Announced at the McAfee FOCUS 11 conference earlier this week, McAfee Deep Defender is a new security software capable of detecting nearly all kernel-mode malware. This level of security is possible with McAfee DeepSAFE technology because its protection layer is located beyond the operating system (OS). McAfee worked closely with Intel with the purpose of delivering hardware-assisted security designed to stop and remediate advanced stealth behaviors used by rootkits and APTs.

McAfee Deep Defender utilizes McAfee DeepSAFE technology that sits between the processor and the OS to help protect vital system software residing in physical memory, providing a new view of the drivers and other software as they operate. In addition McAfee Deep Defender provides:

- Real-time memory and CPU monitoring - using McAfee DeepSAFE technology, this low-level visibility allows McAfee Deep Defender to recognize evasive techniques employed by stealthy malware and gives administrators a real-time view of memory processes, enabling configurable block or deny actions.
- Zero-day detection - McAfee Deep Defender does not need to have prior knowledge of the rootkit to detect its existence.
- Protection against known and unknown threats - McAfee Deep Defender will report, block, quarantine, and remove known and unknown stealth techniques attempting to load in memory. For suspected or unknown threats, McAfee Deep Defender sends a fingerprint of the code to the McAfee Global Threat Intelligence network and then carries out the configured action, such as block, remediate, or quarantine.
- Central management with McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator platform - utilizing the same ePolicy Orchestrator console already used across existing McAfee endpoint security solutions, users can now receive dashboards and reports that provide greater visibility into hidden threats.

"The bad guys are getting smarter about hiding malware, but they can't hide it when interacting with the hardware, memory or operating system. We can now detect these interactions, and provide an unprecedented level of protection to our customers by blocking an entirely new range of stealthy threats," said Todd Gebhart, co-president of McAfee.

The minimum system requirements for McAfee Deep Defender incldue:

- Supports Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors
- Supports Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- 2 GB RAM (32-bit) or 4 GB RAM (64-bit)
- Managed by McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) 4.5 or higher
- Intel Virtualization Technology (VT) enabled in BIOS