NTT unveils Cyber Threat Sensor AI for network threat detection on AWS

NTT has launched its Cyber Threat Sensor AI (CTS-AI) to ensure scalable security for client applications and workloads hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), through a mobile application. CTS-AI is also a core element in NTT’s broader security services portfolio for enterprises, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Application Security Testing and Threat Detection. During an initial promotional period, the service is free of charge for both new and existing NTT clients.

According to NTT, what sets CTS-AI apart from other AI-based and machine learning security solutions is its human-validated threat intelligence with detailed analysis by security experts at NTT. This global capability scans internet traffic and curates threat data from over 100 intelligence and 50 partner feeds. Threats are continuously validated to ensure accurate contextualisation and prioritisation and that CTS-AI is always up to date. CTS-AI was first rolled out to affected enterprises at the time of the SolarWinds supply chain breach and was core to NTT’s mitigation offer at that critical time. The company has continued to hone the application and expand the scope of capabilities since then.

CTS-AI is a network detection and response (NDR) solution developed to protect AWS applications and data directly in the cloud, without the need for dedicated hardware or cybersecurity experts. Over time, NTT plans to offer CTS-AI on other marketplaces as well.

It is designed to be used by organisations that are looking for an easy to deploy, lightweight detection capability to augment their existing cyber defence capability or that have a limited capability and don’t have the resources to deploy, manage and support a heavyweight monitoring and alerting capability.

Operation is said to be simple and users can access CTS-AI features and receive alerts directly on their mobile devices. They can also view activity logs and reports through a mobile app or web interface and create customised policies that define the type and frequency of alerts they want to receive and the control actions they want performed.

MMC Hardmetal, an industrial client, deployed NTT’s Cyber Threat Sensor for routine compromise assessment of its systems. According to the company: “This tool picked up indicators that none of our other controls detected, giving us the real-time capability to detect and remediate cyber threats at the first stage of an attack. It was very easy to implement and enabled us to identify areas of improvement for the security of our infrastructure.”

“With CTS-AI, companies of all sizes have an accessible, cloud-based means to monitor and respond to threats in their environment,” said Kazu Yozawa, CEO for the Security Division at NTT. “We refer to it as ‘having a SOC in your pocket’. For organisations new to NTT, they can take immediate advantage of the innovation driven by our over $100 million a year in cybersecurity R&D. For our existing clients, CTS-AI adds an additional user-friendly interface to the threat detection capabilities they already have with NTT.”

“The new offering, along with the upcoming roadmap for CTS-AI is exciting. The value proposition fits well with the broader market trend of cloud-native and cloud-delivered security control,” said Cathy Huang, associate research director, IDC Asia/Pacific. “The new solution introduced by NTT is positioned to help organisations to secure applications, workloads and data in the cloud in an easy-to-use manner.”