Cronus, an Israeli cyber security company, has developed a virtual hacker – an algorithm that precisely mimics the stream of thought of a human hacker, enabling it to receive information and respond in real-time to any cyber-attack.
CyBot, Cronus’ solution, is based on this algorithm. CyBot performs continuous penetration tests on several enterprise networks in order to find vulnerabilities in real-time. Once it confirms a given scenario during an attack, the software automatically alerts all relevant security systems to contain and prevent further breach, simultaneously updating company staff of the attack.
Doron Sivan CRONUS CEO
Cronus’ revolutionary idea attracted investors and key personnel from the military, security and technology arenas. The company recently completed a financing round of NIS 8.5 million from Janvest Capital Partners and another group of private investors. The company also received financing from Israel’s Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) in the framework of a biannual cyber program. Cronus’ Chairman of the Board and the European investors’ representative is Eitan Ben-Eliyahu (Major General, Former Israeli Air Force commander). The director on behalf of the US investors (Janvest) is Sinai Bareket, the former Intel’s Managing Director of Sales and Marketing in Israel, Greece, and Cyprus.
The company employs about 20 people and maintains its offices in Haifa, where they are recruiting software engineers and hackers.
The company has leading Israeli Design Partners such as: Mellanox, Migdal, Automated Bank Services (ABS) and Bank Clearing Center, as well as primary customers in Israel and Europe. The company is currently finalizing partnerships with several global companies.
How did it all begin?
Cronus was established in 2014 by Doron Sivan, the CEO, who also serves as co-owner of information security company MadSec, and Matan Azugi, who acts as Cronus’ CTO and is considered one of Israel’s leading hackers.
They developed CyBot when they noticed that traditional information security systems failed many times in protecting critical and strategic assets. As for example, large companies such as Sony, Ashley Madison and others have been attacked and sensitive information was stolen and published by hackers, not before asking for ransom in exchange. These companies undoubtedly have installed expensive and advanced security systems to protect their assets, but it still was not enough.
Doron Sivan explains: “The hackers are working to discover the critical business asset and take advantage of it, and accordingly, they improvise how to attack it. Even comprehensive information security solutions are not always effective, because they cannot track every possible hacker attack scenario. CyBot, however, thinks like a hacker, and attacks like a hacker the organization’s strategic points 24 hours a day, to uncover critical vulnerabilities. It allows the organization to react before the real attack is in progress”.
The difference between the automated hacker and penetration tests
Matan Azugi, Cronus’ CTO
To ensure that data security solutions really work, many organizations perform regular penetration tests. The reasons for that are mainly regulatory requirements or the desire to test the system’s resilience. Information security companies, specializing in penetration tests, employ professional hackers, called penetration testers. They are sent to the organization for several days, during which they scan a large number of computers. They then map the vulnerabilities and simulate attack scenarios to try and breach some of the organization’s critical resources. In short, these hackers work on behalf of the organization and for him.
CyBot automatically performs continuous penetration tests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Its main advantages are:
- The ability to display solutions for various cyber-attack scenarios on a number of computer systems in real-time.
- Automated penetration tests are performed continuously multiple times a day. They do not cease when the tester has to go home or when the contract with the information security company hired to do the testing ends.
- The automated hacker does not get tired as the human penetration tester does.
- CyBot conducts automated penetration testing around the clock on a company’s entire system, including infrastructure, application, and database.
- CyBot offers recommendations for fixing identified vulnerabilities within the system – this allows improved decision-making for the IT personnel.
- Real-time alerts -the software automatically alerts all relevant security systems and simultaneously updates company staff of the attack.
- Ability to perform tests in inconvenient places (“hot” or “cold”) in which a human hacker cannot survive so many hours.
Advantages for global organizations
Global organizations are required to perform continuous penetration tests in all of their subsidiaries, which enable them to prepare cross-border scenarios. The Corporate headquarters has to be updated on every possible scenario in each of the subsidiaries.
CyBot is the obvious solution for these organizations, as it is a more structured and comprehensive solution than periodic penetration testing. CyBot’s standard reports structure allows these organizations to work in an orderly and steady format and procure security systems that exactly match the enterprise wide perspective needs.
Not just IP addresses
The algorithm on which CyBot is based is backed by two patents and enables CyBot to automatically quickly scan all of a company’s internal systems, including WEB Portal, SAP, VoIP, cloud, AS-400, cellular, storage, industrial control systems and more.
Cybot’s uniqueness is that it can check every system connected to a given IP address, including clocks, control systems, cameras, and other items besides computers or servers. Thus it can address complex scenarios in the realm of Internet of Things devices.
Tools for building an effective defense
“Organizations invest huge sums of money in various combinations of security solutions to ensure that their information and their customers are secured, but it is more important to focus on the business assets of the organization and then build up defenses”, says Sivan, “This approach allows the administrator to separate the wheat from the chaff and choose the security solutions that best fit the organization and its survival during a cyber-attack. CyBot makes it possible to analyze attack scenarios in the most critical points of the organization, monitor relevant routes 24 hours a day and prepare accordingly”.
