As we bid farewell to another eventful year, it’s time to reflect on the milestones, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped Conceal over the past twelve months. This year has been a testament to our commitment to advancing cybersecurity and protecting our clients from ever-evolving digital threats. 

Milestones Achieved

Expanding Our Product Range

Launch of New Features: This year saw the introduction of a series of groundbreaking features and products at Conceal. Notably, we achieved extensions for Firefox and Microsoft Edge, significantly broadening our browser security coverage. We also saw the launch of advanced tech alliances and integrations, enhancing user security and experience. Some of our most notable and impactful highlights include coverage for the Firefox browser, an innovative end-user information panel, a device-based installation process, and MSI installer package support.

AI Engine: We proudly upgraded to our AI engine, a leap forward in real-time web page analysis. This engine is designed to understand patterns in behavior, structure, and content, elevating ConcealBrowse’s analytic capabilities. 

Upgrades to Existing Features: This year, in additional to releasing our SherpaAI engine, we enhanced the end-user experience with upgraded dashboard elements, search by device labels, and notable integrations into platforms like Connectwise, Datto, Splunk, Devo, and SentinelOne.

Growth and Expansion

New Partnerships: This year marked the forging of significant partnerships, contributing immensely to Conceal growth. Each partnership brought unique strengths to our platform. These partnerships include Thousand Guards, MorugaIT, Grove, Kompingo, Hyprfire, Brigantia, NobleTec, Binary Defense, SentryMark, White Rock Cybersecurity, CyberForce Security and Next Generation Security.  

Expansion into New Markets: Our venture into new markets has been a resounding success, particularly in the MSP sector. We’ve seen a 450% quarter-over-quarter growth from CYQ2 to Q3, with similar trends projected for CYQ4. Key expansions included entering the Japanese market with SentryMark, significant growth in the UK/EU through partnerships with NGS, Kompingo, and Brigantia, and establishing our presence in New Zealand.

Conceal Community Initiatives: The launch of a free NFR Community for MSPs and offering 5 Free licenses for Enterprises has proven to be a successful strategy, continually attracting more users.

Overcoming Challenges

Navigating the Cybersecurity Landscape

This year, the cybersecurity world has been fraught with challenges, particularly the rise in ransomware and credential theft. Conceal has proactively adapted to these threats, ensuring robust protection for our clients.

Internal Growth and Development

Our internal structure saw significant changes, especially with the transition of BDRs to ISRs. This internal development has been pivotal in managing our rapid growth, particularly in the MSP sector.

Success Stories

Empowering Users and Organizations with ConcealBrowse

As Conceal celebrates a year of significant achievements and advancements in cybersecurity, we’re proud to share some remarkable success stories that highlight our impact:

Enhancing User Security Despite Training Limitations: A key testament to ConcealBrowse’s effectiveness comes from an appreciative user: “I like that ConcealBrowse is an antidote to the failure of people to follow their Security Awareness Training. They click on email links and search result links despite any training. Especially, I like that ConcealBrowse adds a critical layer of protection against the growing threat of ransomware.” This feedback underscores our solution’s ability to compensate for human error and provide a robust defense against emerging cyber threats.

Collaborative Success with VAR Partnerships: Our collaboration with Value-Added Resellers (VARs) has been particularly fruitful. One Account Executive/Marketing Events Coordinator shares, “The team at Conceal is very collaborative, flexible, and adaptable, fitting our customers’ needs across various verticals. They’ve gone out of their way for account mapping and solution overviews, leading to co-selling opportunities.” This partnership has been pivotal in scaling our solutions to businesses of all sizes, proving the adaptability and effectiveness of ConcealBrowse.

Transformative Impact on Toyota Tanzania: At Toyota Tanzania, IT Manager Abdulaziz Raudha hails ConcealBrowse as a game-changer: “Conceal’s Zero Trust approach and AI-driven technology offered a game-changing paradigm in cybersecurity… You can relax at home knowing you are secure.” The implementation of our solutions has significantly strengthened their cybersecurity posture, showcasing the power of AI in contemporary digital defense.

