11 IT Security Tools for Cyber Professionals

Written by: University of Tulsa • Sep 18, 2024

Two Cyber Professionals Reviewing Code on a Row of Monitors.

Global cybercrime losses are predicted to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025, according to the 2023 Official Cybercrime Report by Cybersecurity Ventures. This staggering sum makes cybercrime more profitable than the global drug trade.

With attackers finding increasingly sophisticated ways to compromise systems, organizations across every industry urgently need robust information technology (IT) security measures. From the rise of attacks driven by artificial intelligence (AI) to the looming challenges quantum computing poses to cybersecurity, the complexity of securing digital environments is greater than ever. In this context, the role of cybersecurity professionals can’t be overstated.

With the right education , these experts can both build security frameworks and manage the IT security tools that defend against the dangers within the digital world.

Understanding IT Security

Cybersecurity plays a crucial role in protecting digital systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access and cyber attacks. However, cybersecurity is just one part of the broader field of IT security.

When discussing IT security vs. cybersecurity , it’s important to note that while both fields aim to secure technology, their focuses differ. IT security encompasses a broader range of protections. It includes not only cybersecurity measures but also physical and network infrastructure security.

With almost every aspect of people’s lives now connected to the internet, IT security has become more than just a precaution — it’s a necessity.

Types of IT Security

IT security encompasses various types of protection, each designed to defend against unique threats within different parts of an organization’s digital landscape. IT security ranges from safeguarding sensitive customer data in online transactions to ensuring that only authorized personnel can access confidential databases.

To keep pace with new threats, these security tools are evolving quickly. Today the use of AI, including its subfield machine learning, has packed new power into IT security tools.

Role of IT Security in Protecting Data and Systems Across Industries

IT security plays an essential role in keeping digital infrastructures safe across various industries.

In finance, for example, strong encryption is necessary to secure online transactions and protect sensitive financial data. With the advent of quantum computing and its capacity to solve problems much faster than regular computers, organizations have a growing need for quantum-resistant encryption methods to stay ahead of potential future threats.

In industries in which remote work is common, such as technology and consulting, organizations rely on IT security tools to secure remote network access and prevent data breaches.

Those considering careers in the field should understand the differences between cybersecurity and computer science . Cybersecurity professionals specialize in protecting systems from threats, focusing on specific security challenges and employing a range of cybersecurity skills to safeguard information.

Computer science professionals, on the other hand, build and develop the technologies that cybersecurity experts protect.

Essential IT Security Tools

In today’s digital landscape, businesses face an array of security challenges.

Some of the latest innovations in IT security tools offer organizations greater levels of protection from modern cyber threats than ever before. By examining how they work in real-world situations, their value becomes clear.

Network Security Tools

Organizations rely on their networks to function at almost every level — from running project management software to accessing internal communication applications. Attacks on a network infrastructure can bring severe consequences, including stolen data, interrupted operations, and loss of public trust.

By deploying advanced network security tools, organizations can protect themselves from the risks of breaches, disruptions, and subsequent fallout.

Next-Generation Firewalls

A next-generation firewall (NGFW) provides some of the most robust protection against network infrastructure security threats. These innovative tools outperform traditional firewalls significantly.

NGFWs not only perform rule-based network traffic control but also analyze the context of network traffic, identifying which applications are sending or receiving data. By inspecting and controlling network traffic based on specific applications and user behavior, NGFWs can provide a deeper level of protection.

For example, a company that processes a customer’s credit card information can use an NGFW, knowing that the tool will inspect all incoming and outgoing traffic, and then block any malicious activities, such as an attempt to exploit a vulnerability in a payment application. This helps prevent data breaches and keeps customer information secure.

AI-Driven Intrusion Detection Systems and Intrusion Prevention Systems

An AI-driven intrusion detection system (IDS) and an AI-driven intrusion prevention system (IPS) combine AI and machine learning to supercharge an organization’s ability to detect and respond to threats.

