ESET partners with Intel to enhance endpoint security with hardware-based ransomware detection

BRATISLAVA — March 3, 2022 — ESET, the leading endpoint protection platform vendor headquartered in Europe, has set out to integrate Intel® Threat Detection Technology (Intel® TDT) into its multi-layered cybersecurity technology suite.

Recognizing the complex and evolving nature of ransomware, an ever more formidable threat to customers’ work and personal lives, ESET will enhance its software-based detection technologies with a ransomware detection only Intel hardware can deliver. With progress in technological innovations often bringing new tools for the sustained growth and security of SMBs, the integration of Intel TDT means that ESET endpoint security software running on Intel-based PCs can deliver superior ransomware protection.

“This collaboration recognizes the immediate boost in ransomware protection that integrating Intel’s hardware-based ransomware detection technology can deliver. Tapping into telemetry at the CPU level is an effective step we can take to enable improved tracking of malicious encryption. Basically, for ESET this means exposing ransomware as it attempts to avoid detection in memory. ESET has always believed in the multi-layered approach, and by adding the silicon layer we recognize that hardware-based security is the next milestone in battling threats,” shares Előd Kironský, Chief of Endpoint Solutions and Security Technologies at ESET.

Due to the devastating impacts of past ransomware attacks and the increasing complexity of maintaining secure endpoint defenses, ransomware remains a top concern across the industry. To better address this, integrating ransomware detection improvements to ESET endpoint security solutions will provide enhanced immunity to most detection bypasses. Furthermore, with Intel TDT machine learning constantly evolving and progressing, the ability of ESET endpoint security solutions to detect derivative variants of ransomware threats will progress in lockstep.

For ESET and its clients, the value proposition of this collaboration lies in the parallel benefits of using Intel TDT machine learning models to assist with the detection of ransomware and simultaneously off-loading these processing demands to the Intel integrated graphics controller (GPU), keeping overall system performance high.

“Low impact to system performance is an area that ESET has always prioritized within its multi-layered software architecture and is a key selling point for many of our clients. Leveraging tech that can help us with prevention and protection, while also preserving performance is a win-win choice,” says Kironský.

The benefits of this integration will become available later this year in an upcoming release of ESET’s endpoint security products. In the first round of releases, ESET will focus on endpoints with 9th Gen and newer Intel Core™ and Intel vPro Windows based PCs, which are capable of leveraging Intel TDT out-of-the-box.

“Ransomware impacts both small businesses and large enterprises and can result in economic fallout on a global scale. We are excited to partner with ESET which delivers a true global deployment footprint. ESET’s ransomware optimizations will work across both Intel vPro Enterprise and our new Intel vPro Essentials targeted for SMBs. This delivers a compelling hardware and software bundle that delivers right-sized security for businesses of any size and delivers higher efficacy security when ESET software is run on Intel-based PCs. This is a major step forward to turn the tide against ransomware,” said Carla Rodriguez, Sr Director Ecosystem Partner Enablement, Intel Corp.