Introduction
Nowadays, in the fast-changing cybersecurity scenario, organizations face the continuously growing list of threats, of which supply chain attacks have become the most hotly debated topic. Actually, nowadays no less than 40% of cyber threats are delivered through the supply chain, so immense need is given to mechanisms of defense. This means vast attention must be given to antivirus scanning-the one important area that could critically affect an organization's security posture. This article considers the benefits of in-memory antivirus scanning in the DMZ compared to traditional approaches of writing files to disk in a secure area before scanning.
The DMZ and Its Function in Network Security
The DMZ in the network architecture acts as a buffer zone between the internal network of an organization and untrusted external networks, for instance, the internet. It hosts public-facing services-for example, web servers and email gateways-that must communicate with external entities but insulates these communications from the more sensitive internal network.
Because the DMZ is exposed to the outside world, it is also the favorite target for predators. However, it is also the first line of defense, and any malware or malicious payloads detected here can be mitigated before they permeate the secure internal network.
Traditional Disk-Based AV Scanning in Secure Zones
Traditionally, antivirus scanning is done after files transfer from a DMZ to a more secure area within the internal network. In such a setup, writes to disk are usually done in the secure area, followed by the initiation of a scan. Though this has been the widely adopted method, it has a number of notable drawbacks:
1. Larger Attack Surface: Transferring potentially malicious files from the DMZ into the secure zone increases the attack surface. If the file contains sophisticated malware, it may be able to exploit vulnerabilities during transport or when it is written to a disk drive.
2. Latency and Performance Overheads: The act of disk writing and then scanning may add latency, sometimes where big files are involved or volumes of data processed. This slows down operations, hence affecting the general performance of the system.
3. Possibility of Partial Scans: If there is an attack that intends to break the operation of file transfer or scanning, the antivirus will be able to perform only a partial scan, which may not lead to malware detection.
Antivirus Scanning in Memory in DMZ: A Modern Approach
By contrast, the in-memory antivirus scanning involves the review of the files right in the DMZ without writing them to disk. Precisely, the file is scanned in real-time as it arrives or just as it enters the memory of the system. Consequently, this has a number of key advantages including the following:
1. Smaller Attack Surface:
Scanning the files for malware in memory within the DMZ means potentially harmful files never reach the internal network, thus vastly reducing any possibility of a successful attack and keeping sensitive internal networks safe.
Because this file is not written to a disk, the potential for the file itself to exploit any vulnerabilities in the file system or storage infrastructure is eliminated.
2. Better Security:
In-memory scanning enables faster threat detection and mitigation because it examines the files even before they get a chance to interact with the system's persistent storage or some other critical infrastructure.
It can block complex threats, which may otherwise be missed by a traditional disk-based scan, through this proactive means.
3. Better Performance and Efficiency:
MEMORY scanning is much faster than writing files to disk and then scanning them because, in the case of the former, there is no need for disk I/O._
This is very useful in highthroughput environments where large volumes of data have to be processed and there is greater need for performance.
4. Reduced Ability to Evade Detection:
In-memory scanning ensures that files are scanned in their entirety. Sometimes partial scans take place when a file is being interrupted during a disk-based scan. This way, the malware has a less possible loophole to avoid detection.
The Supply Chain Threat: A Growing Concern
This means that 40% of cyber threats now emanate from the supply chain1, and thus strong security in the DMZ is key. In supply chain attacks, most threat actors target trusted third-party vendors or software providers, and the malicious payload is delivered via legitimate channels. Memory scanning in the DMZ is particularly effective against these kinds of threats because:
Early Detection: In-memory scanning can detect and neutralize malicious files as soon as they arrive from the supply chain, preventing them from entering the internal network.
Zero Trust Approach: Organizations can subscribe to the zero-trust approach-scanning all incoming files in the DMZ-by supposing that no external entity, including supply chain partners, is inherently safe.
Cyber threats are getting increasingly sophisticated, and supply chain attacks happen more frequently. Advanced security is in demand. In-memory antivirus scanning in the DMZ appears as a robust, efficient, and secure alternative to traditional disk-based scanning in secure areas. It enables organizations to stay ahead of emerging threats and avoid data breaches of their most valuable assets by reducing the attack surface, improving performance, and increasing security. Embracing in-memory scanning is the overall strategy that's so critical toward safeguarding against this growing tide of supply chain cyber threats.
By David Heath
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