City of St. Peters – A Model for Municipal Cybersecurity: The City of St. Peters’ integration of ConcealBrowse into their IT infrastructure demonstrates our solution’s versatility and effectiveness in public sector environments. An IT administrator from the city lauds the product: “ConcealBrowse’s innovative approach to cybersecurity… has significantly enhanced our network security while maintaining user-friendliness and minimal administrative overhead.” This case exemplifies our commitment to providing solutions that are both powerful and user-friendly.

Awards and Recognitions

This year, Conceal was honored with several awards, including being a finalist in the CISO Choice Awards for Endpoint and Email Security, winning the Black Unicorn Awards, and being named MSP Today Product of the Year. Additionally, we received accolades for the Best New Solution and Most Innovative Solution at the ChannelPro SMB Forum. 

Looking Ahead: The Future of Conceal

Upcoming Innovations

Looking forward, we are excited about further innovations, including greater API support, mobile device protection, support for Safari, enhanced site isolation information, and a user feedback system. We are also focusing on expanding our Inside Sales team in Augusta, GA, and the UK.

Commitment to Excellence

Our unwavering commitment to excellence remains at the forefront of our endeavors. We continue to innovate and lead in the fight against cyber threats, ensuring the best possible solutions for our clients.

As we reflect on this year, our gratitude extends to our customers, partners, and employees whose support has been invaluable. Conceal remains dedicated to its mission, continually striving for excellence in cybersecurity. Here’s to a year of challenges turned into opportunities and milestones that pave the way for a safer digital future.

We all have heard that traditional security measures are no longer sufficient in the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to find a straightforward answer to how we address this.  As cybercriminals become more sophisticated, leveraging advanced technologies to bypass conventional defenses, it’s imperative for organizations and individuals to stay a step ahead. One of the most promising solutions to address this reality is Artificial Intelligence (AI) being a part of every aspect of an organization’s cybersecurity program. In browser security, the use of AI is not just beneficial but essential.  

The Rising Tide of Cyber Threats

While bringing unparalleled convenience and connectivity, the digital age has also opened the floodgates to a range of cyber threats on the internet. From basic phishing scams to advanced persistent threats, the risks associated with online browsing are increasing in complexity and frequency. The traditional, rule-based security systems are struggling to keep up, often reacting to threats rather than proactively preventing them.

The Artificial Intelligence Advantage in Browser Security

With its ability to learn and adapt, AI presents a game-changing solution in the realm of browser security. Unlike static security measures, AI-driven systems continuously evolve, learning from new threats and adapting their defenses accordingly. This proactive approach to security is crucial in a landscape where threats are constantly emerging and evolving.

1. Predictive Risk Mitigation

AI systems can analyze vast amounts of data to identify potential threats before they materialize. By understanding patterns and anomalies in browsing behavior, AI can predict and mitigate risks, often before the user is even aware of them.

2. Dynamic Threat Response

AI-driven browser security can respond dynamically to emerging threats. It can analyze the behavior of websites and scripts in real-time, detecting and preventing malicious activity instantly, ensuring real-time protection.

3. Enhanced Accuracy and Efficiency

AI enhances the accuracy of threat detection with fewer false positives. This bolsters security and improves user experience by reducing unnecessary disruptions or isolations.  

Real-World Applications:Artificial Intelligence in Action

Imagine a scenario where your browser, protected by AI, identifies a phishing attempt before you click on a suspicious link, or a system that automatically isolates a potentially harmful download, analyzing it in a secure environment before it can do any harm. These are not futuristic fantasies but real applications of AI in browser security that are available today.

Artificial Intelligence as a Necessity, Not a Luxury

Incorporating AI into browser security strategies is no longer a luxury but a necessity. As we navigate the complex cyber landscape, the fusion of AI with traditional security measures will be vital to staying ahead of threats. It’s time for organizations and individuals to embrace AI as a critical component of their cybersecurity arsenal.

Facing an ever-increasing cyber threat landscape, an integrated chemical and equipment company recognized the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and strategically invested in ConcealBrowse. This decision proved crucial when ConcealBrowse identified a sophisticated threat that other security systems failed to detect.

