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October 3, 2024

Introducing real-time multi-cloud detection & response powered by AI

This blog announces the general availability of Microsoft Azure support for Darktrace / CLOUD, enabling real-time cloud detection and response across dynamic multi-cloud environments. Read more to discover how Darktrace is pioneering AI-led real-time cloud detection and response.
Inside the SOC
Darktrace cyber analysts are world-class experts in threat intelligence, threat hunting and incident response, and provide 24/7 SOC support to thousands of Darktrace customers around the globe. Inside the SOC is exclusively authored by these experts, providing analysis of cyber incidents and threat trends, based on real-world experience in the field.
Written by
Adam Stevens
Director of Product, Cloud Security
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03
Oct 2024

We are delighted to announce the general availability of Microsoft Azure support for Darktrace / CLOUD, enabling real-time cloud detection and response across dynamic multi-cloud environments. Built on Self-Learning AI, Darktrace / CLOUD leverages Microsoft’s new virtual network flow logs (VNet flow) to offer an agentless-first approach that dramatically simplifies detection and response within Azure, unifying cloud-native security with Darktrace’s innovative ActiveAI Security Platform.

As organizations increasingly adopt multi-cloud architectures, the need for advanced, real-time threat detection and response is critical to keep pace with evolving cloud threats. Security teams face significant challenges, including increased complexity, limited visibility, and siloed tools. The dynamic nature of multi-cloud environments introduces ever-changing blind spots, while traditional security tools struggle to provide real-time insights, often offering static snapshots of risk. Additionally, cloud security teams frequently operate in isolation from SOC teams, leading to fragmented visibility and delayed responses. This lack of coordination, especially in hybrid environments, hinders effective threat detection and response. Compounding these challenges, current security solutions are split between agent-based and agentless approaches, with agentless solutions often lacking real-time awareness and agent-based options adding complexity and scalability concerns. Darktrace / CLOUD helps to solve these challenges with real-time detection and response designed specifically for dynamic cloud environments like Azure and AWS.

Pioneering AI-led real-time cloud detection & response

Darktrace has been at the forefront of real-time detection and response for over a decade, continually pushing the boundaries of AI-driven cybersecurity. Our Self-Learning AI uniquely positions Darktrace with the ability to automatically understand and instantly adapt to changing cloud environments. This is critical in today’s landscape, where cloud infrastructures are highly dynamic and ever-changing.  

Built on years of market-leading network visibility, Darktrace / CLOUD understands ‘normal’ for your unique business across clouds and networks to instantly reveal known, unknown, and novel cloud threats with confidence. Darktrace Self-Learning AI continuously monitors activity across cloud assets, containers, and users, and correlates it with detailed identity and network context to rapidly detect malicious activity. Platform-native identity and network monitoring capabilities allow Darktrace / CLOUD to deeply understand normal patterns of life for every user and device, enabling instant, precise and proportionate response to abnormal behavior - without business disruption.

Leveraging platform-native Autonomous Response, AI-driven behavioral containment neutralizes malicious activity with surgical accuracy while preventing disruption to cloud infrastructure or services. As malicious behavior escalates, Darktrace correlates thousands of data points to identify and instantly respond to unusual activity by blocking specific connections and enforcing normal behavior.

Figure 1: AI-driven behavioral containment neutralizes malicious activity with surgical accuracy while preventing disruption to cloud infrastructure or services.

Unparalleled agentless visibility into Azure

As a long-term trusted partner of Microsoft, Darktrace leverages Azure VNet flow logs to provide agentless, high-fidelity visibility into cloud environments, ensuring comprehensive monitoring without disrupting workflows. By integrating seamlessly with Azure, Darktrace / CLOUD continues to push the envelope of innovation in cloud security. Our Self-learning AI not only improves the detection of traditional and novel threats, but also enhances real-time response capabilities and demonstrates our commitment to delivering cutting-edge, AI-powered multi-cloud security solutions.

