Advancing Cyber Defense: Integrating Automation and Threat Detection for National Security

Original Broadcast December 3, 2024

Presented by Corelight & Carahsoft

Jean Schaffer, Federal CTO at Corelight, highlights the critical need for government agencies and high-value industries to evolve beyond traditional cybersecurity tools to effectively counter increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. She points out that while foundational strategies like zero trust provide a strong basis for secure infrastructure, they are not enough on their own. Agencies must now adopt a fully integrated approach, combining advanced threat detection and rapid-response tools with automation. With the rise of both state-sponsored threats, such as Volt Typhoon, and highly organized independent actors, cyber attackers are constantly finding vulnerabilities across networks. This means that organizations require an interconnected suite of tools—spanning AI-enhanced firewalls, SOAR platforms, and network detection—to identify potential weak points and automatically respond in real-time. Schaffer shares the need for comprehensive visibility across all endpoints and networks, as threats can emerge from any corner of an organization’s infrastructure.

Key Takeaways:

1. Modern threat detection and response require a suite of advanced tools, tightly integrated to support real-time monitoring and immediate response.
   
   
2. Automated responses, through SOAR and AI-enhanced firewalls, allow for faster reactions to threats than humans can achieve alone, countering the speed of sophisticated attacks.
   
   
3. Comprehensive visibility across all endpoints and network layers is crucial, especially as adversaries target critical infrastructure and high-value sectors.