An Early Warning System Derived from Pentest Results

Horizon3.ai, a global leader in autonomous security solutions, today unveiled NodeZero Tripwires™, an addition to its product suite that integrates attack detection directly into the penetration testing process. This first-of-its-kind solution combines deception and detection technologies within NodeZero™ autonomous pentests to identify unauthorized access and malicious activities in real time. By providing a precision-placed early warning system on exploitable attack paths during a pentest, NodeZero Tripwires significantly enhances organizational security posture and effectively disrupts potential attackers.

Introducing a New Era in Cybersecurity

In a world where network breaches, ransom demands, and data exfiltration are becoming increasingly common, traditional security measures are proving inadequate against today’s attackers. Existing cyber deception tools often rely on vast rule libraries and scripts, randomly scatter decoys like honeytokens across the network, and frequently produce false positives that burden security teams with unnecessary alerts.

NodeZero Tripwires represents a radical departure from these outdated methods by autonomously deploying the solution as part of the penetration testing process. During a pentest, NodeZero strategically places decoys—such as fake files and credentials—based on the exploitable attack paths it discovers. If a malicious actor interacts with a tripwire, an immediate alert is sent from NodeZero to security teams, enabling rapid response and containment of the threat.

This approach is akin to identifying areas in your home that are likely paths an intruder would take, then placing motion detectors in those deemed high-risk. This ensures that if a real intruder attempts a break-in, you’ll be immediately notified.

“NodeZero Tripwires represents a significant leap forward for organizations aiming to secure their systems during a critical window of exploitability,” said Snehal Antani, CEO at Horizon3.ai. “The hardest part of building an early warning network is figuring out where to deploy decoys. By using pentest results as a guide, customers can now seamlessly deploy honey tokens – fake AWS credentials, Azure tokens, sensitive command tokens, kubeconfig files, etc. – onto servers and file shares that are likely to be exploited, maximizing signal and minimizing noise. This fusion of autonomous pentesting and advanced threat detection distinguishes NodeZero Tripwires as a groundbreaking approach in the fight against cyber threats.”

Addressing Critical Gaps in Vulnerability Management

A major challenge in vulnerability management is protecting assets when immediate patching or vulnerability remediation isn’t possible. Studies indicate that the average Mean Time to Remediate (MTTR) of critical vulnerabilities is approximately 58 days, leaving organizations vulnerable for extended periods. During these exposed periods, NodeZero Tripwires acts as an essential safeguard, providing early warnings for assets with a high probability of being exploited.

Once NodeZero identifies an exploitable attack path, the countdown begins for the customer to remediate the discovered issues and confirm they are no longer exploitable. During this remediation period, which may last weeks or longer, NodeZero Tripwires can be deployed to offer additional indicators and early warnings when an attacker uncovers a vulnerability and attempts to exploit it. This capability is essential in light of current trends in vulnerability management and remediation.

Revolutionizing Cyber Defense for Today’s Challenges

As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, security teams need to detect and respond to threats with greater speed and precision. NodeZero Tripwires offers reliable insights and alerts so security teams can quickly investigate and contain an attack. With seamless integration into existing SIEMs and other security tools, NodeZero Tripwires allows organizations to effortlessly incorporate this intelligence into their incident response workflows.

"When Horizon3.ai introduced Tripwires, it immediately resonated with me. During a previous pentest, a tester used exposed credentials to compromise servers. Now, with NodeZero Tripwires, we can deploy decoy credentials in vulnerable spots and be alerted if they’re used. This gives real-time intelligence on attacker activity, enabling us to track movements and, with our SIEM logs, quickly identify and remove the threat. Tripwires offers unmatched signal-to-noise clarity, making it invaluable in IT security," said a Director of Infrastructure Engineering - Manufacturing Building Products.

About Horizon3.ai

Horizon3.ai's NodeZero™ Autonomous Security Platform offers integrated threat detection, autonomous pentesting, third-party risk management, and comprehensive governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) insights. It enhances organizational security by proactively identifying and remediating exploitable vulnerabilities, while strategically deploying deception and threat detection through NodeZero Tripwires™. Founded in 2019 by former industry leaders and U.S. National Security veterans, Horizon3.ai is at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation.

Learn more about NodeZero Tripwires today.

Watch a quick video explaining how NodeZero Tripwires works.

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The hardest part of building an early warning network is figuring out where to deploy decoys. The fusion of autonomous pentesting and advanced threat detection distinguishes NodeZero Tripwires as a groundbreaking approach in the fight against cyber threats