  • Integration with Microsoft Virtual network flow logs for enhanced visibility
    Darktrace / CLOUD integrates seamlessly with Azure to provide agentless, high-fidelity visibility into cloud environments. VNet flow logs capture critical network traffic data, allowing Darktrace to monitor Azure workloads in real time without disrupting existing workflows. This integration significantly reduces deployment time by 95%1 and cloud security operational costs by up to 80%2 compared to traditional agent-based solutions. Organizations benefit from enhanced visibility across dynamic cloud infrastructures, scaling security measures effortlessly while minimizing blind spots, particularly in ephemeral resources or serverless functions.
  • High-fidelity agentless deployment
    Agentless deployment allows security teams to monitor and secure cloud environments without installing software agents on individual workloads. By using cloud-native APIs like AWS VPC flow logs or Azure VNet flow logs, security teams can quickly deploy and scale security measures across dynamic, multi-cloud environments without the complexity and performance overhead of agents. This approach delivers real-time insights, improving incident detection and response while reducing disruptions. For organizations, agentless visibility simplifies cloud security management, lowers operational costs, and minimizes blind spots, especially in ephemeral resources or serverless functions.
  • Real-time visibility into cloud assets and architectures
    With real-time Cloud Asset Enumeration and Dynamic Architecture Modeling, Darktrace / CLOUD generates up-to-date architecture diagrams, giving SecOps and DevOps teams a unified view of cloud infrastructures. This shared context enhances collaboration and accelerates threat detection and response, especially in complex environments like Kubernetes. Additionally, Cyber AI Analyst automates the investigation process, correlating data across networks, identities, and cloud assets to save security teams valuable time, ensuring continuous protection and efficient cloud migrations.
Figure 2: Real-time visibility into Azure assets and architectures built from network, configuration and identity and access roles.

Unified multi-cloud security at scale

As organizations increasingly adopt multi-cloud strategies, the complexity of managing security across different cloud providers introduces gaps in visibility. Darktrace / CLOUD simplifies this by offering agentless, real-time monitoring across multi-cloud environments. Building on our innovative approach to securing AWS environments, our customers can now take full advantage of robust real-time detection and response capabilities for Azure. Darktrace is one of the first vendors to leverage Microsoft’s virtual network flow logs to provide agentless deployment in Azure, enabling unparalleled visibility without the need for installing agents. In addition, Darktrace / CLOUD offers automated Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) that continuously assesses cloud configurations against industry standards.  Security teams can identify and prioritize misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and policy violations in real-time. These capabilities give security teams a complete, live understanding of their cloud environments and help them focus their limited time and resources where they are needed most.

This approach offers seamless integration into existing workflows, reducing configuration efforts and enabling fast, flexible deployment across cloud environments. By extending its capabilities across multiple clouds, Darktrace / CLOUD ensures that no blind spots are left uncovered, providing holistic, multi-cloud security that scales effortlessly with your cloud infrastructure. diagrams, visualizes cloud assets, and prioritizes risks across cloud environments.

Figure 3: Unified view of AWS and Azure cloud posture and compliance over time.

The future of cloud security: Real-time defense in an unpredictable world

Darktrace / CLOUD’s support for Microsoft Azure, powered by Self-Learning AI and agentless deployment, sets a new standard in multi-cloud security. With real-time detection and autonomous response, organizations can confidently secure their Azure environments, leveraging innovation to stay ahead of the constantly evolving threat landscape. By combining Azure VNet flow logs with Darktrace’s AI-driven platform, we can provide customers with a unified, intelligent solution that transforms how security is managed across the cloud.

Unlock advanced cloud protection

Darktrace / CLOUD solution brief screenshot

Download the Darktrace / CLOUD solution brief to discover how autonomous, AI-driven defense can secure your environment in real-time.

  • Achieve 60% more accurate detection of unknown and novel cloud threats.
  • Respond instantly with autonomous threat response, cutting response time by 90%.
  • Streamline investigations with automated analysis, improving ROI by 85%.
  • Gain a 30% boost in cloud asset visibility with real-time architecture modeling.
  • Learn More:

    References

    1. Based on internal research and customer data

    2. Based on internal research

    Inside the SOC
    Darktrace cyber analysts are world-class experts in threat intelligence, threat hunting and incident response, and provide 24/7 SOC support to thousands of Darktrace customers around the globe. Inside the SOC is exclusively authored by these experts, providing analysis of cyber incidents and threat trends, based on real-world experience in the field.
    Written by
    Adam Stevens
    Director of Product, Cloud Security

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    May 16, 2025

    Catching a RAT: How Darktrace neutralized AsyncRAT

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    What is a RAT?

