A recent article by Cyber Security News reveals a disturbing new reality: attackers are using a tool called RealBlindingEDR that can permanently disable antivirus (AV) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems on Windows machines. (cybersecuritynews.com)
This attack underscores a growing truth—traditional endpoint defenses that rely on detection and response are increasingly ineffective against modern threats. In this post, we’ll unpack how RealBlindingEDR works, why detection-based tools are vulnerable, and how a shift to isolation and containment with AppGuard can protect your business.
According to Cyber Security News, RealBlindingEDR exploits Windows kernel callbacks—the very mechanisms used by security software to monitor processes and activities. The tool can delete or disable these callbacks, essentially blinding the AV/EDR software.
Once that happens:
The endpoint security tool can no longer detect new processes, threads, or module loads.
Security monitoring and response capabilities are disabled.
The effect is persistent, surviving reboots and system restarts.
In tests, RealBlindingEDR worked against major AV/EDR vendors, showing that even enterprise-grade solutions can be neutralized by a skilled attacker.
This marks a critical shift in the cyber threat landscape: if attackers can silence your security tools, detection and response strategies are no longer sufficient.
For decades, the security industry has focused on detecting malicious activity and then responding to it. But RealBlindingEDR exposes a fatal flaw in that model—what happens when the very tools responsible for detection are disabled?
When kernel-level access is gained, attackers can:
Disable the watchdog mechanisms that alert defenders.
Operate invisibly beneath the operating system.
Modify or delete files without triggering alarms.
If your defense relies on seeing an attack, then losing that visibility means losing control. Once AV/EDR is blinded, incident response teams have nothing to detect, no alerts to respond to, and no data to analyze.
This is why cybersecurity strategies must evolve. Businesses can no longer depend solely on detection—they need systems designed to prevent execution and contain damage automatically.
Rather than reacting to threats after detection, isolation and containment strategies assume that some attacks will inevitably slip through—and instead focus on limiting what untrusted software can do.
By isolating applications and processes, even if malware manages to run, it cannot escalate privileges, spread laterally, or tamper with core system functions.
Key benefits of this approach include:
Prevention over detection: Stops untrusted code before it can execute malicious behavior.
Resilience against kernel tampering: Even if detection fails, isolation prevents further compromise.
Lower operational noise: Reduces false positives and alert fatigue from traditional EDR systems.
AppGuard embodies this new security paradigm. With more than 10 years of proven success, AppGuard uses patented isolation and inheritance rules to prevent malware from executing or spreading—without relying on signature updates or continuous scanning.
Here’s why AppGuard stands apart:
It prevents applications from performing unauthorized actions, such as launching untrusted executables or modifying system files.
It stops malicious code before it runs, eliminating the need for detection.
It operates below the detection layer, meaning tools like RealBlindingEDR cannot blind or disable it.
It’s a lightweight, proven technology now available for commercial use.
For businesses tired of reacting to attacks, AppGuard delivers true peace of mind by ensuring threats are contained before they can do harm.
The rise of RealBlindingEDR is a wake-up call to every business relying on AV or EDR alone. Attackers are targeting the foundation of those tools—their visibility into system behavior. Once that’s gone, so is your defense.
It’s time for organizations to rethink endpoint security and adopt technologies that isolate and contain threats instead of chasing them after the fact.
The RealBlindingEDR tool proves that even top-tier AV/EDR systems can be neutralized. Don’t wait for your organization to become the next victim.
Talk with us at CHIPS today to learn how AppGuard can protect your business through Isolation and Containment—not Detection and Response.
Let’s secure your endpoints with technology that prevents attacks before they begin.
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