Why Xcitium Does Not Have Same Problem as Crowdstrike ?
In endpoint protection agent release cycle, the focus should be on stability, security, and minimizing disruptions. The cycle should begin with a thorough planning phase where updates are meticulously designed to address both emerging threats and improve overall system performance. Rigorous testing is critical, with a dedicated testing period to identify and resolve any potential issues. Feedback from a controlled rollout should be collected and analyzed before a broader release. Transparency with customers about the update schedule, content, and potential impacts is essential. Customers should have the flexibility to control when updates are applied, ensuring that critical business operations are not disrupted. This cycle ensures that updates enhance protection and stability without compromising the user experience.
Why Crowdstrike Fails:
Crowdstrike’s approach of frequently updating kernel-mode code is inherently risky and disruptive. Kernel-mode code operates at the core of the operating system, managing critical functions and communications with hardware. Frequent updates to this highly sensitive layer can introduce bugs and vulnerabilities that lead to system instability and crashes, such as the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). The recent BSOD incident caused by a Crowdstrike update is not an isolated case and is unlikely to be the last. This approach creates a constant risk of operational disruptions and undermines system reliability, posing significant challenges for businesses that rely on stable and secure IT environments.
When deploying new kernel-mode code, extensive Quality Assurance (QA) and intensive testing are absolutely necessary. Kernel-mode updates have the potential to cause significant system instability if not meticulously tested. Every new release must undergo rigorous testing phases to ensure compatibility with existing systems and to identify any potential conflicts or bugs. This thorough testing helps prevent issues that could lead to system crashes and ensures that the update performs as expected across various environments. Without adequate QA and testing, the risk of introducing new vulnerabilities or operational disruptions is significantly heightened, making the update process more hazardous than beneficial.
What Xcitium Does Differently
Xcitium takes a revolutionary approach to endpoint protection by completely rethinking the traditional architecture. Our strategy is built on containment, which eliminates the need for constant kernel updates. By verifying all unknown executables in real-time, we provide robust protection against both known and unknown threats, ensuring a stable and secure operating environment. We employ a “Latest and Stable” build concept, allowing customers to choose between the most recent updates and thoroughly tested stable releases. This flexibility minimizes the risk of disruptions. Additionally, our Adaptive Event Modeling dynamically evolves to address new threats without requiring intrusive code updates. Our approach ensures that only user-mode rules and codes are updated, reducing the impact on system stability and performance. By prioritizing extensive testing and customer control over updates, Xcitium delivers a security solution that is both reliable and resilient, addressing the inherent risks of frequent kernel-mode updates seen in traditional models.
Xcitium’s Patented Containment Technology:
By containing and verifying all unknown executables, Xcitium eliminates the need for constant kernel updates. This approach provides robust protection against both known and unknown threats, ensuring a stable and secure operating environment without the frequent disruptions caused by traditional solutions. Our Zero Trust architecture operates on the principle that no file or process is trusted by default. This proactive containment ensures that potentially harmful actions are isolated before they can impact the system.
Latest and Stable Build Concept:
Xcitium employs a “Latest and Stable” build concept. We release the latest build to the field while customers have the option to use only the stable one, which is the default option. Once we collect enough information from the field, ensuring no major bugs on a sufficient number of endpoints, we move the Stable tag to the Latest one. This strategy allows us to provide the most up-to-date protection while minimizing the risk of introducing instability. Customers benefit from the latest security enhancements without the worry of frequent, potentially disruptive updates.
Customer-Controlled Updates:
Our customers can choose when to update their clients. Since our core technology is containment, running stable or even older releases won’t make our customers less safe. This flexibility ensures that updates are conducted on their terms, minimizing disruption. Customers have complete control over the trade-off between the immediacy of new features and the operational stability of their environment. This approach empowers customers to manage their own risk levels based on their unique needs and circumstances.
Rigorous Testing:
We allocate three weeks just for testing new release candidates. This thorough testing phase is possible because we don’t have to rush updates in response to new threats, thanks to our containment-first approach. Our extended testing period ensures that updates are stable and reliable when they reach our customers. This rigorous process significantly reduces the risk of bugs or compatibility issues that could disrupt operations. By investing in thorough testing, we ensure that our solutions are both effective and dependable.
Adaptive Event Modeling:
Xcitium uses Adaptive Event Modeling, which is dynamic and does not require code updates each time we need to track something new. In contrast, Crowdstrike’s event model is static, necessitating frequent code updates to keep up with new threats. Adaptive Event Modeling allows Xcitium to respond more flexibly and quickly to emerging threats without the need for intrusive updates. This adaptive approach means that our security measures evolve in real-time, maintaining a higher level of protection with fewer disruptions. Additionally, the Xcitium EDR agent separates hook-in and telemetry collection, handling hook-in in kernel-mode while telemetry collection runs in user-mode. This design ensures that to address emerging threats, only user-mode rules and codes need to be pushed to clients, minimizing the impact on system stability and performance.
Revolutionizing Endpoint Protection: Prioritizing Prevention and Stability with Zero Trust Architecture
The current endpoint protection architecture needs to evolve. Detection should not be the primary focus; instead, protection and prevention must come first. By prioritizing containment and verification over mere detection, security solutions can ensure that potentially harmful actions are isolated before they impact the system. This shift reduces the reliance on frequent kernel updates, mitigating the associated risks and providing a more secure and stable environment for users.
It’s time for the industry to rethink endpoint protection. Xcitium’s Zero Trust architecture exemplifies this forward-thinking approach, offering a robust alternative to traditional detection-based models. Let’s move beyond the update trap and ensure that our systems are both secure and stable.