Traditional IDS and IPS tools rely heavily on predefined rules and signatures, patterns, or identifiers to recognize malicious threats. As a result, traditional tools can only recognize known threats. However, with the ever-evolving nature of cyber attacks, this approach can fall short.

AI-driven IDS and IPS tools, on the other hand, learn from data patterns and behaviors across a network. By continuously analyzing network traffic, they can identify anomalies that may indicate potential threats.

If a system starts communicating with an unfamiliar IP address or behaves differently than it normally does, AI-driven IDS and IPS tools can flag this as suspicious, even if the pattern doesn’t match the behavior of previously identified attacks. By processing vast amounts of data, AI-driven IDS and IPS tools can recognize patterns that a human analyst may miss, allowing them to predict and prevent new types of attacks.

For example, an AI-driven IPS monitoring an e-commerce platform could detect unusual patterns in customer behavior that could indicate a coordinated attack, such as a botnet — a network of remote-controlled infected computers — attempting to overwhelm the site with traffic. The AI-driven IPS could then automatically block the malicious traffic while allowing legitimate customers to continue shopping without interruption.

Application Security Tools

From human resource management systems to accounting software, applications play a key role in how modern organizations operate. However, cybercriminals often target these applications, exploiting flaws in their code to gain unauthorized access. An attacker may try to inject malicious code into a web application to steal credit card information or manipulate financial data.

Traditional application IT security tools, such as web application firewalls (WAFs), have long been used to block these attacks by filtering out malicious traffic based on known patterns. However, just as NGFWs have advanced network security, the latest innovations in application security take protection to a new level.

Runtime Application Self-Protection

Runtime application self-protection (RASP) can protect applications against threats that other security measures are likely to miss. Traditional security tools, such as firewalls and antivirus programs, act as a first line of defense by trying to stop threats before they reach an application — similar to a security checkpoint at the entrance of a building.

However, some attacks can slip past these defenses and exploit vulnerabilities that only exist when an application is actively executing code or processing data. RASP is helpful in these scenarios.

Since RASP is embedded directly within applications, it can continuously monitor what’s happening inside an application and respond to any suspicious activity in real time. This ensures that even threats that manage to get past the initial defenses or that appear only while the application is in use are quickly identified and blocked.

For example, if an attacker tries to exploit a vulnerability in a financial services application during a transaction, RASP can immediately recognize the suspicious activity and block it before any damage is done. Older tools typically can only detect such threats after the fact.

AI-Powered Application Security Testing

AI-powered application security testing helps protect applications from various threats, including injection vulnerabilities. Attackers can exploit these weaknesses in application code and insert malicious commands or queries.

Injection vulnerabilities mean that bad actors can potentially trick an application into giving them access to restricted data or allowing them to execute unauthorized commands.

AI-powered application security testing involves monitoring and analyzing an application’s code and behavior to detect suspicious patterns and potential exploits that traditional methods may have missed. For example, if an attacker tries to insert malicious commands through user input, the AI system can recognize this unusual activity and flag it as a risk before it can cause damage.

These IT security tools can also spot malicious code that’s been injected into webpages. The code can run in a user’s browser and perform various harmful actions, such as capturing login credentials or changing what’s displayed on the webpage to mislead users.

By detecting such issues in real time, AI can help prevent malicious scripts from running in a user’s browser, protect sensitive information, and prevent unauthorized actions.

Traditional testing can miss complex vulnerabilities, but AI-driven tools can simulate scenarios for potential misuse. This helps uncover and fix flaws before they cause harm. For example, AI-powered application testing can identify a flaw in an online payment system, preventing would-be attackers from making costly unauthorized transactions.

Information Security Tools

Information security tools help ensure that the data that organizations handle remains confidential, intact, and accessible only to authorized users. Without these tools, organizations may not be compliant with their legal mandates. They may also experience data breaches and loss of critical information. This can result in financial and reputational damage, as well as legal action.

Extended Detection and Response

Extended detection and response (XDR) integrates and analyzes information from various parts of an organization’s security system. Think of the tool as a central command center that gathers and coordinates data to offer a complete view of any security issues.

