Intezer vs Sandbox: The Evolution from Sandbox to Comprehensive Automated Alert Triage

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    In the ever-changing landscape of cybersecurity, organizations have realized that traditional file scanning and sandbox solutions are not enough to handle the increasing volume and complexity of security alerts.

    While Intezer’s roots are in malware analysis, over the years the need for more efficient incident response drove our vision for the platform to become the comprehensive, automated alert triage solution that Intezer is today. Intezer can deeply analyze many types of files and artifacts, but sandboxing is just one piece of Intezer’s powerful analysis capabilities and integrations with existing security tools.

    Malware sandboxing features are included with all Intezer pricing plans. Learn more.

    The Limitations of Traditional Sandboxes 

    Traditional sandboxes, although effective for file analysis, fell short when it came to reducing their team’s workload in handling alerts and managing their SOC or IR. Organizations hoped that individual file detonation would significantly reduce their security teams’ workload and enhance their Security Operations Center (SOC) or Incident Response (IR) capabilities. However, the reality proved more complex, and a more robust solution was needed. A tool that can truly automate alert triage by integrating with their existing tools and alert pipelines, providing comprehensive analysis that takes into account multiple pieces of evidence, and superior customer support.

    Intezer’s Comprehensive Automated Alert Triage

    Intezer remains a top choice for many organizations that need on-demand malware analysis, as it offers a complete toolset that can replace outdated sandbox solutions and do much more.

    These days, Intezer uses its powerful analysis capabilities to provide a comprehensive, automated alert triage experience. Sandboxing is just one part of Intezer’s technology and it would be undervaluing the platform to call it a “sandbox solution.”

    Check out our blog post “How Intezer Works” to see where sandboxing fits in.

    Over the years we recognized the evolving needs of security teams, leveraging Intezer’s proprietary Genetic Analysis technology (which provides industry-leading threat classification and context) and expanding its malware analysis capabilities to triage alerts automatically. This addresses the shortcomings of traditional sandboxes, by automating processes so teams can immediately leverage Intezer’s deep analysis for fast incident response.

    Intezer includes integrations with endpoint security (EDR) tools; automated evidence collection; deep endpoint forensics and memory analysis; handling fileless threats; alert annotation and enrichment; auto-escalations for serious threats; and automated remediation for true positive and false positive alerts. And when teams need additional human expertise, Intezer’s team is available for on-demand security expert assistance, ensuring that customers receive the support they need, when they need it.

    Intezer is easy for security teams to integrate into their processes, so they can automate many of the tasks (like malware analysis) that would otherwise be handled by SOC Tier 1 analysts or an outsourced provider like an MDR service.

    Key Features and Differentiators

    IntezerTraditional Sandbox
    Primary FunctionAutomates the triage and investigation processes for security alertsProvides a safe environment for analyzing potentially harmful files
    On-demand File ScanningAvailableAvailable
    Triage Tasks PerformedAlert monitoring; Evidence collection; Malware analysis; Extracting IOCs; Endpoint forensics; Auto-remediation of threats; Escalation of serious incidentsMalware analysis; Extracting IOCs
    Evidence CollectionAutomatically collects multiple evidence associated with an alert and conducts the analysis under consolidated contextRequires to manually collect evidence from alerts then detonate each file one-by-one
    Alert CoverageHandles all endpoint and email alerts, including file-based, behavioral (“suspicious activity”), and fileless alertsOften handles only file-based evidence
    Benign ApplicationsCan clearly identify benign applications and code written by trusted vendors via its genetic code analysis technology.  Allows users to identify even internally developed software.Cannot identify benign applications for the purpose of reducing false-positives.  Can only highlight malicious behavior findings
    Integration with Existing ToolsRequires only the API key of your security toolsTypically standalone, does not integrate with other systems
    Role in Your OrganizationCan serve as an extension of your team, automating a significant portion of SOC/IR workloadTypically serves as a manual tool for assisting in specific malware analysis tasks
    Expert AssistanceOn-demand reverse engineer level assistance availableDoes not typically include expert assistance
    Workload for Your TeamReduced due to automation of alert triage and incident responseTypically reduces workload only for Tier-3 analysts by automating the detonation of files

    Going Beyond Manual Analysis of Individual Files

    The old methods of manually collecting evidence and uploading files for malware analysis can’t keep up with the necessity of fast incident response.

    As the cybersecurity landscape evolves, organizations need more than just file scanning. Intezer has evolved to a comprehensive automated alert triage system, offering powerful analysis capabilities, integrations with existing tools, and expert support. By embracing Intezer’s robust and versatile engine, organizations can enhance their security operations, reduce workload, and stay one step ahead of evolving threats in today’s complex digital world.

    Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you automate alert triage and investigation processes.

    Try Intezer for free or book a demo to learn more.

    Intezer

    Count on Intezer’s Autonomous SOC solution to handle the security operations grunt work.

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