Published Monday, September 10, 2012 7:59 AM by Spencer Parker

The seven stages hackers follow to steal data have been exposed!

Traditional URL and AV defences are no longer effective in blocking targeted attacks. Cloud apps, mobility and remote users have all contributed to a growth in SSL traffic, which is a major blind spot for many defences. 

In today’s ever-changing threat landscape, the need to stay informed on the latest attack strategies is vital. Tune in to my webcast this Tuesday, September 11, 2012 from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. BST on the seven stages of advanced threats and data theft. We’ll be covering each of these steps:

1. Reconnaissance 

2. Lures 

3. Redirects 

4. Exploit Kits 

5. Dropper Files 

6. Call-Home 

7. Data Theft 

These are the tactics and stages used in the attacks that have made headlines around the world. Whether it is breaking into a security company to steal source code, or a giant search firm to steal login credentials, most advanced attacks have followed this pattern. Understanding the attackers methods can help you to understand how to better protect your organization.

The four reasons these tactics work while most defences fail is that old defences:

• Are primarily based on signature and reputation
• Lack real-time, inline content analysis
• Are forward facing only, lacking outbound (data stealing) protection
• Frequently only offer more of the same in deployment options, leaving areas like SSL traffic in blind spots 

Against this backdrop of sophisticated threats, our webcast will help you appreciate the structure of advanced attacks and provide insights on how to respond. For a preview of the seven stages, please visit our Websense 2012 Threat Report.

We look forward to speaking with our EMEA audience! Registration is required to join the webcast. Be sure to bring your comments and questions, as we'll be doing a Q&A session at the end of the presentation. After you've checked out the webinar, or reviewed the stages in our Threat Report, I'd be interested in hearing which stage you feel the most and the least prepared to mitigate. Leave your comments below!