The Middle East’s Uphill Battle: Addressing DFIR Challenges

Report: Enterprises Struggling to Keep Threats at Bay in the Ever-changing Digital Landscape

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, enterprises are facing increasing challenges in defending themselves against cyber threats. The latest digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) report, conducted by IDC in collaboration with Binalyze, sheds light on some of the shortfalls highlighted by companies in the Middle East. The survey, which polled companies across various industries, reveals the difficulties they face when dealing with DFIR.

Lingering Issues Create Lingering Problems

The report reveals that while most companies are adept at swiftly dealing with simple incidents, more complex attacks significantly extend the time it takes to detect, report, and solve such issues. On average, it took approximately 26 days for an incident to be properly investigated, and a further 17 days for an issue to be resolved. This prolonged duration is often seen in scenarios where an attack has spread to multiple machines, making containment a challenging task.

Moreover, longer resolution times lead companies to take critical systems or business processes offline, causing further damage. Finding a solution to reduce investigation time is not so straightforward. While better analytical and detection tools offer a potential solution, deploying and utilizing these complex tools require specialist training and dedicated staff, which might not be feasible for all businesses. Outsourcing these labor-intensive tasks to external experts with specialized skills could be a more cost-effective alternative. In fact, nearly 65% of the survey respondents expressed a need for external support when analyzing digital evidence, a proportion that is expected to grow as the demand for these specialists increases.

There is also the challenge of collecting data from enterprises that combine on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. This mixed environment makes it harder to collect and trace data efficiently. Therefore, finding effective methods to streamline data collection and analysis is crucial.

Automation and AI Can Help

Automation has the potential to play a key role in reducing investigation times. Implementing automated workflows and escalation processes can ensure tighter collaboration between DFIR analysts, especially outside regular working hours. This automation also minimizes the number of investigative tools required, allowing DFIR personnel to focus on more critical tasks.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could also be leveraged to recognize attack patterns before they spread, thereby reducing damage by shutting down attacks more quickly. However, it’s important to find the right balance between automation and human intervention, as comprehensive protection often relies on human expertise.

Ransomware and Malware Remain Major Threats

The survey reveals that ransomware and malware continue to plague most organizations, with no signs of slowing down. As more sophisticated attacks emerge, the time required to investigate and recover from an attack is growing exponentially. This places greater demand on business resources to restore normal operations.

While the majority of survey respondents agree that hiring more experienced cybersecurity professionals would be beneficial, the reality is that the demand for skilled individuals far outweighs the available supply. Therefore, organizations must invest significant time and resources in talent acquisition, development, and staff retention.

Improving the DFIR Situation

To improve the digital forensics and incident response process, several key points need to be addressed. First, organizations must focus on reducing the time between incident resolution and investigation by implementing efficient processes and leveraging automation and AI to streamline common tasks. Secondly, due to the soaring demand for DFIR, organizations must allocate significant capital to recruit the right experts and build effective teams from the start. Sustaining these teams’ efficiency requires ongoing investment in recruitment, retention, and continuous training of skilled professionals. Despite the costs involved, DFIR should be a top priority for any cybersecurity team to promptly address potential threats.

In conclusion, the IDC’s DFIR report reveals the challenges faced by enterprises in combating the evolving cyber threat landscape. The need for more effective incident response processes, better analytical tools, and skilled professionals is paramount. Automation and AI can aid in expediting investigations, but a balance with human expertise must be maintained. Ensuring a strong DFIR capability is crucial for businesses to protect themselves and promptly respond to potential threats.