The digital threat landscape has evolved rapidly in recent years, and malware is at the heart of this transformation. They have gone from being simple malicious files to highly sophisticated tools, often controlled by networks of organized cybercriminals. According to Check Point Research's Threat Intelligence Report (March 2025), the distribution of malware via legitimate platforms has grown by 48%, revealing how attackers are taking advantage of trust in widely used services to extend their reach.
In addition, the growth in the number of connected devices and the accelerated digitalization of business processes have expanded the attack surface. Companies of all sizes, especially those with distributed environments and hybrid infrastructure, face the challenge of protecting their endpoints against threats that often go unnoticed by traditional tools. The 300% increase in malware detection on endpoints in the third quarter of 2024, according to data from IT Security, is a clear indication of this new reality.
In this article, we'll explore how malware is changing, why conventional protection models are becoming obsolete and how solutions such as CrowdStrike Falcon Complete have established themselves as indispensable allies for guaranteeing digital security in real time.
What is behind this new generation of malware?
The new generation of malware represents a qualitative leap in the techniques and objectives of cybercriminals. Unlike the simpler, more predictable versions of the past, today's malware operates with surgical precision, often going unnoticed by traditional defense systems. They not only exploit technical vulnerabilities, but also behavioral ones, making the human factor one of the biggest entry points for attacks.
Automation and artificial intelligence at the service of cybercrime
The use of artificial intelligence is no longer exclusive to companies. According to a European Union report cited by CISO Advisor, cybercriminal groups are applying AI to speed up and automate every stage of their attacks, from creating malware to choosing targets. The result is a reduction of up to 50% in the time it takes to compromise corporate accounts, enabling a scale of attacks that was previously impossible.
Disguise on legitimate platforms
One of the most effective strategies of the new wave of malware is the use of trusted platforms as an attack vector. Widely used tools such as Google Drive, Discord and Dropbox have been manipulated to house malicious files, making it difficult for conventional protection systems to identify them. According to an analysis by Check Point Research, the use of these platforms will grow by almost 50% in 2024, reflecting a worrying change in cybercrime behavior.
More precise and contextualized phishing
The evolution of malware also involves the sophistication of phishing campaigns. Malicious messages now use public data and previous leaks to create highly personalized approaches, simulating internal company communications or even replicating corporate system interfaces. This ability to deceive users with such precision drastically increases the risks, especially in environments where cybersecurity education does not keep pace with the speed of threats.
These factors explain why today's malware requires much more than conventional protection solutions. They challenge not only technology, but also the organizational culture of security. That's why, in the following topics, we'll explore how companies can strategically prepare to face this new reality with cutting-edge protection and real-time response.
Recent examples that reinforce the seriousness of the situation
The new generation of malware is not only growing in volume, but also in sophistication. The attacks of 2025 show that organizations can no longer rely on traditional defenses, criminals are exploiting new surfaces, infiltrating through legitimate channels and shortening the time between invasion and real impact. Recent cases make it clear how much the landscape has evolved and the risks have increased.
DeepSeek AI: unpatched vulnerabilities and sensitive data exposed
In early March 2025, the Chinese startup DeepSeek AI, known for its advances in artificial intelligence, had more than 1 million records leaked. The breach was caused by malware that exploited a known flaw that had not been fixed in time. According to Let's Defend, the attack did not require complex techniques, only the combination of a public vulnerability and the absence of advanced monitoring was enough to allow the invasion and leak. The case exposed not only sensitive data, but also the fragility of companies that lack modern detection and response strategies.
Malware in "legitimate traffic": cybercrime's new disguise
Platforms such as Google Drive, Dropbox and even corporate messaging services are being used as vehicles for spreading malware. As pointed out by CISO Advisor, cybercrime is adopting tactics that are increasingly difficult to identify, hiding malware inside apparently harmless files distributed through channels that are considered reliable. This renders traditional defenses, such as signature-based antivirus, ineffective, and calls for a new detection model that goes beyond simple static file analysis.
Brazil at the top of ransomware targets
According to TecMundo, February 2025 registered the highest number of ransomware victims in a single month in Brazil, placing the country among the most affected globally. What is striking is that many of the companies affected already had conventional security solutions in place. The problem is that these solutions were unable to detect anomalous behavior in real time or isolate attacks before they caused damage. With demands for ransom in cryptocurrencies and the hijacking of backups, the losses exceeded millions, in addition to the reputational impact.
Why are traditional antiviruses no longer enough?
Conventional antiviruses operate on the basis of signatures, which means that they can only detect malware that has already been identified. This approach becomes ineffective in the face of threats that are constantly changing or that act without using files, the so-called fileless attacks. According to a report by CrowdStrike, around 71% of current breaches involve this type of threat, which does not rely on executable files, making detection difficult.
What's more, the speed with which new malware variants are created, often with AI support, makes it impossible for traditional solutions to keep up. The consequence is clear: corporate environments protected only with standard antivirus are operating at constant risk.
