Cybercriminals have embraced automation—and they are using it to devastating effect. From automated phishing kits and credential stuffing tools to ransomware frameworks that encrypt entire networks in minutes, modern attacks operate at machine speed. Unfortunately, many security teams still rely on manual processes to investigate alerts and coordinate response.

In today’s threat landscape, that imbalance creates risk.

To counter automated attacks, organizations must adopt automated response. NetWitness SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) empowers security teams to respond faster, smarter, and more consistently—transforming reactive defense into proactive containment.

The Rise of Automated Cyberattacks

Attackers no longer depend on slow, manual exploitation techniques. Instead, they:

• Scan for vulnerabilities automatically
• Launch large-scale phishing campaigns
• Test stolen credentials in seconds
• Move laterally using scripted tools
• Deploy ransomware across entire environments rapidly

By the time a traditional security team manually investigates an alert, attackers may have already escalated privileges or exfiltrated sensitive data.

Machine-speed attacks require machine-speed defense.

What NetWitness SOAR Delivers

NetWitness SOAR bridges the gap between detection and response by orchestrating security workflows and automating containment actions.

Rather than relying on disconnected tools and email-based escalations, NetWitness  SOAR solutions unifies processes into coordinated, repeatable playbooks.

Automated Incident Workflows

NetWitness SOAR enables organizations to build predefined response playbooks that trigger automatically when certain threat conditions are met. These workflows can:

• Isolate compromised endpoints
• Disable suspicious user accounts
• Block malicious IP addresses or domains
• Gather forensic artifacts
• Notify stakeholders instantly

This eliminates delays caused by manual handoffs and approval chains.

Faster Investigation with Context

Security teams often struggle with alert overload. NetWitness SOAR integrates with detection platforms to enrich alerts with contextual intelligence, reducing false positives and prioritizing high-risk incidents.

Analysts gain immediate visibility into:

• Affected systems
• User activity history
• Related alerts
• Threat intelligence correlations

This accelerates decision-making and reduces Mean Time to Respond (MTTR).

Automation That Empowers Analysts

Automation is not about replacing humans—it is about empowering them.

NetWitness SOAR platforms handles repetitive, time-sensitive tasks so analysts can focus on high-value activities such as threat hunting, strategic analysis, and improving detection logic. By reducing manual workload and alert fatigue, security teams become more efficient and resilient.

Stopping Ransomware Before It Spreads

Ransomware attacks highlight the importance of automated response. Most campaigns follow a predictable pattern: initial compromise, credential harvesting, lateral movement, data staging, and encryption.

If response is delayed, attackers complete their objectives.

NetWitness SOAR interrupts this lifecycle by automatically executing containment actions when suspicious behavior is detected. Rapid isolation of infected systems prevents widespread encryption and limits business disruption.

Business Benefits of Automated Response

Adopting NetWitness SOAR delivers measurable organizational advantages:

• Reduced dwell time and smaller blast radius
• Faster containment and lower recovery costs
• Improved compliance and audit readiness
• Greater operational efficiency
• Stronger executive confidence in cybersecurity posture

In a digital-first economy, resilience depends on speed and coordination. Automation ensures security operations scale with the complexity of modern environments.

Conclusion

Cyber adversaries have automated their attacks. Continuing to rely solely on manual response processes puts organizations at a disadvantage.

NetWitness SOAR transforms security operations by orchestrating tools, automating workflows, and enabling rapid, intelligent response. It ensures that detection leads directly to decisive action.

In the battle against automated threats, automation is no longer optional—it is essential.

With NetWitness SOAR, organizations don’t just detect attacks. They stop them.