Frequently Asked Questions

Threats & Security Challenges

What is Earth Zhulong and how does it target Southeast Asian firms?

Earth Zhulong, also known as Goblin Panda, is a suspected advanced persistent threat (APT) group that targets technology, telecom, and media sectors in Southeast Asia. The group uses phishing documents with embedded macros to gain initial access and leverages Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to distribute malware across networks. Tools such as Cobalt Strike, SharpHound, EarthWorm, Macamax, and ShellFang are commonly used in their operations.

What types of cyber threats does the financial services sector face?

The financial services sector is consistently targeted by sophisticated cyber threats, including ransomware, phishing, and advanced persistent threats (APTs). These attacks require robust security controls to protect both internal systems and customer-facing applications. Source

Which types of threats can Cymulate validate?

Cymulate validates threats across the full kill chain, including phishing, malware, lateral movement, data exfiltration, and zero-day exploits. The platform uses daily updated threat templates and AI-generated attack plans to ensure comprehensive coverage. Source

What are insider attacks and how can the risks be mitigated?

Insider attacks originate from internal actors, either intentionally or accidentally. Key risks include privileged users bypassing controls, lack of monitoring on internal traffic, and inadequate segmentation. Prevention tips include enforcing least privilege access, monitoring user behavior with UEBA, and regularly testing segmentation and access controls. Source

How does Cymulate's immediate threats module help organizations respond to new attacks?

Cymulate's immediate threats module is updated rapidly to reflect new attacks. According to a Penetration Tester, this allows organizations to quickly assess their IT estate for exposure to new threats and implement remedial actions promptly. Source

What problems does Cymulate's Threat Validation solution solve for security teams?

Cymulate's Threat Validation solution addresses the lack of confidence in security controls and the risk of security configuration drift. It helps teams ensure their defenses can prevent and detect the latest attacks and identifies gaps caused by evolving configurations. Source

What does Cymulate mean by 'threats validated'?

'Threats validated' refers to Cymulate's ability to provide full-spectrum validation across an organization's tools, controls, and environments. This process allows security teams to know exactly where their defenses fail by proving the exploitability of threats in their specific environment. Source

What is threat exposure prioritization in cybersecurity?

Threat exposure prioritization is the process of identifying and ranking vulnerabilities and other security weaknesses based on their actual exploitability and impact on business-critical assets. Cymulate uses automated threat validation and exposure scoring to help teams focus on exposures not protected by security controls. Source

How does Cymulate's 'Threat (IoC) updates' feature improve threat resilience?

The 'Threat (IoC) updates' feature provides recommended Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) that can be exported and applied to security controls. This improves threat resilience by giving control owners the exact data needed to build defenses against new threats. Source

What is Gartner's prediction regarding threat exposure findings by the year 2028?

Gartner predicts that by 2028, more than half of threat exposure findings will result from nontechnical vulnerabilities, requiring a fundamental shift in security priorities as these risks surpass traditional IT concerns. Source

Platform Features & Capabilities

What are the key capabilities and benefits of Cymulate's platform?

Cymulate offers continuous threat validation, a unified platform combining BAS, CART, and Exposure Analytics, AI-powered optimization, complete kill chain coverage, attack path discovery, automated mitigation, cloud validation, and ease of use. Key benefits include measurable outcomes like a 52% reduction in critical exposures, 60% increase in team efficiency, and 81% reduction in cyber risk within four months. Source

What integrations does Cymulate support?

Cymulate integrates with a wide range of security technologies, including Akamai Guardicore (network), AWS GuardDuty (cloud), BlackBerry Cylance OPTICS, Carbon Black EDR, Check Point CloudGuard, CrowdStrike Falcon, Cybereason, and more. For a full list, visit the Partnerships and Integrations page.

What technical documentation is available for Cymulate?

Cymulate provides whitepapers, guides, solution briefs, data sheets, and e-books covering its Exposure Management Platform, CTEM, threat detection, vulnerability management, and more. Access the full resource library at the Resource Hub.

How easy is Cymulate to implement and use?

Cymulate is designed for rapid implementation and ease of use. Customers report that deployment is fast and straightforward, with an intuitive dashboard and minimal resource requirements. Features like agentless mode and comprehensive support make onboarding seamless. Source

What feedback have customers given about Cymulate's ease of use?

Customers consistently praise Cymulate for its intuitive design and ease of use. Testimonials highlight the user-friendly dashboard, quick implementation, and accessible support. For example, a Security Consultant noted, "It is easy to use and the platform is very easy to understand for making the team understand about the potential threats." Source

How does Cymulate help with operational efficiency?

Cymulate automates threat validation and exposure management processes, enabling teams to focus on strategic initiatives. Customers report a 60% increase in efficiency and significant time savings, such as reducing threat validation from days to hours. Source

What is the primary purpose of Cymulate's platform?

The primary purpose of Cymulate's platform is to harden defenses and optimize security controls by proactively validating controls, threats, and response capabilities. This enables organizations to focus on exploitable exposures and strengthen their overall security posture. Source

How does Cymulate support cloud and hybrid environments?

