Imagine a hacker luring into a false sense of security that they are actually stealing data, but instead falls into a carefully laid trap.
A startup has finally cracked the solution of how to hack the hackers. Technically, Illusive Networks, has designed an algorithm that lures hackers into a trap, whereby they are led to believe they are stealing data. Illusive Networks, set up last year in Tel Aviv, is trying to change the tide in the battle between hackers and security companies.
Out of an incubator, and successfully managing to raise $5 million in Series A funding round, this stealthy company has got the attention of many organizations, trying to protect themselves from hacking attempts, and might turn out to be a nightmare for every hacker.
The algorithm in the software works on exploiting the weakness of the hackers. Most companies are focusing on strengthening their security to thwart attacks or malware launched by hackers. Illusive Networks is instead focusing on the initiator of such attacks.
According to TechCrunch, Illusive Networks’ CEO, Shlomo Touboul, believes that hackers are ultimately humans, and are bound to make mistakes. They are greedy for data that is their weakness, and hence can be exploited on this basis. “What I can tell you is if you get detection early with high fidelity and with the right data, you can make intelligent, calm decisions,” Nadav Zafrir CEO at Team8.
The deceptions are lucrative and cleverly hidden to lead the hacker to the honeypot. Deciphering between bad data and good data is where the hacker gets stuck and if not at the first attempt, the second or third might actually trap the hacker. Mr. Touboul believes that hackers can be stopped before causing any actual damage. This might sound gold for banks, which are worried with claims about customers credit card data breached, and other merchants who fall prey to massive customers’ personal data leaks, when a hacker strikes.
The Israeli company claims to have established a good clientele base that include US and Israeli banks, insurance companies, and healthcare companies. The software monitors for persons trying to utilize the network in a not-so ordinary way. The false information that is flooded on the network is only visible to attackers, and not to all users, thus not affecting normal functionality.
With expansion plans to the US and Europe, Illusive Networks could amass a huge clientele base, and might actually stop many hackers in their attempts to breach data. The startup’s glory moment will be when it thwarts an attack on a massive scale.
