The evolution of incident response: A fresh approach to an old problem

In today's world, software is the lifeblood of organizations, powering operations across sectors and industries. Contrast has introduced an evolution in the measures we take to protect software and boost the effectiveness of incident response processes. 

Reinventing the incident response plan

An effective incident response plan involves more than just reacting to threats as they arise. It encompasses a proactive approach that includes implementing compensating controls, detecting and analyzing potential threats, quarantining and eliminating confirmed threats, and post-response activities like audits, compliance checks and risk reassessment.

Thanks to recent technological advancements, myriad tools are now at the disposal of security practitioners, allowing them to make significant strides in their incident response activities. Among these, Contrast Protect stands out as an enabling technology for truly proactive protection, identification and elimination of threats.

Fortunately, a new paradigm is emerging that promises a more comprehensive approach to securing our digital assets.

Incident response: Past, present and future

Traditional incident response tools can be categorized into levels based on their effectiveness and positioning in Application Security (AppSec).

• Level 0 — Endpoint security tools: These tools reside at the operating system level, running on application servers. They can monitor events on endpoints and spot potentially suspicious activities, like an unexpected connection to a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) or Remote Method Invocation (RMI) server. However, they are often reactive in nature, requiring additional analysis to confirm whether a detected event signifies an actual security compromise.
• Level 1 — APM-like tools: Application performance management (APM)  tools are a step forward in terms of providing context. These solutions sit at the application layer, offering deeper insights into potential security threats. For instance, they can identify which application servers are running workloads with vulnerable libraries and can monitor when a potentially malicious query is executed.
• Level 2 — The new generation: Here enters Contrast Protect — an application-layer tool capable of not just detecting but also blocking malicious exploits. This revolutionary approach sets a new standard in incident response, enabling real-time security measures to be taken.

A deeper look at Contrast Protect

Contrast Protect has pioneered a next-generation model of detection and protection embedded within an AppSec tool. Unlike its predecessors that primarily focus on detection, Contrast can actively prevent harmful queries from executing. In the face of threats like Log4j vulnerabilities, Contrast is equipped to detect and block malicious queries that attempt to connect to rogue servers, thus going beyond the role of a mere watchman.

This progressive model signifies a crucial shift toward fortifying the underlying runtime with tools integrated within AppSec products. The benefits of this approach are manifold:

• It saves developers from incessantly patching code.
• It saves incident responders from implementing prevention measures post-detection.
• It saves organizations from hefty costs related to responding to and resolving security incidents.

Beyond detection: The need for proactive protection

Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving landscape. While you're reading this, adversaries are crafting next-generation exploits, making it crucial to have protection that keeps pace with these emerging threats. Contrast Protect offers precisely that: advanced protection that's only possible through its unique, innovative approach.

In essence, Contrast Protect brings a new dimension to production protection and incident response, making it the first of its kind — a truly proactive runtime protection product.

The bottom line? We've moved beyond the era of mere detection. With tools like Contrast Protect, we are now in the age of active, proactive protection — a seismic shift that promises a future of enhanced security and resilience.

Read more: 

• Contrast Security Protect shields applications from zero-day attacks
• JSON-based SQL attacks bypassed WAFs, but not Contrast Protect
• Contrast Protect Blocks Spring4Shell
• Hardening Log4j defenses with new Contrast Protect JNDI Injection rule
• How Contrast Protect Out-Firewalls Web Application Firewalls (WAFs)