Almost three-quarters (74%) of security directors in regulated industries say their detection security technologies are falling short of rapidly evolving cyber-attack methods, with organisations facing over 120 cyber-attacks every week for the last year, according to research from Everfox.

New data from the cybersecurity firm’s CYBER360 Report shows that over the last twelve months, 97% of organisations in government, defence and regulated industries have suffered a cyber-incident, with close to a fifth (17%) the victim of zero-day attacks, exploiting previously unknown vulnerabilities.

The growing complexity of the threat landscape was the main challenge cited by half of the 1,000 IT security directors Everfox polled, with the primary reason being the continued reliance on failing detection-based technologies that cannot match the tools now being deployed against them.

The study found that AI has fast become the most pressing concern for the majority of security teams, with well over half (62%) of security directors agreeing it is contributing to increasing attack sophistication, alongside new tactics from malicious actors.

Among the most worrying new cyber-attack methods being used are polymorphic malware, which can change its appearance or behaviour to avoid detection, the rising use of hacking-as-a-service models, and expanding attack surfaces, which 71% of IT risk analysts highlighting the increasing complexity of managing endpoint security making this particularly difficult. 

Those changing attack methods led over three-quarters of security directors to believe that security teams in regulated industries must now shift their mindset from detecting threats to preventing them.

A third (33%) said they now plan to implement Hardsec technology, which uses hardware logic and electronics to implement security functions, which can dramatically reduce attack surfaces, and 64% are either working on plans for air gapping their systems or have already done so.

Meanwhile, 30% plan to implement Advanced Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) solutions, which sanitise data and files before they enter networks, and over a quarter (27%) said they will implement User Activity Monitoring (UAM), a preventative approach to managing insider risks that can distinguish between genuine human mistakes and malicious intent.

However, for 44% of large organisations a major hurdle to these plans is the modernisation of their legacy systems, while 36% reported already stretched security budgets as a barrier.

At the same time, a growing need for interconnectedness and data sharing are piling additional pressure for cybersecurity professionals, with 81% of security directors reporting they are now being tasked with sharing sensitive data outside their organisation and firms in some regulated sectors struggling to find a balance between information protection and exchange.

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Fears around data breaches are growing due to the spiralling costs involved, with firms reportedly now spending over $500,000 (£400k) in recovery costs, and potentially millions in fines.

For 64% of security directors, as well as 83% of security analysts, the solution lies in leveraging threat prevention solutions, because in many instances once a breach is detected it may already be too late. 

“Increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks have unfortunately become the norm and traditional detection-based technologies are unable to keep up,” said Sean Berg, CEO at Everfox. 

“New, preventative security strategies and solutions like Hardsec and CDR solutions are a necessity to match the sophistication of today’s – and tomorrow’s – threats.”