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The Security Advantages of OPSWAT MetaDefender Endpoint for Critical Infrastructure 

by Itay Glick, VP, Products
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Protecting the world’s critical infrastructure from immense cyberattacks is crucial. Recent vulnerabilities in the EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) industry, which often relies on kernel-mode protections, have proven to pose significant security risks. OPSWAT's MetaDefender Endpoint, which avoids kernel-mode operations, offers a compelling case for enhancing the security of critical infrastructure.

Kernel-Mode Operations Pose Significant Security Risks

Kernel-mode operations are deeply integrated with the operating system, providing high levels of access and control. While this can offer distinct security capabilities there are also risks, including:

High-Value Targets

Kernel-mode components are attractive targets for attackers due to their deep system access. A successful compromise can lead to complete system control.

Complexity and Bugs

Code operating in kernel mode is complex and prone to bugs. Any vulnerability can be exploited to gain high-level privileges.

Difficult Patching

Kernel-mode vulnerabilities often require system restarts for patches, leading to downtime and potential disruptions in critical infrastructure.

OPSWAT MetaDefender Endpoint: A Safer Approach

OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Endpoint boosts user-mode operations, avoiding the inherent risks of kernel-mode access. Here’s how this approach enhances security:

Reduced Attack Surface

By operating in user mode, MetaDefender significantly reduces the attack surface. Attackers have fewer opportunities to exploit deep system vulnerabilities.

Enhanced Stability and Reliability

User-mode applications are less likely to crash the system. This stability is crucial for critical infrastructure, where uptime is essential.

Easier Maintenance and Patching

User-mode applications can be updated without system reboots, ensuring that security patches can be applied quickly and with minimal disruption.

Smaller Footprint

Using user-mode applications are more efficient for the OS as they are introduced to a smaller number of events. While user-mode applications can be very specific with what they monitor and hence can be lightweight, kernel-mode operations get the input stream of every system call API, forcing the agent to have a heavy footprint on the operating system.

Engine Isolation for Additional Security

Another critical security feature of the MetaDefender Endpoint is the isolation of the security engine from the client:

Engine Isolation

The security engine is isolated from the client, meaning that even if the client is compromised, the core security functionalities remain unaffected.

Compromise Prevention

This separation ensures that attackers cannot easily tamper with or disable the security engine, maintaining robust protection for the critical infrastructure.

Enhanced Resilience

The repeated and separated engine design increases the overall resilience of the security solution, making it more challenging for attackers to breach multiple layers of defense.

Visibility

Attackers that might have access to the system are limited to the visibility on which engines would be inspecting the system complicating their persistency on the device.

The risks exposed by recent incidents underscore the importance of evaluating security strategies for critical infrastructure. OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Endpoint, by minimized kernel-mode operations and implementing engine isolation, provides a more secure, stable, and manageable solution. It ensures critical systems remain protected against sophisticated threats, maintaining the integrity and availability essential for critical infrastructure. 

Speak to an expert today for a free demo and discover how OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Endpoint can protect your critical assets from advanced threats.

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