IBM announced that its new fourth-generation FlashCore Modules (FCM4) server flash drives feature a built-in anti-malware system that operates at the firmware level. The new technology is tightly integrated with Storage Defender. FCM now analyzes the entire data stream in real time and then uses an AI model to isolate suspicious transactions.

Previously, protection in IBM FlashSystem storage operated at the block level and used native software containing data on potential attacks; This software was powered by a cloud AI service to identify anomalies in drivers’ behavior that could indicate the beginning of an attack. These include, for example, attempts to mass encrypt data by cyber blackmailers (ransomware). With this approach, attackers may have enough time to inflict damage.

FCM4, on the other hand, collects statistics only at the level of I/O operations generated by the drive itself and analyzed on the fly using AI algorithms. This reduces response time to suspicious activity to less than a minute. According to IBM, the combination of FCM4 ​​with Storage Defender provides better data protection in today’s multi-cloud hybrid environments.