XDR initially collects information from different security layers within an organization. This includes data about network traffic; activities on computers, such as login attempts or file transfers; and interactions with cloud-based applications.

Once XDR gathers this data, it uses advanced technologies, such as machine learning, to analyze it. These technologies can detect unusual patterns or behaviors that may indicate a potential threat. For example, XDR can spot anomalies, including a sudden spike in network traffic or an unusual access pattern on a computer.

XDR then looks for connections between these different activities to identify coordinated attacks. For example, hackers can take actions that, when viewed separately, may not seem suspicious. However, XDR can connect the dots and recognize hard-to-detect threats.

After identifying a threat, XDR provides a unified response, automatically blocking the attack, alerting security teams, and investigating the incident.

Behavioral Analytics and User Entity Behavior Analytics

Behavioral analytics and user entity behavior analytics (UEBA) are tools that focus on how people and systems behave. They track normal activities and look for anything out of the ordinary that may suggest a security threat.

For example, UEBA tools monitor user behavior and can spot if someone starts accessing large amounts of sensitive data at unusual times, like late at night, when they normally don’t. By using AI and machine learning, UEBA tools can better understand and recognize these unusual patterns and raise alerts if something seems suspicious.

Endpoint Security

Endpoint security focuses on protecting the various devices — such as laptops, desktops, and mobile phones — that connect to an organization’s network. Cybercriminals can use each of these endpoints as an entry point to exploit vulnerabilities and then infiltrate entire networks.

The stakes are high: An infected endpoint can lead to data breaches, theft of intellectual property, and disruptions to business operations. As remote work becomes more prevalent, the challenge of securing a growing number of endpoints increases, making robust endpoint security essential.

AI-Driven Endpoint Detection and Response Tools

AI-driven endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools represent a major advancement over traditional antivirus software. Unlike traditional tools that only scan devices periodically, AI-driven EDR tools monitor endpoint activities nonstop. This real-time surveillance allows them to immediately detect anomalies and provide instantaneous alerts.

The AI component of EDR tools doesn’t just look for known malware signatures. Instead, it analyzes the behavior of all processes running on the endpoint. For example, if a seemingly benign program starts encrypting files — a common behavior of ransomware — the EDR tool can recognize this anomalous behavior and isolate the affected device from the network to prevent further spread.

Upon detecting a threat, AI-driven EDR tools can respond autonomously. This can involve quarantining a suspicious file, ending a malicious process, or disconnecting a compromised endpoint from the network. By acting quickly and automatically, these tools can prevent an attacker from gaining a foothold in a system and causing damage.

For example, if an employee accidentally downloads a file infected with ransomware, EDR tools can detect the file’s attempts to encrypt other files on the system and immediately stop the process, quarantine the file, and alert the IT team.

Zero Trust Network Access

Zero trust network access (ZTNA) operates on the principle that no device or user should be trusted by default, regardless of whether they’re inside or outside the network.

This IT security tool assesses each access request individually, considering factors such as user identity, device health, and user location. For example, if an employee tries to access a sensitive database from an untrusted device or unusual location, ZTNA may deny the request or require additional verification.

ZTNA divides the network into smaller segments, each with its own security controls. Even if an attacker compromises one segment, they can’t easily move laterally to other parts of the network. This limits the potential damage of a breach.

Unlike traditional models in which user credentials grant broad access for an entire session, ZTNA continuously verifies each access request. If a device’s security status changes during a session — perhaps it becomes infected with malware — ZTNA can revoke its access immediately.

For example, in a financial institution, ZTNA could prevent an employee’s compromised device from accessing customer data by continuously verifying the device’s security posture and detecting any signs of compromise.

Internet Security Tools

Many types of cyber attacks originate on the internet, including phishing, malware distribution, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Compromised internet security can lead to data theft, website defacement, and the spread of malware, all of which can have devastating consequences for businesses. Internet security focuses on protecting systems and data accessed or transmitted over the internet.

Secure Access Service Edge

Secure access service edge (SASE) integrates networking and security functions — including firewalls, virtual private networks VPNs, and web gateways — into a single cloud-based service.

