Kaspersky KATA 8.0 introduces advanced detection technologies and integration capabilities to help organizations improve network visibility and detect sophisticated cyberthreats. The company released the update on February 24, 2026, as part of its Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack platform.
Security teams face growing challenges in controlling network traffic security as attack surfaces expand and traditional network perimeters dissolve. The update addresses these challenges with new detection technologies, broader network observability, and integration with Kaspersky’s security ecosystem and third-party solutions.
Advanced Detection Technologies for Modern Threats
Kaspersky KATA 8.0 introduces several detection capabilities aimed at improving threat detection while reducing alert fatigue. The new anomaly detection technology identifies suspicious network behavior by analyzing key protocols commonly abused in cyberattacks, such as DNS, HTTP, and Kerberos.
Instead of inspecting all network traffic, the technology focuses on protocol-specific deviations while taking into account the organization’s infrastructure and usage patterns. This approach improves detection accuracy and helps reduce false positives, according to the company.
The shadow IT detection feature enables organizations to identify the use of unauthorized public services. The solution supports more than 5,000 external services, including cloud storage and collaboration platforms. This helps security teams improve network visibility and regain control over corporate data flows.
Retrospective Scanning and Network Observables
The platform introduces retrospective scanning of user-uploaded traffic copies. Security teams can upload PCAP files manually or automatically from other security systems and analyze them using the latest detection rules and updates across Kaspersky’s anti-malware, sandbox, IDS, and other engines.
KATA now collects all observables from network traffic, including file names, URLs, and hashes. This includes both malicious objects and safe ones. Consequently, analysts can identify potentially compromised users and suspicious activity even when objects initially appear clean.
Integration with Kaspersky Solutions and External Platforms
The update enhances integration with other Kaspersky solutions and external platforms to streamline investigations and improve response times. Integration with Kaspersky Security for Mail Server enables dynamic scanning of password-protected email attachments in the KATA Sandbox.
For organizations using Managed Detection and Response, KATA 8.0 acts as a network sensor supplying telemetry directly to the MDR cloud. MDR analysts can request additional context from KATA directly through the MDR interface, without involving the customer. This accelerates investigations significantly.
The solution supports automated file submission from Kaspersky Endpoint Security to the KATA Sandbox. This enables deeper analysis of suspicious files discovered on endpoints and faster response actions when malicious verdicts are confirmed.
Active Response Capabilities and Future Development
To strengthen active response capabilities, the platform introduces new connectors for Check Point NGFW. The solution automatically generates blocking rules based on detected malicious network activity and enforces them at the firewall level in near real time.
“Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack 8.0 was designed to provide high level of visibility, enabling proactive threat detection, deeper investigations and more confident response decisions through advanced analytics and tight integration with endpoint protection, email security, MDR and other products and services.”
Ilya Markelov, Head of Unified Platform Product Line at Kaspersky
As part of its long-term development strategy, Kaspersky plans to move KATA to the Open Single Management Platform in future releases. This will enable integration with multiple Kaspersky solutions and third-party components through a unified web console, supporting NDR, EDR, SIEM, XDR, and more within a single security ecosystem.
