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Devices such as ATMs, payment terminals, and digital medical equipment – which provide immediate benefits through financial profit and the ability to access crucial confidential information – have increasingly become common targets for hackers.

The application of complex methods, strategies, and processes that were previously exclusive to prominent cyber threats is now available to a broader group of malicious actors, leading to a critical demand for enhanced security measures.

Considering this, Kaspersky has introduced a major update to its Kaspersky Embedded Systems Security (KESS) offering, enhancing its ability to analyze behavior and strengthening various protective layers tailored for low-power and older embedded devices.

The latest update brings an upgraded behavioral analysis function. At its foundation, the technology enables essential features including Automatic Exploit Prevention, a Remediation Engine, and an enhanced Anti-Cryptor.

These subsystems collectively allow the solution to identify even the most sophisticated threats, such as those utilizing nuanced, evasive methods to evade statistical or static detection systems or circumvent hardening-based defenses commonly found in embedded systems.

The main goal is to enable embedded devices to utilize security features that were previously exclusive to complete endpoint systems.

Besides strong behavioral protections, this update includes a number of features that are particularly important for the specific challenges found in embedded systems. One of the most significant is protection against BadUSB attacks, which prevents harmful USB devices from pretending to be keyboards or other input devices to carry out unauthorized commands.

KESS now features a custom application-level firewall, providing companies with enhanced management of how embedded applications interact with external systems, minimizing risks from unauthorized or questionable network activities.

An additional useful improvement is the updated “traffic-light” Security Level Indicator, which immediately displays a device’s general security status and assists operators in swiftly identifying if further focus or modifications are needed.

In contrast to standard endpoint protection or solely hardening-focused approaches, KESS is designed to address the challenges posed by the variety of embedded systems. It is compatible with outdated and low-performance devices, functions effectively in environments with limited bandwidth, and reduces dependency on the cloud¹.

Its voluntary method of threat protection allows organizations to combine basic hardening for older or less capable devices with comprehensive security for more advanced, modern ones. It also smoothly connects with Kaspersky’s integrated ecosystem, offering centralized control and uniform policies across various device groups.

“Embedded systems are no longer isolated or too restricted to be of interest. They encounter the same advanced threats as regular endpoints, yet securing them involves tackling their unique limitations,” states Oleg Gorobets, a Cybersecurity Specialist at Kaspersky.

This enhanced offering provides organizations with more robust, intelligent, and adaptable security while maintaining minimal operational complexity. As embedded systems expand, the demand for security that is both compact and highly effective increases – and this KESS update meets that requirement precisely.