This simplifies management, reduces latency, and improves overall security with consistently applied security policies, regardless of user location. SASE inspects all web traffic in real time, analyzing data packets for signs of malicious activity.

To enforce security policies, SASE blocks access to dangerous or unauthorized websites. For example, it can prevent employees from accessing known phishing sites or downloading potentially harmful files.

Beyond blocking dangerous websites, SASE filters out unwanted content based on customizable criteria. For example, a company may block social media sites to minimize distractions and reduce the risk of phishing attacks that commonly occur on such platforms.

Cloud-Based Domain Name System Security

Devices may unknowingly connect to malicious websites that can steal information, spread viruses, or take control of a network. Traditional security methods may not catch these threats because they happen at the Domain Name System (DNS) level — before any data or web content is even loaded onto a device.

Cloud-based DNS security continuously monitors DNS requests, when devices send queries asking to connect to an IP address. These IT security tools can intercept these queries and check the addresses against databases of known malicious sites.

If a user tries to visit a site known for distributing malware, DNS security tools will prevent the connection, effectively stopping the threat before it reaches the user’s device.

Additionally, these tools can detect unusual patterns that can indicate malware, such as a sudden spike in requests to obscure domains.

For example, in an e-commerce company, a cloud-based DNS Security tool could detect and block attempts by malware to redirect customers to a fraudulent website, ensuring that all transactions are conducted on a legitimate, secure site.

Cloud Security Tools

Cloud security involves protecting data, applications, and resources hosted in the cloud. As organizations increasingly move their operations to cloud environments, the need for robust cloud security has become paramount. Cloud services offer flexibility and scalability, but they also introduce new security challenges.

A compromised cloud storage service, for example, could lead to the exposure of sensitive data, such as customer information, intellectual property, or financial records. While cloud service providers manage cloud security, organizations are responsible for securing their data and applications within the cloud.

This requires advanced tools and strategies to address risks, such as data breaches, insider threats, and account hijacking.

AI-Driven Cloud Security Posture Management

An AI-driven cloud access security broker (CASB) continuously monitors cloud environments for security risks. These IT security tools function as intermediaries between users and cloud service providers, enforcing security policies and monitoring activity.

CASB tools use AI to keep a constant watch over resources, such as services, applications, and infrastructure components that run in the cloud, scanning for errors in the security setup that leave them vulnerable.

Upon detecting a misconfiguration or vulnerability, CASB tools can automatically correct the issue. For example, if a cloud storage bucket is accidentally configured to be publicly accessible, the CASB tool can immediately apply the correct access controls to secure the data.

AI-driven CASB tools assess the risk level of each security issue, prioritizing the most critical vulnerabilities. This helps security teams focus their efforts on the most significant threats.

In a financial services firm, for example, an AI-driven CASB tool can identify a misconfigured database that’s accessible from the internet. The tool would automatically secure the database, preventing potential unauthorized access and ensuring that the firm remains compliant with data protection regulations.

Strengthen Digital Security as a Cybersecurity Professional

From network and application security to cloud and endpoint protection, IT security tools form the frontline defense against the myriad threats facing organizations today. However, it takes skilled cybersecurity professionals to unlock the power of these tools.

As industries increasingly rely on advanced IT security measures, the demand for cybersecurity professionals grows.

If you’re passionate about protecting the digital world, consider an advanced degree in the field. Find out how an online Master of Science (M.S.) in Cyber Security from The University of Tulsa equips graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this dynamic field.

Recommended Readings

AI Threat Detection in Cybersecurity

Cryptocurrency Security Explained

What Is Blockchain Security?

Sources:

Acceleration Economy, “How AI Enhances Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) for Stronger Cybersecurity”

Cisco, “What Is Extended Detection and Response (XDR)?”

Cisco, What Is IT Security?

Cloud Security Alliance, “DNS-Layer Security: The Ultimate Guide to What It Is and Why You Need It”

Cloudflare, What Is Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)?

Crowdstrike, “Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP)”

ESentire, 2023 Official Cybercrime Report