Thales has recently made significant strides in enhancing its data security solutions by integrating data risk intelligence into the Imperva Data Security Fabric (DSF) solution. This marks the first joint offering since Thales acquired Imperva, aiming to tackle the growing complexity of data protection in today’s digital landscape. This move represents a strategic effort to address the increasingly sophisticated threat landscape and the challenges posed by evolving data compliance mandates.
Addressing Distributed Data Security Challenges
Increasing Complexity of Data Environments
Organizations are under mounting pressure to protect their increasingly distributed data across on-premises, cloud, and edge environments. This widespread distribution makes data a prime target for sophisticated threat groups, necessitating advanced security measures. The rise in dispersed data infrastructures has become a major challenge for IT departments, as traditional centralized defenses have become inadequate.
The rising costs of data breaches and stringent data protection regulations, such as the GDPR and CCPA, further compound the challenge. Companies not only face financial penalties but also suffer reputational damage following data breaches. The complexity of modern digital ecosystems, coupled with strict regulatory landscapes, has driven organizations to seek sophisticated solutions that can provide robust protection and compliance assurances.
Escalating Threat Landscape
According to Thales’ 2024 data threat report, 93% of enterprises experienced an increase in threats over the previous year. This statistic highlights the escalating risk landscape that enterprises must navigate to safeguard their data. It indicates that cyber threats are becoming more pervasive and sophisticated, targeting vulnerabilities across various points in the data lifecycle.
For Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), this situation presents opportunities to leverage data risk intelligence for differentiation and additional revenue streams. The growing complexity and threats necessitate an emphasis on identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks to data assets. MSSPs can offer comprehensive services that include vulnerability assessments, threat detection, and advanced data protection measures, positioning themselves as essential partners for enterprises facing heightened security challenges.
The Role of Data Risk Intelligence
Traditional Threat Intelligence vs. Data Risk Intelligence
Threat intelligence traditionally focuses on understanding malicious actors’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), including their motivations and tools. In contrast, data risk intelligence zeroes in on identifying and analyzing the potential exposure of critical datasets. These two areas, while distinct, are both crucial for developing a fully rounded cybersecurity strategy and are essential to safeguarding sensitive information against increasingly advanced cyber threats.
The integration of data risk intelligence provides a more comprehensive view of the risk landscape by focusing on the data itself rather than just the actors. This approach ensures that organizations can proactively identify vulnerabilities, understand the potential impact of data breaches, and implement effective security measures. Combining both types of intelligence helps create a layered defense that can adapt to evolving threats.
Evolution of Threat Actors’ Tools and Methods
Krishna Ksheerabdhi, director of product marketing for data security at Thales, noted that while identifying data risk is not new, the tools and methods used by threat actors have evolved. They now leverage technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), increasing their capability and speed, thus outpacing traditional manual processes of risk data collection and analysis. The rapid advancement in AI and machine learning has enabled threat actors to launch more sophisticated attacks with greater precision and frequency.
Organizations face further complications due to their reliance on multiple vendors and tools, which results in a fragmented view of data risk. This fragmentation underscores the importance of integrating risk and threat identification capabilities with robust data protection functions. A holistic approach that consolidates data from various sources into a unified view allows enterprises to effectively prioritize risk mitigation efforts and enhance their overall security posture.
Integration of Thales and Imperva Capabilities
Overcoming Fragmented Data Risk Views
Organizations often rely on multiple vendors and tools, resulting in a fragmented view of data risk. This fragmentation emphasizes the need for integrating comprehensive risk and threat identification capabilities with robust data protection functions. Thales has responded by uniting these capabilities within the Imperva DSF and the CipherTrust Data Security Platform, setting a new standard in data security management.
This integration aims to address the challenge of disjointed security tools by providing a unified platform that enhances visibility into critical data risks. By offering consolidated insights into potential vulnerabilities, enterprises can better comprehend their risk landscape, facilitating informed decision-making and effective threat mitigation strategies.
Enhanced Visibility and Encryption Measures
This integration aims to provide enterprises and SMBs with enhanced visibility into critical data risks and the strength of their encryption measures across entire data environments. The Thales Data Risk Intelligence solution stands out due to its combination of intelligence and contextual insights, allowing CISOs and other executives to identify high-risk, critical data and prioritize mitigation efforts effectively.
Detailed insights into data risks enable organizations to implement robust encryption measures, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected even if a breach occurs. This approach reduces the overall risk by making it significantly harder for threat actors to access and exploit critical data. The advanced analytics provided by the combined Thales and Imperva capabilities facilitate dynamic and comprehensive data protection strategies.
Strategic Acquisition and Its Impact
Thales’ Acquisition of Imperva
Thales’ acquisition of Imperva for $3.6 billion from Thoma Bravo in December 2023 is a pivotal moment, bolstering Thales’ data security capabilities and extending its reach into the application security space. This acquisition integrates Imperva’s advanced application security features with Thales’ robust data security solutions, creating an unparalleled offering in the market.
This acquisition has brought together key capabilities, such as improved risk prioritization, comprehensive visibility of data risks, and advanced analytics. The unified platform offers an end-to-end solution that covers all aspects of data security, from threat detection to regulatory compliance, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of enterprises.
Benefits of Advanced Analytics
The integration of Thales’ CipherTrust Data Security Platform encryption capabilities and advanced analytics, including posture-based and machine learning behavioral risk indicators, is crucial for reducing data breach risks and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Advanced analytics provide continuous monitoring, which is essential for detecting and responding to threats in real-time, thereby minimizing potential damage.
This comprehensive approach enhances data protection capabilities and supports better decision-making. By leveraging machine learning and behavioral analytics, organizations can gain deeper insights into potential risks, enabling them to take proactive measures to secure their data environments. These advanced capabilities ensure that enterprises are well-equipped to handle the dynamic and evolving threat landscape.
Opportunities for Managed Security Service Providers
Leveraging Advanced Capabilities
MSSPs can capitalize on the increasing complexity of data environments. The dispersed nature of modern data infrastructures and devices creates numerous consulting and managed service opportunities for MSSPs. This includes helping organizations achieve visibility into their data security posture and risk profile, ultimately supporting the development of optimized data protection strategies.
MSSPs are positioned to offer customized solutions that cater to the specific needs and challenges faced by different organizations. By leveraging advanced risk intelligence and comprehensive analytics, MSSPs can provide high-value services that enhance their clients’ data security capabilities, positioning themselves as trusted advisors in the field of cybersecurity.
Comprehensive Data Protection Services
Thales has recently taken significant steps in advancing its data security solutions by integrating data risk intelligence into the Imperva Data Security Fabric (DSF) solution. This development represents the first collaborative offering since Thales acquired Imperva, aiming to combat the growing challenges of data protection in our increasingly digital world. As the digital landscape evolves, so do the complexities and sophistication of threats, which underscores the need for robust security measures. By enhancing DSF with data risk intelligence, Thales is proactively addressing these sophisticated threats and the ever-evolving data compliance mandates. The integration signifies a strategic move to offer more comprehensive protection against data breaches, ensuring that businesses can safeguard sensitive information more effectively. This new offering from Thales and Imperva symbolizes a fusion of expertise and innovation, providing advanced solutions to meet the heightened demands of data security and compliance in today’s fast-paced digital environment.
