Darktrace, the world leader in AI technology for cyber defense, has today announced that its proven autonomous response technology has detected and contained a ransomware attack at a UK construction company.

Ransomware attacks entail the encryption of company files and move at computer speeds, outstripping human security teams in their capacity to contain them. Darktrace’s AI technology knows the exact action to take in response to in-progress ransomware attacks, neutralizing them within seconds.

Darktrace halted the ransomware attack as it unfolded on the network of the construction company, having detected a highly anomalous pattern of behavior as an infected computer began to attempt encrypting other files en masse. Darktrace instantly generated an autonomous response, blocking the suspect connections and enforcing the normal ‘pattern of life’ on the device. This surgical and timely remedial action was critical in defending the company from widespread ransomware infection, without impacting normal business operations.

At Darktrace, we catch and contain emerging cyber-threats, from fast-moving ransomware to slow and stealthy insider and trust attacks, every week,” said Dave Palmer, Director of Technology at Darktrace. “As humans are consistently outpaced and outmaneuvered by threats moving at lightning speeds, artificial intelligence is second to none in halting pernicious attacks in their tracks, buying security teams precious time to catch up.”