    As the proliferation of new and more advanced cyber threats continues, the Remote Access Trojan (RAT) remains a classic tool in a threat actor's arsenal. RATs, whether standardized or custom-built, enable attackers to remotely control compromised devices, facilitating a range of malicious activities.

    What is AsyncRAT?

    Since its first appearance in 2019, AsyncRAT has become increasingly popular among a wide range of threat actors, including cybercriminals and advanced persistent threat (APT) groups.

    Originally available on GitHub as a legitimate tool, its open-source nature has led to widespread exploitation. AsyncRAT has been used in numerous campaigns, including prolonged attacks on essential US infrastructure, and has even reportedly penetrated the Chinese cybercriminal underground market [1] [2].

    How does AsyncRAT work?

    Original source code analysis of AsyncRAT demonstrates that once installed, it establishes persistence via techniques such as creating scheduled tasks or registry keys and uses SeDebugPrivilege to gain elevated privileges [3].

    Its key features include:

    • Keylogging
    • File search
    • Remote audio and camera access
    • Exfiltration techniques
    • Staging for final payload delivery

    These are generally typical functions found in traditional RATs. However, it also boasts interesting anti-detection capabilities. Due to the popularity of Virtual Machines (VM) and sandboxes for dynamic analysis, this RAT checks for the manufacturer via the WMI query 'Select * from Win32_ComputerSystem' and looks for strings containing 'VMware' and 'VirtualBox' [4].

    Darktrace’s coverage of AsyncRAT

    In late 2024 and early 2025, Darktrace observed a spike in AsyncRAT activity across various customer environments. Multiple indicators of post-compromise were detected, including devices attempting or successfully connecting to endpoints associated with AsyncRAT.

    On several occasions, Darktrace identified a clear association with AsyncRAT through the digital certificates of the highlighted SSL endpoints. Darktrace’s Real-time Detection effectively identified and alerted on suspicious activities related to AsyncRAT. In one notable incident, Darktrace’s Autonomous Response promptly took action to contain the emerging threat posed by AsyncRAT.

    AsyncRAT attack overview

    On December 20, 2024, Darktrace first identified the use of AsyncRAT, noting a device successfully establishing SSL connections to the uncommon external IP 185.49.126[.]50 (AS199654 Oxide Group Limited) via port 6606. The IP address appears to be associated with AsyncRAT as flagged by open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources [5]. This activity triggered the device to alert the ‘Anomalous Connection / Rare External SSL Self-Signed' model.

    Model alert in Darktrace / NETWORK showing the repeated SSL connections to a rare external Self-Signed endpoint, 185.49.126[.]50.
    Figure 1: Model alert in Darktrace / NETWORK showing the repeated SSL connections to a rare external Self-Signed endpoint, 185.49.126[.]50.

    Following these initial connections, the device was observed making a significantly higher number of connections to the same endpoint 185.49.126[.]50 via port 6606 over an extended period. This pattern suggested beaconing activity and triggered the 'Compromise/Beaconing Activity to External Rare' model alert.

    Further analysis of the original source code, available publicly, outlines the default ports used by AsyncRAT clients for command-and-control (C2) communications [6]. It reveals that port 6606 is the default port for creating a new AsyncRAT client. Darktrace identified both the Certificate Issuer and the Certificate Subject as "CN=AsyncRAT Server". This SSL certificate encrypts the packets between the compromised system and the server. These indicators of compromise (IoCs) detected by Darktrace further suggest that the device was successfully connecting to a server associated with AsyncRAT.

    Model alert in Darktrace / NETWORK displaying the Digital Certificate attributes, IP address and port number associated with AsyncRAT.
    Figure 2: Model alert in Darktrace / NETWORK displaying the Digital Certificate attributes, IP address and port number associated with AsyncRAT.
    Darktrace’s detection of repeated connections to the suspicious IP address 185.49.126[.]50 over port 6606, indicative of beaconing behavior.
    Figure 3: Darktrace’s detection of repeated connections to the suspicious IP address 185.49.126[.]50 over port 6606, indicative of beaconing behavior.
    Darktrace's Autonomous Response actions blocking the suspicious IP address,185.49.126[.]50.
    Figure 4: Darktrace's Autonomous Response actions blocking the suspicious IP address,185.49.126[.]50.

