UPDATED 10:06 EDT / JUNE 07 2017

INFRA

Minerva, a startup fighting evasive malware, closes $7.5M round

As companies adopt new and increasingly sophisticated security tools to protect their infrastructure, hackers are changing tactics to gain the upper hand. One of the most alarming trends in the so-called black-hat world is the use of camouflage methods to mask malicious files’ purpose, a threat that Minerva Labs Ltd. is working to tackle.

The Israeli startup today announced that it has raised $7.5 million in funding to fuel the effort. Minerva’s plans center on its Anti-Evasion Platform, which implements a unique breach prevention strategy that was apparently inspired by a television ad. The software counters evasive malware strains not with any traditional detection mechanism but rather by exploiting a common weak point in their behavior: predictability.

The key to Minerva’s approach lies in the fact that the camouflage techniques used by hackers often follow the same basic formula. They configure malware to lie dormant and only execute the malicious payload when the coast is clear, which involves periodically querying the platform on which it’s running for information about security measures. Minerva’s technology can configure endpoints in a way that always gives malicious files the impression they would be detected upon launch, thus preventing activation.

Any malware that happens to trigger the mechanism is automatically flagged for removal and brought to the attention of administrators. According to Minerva, the Anti-Evasion Platform can combat a wide range of threats ranging from ransomware such as the WannaCry strains that have been making headlines lately to advanced targeted attacks.

Moreover, the software does so without requiring companies to go through the complex setup process normally involved in deploying security tools. The startup claims that the Anti-Evasion Platform can be rolled out to a device without so much as requiring a reboot. Minerva currently only focuses on protecting Windows endpoints such as desktops and point-of-sale systems, but it also will likely start targeting Linux environments further down the road given the widespread use of the platform.

In the more immediate future, the startup plans to expand sales and marketing efforts with the capital from today’s investment. The round was led by early-stage fund Amplify Partners, while StageOne Ventures and Webb Investment Network contributed as well.

Image: Pixabay

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