BT to protect customers from hackers with Assure Threat Defence

BT has launched a service to help its customers protect themselves from cyber attacks.

Assure Threat Defence is a monitoring and mitigation service the firm said would help customers and security analysts better identify and react to advanced and sophisticated cyber security threats.

As part of its BT Assure portfolio, the service automatically monitors network traffic and downloads and enables users to identify complex infections across the full range of devices.

It said the service would look for advanced persistent threats that are capable of bypassing traditional security monitors which usually rely on signature-based detection tools. The service does not rely on signature-based detection techniques and is claimed by BT to be able to detect and prevent complex and sophisticated attacks, as well as unknown and custom malware.

Once a threat is identified, BT security analysts investigate the issue, evaluate the risk and notify the customer with details on the threat's targets and associated cyber security information.

"Cyber criminals are increasingly creating custom malware that evades common signature-based malware detection methods. They will often use tactics like email spoofing and malicious web content to deploy their custom malware and establish an initial foothold in a target environment," said BT Security president Mark Hughes.

"Traditional security controls can't always adequately protect against these advanced techniques. Assure Threat Defence has been designed to offer organisations world-class resistance to address the constantly evolving threat landscape."

Hughes said the combination of threat detection capabilities with swift response times meant customers using the new service will have continuous threat protection.

BT is piloting the new service in the US, with a worldwide launch planned for later in the year.