    A few days later, the same device was detected making numerous connections to a different IP address, 195.26.255[.]81 (AS40021 NL-811-40021), via various ports including 2106, 6606, 7707, and 8808. Notably, ports 7707 and 8808 are also default ports specified in the original AsyncRAT source code [6].

    Darktrace’s detection of connections to the suspicious endpoint 195.26.255[.]81, where the default ports (6606, 7707, and 8808) for AsyncRAT were observed.
    Figure 5: Darktrace’s detection of connections to the suspicious endpoint 195.26.255[.]81, where the default ports (6606, 7707, and 8808) for AsyncRAT were observed.

    Similar to the activity observed with the first endpoint, 185.49.126[.]50, the Certificate Issuer for the connections to 195.26.255[.]81 was identified as "CN=AsyncRAT Server". Further OSINT investigation confirmed associations between the IP address 195.26.255[.]81 and AsyncRAT [7].

    Darktrace's detection of a connection to the suspicious IP address 195.26.255[.]81 and the domain name identified under the common name (CN) of a certificate as AsyncRAT Server
    Figure 6: Darktrace's detection of a connection to the suspicious IP address 195.26.255[.]81 and the domain name identified under the common name (CN) of a certificate as AsyncRAT Server.

    Once again, Darktrace's Autonomous Response acted swiftly, blocking the connections to 195.26.255[.]81 throughout the observed AsyncRAT activity.

    Figure 7: Darktrace's Autonomous Response actions were applied against the suspicious IP address 195.26.255[.]81.

    A day later, Darktrace again alerted to further suspicious activity from the device. This time, connections to the suspicious endpoint 'kashuub[.]com' and IP address 191.96.207[.]246 via port 8041 were observed. Further analysis of port 8041 suggests it is commonly associated with ScreenConnect or Xcorpeon ASIC Carrier Ethernet Transport [8]. ScreenConnect has been observed in recent campaign’s where AsyncRAT has been utilized [9]. Additionally, one of the ASN’s observed, namely ‘ASN Oxide Group Limited’, was seen in both connections to kashuub[.]com and 185.49.126[.]50.

    This could suggest a parallel between the two endpoints, indicating they might be hosting AsyncRAT C2 servers, as inferred from our previous analysis of the endpoint 185.49.126[.]50 and its association with AsyncRAT [5]. OSINT reporting suggests that the “kashuub[.]com” endpoint may be associated with ScreenConnect scam domains, further supporting the assumption that the endpoint could be a C2 server.

    Darktrace’s Autonomous Response technology was once again able to support the customer here, blocking connections to “kashuub[.]com”. Ultimately, this intervention halted the compromise and prevented the attack from escalating or any sensitive data from being exfiltrated from the customer’s network into the hands of the threat actors.

    Darktrace’s Autonomous Response applied a total of nine actions against the IP address 191.96.207[.]246 and the domain 'kashuub[.]com', successfully blocking the connections.
    Figure 8: Darktrace’s Autonomous Response applied a total of nine actions against the IP address 191.96.207[.]246 and the domain 'kashuub[.]com', successfully blocking the connections.

    Due to the popularity of this RAT, it is difficult to determine the motive behind the attack; however, from existing knowledge of what the RAT does, we can assume accessing and exfiltrating sensitive customer data may have been a factor.

    Conclusion

    While some cybercriminals seek stability and simplicity, openly available RATs like AsyncRAT provide the infrastructure and open the door for even the most amateur threat actors to compromise sensitive networks. As the cyber landscape continually shifts, RATs are now being used in all types of attacks.

    Darktrace’s suite of AI-driven tools provides organizations with the infrastructure to achieve complete visibility and control over emerging threats within their network environment. Although AsyncRAT’s lack of concealment allowed Darktrace to quickly detect the developing threat and alert on unusual behaviors, it was ultimately Darktrace Autonomous Response's consistent blocking of suspicious connections that prevented a more disruptive attack.

