Applying Intelligence from The CyberThreat Report: November 2024

By John Fokker · November 20, 2024

Looking at the data from our CyberThreat Report: November 2024, one thing is unmistakable (and in anticipation of Wicked being released this week): we aren’t in Kansas anymore. Our adversaries are no longer just isolated actors—they’re organized, highly skilled, and armed with all the latest and greatest tools. These attackers don’t just rely on one method or some single-point of access; they use a broad range of techniques and adapt quickly, creating a landscape defined by sophistication, adaptability, and an ever-expanding attack surface.

This new reality highlights the critical need for robust, proactive cybersecurity measures across every sector and geography. No organization, whether in healthcare, finance, government, or manufacturing, is immune from these threats. Attackers continue to widen their scope, targeting new industries and deploying increasingly refined techniques, which leaves the playing field anything but static. The attack surface keeps growing as organizations adopt more digital technologies and bridge systems across platforms, creating new entry points that attackers can exploit.

Given this expansion, the truth is clear: we are simply outmanned for the level of threats that lie ahead. The number of attackers and the sophistication of their tactics make the challenge almost overwhelming for cybersecurity teams. It’s part of the reason the team at Trellix learned, through our recent Mind of the CISO study, that nearly 50% of CISOs do not see a future in their role due to burnout, fatigue, and overwhelm. It makes sense: with finite resources, CISOs often struggle to match the sheer volume and complexity of these evolving attacks. Cybersecurity is no longer just about reacting to breaches; it’s about staying prepared, constantly evolving, and building a resilient foundation that can withstand attacks as they come. It’s showing up to work every day unsure of what you’re going to face, but knowing you will face something extraordinarily complex, and likely something you never imagined. 

It’s why one of the biggest obstacles we face in cybersecurity is the unpredictability of future scenarios. Attackers are agile, finding new ways to bypass defenses as quickly as they’re put up. While we can’t foresee every tactic they’ll deploy, understanding who these adversaries are, what motivates them, and what their latest tactics look like allows us to prepare more effectively. The ability to anticipate and adapt is paramount—defensive strategies must be flexible, continually informed by new data and evolving intelligence.

This is where intelligence becomes a game-changer for today’s cybersecurity leaders. CISOs and security teams who leverage real-time, high-quality intelligence gain a significant advantage. We’re proud at Trellix to be the only organization that shares its visibility with customers. We show them what we see. Why? Because intelligence offers a window into the threat landscape, providing insights into potential vulnerabilities and helping to pinpoint where defenses need to be strengthened. It’s not just about reacting; it’s about foreseeing and adapting, using intelligence to craft a strategy that’s proactive rather than reactive. We can customize our approach for every customer based on our intelligence efforts. 

To be effective, today’s security strategies must rely on intelligence to plan, prepare, and persist. Planning is about understanding the threat environment and aligning resources to where they’re needed most. Preparation involves building layers of defenses that account for both known threats and those yet to come. Persistence means continuing to adapt as new data and tactics emerge, making intelligence a continual, iterative process that shapes and reshapes our defenses.

In today’s threat landscape, intelligence-driven insights are mission-critical. They empower CISOs and security leaders to make informed decisions and adjust their defenses to match the pace of new threats. By incorporating intelligence into every step of their cybersecurity strategy, customers can build defenses that not only protect but also enable their organizations to stay resilient, evolve, and thrive in the face of an ever-changing digital battlefield.

Read our report, here.