Virtualisation-based security firm Bromium is enabling organisations to turn their traditionally weak endpoints into sources of security intelligence.
According to the company, its Bromium Secure Platform offers a complete departure from traditional detect-to-protect approach to security.
The platform is an evolution of Bromium\u2019s micro-virtualisation technology that was developed to enable users to open any executable file, document or web page without fear.
According to Vanson Bourne research commissioned by Bromium, 85% of 400 CIOs polled in the UK, US and Germany said users are the weakest link in security, ignoring or forgetting the education, policies and procedures enterprises have put in place to prevent risky behaviour.
The core Bromium technology works by assuming all internet tasks are untrusted and automatically putting each task into its own virtual machine or micro-VM, which is destroyed when the task is completed.
If an attack occurs during any of these tasks, the malware remains contained and isolated inside the micro-VM, unable to escape and access any system or network resource.
Bromium claims this approach has no effect on user experience or performance and provides 100% protection from malware as it does not rely on any \u201cdetection\u201d capability.
This approach is now open to most organisations as almost all are using endpoint devices with processors (CPUs) that support micro-virtualisation with third-generation virtualisation extensions, according to Ian Pratt, co-founder and president of Bromium.
\u201cWe have worked with CPU suppliers Intel, AMD and more latterly ARM about building in features which enable high-performance, more secure virtualisation by making the CPU understand about running VMs and have it do the hard work of providing that protection,\u201d he told Computer Weekly.
Using micro-VMs, said Pratt, means that organisations can let ransomware and other malware run because attackers have nowhere to hide and nothing to steal.
\u201cBecause the malware is isolated in the micro-VM, it cannot steal password hashes and other credentials or access any file systems,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n