    Credit to Isabel Evans (Cyber Analyst), Priya Thapa (Cyber Analyst) and Ryan Traill (Analyst Content Lead)

    Appendices

    • Real-time Detection Models
         
      • Compromise / Suspicious SSL Activity
      •  
      • Compromise / Beaconing Activity To      External Rare
      •  
      • Compromise / High Volume of      Connections with Beacon Score
      •  
      • Anomalous Connection / Suspicious      Self-Signed SSL
      •  
      • Compromise / Sustained SSL or HTTP      Increase
      •  
      • Compromise / SSL Beaconing to Rare      Destination
      •  
      • Compromise / Suspicious Beaconing      Behaviour
      •  
      • Compromise / Large Number of      Suspicious Failed Connections
    •  
    • Autonomous     Response Models
         
      • Antigena / Network / Significant      Anomaly / Antigena Controlled and Model Alert
      •  
      • Antigena / Network / Significant      Anomaly / Antigena Enhanced Monitoring from Client Block

    List of IoCs

    ·     185.49.126[.]50 - IP – AsyncRAT C2 Endpoint

    ·     195.26.255[.]81 – IP - AsyncRAT C2 Endpoint

    ·      191.96.207[.]246 – IP – Likely AsyncRAT C2 Endpoint

    ·     CN=AsyncRAT Server - SSL certificate - AsyncRATC2 Infrastructure

    ·      Kashuub[.]com– Hostname – Likely AsyncRAT C2 Endpoint

    MITRE ATT&CK Mapping:

    Tactic –Technique – Sub-Technique  

     

    Execution– T1053 - Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task

    DefenceEvasion – T1497 - Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion: System Checks

    Discovery– T1057 – Process Discovery

    Discovery– T1082 – System Information Discovery

    LateralMovement - T1021.001 - Remote Services: Remote Desktop Protocol

    Collection/ Credential Access – T1056 – Input Capture: Keylogging

    Collection– T1125 – Video Capture

    Commandand Control – T1105 - Ingress Tool Transfer

    Commandand Control – T1219 - Remote Access Software

    Exfiltration– T1041 - Exfiltration Over C2 Channel

     

    References

    [1]  https://blog.talosintelligence.com/operation-layover-how-we-tracked-attack/

    [2] https://intel471.com/blog/china-cybercrime-undergrond-deepmix-tea-horse-road-great-firewall

    [3] https://www.attackiq.com/2024/08/01/emulate-asyncrat/

    [4] https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/spear-phishing-campaign-with-new-techniques-aimed-at-aviation-companies

    [5] https://www.virustotal.com/gui/ip-address/185.49.126[.]50/community

    [6] https://dfir.ch/posts/asyncrat_quasarrat/

    [7] https://www.virustotal.com/gui/ip-address/195.26.255[.]81

    [8] https://www.speedguide.net/port.php?port=8041

    [9] https://www.esentire.com/blog/exploring-the-infection-chain-screenconnects-link-to-asyncrat-deployment

    [10] https://scammer.info/t/taking-out-connectwise-sites/153479/518?page=26

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    About the author
    Isabel Evans
    Cyber Analyst

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    May 13, 2025

    Revolutionizing OT Risk Prioritization with Darktrace 6.3

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    Powering smarter protection for industrial systems

    In industrial environments, security challenges are deeply operational. Whether you’re running a manufacturing line, a power grid, or a semiconductor fabrication facility (fab), you need to know: What risks can truly disrupt my operations, and what should I focus on first?

    Teams need the right tools to shift from reactive defense, constantly putting out fires, to proactively thinking about their security posture. However, most OT teams are stuck using IT-centric tools that don’t speak the language of industrial systems, are consistently overwhelmed with static CVE lists, and offer no understanding of OT-specific protocols. The result? Compliance gaps, siloed insights, and risk models that don’t reflect real-world exposure, making risk prioritization seem like a luxury.

