt rapid detection and response mechanisms. Since these exploits remain effective until a software vendor releases a patch, real-time monitoring, anomaly detection, and immediate defensive actions are crucial for minimizing damage. 

Ransomware

Ransomware encrypts data on a victim’s system, rendering it unusable until a ransom is paid to the threat actors. This type of malware is particularly destructive as it can halt operations, leading to financial loss and reputational damage. Ransomware attacks usually initiate through phishing emails or malicious downloads, infecting systems by exploiting user interaction.

Ransomware variants have evolved with more sophisticated coding and deployment tactics, often on a global scale. For organizations, it is vital to backup critical data and implement stringent access controls to mitigate the impact of such attacks. Effective response plans, coupled with security measures, can reduce the threat posed by ransomware incidents.

Phishing and Spear Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks trick users into revealing sensitive information by impersonating trustworthy entities. These attacks use social engineering tactics to gather credentials, often leading to unauthorized access and data breaches. Spear phishing, a more targeted variant, focuses on specific individuals or groups with personalized messages that appear highly credible.

These attacks exploit human error, making continuous education and awareness crucial in preventing such breaches. Email filtering, multi-factor authentication, and vigilant monitoring help detect phishing attempts, while training programs can improve employee resilience against scams.

Advanced Malware

Advanced malware encompasses malicious software designed to infiltrate systems stealthily, evade detection, and cause harm. This includes rootkits, trojans, and worms, crafted to manipulate system functionalities or extract information covertly. Advanced malware often uses obfuscation and polymorphism, altering its code to evade signature-based detection methods.

To combat advanced malware, organizations should employ multi-layered security solutions including behavioral analysis, sandboxing, and threat intelligence integration. Preventive measures such as endpoint protection and regular software updates help reduce vulnerabilities usable by malware. 

Tips from the expert

Steve Moore is Vice President and Chief Security Strategist at Exabeam, helping drive solutions for threat detection and advising customers on security programs and breach response. He is the host of the “The New CISO Podcast,” a Forbes Tech Council member, and Co-founder of TEN18 at Exabeam.

In my experience, here are tips that can help you strengthen your threat protection strategy:

1. Use deception technology to trick attackers: Deploy honeypots and decoy assets to lure attackers and gather intelligence on their tactics. This approach not only diverts adversaries away from critical systems but also provides insights for improving defenses.
2. Deploy Dynamic Defenses: Look to solutions like sandboxing, EDR, or UEBA that discover threats using file testing or behavioral detections.In order for most static-based solutions to work, they have to know about a threat, but with hundreds of thousands of new threats released daily, dynamic defenses are seen as a secondary or tertiary line of defense. 
3. Prioritize threat hunting over passive defense: Instead of waiting for alerts, proactively search for threats using hypothesis-driven threat hunting. Use logs, behavioral analytics, and adversary simulation to uncover hidden attackers before they strike.
4. Adopt an “Assume Breach” mindset: Operate under the assumption that attackers are already inside the network. Implement continuous monitoring, lateral movement detection, and micro-segmentation to limit potential damage.
5. Integrate threat intelligence feeds into SIEM: Enhance SIEM capabilities by incorporating real-time threat intelligence feeds. This allows teams to detect indicators of compromise (IoCs) based on the latest global threat landscape.
6. Automate threat containment with SOAR: Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tools can automatically quarantine infected endpoints, block malicious IPs, and escalate critical alerts—reducing response time from hours to seconds.

Key Components of Threat Protection 

Here are some of the main measures used to protect against advanced threats.

1. Real-Time Threat Detection

Real-time threat detection identifies and mitigates threats as they occur, reducing potential damage. This capability leverages technologies like intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS), which monitor activities to identify suspicious patterns or behaviors indicative of malicious intent. 

Continuous monitoring is essential for effective real-time detection. Automated systems provide immediate alerts and responses to potential threats, minimizing the window of exposure. Implementing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions improves situational awareness, allowing security teams to act against emerging threats.

2. Behavioral Analytics and Anomaly Detection

Behavioral analytics and anomaly detection focus on identifying deviations from normal system and user behavior. This approach detects potential threats by recognizing patterns that do not align with established baselines, indicating possible malicious activity. By examining a wide range of data points, including logins, network usage, and data access, anomalies can be spotted early.

This method provides a view of activities, offering insights that assist in preemptive threat management. Integrating behavioral analytics into the broader security architecture enables organizations to detect and counter threats that traditional signature-based systems might miss.

User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) further enhances real-time threat detection by establishing baselines of normal activity and identifying deviations that indicate potential compromise. By analyzing user behaviors, access patterns, and system interactions, UEBA can detect insider threats, credential misuse, and lateral movement, providing deeper context for security teams to proactively mitigate risks.

3. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) 

SIEM solutions aggregate and analyze security event data from various sources, offering centralized visibility into potential threats. By correlating logs from firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoints, SIEM helps detect unusual patterns that indicate security incidents.

