Tool Overview:
Varonis

About Varonis

Varonis is a data security platform that focuses on protecting sensitive enterprise data across multi-cloud, SaaS, and on-premises environments. The platform combines data classification, access governance, threat detection, and policy automation capabilities. Using a data-centric approach, Varonis monitors and secures data where it resides, whether in file storage, SaaS applications, email systems, or cloud infrastructure.

What does Varonis do?

At its core, Varonis provides continuous monitoring and classification of sensitive data across an organization's environments. The platform uses machine learning to develop behavior profiles for users and devices, enabling it to detect anomalous activities such as unusual file access, email patterns, permissions changes, and potential data exfiltration attempts. The system maintains a detailed audit trail by collecting and enriching events with metadata like user type, data sensitivity, and geolocation.

The platform includes automated remediation capabilities for addressing security risks. When issues are discovered, Varonis can automatically remove excessive permissions, fix misconfigurations, and enforce data lifecycle policies. The system evaluates who needs access to data based on usage patterns and can reduce unnecessary access without disrupting business operations. For Microsoft environments, Varonis integrates with Microsoft Purview to enhance classification capabilities and support data loss prevention (DLP) controls.

Security teams can use Varonis to monitor abnormal behaviors that might indicate insider threats or ransomware attacks. The platform detects rapid file access events, lateral movement attempts, privilege escalation, and sensitive data exfiltration through various channels including file uploads, downloads, link sharing, DNS, web proxy, and VPN traffic. Organizations can configure automated responses or integrate Varonis with existing security tools like SIEM and SOAR platforms.

What makes Varonis different?

The distinguishing aspect of Varonis is its focus on data-centric security rather than infrastructure protection. The platform builds comprehensive behavior baselines and monitors actual data usage patterns rather than just looking at perimeter or endpoint security. This approach allows for more contextual threat detection and precise access control decisions.

Another key differentiator is Varonis' Managed Data Detection and Response (MDDR) service. Unlike traditional managed detection and response services that concentrate on endpoints and networks, MDDR specifically focuses on threats to data. The service provides 24/7 threat hunting, forensics analysis, and incident response through a team of security analysts.

Use cases and industries

Varonis serves organizations that need to protect sensitive data across complex hybrid environments. Common use cases include detecting insider threats, preventing ransomware attacks, ensuring compliance with regulations like HIPAA and GDPR, and managing third-party application risk. The platform helps security teams address challenges such as excessive permissions, risky misconfigurations, and potential data exposures.

The platform provides specific capabilities for email security, scanning mailboxes and calendars for sensitive content and monitoring for unusual email behavior. For cloud environments, Varonis helps organizations maintain security posture by continuously scanning for misconfigurations and compliance violations. The system can automatically remediate issues and provide detailed reporting on security improvements over time.

For artificial intelligence implementations, Varonis helps organizations control AI system access to sensitive data and monitors AI-generated content for potential security risks. The platform can map AI account permissions and detect suspicious activities in AI workloads, addressing emerging concerns about data security in AI deployments.