    Darktrace / OT 6.3 was built in direct response to these challenges. Developed in close collaboration with OT operators and engineers, this release introduces powerful upgrades that deliver the context, visibility, and automation security teams need, without adding complexity. It’s everything OT defenders need to protect critical operations in one platform that understands the language of industrial systems.

    additions to darktrace / ot 6/3

    Contextual risk modeling with smarter Risk Scoring

    Darktrace / OT 6.3 introduces major upgrades to OT Risk Management, helping teams move beyond generic CVE lists with AI-driven risk scoring and attack path modeling.

    By factoring in real-world exploitability, asset criticality, and operational context, this release delivers a more accurate view of what truly puts critical systems at risk.

    The platform now integrates:

    • CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) database
    • End-of-life status for legacy OT devices
    • Firewall misconfiguration analysis
    • Incident response plan alignment

    Most OT environments are flooded with vulnerability data that lacks context. CVE scores often misrepresent risk by ignoring how threats move through the environment or whether assets are even reachable. Firewalls are frequently misconfigured or undocumented, and EOL (End of Life) devices, some of the most vulnerable, often go untracked.

    Legacy tools treat these inputs in isolation. Darktrace unifies them, showing teams exactly which attack paths adversaries could exploit, mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, with visibility into where legacy tech increases exposure.

    The result: teams can finally focus on the risks that matter most to uptime, safety, and resilience without wasting resources on noise.

    Automating compliance with dynamic IEC-62443 reporting

    Darktrace / OT now includes a purpose-built IEC-62443-3-3 compliance module, giving industrial teams real-time visibility into their alignment with regulatory standards. No spreadsheets required!

    Industrial environments are among the most heavily regulated. However, for many OT teams, staying compliant is still a manual, time-consuming process.

    Darktrace / OT introduces a dedicated IEC-62443-3-3 module designed specifically for industrial environments. Security and operations teams can now map their security posture to IEC standards in real time, directly within the platform. The module automatically gathers evidence across all four security levels, flags non-compliance, and generates structured reports to support audit preparation, all in just a few clicks.Most organizations rely on spreadsheets or static tools to track compliance, without clear visibility into which controls meet standards like IEC-62443. The result is hidden gaps, resource-heavy audits, and slow remediation cycles.

    Even dedicated compliance tools are often built for IT, require complex setup, and overlook the unique devices found in OT environments. This leaves teams stuck with fragmented reporting and limited assurance that their controls are actually aligned with regulatory expectations.

    By automating compliance tracking, surfacing what matters most, and being purpose built for industrial environments, Darktrace / OT empowers organizations to reduce audit fatigue, eliminate blind spots, and focus resources where they’re needed most.

    Expanding protocol visibility with deep insights for specialized OT operations

    Darktrace has expanded its Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) capabilities to support five industry-specific protocols, across healthcare, semiconductor manufacturing, and ABB control systems.

    The new protocols build on existing capabilities across all OT industry verticals and protocol types to ensure the Darktrace Self-Learning AI TM can learn intelligently about even more assets in complex industrial environments. By enabling native, AI-driven inspection of these protocols, Darktrace can identify both security threats and operational issues without relying on additional appliances or complex integrations.

    Most security platforms lack native support for industry-specific protocols, creating critical visibility gaps in customer environments like healthcare, semiconductor manufacturing, and ABB-heavy industrial automation. Without deep protocol awareness, organizations struggle to accurately identify specialized OT and IoT assets, detect malicious activity concealed within proprietary protocol traffic, and generate reliable device risk profiles due to insufficient telemetry.

    These blind spots result in incomplete asset inventories, and ultimately, flawed risk posture assessments which over-index for CVE patching and legacy equipment.

    By combining protocol-aware detection with full-stack visibility across IT, OT, and IoT, Darktrace’s AI can correlate anomalies across domains. For example, connecting an anomaly from a Medical IoT (MIoT) device with suspicious behavior in IT systems, providing actionable, contextual insights other solutions often miss.

    Conclusion

    Together, these capabilities take OT security beyond alert noise and basic CVE matching, delivering continuous compliance, protocol-aware visibility, and actionable, prioritized risk insights, all inside a single, unified platform built for the realities of industrial environments.

    [related-resource]

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    About the author
    Pallavi Singh
    Product Marketing Manager, OT Security & Compliance
    Your data. Our AI.
    Elevate your network security with Darktrace AI