ConcealBrowse in Action: Detecting and Analyzing a Complex Threat

ConcealBrowse’s advanced capabilities came to the forefront when it detected a locally-hosted HTML file named “Salary-Review copy[.]htm.” This file, designed to mimic a legitimate Microsoft login page for credential harvesting, was unique in its approach, bypassing typical email-based phishing methods.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) Identified: 

DOMAIN: ziralanded[.]xyz

IPV4: 45.93.139[.]225

SHA256 Hash: 2ae1cdc5d32960d2a985a0e3a9437428d760c680d5a6a3c1ce23f1b5470c5f1a

Deep Dive: Analysis

Our analysis revealed the file’s deceptive nature, utilizing local and internet-based resources. Crucially, it accessed ziralanded[.]xyz, likely controlled by attackers and hosted on infrastructure not immediately recognizable as malicious. This sophistication in avoiding detection underscores the evolving threat landscape.

Isolation at Work

Upon detecting the file, ConcealBrowse’s isolation mechanism was activated. This feature opens potential threats in a remote, isolated session, ensuring any harmful actions are contained and the user’s actual device remains secure.

The Valuable Outcomes

This incident highlighted ConcealBrowse’s critical role in the company’s cybersecurity framework. By detecting and analyzing a sophisticated threat, ConcealBrowse not only protected the company’s network but also provided valuable insights into the tactics used by modern cyber attackers.

Conclusion

This case study underscores the importance of advanced cybersecurity solutions like ConcealBrowse in the modern digital landscape. Its ability to adapt and respond to new types of threats, including those that bypass traditional security measures, is invaluable. As the threat landscape evolves, ConcealBrowse continues to be an essential tool for organizations seeking to protect their digital assets and maintain robust cybersecurity defenses.

The Deceptive Face of “Unsubscribe” 

It’s no longer a surprise that the cyber threat landscape is continuously evolving, and cybercriminals are relentlessly innovating ways to infiltrate and exploit unsuspecting users. The most recent deceptive method brought to our attention is the “Non-Subscribe” attack by our partner mSOC. This ploy deceives users by providing an “Unsubscribe” button in spam emails, drawing them into a trap under the facade of halting unwanted communications. 

Understanding the “Non-Subscribe” Attack

The Deceptive Email: Users receive a spam email, often with a subject line that’s attention-grabbing or concerning. While the topic of the email might seem irrelevant, the purpose isn’t the content itself, but the “Unsubscribe” button embedded within.

The Trap: Clicking on “Unsubscribe” redirects users to a web page. This page may be eerily identical or closely resemble a legitimate-looking platform, as seen in the shared screenshot. Unsuspecting users, believing they are on a genuine page, enter their email address to unsubscribe.

Figure 1: The Suspicious Unsubscribe Redirect

The Motive: Contrary to what one might think, these users never subscribed to the emails in the first place. By entering their email address, they inadvertently validate their email address for cybercriminals. Moreover, the “Unsubscribe” button isn’t just for email harvesting – it has been leveraged for other mischievous activities as well.

In the case of this attack, an examination from mSOC of the Proofpoint log entry marked “SPAM” affirms the malicious nature of such emails. The payload URL embedded within these emails further underscores the need for caution.

 Figure 2: Conceal’s Analysis of the Site in Question

ConcealBrowse: Your Protection Against Deceptive Tactics

Now, while technical solutions to detect and prevent such threats are paramount, it’s equally crucial to shield the human layer – the end-users. This is where ConcealBrowse steps in.

Real-time Alerts: If a user accidentally clicks on a deceptive link, ConcealBrowse offers real-time alerts, warning them about the potential threat while proactively isolating it in an environment clear of the organization’s network.

Layered Security: By integrating machine learning algorithms into the AI-powered detection and prevention engine, ConcealBrowse identifies and blocks malicious sites and payloads, protecting users even if they mistakenly land on risky sites.

Human-Centric Design: Recognizing that humans are the most vulnerable link in the security chain, ConcealBrowse has been designed keeping the user in mind. Its intuitive interface, combined with its potent backend security, ensures that users feel protected without feeling overwhelmed.

Final Thoughts

In the ongoing battle against cyber threats, it’s not enough to have just technical solutions in place. Protecting the human layer, the most targeted and vulnerable layer, is of utmost importance. The “Non-Subscribe” attack is just a glimpse into the deceptive methods employed by cybercriminals. With ConcealBrowse, you’re not just relying on technology to keep threats at bay; you’re empowering every individual to be a formidable line of defense against these ever-evolving threats.