Advanced SIEM systems leverage real-time analytics and automated threat intelligence to identify anomalies and respond swiftly. By integrating with other security tools, SIEM enhances incident response capabilities, allowing organizations to detect, investigate, and mitigate threats. Combining UEBA with a SIEM solution with dynamic risk scoring can make it easier to find critical threats faster. 

4. Machine Learning and AI for Threat Detection

Machine learning and AI improve threat detection by enabling systems to learn from data and improve over time. These technologies analyze vast amounts of information to identify patterns and predict potential threats, adapting to new threats with minimal human intervention.

The integration of AI in threat protection solutions addresses complex threat landscapes by leveraging predictive analytics. Machine learning models can be trained to identify zero-day exploits and other sophisticated attacks, reducing false positives and improving accuracy. 

5. Threat Intelligence Integration

Threat intelligence integration improves security defenses by incorporating real-time data on emerging threats. This approach allows organizations to identify indicators of compromise (IoCs), such as known malicious IPs, domains, or attack techniques, before they impact the network.

By leveraging external threat intelligence feeds, security teams gain a broader understanding of evolving attack trends. Automated correlation of threat intelligence with internal security logs improves detection accuracy, reducing false positives and enabling proactive threat mitigation.

Learn more in our detailed guide to cyber threat intelligence

5 Best Practices for Effective Advanced Threat Protection 

Organizations often implement the following best practices to ensure maximal protection against advanced threats.

1. Regular Security Assessments and Audits

Conducting regular security assessments and audits identifies vulnerabilities and ensures systems remain resilient against threats. These evaluations provide insights into existing security measures’ effectiveness, uncovering gaps that might expose an organization to risks. Regular audits ensure continuous improvement and readiness to counter new tactics.

Security assessments involve reviewing policies, procedures, and technologies. Audits help confirm that security controls align with industry standards and best practices, enabling improved threat defense. By maintaining a routine evaluation schedule, organizations improve their ability to detect and mitigate threats.

2. System Hardening

System hardening involves strengthening security configurations to reduce vulnerabilities and minimize attack surfaces. This process includes disabling unnecessary services, applying the principle of least privilege, and enforcing strict access controls. Regular patching and updates are critical to mitigating known exploits.

Hardening strategies also extend to network security, such as implementing segmentation and restricting administrative access. Organizations should configure firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), endpoint protection, and SIEM solutions to detect and block suspicious activities. Enforcing security baselines across operating systems, applications, and cloud environments further reduces exposure to threats.

3. Employee Education and Training

By equipping employees with knowledge about potential threats and safe computing practices, organizations reduce the likelihood of security incidents. Training programs should cover topics like phishing, password management, and data protection.

Regular workshops and simulated attack exercises reinforce learning, helping employees recognize and respond to threats effectively. A well-informed workforce acts as a frontline defense against social engineering and other attacks.

4. Implementing Multi-Layered Defense Strategies

A multi-layered defense strategy utilizes multiple security measures across various levels to protect against diverse threats. This approach combines technologies like SIEM, firewalls, IDS, data encryption, and endpoint protection, creating a defense system with redundancy and reducing single points of failure.

Implementing a multi-layered strategy ensures defense in depth, where each layer addresses different threat vectors, improving overall security posture. The synergy between layers offers a proactive approach to threat management, contributing to risk mitigation and asset protection.

5. Establishing Incident Response Plans

Incident response plans outline procedures for managing and mitigating security incidents. These plans ensure quick and effective actions are taken to contain, eradicate, and recover from specific types of incidents, minimizing damage. A well-structured plan includes roles, communication strategies, and post-incident reviews, ensuring preparedness.

Regularly testing and updating response plans ensures they remain relevant and effective in the face of evolving threats. By doing so, organizations ensure timely actions reduce the impact of incidents, maintaining business continuity and preserving integrity.

Exabeam: Leading AI-Driven Security Operations

Exabeam delivers AI-driven security operations to empower teams to combat cyberthreats, mitigate risks, and streamline workflows. Managing threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR) has become increasingly challenging due to overwhelming data, constant alerts, and under-resourced teams. Many tools, including SIEMs, struggle to detect insider threats or compromised credentials.

The New-Scale Security Operations and LogRhythm SIEM Platforms from Exabeam redefine TDIR by automating workflows and delivering advanced detection capabilities. Industry-leading behavioral analytics identify threats others miss, while an open ecosystem supports hundreds of integrations and flexible deployments—cloud-native, self-hosted, or hybrid—for rapid time-to-value.

AI-powered detection assigns risk scores to anomalies and generates automated threat timelines, enhancing investigation speed and accuracy. The generative AI assistant, Exabeam Copilot, accelerates learning with natural language queries and automated threat explanations, reducing alert fatigue and helping analysts prioritize critical events effectively.

With a data-agnostic approach, Exabeam unifies logs and aligns security efforts with strategic objectives, avoiding vendor lock-in. Pre-packaged content and an intuitive interface enable rapid deployment and customization. The platform maps ingestion against MITRE ATT&CK to identify gaps and support key use cases. Exabeam delivers unmatched detection, flexible deployment options, and more efficient, accurate TDIR, empowering security teams to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Learn more about Exabeam