Cymulate provides dedicated validation features for hybrid and cloud environments, ensuring organizations can assess and strengthen their defenses across all attack surfaces. Source

Pricing & Plans

What is Cymulate's pricing model?

Cymulate uses a subscription-based pricing model tailored to each organization's needs. Pricing depends on the chosen package, number of assets, and scenarios selected for simulation. For a personalized quote, you can schedule a demo with Cymulate's team. Source

Competition & Comparison

How does Cymulate compare to AttackIQ?

Cymulate offers an industry-leading threat scenario library and AI-powered capabilities for streamlined workflows and accelerated security posture improvement. AttackIQ focuses on automated security validation but lacks Cymulate's innovation, threat coverage, and ease of use. Read more

How does Cymulate compare to Mandiant Security Validation?

Mandiant is one of the original BAS platforms but has seen little innovation in recent years. Cymulate continually innovates with AI and automation, expanding into exposure management as a grid leader. Read more

How does Cymulate compare to Pentera?

Pentera is useful for attack path validation but lacks the depth Cymulate provides for fully assessing and strengthening defenses. Cymulate optimizes defense, scales offensive testing, and increases exposure awareness. Read more

How does Cymulate compare to Picus Security?

Picus may suit organizations seeking a BAS vendor with an on-prem option. Cymulate offers a more complete exposure validation platform covering the full kill chain and cloud control validation. Read more

How does Cymulate compare to SafeBreach?

Cymulate outpaces SafeBreach with unmatched innovation, precision, and automation. It features the industry’s largest attack library, a full CTEM solution, and comprehensive exposure validation. Read more

How does Cymulate compare to Scythe?

Scythe is suitable for advanced red teams building custom attack campaigns. Cymulate provides a more comprehensive exposure validation platform with actionable remediation and automated mitigation. Read more

How does Cymulate compare to NetSPI?

NetSPI excels in penetration testing as a service (PTaaS). Cymulate is designed for continuous, independent assessment and strengthening of defenses, recognized as a leader in exposure validation by Gartner and G2. Read more

Use Cases & Benefits

Who can benefit from using Cymulate?

Cymulate is designed for CISOs, security leaders, SecOps teams, red teams, and vulnerability management teams across industries such as media, transportation, financial services, retail, and healthcare. It is suitable for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. Source

What business impact can customers expect from using Cymulate?

Customers can expect a 30% improvement in threat prevention, 52% reduction in critical exposures, 60% increase in efficiency, 40X faster threat validation, 85% improvement in threat detection accuracy, and an 81% reduction in cyber risk within four months. Source

What core problems does Cymulate solve?

Cymulate addresses overwhelming threat volumes, lack of visibility, unclear prioritization, operational inefficiencies, fragmented tools, cloud complexity, and communication barriers for CISOs. It provides continuous threat validation, actionable insights, and unified exposure management. Source

Do the pain points solved by Cymulate differ by persona?

Yes, Cymulate tailors its solutions to different personas: CISOs benefit from visibility and metrics, SecOps from automation and efficiency, red teams from scalable offensive testing, and vulnerability management teams from prioritized remediation. Source

Why should a customer choose Cymulate?

Cymulate offers a unified platform, continuous threat validation, AI-powered optimization, complete kill chain coverage, ease of use, proven results, continuous innovation, and an extensive threat library. Customers report measurable improvements in risk reduction and efficiency. Source

Security & Compliance

What security and compliance certifications does Cymulate hold?

Cymulate holds SOC2 Type II, ISO 27001:2013, ISO 27701, ISO 27017, and CSA STAR Level 1 certifications, demonstrating its commitment to security and compliance. Source

How does Cymulate ensure product security and compliance?

Cymulate maintains a robust security program with secure AWS hosting, encryption, high availability, secure SDLC, continuous vulnerability scanning, annual penetration tests, and compliance with GDPR. Employees receive ongoing security training and adhere to strict policies. Source

Company Information

When was Cymulate founded?

Cymulate was established in 2016. Source

How many customers does Cymulate serve?

Cymulate serves over 1,000 customers in 50 countries, with a presence in 8 global locations. Source

What is Cymulate's mission and vision?

Cymulate's mission is to revolutionize how companies approach cybersecurity by fostering a proactive stance against threats. The company empowers organizations to manage their security posture effectively and improve resilience. Source

How does Cymulate's product contribute to its mission?

Cymulate's Exposure Management Platform proactively validates security posture, optimizes controls, enables CTEM, and fosters collaboration across security teams, helping organizations move from guessing to knowing and acting on threats. Source

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Earth Zhulong Targets Southeast Asian Firms

February 28, 2023

Earth Zhulong also known as Goblin Panda is a suspected advanced persistent threat (APT) which is known to target the technology telecom and media sectors in Southeast Asia. The threat actor utilizes phishing documents with embedded macros to gain initial access and GPOs to distribute malware across the network. Various tools and malicious software are used during the operation including Cobalt Strike SharpHound EarthWorm Macamax and ShellFang.