Organizations face an unprecedented surge in cyber threats. Traditional security measures are often insufficient to keep up with the evolving tactics of cybercriminals, leaving systems vulnerable to new types of attacks. IT admins and security teams are tasked with the challenging job of sifting through massive amounts of data and alerts to detect and respond to potential threats — often with limited resources and expertise. This is where Druva’s newest AI capability, Dru Investigate, comes into play. Dru complements your existing security tools by enabling you to dig deeper into the backup data you protect with Druva. IT and security teams collaborate more effectively to streamline investigations and improve the organization's threat response.
The Challenge
Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, and the volume of alerts generated daily makes it incredibly difficult for security teams to determine legitimate threats amidst all the noise. When a security analyst examines a particular event or incident, they need comprehensive data to understand the scope and gestation of the threat. However, traditional tools such as SIEM and XDR are often manual and cumbersome, requiring extensive effort to generate reports and analyze data. The iterative nature of data investigations and the complexity of search rules highlight the urgent need for smarter tools that fill gaps and simplify the investigation process.
The Solution: Dru Investigate
Dru Investigate is the latest advancement under Druva’s AI portfolio, Dru, and represents a significant leap forward in the way organizations can manage and mitigate data security threats within their backup environment. By leveraging isolated large language models (LLMs) and private Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), the tool not only ensures that all customer data remains secure and private, without exposure to external sources, but also bridges the critical gap between IT and security teams.
Simply ask with natural language and Dru kickstarts an investigation, enabling an effortless look into your Druva backups. As a result, level 1 security analysts can do the work of a level 2-3 analyst with ease — quickly pulling together a report on threats and unusual activities in the backup environment, and enabling escalation to remediate these issues.
Customers gain a powerful tool that not only enhances their ability to manage and mitigate backup security threats but also lays the groundwork for future capabilities. While currently focused on simplifying investigations into indicators of data compromise, Dru Investigate is set to evolve into a comprehensive solution that supports compliance with governance and regulatory requirements, addressing a full spectrum of data security challenges.
Key Features and Benefits
Natural Language Queries
The conversational, iterative approach of Dru Investigate transforms the way security investigations are conducted. Instead of requiring intricate scripting or deep technical knowledge to pinpoint potential threats, Dru lets users simply describe what they’re looking for in everyday language. This flexibility means that even if you’re uncertain about where to start or what specific data points to search for, Dru can guide you through the process. By asking questions and refining your search step-by-step, the tool helps you uncover potential threats and data changes that might otherwise go unnoticed. This approach not only makes investigations more intuitive but also accelerates the detection of suspicious admin actions and unusual data activity, enabling quicker and more effective responses to potential threats.
Enhanced Incident Response
The ability to swiftly analyze and respond to incidents is critical to maintaining a secure environment. Dru Investigate empowers IT and security teams by providing valuable context through integration with the MITRE ATT&CK™ framework. This means that when a potential threat is detected, Dru doesn't just alert you — it helps you understand the tactics and techniques behind the attack, offering insights into how adversaries operate. For those on the front lines of data protection, this capability transforms a potentially overwhelming task into a manageable one. Instead of spending hours trying to piece together disparate data points, Dru connects the dots for you, shows you the at-risk data, and suggests next steps. The resulting faster decision-making and more efficient threat mitigation keep systems secure and minimize downtime when the pressure is on.
Simplified Investigations
In the fast-paced world of cybersecurity, collaboration between IT and security is essential for effective threat management. Security analysts often have a deep understanding of the types of threats they’re dealing with and the critical questions that need answers, but they may not always know where to look or how to extract the necessary information from vast amounts of data and (often harmless) security notifications. This is where IT admins, with their intimate knowledge of the systems and data environment, play a crucial role. Dru Investigate bridges this gap between the two teams by providing a user-friendly platform. IT admins can use Dru to quickly translate the security team's questions into actionable searches, sifting through backup data to uncover hidden threats, such as stolen credentials or encrypted files. By simplifying the investigation process, Dru not only enhances individual capabilities but also fosters stronger, more efficient teamwork between teams, ensuring faster and more accurate threat resolution.
Private and Secure
Dru Investigate takes data security to the next level by using LLMs and RAG, a cutting-edge approach that ensures your data remains both secure and confidential throughout the investigation process. Unlike other tools that might expose sensitive information to external systems or third parties, Dru works exclusively with your backup metadata, operating within a secure and isolated environment. The tool’s architecture is designed to safeguard your data at every step, providing peace of mind that your organization’s sensitive information stays private, even as you conduct complex investigations.
Use Cases
Suspicious Admin Activity: Dru Investigate can help detect if attackers are misusing admin credentials by investigating unusual behaviors such as new API keys or data extraction. This allows IT admins and security teams to quickly identify and address potential breaches.
Unusual Data Activity: The tool can identify unusual data activities like sudden file encryption or mass deletions, which could indicate a ransomware attack. Users can search file activities directly to quickly gauge the extent of any encryption threats.
Future Enhancements
Looking forward, Dru Investigate will expand to include Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) use cases. Teams face the challenge of ensuring compliance with various regulations and industry standards but often lack the tools or direct access to the data needed to perform these checks efficiently. Dru Investigate will evolve to enable organizations to search, identify, and ensure compliance for sensitive data via plain-language prompts — as well as boost security posture and incident response. Future capabilities will be invaluable in helping organizations maintain robust data security while navigating a complex governance landscape.
Let Dru Do It For You!
In August 2024, all Druva customers gained access to Dru Investigate. Druva not only provides this powerful new tool at no additional cost to customers but also covers all the compute resources required to run it, underscoring the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional value. This is just the latest example of the benefits of fully managed, 100% SaaS data security — as Druva continuously improves its product over time while handling all patching, updates, and maintenance, so customers can focus on running their business rather than being bogged down by day-to-day tasks.
This new capability represents the latest advancement in Druva's AI portfolio, following the July 2024 introduction of Dru Assist, which enhances customer support.
By expanding its Dru portfolio, Druva continues to push the boundaries of AI in data security, providing powerful tools to help organizations stay secure and operational amidst increasing cyber threats. Experience the future of data investigations with Dru Investigate and enhance your security posture with ease. Learn more in the press release.