Malware 2.0: 7 Strategies To Outsmart A Smarter Adversary

Global cybercrime costs were predicted by Cybersecurity Ventures to grow by 15 percent per year over the past five years—with malware and ransomware driving a significant portion.

A recent Forbes article shares that malware has been part of the cybersecurity story for decades, but its evolution is accelerating in ways that challenge even the most prepared organizations. Once limited to disruptive viruses and opportunistic ransomware, today’s threats are more adaptive, stealthy, and business-focused than ever before.

As attackers embrace artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and new attack surfaces such as Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud supply chains, enterprises face a landscape where the line between nation-state espionage and criminal enterprise is starting to blur.

Facing these challenges, organizations must evolve their defenses beyond traditional antivirus and perimeter firewalls using these seven strategies, according to John Chirillo, a seasoned ethical hacker, programmer, author of several books, and cybersecurity expert specializing in forensics and malware analysis:

1. Adopt XDR and MDR Services—unify detection and response across endpoints, networks, and cloud;

2. Implement Zero Trust Architecture—assume breach, verify continuously;

3. Integrate Threat Intelligence—stay ahead of adversary TTPs;

4. Run Tabletop Exercises—ensure readiness for the inevitable incident;

5. Prioritize Patch and Configuration Management—close vulnerabilities quickly;

6. Strengthen Perimeter and Identity Management—protect against credential abuse;

7. Deploy Data Loss Prevention (DLP)—stop sensitive data exfiltration;

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