Cloud storage company Box Inc. today added new automated malware detection and controls to its Box Shield security tools, which are used to protect content hosted in its cloud.

Box Shield, announced last August and launched in December, enables company administrators to protect their data by automatically or manually setting security classifications and policies for specific types of files and folders stored within Box. In addition, Box Shield uses machine learning to alert admins to any abnormal behavior that could indicate a user’s account has been hacked.

The new capabilities announced today ensure that as soon as malware is detected in Box, security teams will automatically be alerted to the problem, while downloads and sharing of the infected files will be restricted.

In an interview with SiliconANGLE, Box Chief Product Officer and Chief Strategy Officer Jeetu Patel said the new features were a result of customer demands for more protection against malware. He noted that according to Verizon data, about 28% of all data breaches involve the use of malware, and Accenture reckons the average cost of such an attack comes to $2.6 million.

“One of the key asks customers have been having, particularly during these times, is to keep their content secure,” Patel said. “We’ve been planning this for awhile, malware was always a part of the roadmap. It just so happens that it’s more relevant than ever before.”

With the new malware detection capabilities in Box Shield, users will still be able to preview infected files and edit them online, but any downloading or sharing will automatically be prevented to ensure the malware can’t infect other systems, Patel said.

The new capabilities ensure that all files are scanned for malware as soon as they’re uploaded to Box. In addition, Box Shield will also carry out regular scans of existing files to ensure nothing is compromised. Whenever malware is found, an automatic alert is generated and sent to the customer’s security team for further investigation.

Box is planning to reveal more about the new capabilities during its Box Virtual Summit, which kicks off on April 9. The new capabilities will be made generally available by the end of the month.

With reporting from Robert Hof

Image: Box