The damage goes beyond technology: operational and financial impacts
Stoppage of operations and loss of productivity
Malware attacks compromise much more than servers. They directly affect business continuity. According to PwC, companies that suffer security incidents take an average of 25 days to fully resume operations. During this period, processes are interrupted, teams are inactive and deliveries are delayed, which leads to customer dissatisfaction and significant revenue losses. In critical environments such as healthcare, finance and retail, the interruption can generate a domino effect, impacting the supply chain and strategic contracts.
Direct and indirect financial losses
The cost of a cyber attack goes far beyond the investment in technical recovery. According to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, the average cost of a breach caused by malware exceeds US$4.45 million. This bill includes everything from downtime to hiring emergency services, legal action, paying regulatory fines and, above all, the loss of customer and investor confidence. For publicly traded companies, it is not uncommon to see an immediate drop in share value after a security incident.
Regulatory and reputational consequences
The LGPD and other global regulations require companies to adopt preventive measures and be able to prove good practices in the event of incidents. A malware attack that compromises personal data, for example, can result in administrative sanctions, the blocking of operations and even lawsuits. In addition, brand reputation is severely affected: companies seen as negligent with digital security face a tough journey to regain market trust.
MDR and 24/7 monitoring: pillars of modern defense
The paradigm shift in digital protection
The era of traditional antivirus is behind us. With malware spreading across corporate networks in a matter of minutes and exploiting legitimate channels to go undetected, companies need an approach that goes beyond one-off detection. This is where Managed Detection and Response (MDR) comes in, a model that combines cutting-edge technology and human expertise to identify, analyze and neutralize threats with speed and precision.
From passive to proactive: how MDR redefines the game
MDR represents a change in the role of cybersecurity within companies. Instead of waiting for alerts or relying on overworked internal teams, MDR puts incident response in the hands of specialized teams that operate 24/7. This ensures that any suspicious activity is analyzed in real time, based on context, risk and priority, minimizing operational and reputational impacts.
In addition, the MDR model allows companies with lean structures to access a level of protection comparable to that of large corporations, with automated response, real-time threat intelligence and orchestration of corrective actions, such as isolating devices and blocking malicious connections.
How CrowdStrike Falcon Complete protects against these attacks
Real-time detection and response
CrowdStrike Falcon Complete is a managed security solution that unites Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), MDR and continuous monitoring in a single platform. It is cloud-based and powered by artificial intelligence, allowing full visibility of endpoints, suspicious behavior and emerging threats, even those that leave no obvious trace, such as fileless malware.
Its differential lies in its ability to act in real time. When it detects anomalous behavior, such as attempts to execute malicious code or lateral movement, the platform can automatically isolate the affected machine from the network, prevent the attack from spreading and notify experts for in-depth investigation.
Automation without giving up human intelligence
While other solutions rely exclusively on algorithms, Falcon Complete combines automation with a team of security analysts who act directly on incidents. This hybrid approach ensures that critical decisions, such as disabling a service, isolating a network or revoking credentials, are made with the full context of the threat.
This 24/7 support allows companies to have a truly elite incident response team, without having to set up a complex, expensive and difficult-to-maintain internal structure.
Reduced containment time and increased resilience
According to CrowdStrike, companies using Falcon Complete are able to reduce the average threat containment time to less than 30 minutes. In contrast, according to the IBM X-Force Report (2024), companies without MDR take an average of 16 days to contain an attack, enough time for malware to compromise entire systems, steal data and paralyze operations.
This operational agility is decisive for preserving data integrity, avoiding downtime and maintaining the brand's reputation with customers and partners.
What security leaders should do now
Abandon fragmented solutions
It is still common to find companies operating with isolated antivirus, firewall and monitoring solutions, without integration or orchestration. This fragmented model creates gaps in visibility and failures in incident response. To face modern threats, it is essential to migrate to an integrated approach, where detection, analysis and response are connected.
Prioritize visibility and rapid response
It's not enough to identify a threat. You have to respond quickly and accurately. Real-time visibility into network assets and activities is the first step towards containing attacks before they cause damage. Platforms such as Falcon Complete offer this unified vision and enable immediate action based on concrete data, preventing incidents from escalating.
In addition, leaders must constantly assess business risks, align cybersecurity strategies with company objectives and ensure that each new system or tool is incorporated securely from the outset (security by design).
Investing in partners with proven expertise
It's unrealistic to expect companies to build all the technical capacity needed to deal with the current threat landscape in-house. The most efficient way is to rely on an MSSP partner like Asper, which already has the tools, processes and specialists prepared to act with agility and scale. This speeds up response times, reduces costs and increases the organization's digital security maturity.
Protection is no longer a choice, it's a condition for survival
Today's malware is not only more sophisticated, it is faster, stealthier and more destructive. The "wait and see" strategy can be costly. Companies that still only rely on antivirus and one-off measures are exposed, and the consequences range from operational interruptions to irreversible damage to reputation and turnover.
MDR and continuous monitoring are no longer differentiators, they are the new minimum security standard. Tools such as CrowdStrike Falcon Complete, combined with Asper's strategic performance, ensure that your company has active protection, contextual intelligence and an immediate response to any type of threat.
Is your company prepared to face the new generation of malware?
Talk to Asper's experts and find out how we can take your protection to the next level with 24/7 detection and response solutions such as CrowdStrike Falcon Complete.
