A Highly Evasive Adaptive Threat (HEAT) is a cybersecurity attack type designed to bypass traditional network security defenses. [1] [2] HEAT attacks are designed to find ways around protections that have been in place for years. [3] HEAT attacks are able to bypass typical cybersecurity controls, such as Secure Web Gateways (SWG) and anti-malware capabilities, through malicious links disguised as common URLs that victims assume are safe. HEAT attacks go beyond traditional phishing methods, which have historically been delivered by email, by inserting themselves into links that are not flagged by anti-phishing software. [4] Similar to most cybersecurity threats, the drivers of HEAT attacks are primarily monetary and political. HEAT attacks focus on technical limitations of commonly deployed security tools with the primary target being web browsers. [5] Nation-states and cybercriminals typically use HEAT attacks for phishing attempts or ransomware initial access. [6]
Highly Adaptive Evasive Threats (HEAT) require adaptive threat analysis technology to detect threats missed by other approaches. [7]
HEAT attacks demonstrate four primary characteristics [8]
Though some of the techniques used in HEAT attacks have been in the industry for several years, the increasing trends towards remote work, increasing use of Software as a Service (SaaS) and browser based applications, and ransomware attacks have accelerated adoption of HEAT techniques by attackers.
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A Highly Evasive Adaptive Threat (HEAT) is a cybersecurity attack type designed to bypass traditional network security defenses. [1] [2] HEAT attacks are designed to find ways around protections that have been in place for years. [3] HEAT attacks are able to bypass typical cybersecurity controls, such as Secure Web Gateways (SWG) and anti-malware capabilities, through malicious links disguised as common URLs that victims assume are safe. HEAT attacks go beyond traditional phishing methods, which have historically been delivered by email, by inserting themselves into links that are not flagged by anti-phishing software. [4] Similar to most cybersecurity threats, the drivers of HEAT attacks are primarily monetary and political. HEAT attacks focus on technical limitations of commonly deployed security tools with the primary target being web browsers. [5] Nation-states and cybercriminals typically use HEAT attacks for phishing attempts or ransomware initial access. [6]
Highly Adaptive Evasive Threats (HEAT) require adaptive threat analysis technology to detect threats missed by other approaches. [7]
HEAT attacks demonstrate four primary characteristics [8]
Though some of the techniques used in HEAT attacks have been in the industry for several years, the increasing trends towards remote work, increasing use of Software as a Service (SaaS) and browser based applications, and ransomware attacks have accelerated adoption of HEAT techniques by attackers.
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)