Anyone Without Strong Defenses Will Eventually Be a Victim. Don’t Be One of Them.

With nearly 90% of people in the developed world connected to the Internet, cybercriminals are positively thrilled about the havoc they can wreak. The rise in “zero-day vulnerabilities” — flaws that have not been discovered or for which fixes haven’t been issued — is giving cyber attackers a big, welcome boost.

In 2021, 648 cyberthreats emerged every minute, while the average cost of a data breach rose to more than $7 per minute. That equates to nearly $3.76 million per year, per breach, and it doesn’t take into account all of the damage to systems and data stores that may occur as a result of an attack. In short, the cost to remedy these attacks is escalating across the board.

Historically, shrewd business leaders have looked to two mechanisms — zero trust and endpoint protection — to keep their networks secure. These tactics still offer proven value, but to defend against well-funded cybercrime organizations, modern businesses need more.
Best Practices for Risk Reduction

While there are many possibilities for reducing risk, from vendor management to user training, three stand out as foundational protections that cannot be overlooked:

• Multi-Factor (also known as Two-Factor) Authentication: An authentication method in which a user is granted access to a website or application only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence — something they know, such as their home address, something they have, such as a device, and something they are, typically referred to as “biometrics,” meaning a finger or palm print, retinal scan, or facial recognition.

• Endpoint Detection & Response: EDR is much more powerful than just antivirus, which ONLY aims to stop cyber threats from entering a network. When threats such as cyberattacks slip past an antivirus solution, EDR detects that activity and allows teams to contain the threat before it can flow across the network.

• High-Level Configuration of Microsoft 365. Combining machine learning, big-data analysis, and in-depth threat resistance research, Microsoft 365 leverages the Microsoft cloud infrastructure to protect devices (or endpoints) in the organization.
• Best Protection: Security as a Service (SecaaS). The most cautious business leaders will implement an approach called Security as a Service (SecaaS), an offering designed to protect businesses and ensure their operating continuity. Although the elements of SecaaS vary from one provider to the next, the best ones involve experts engaged in system and network monitoring and management. Preferably, they have been trained to differentiate between a network irregularity — or approved insider activities that mimic irregularities — and a genuine threat. This security solution incorporates the most sophisticated EDR available, giving it the ability to detect previously unknown threats using artificial intelligence (AI) and behavioral analysis.

Security as a Service is valuable for every business and an imperative for any firm subject to compliance mandates or in a high-risk industry. As a bonus, it also frees up resources for internal teams to address other menaces, such as unauthorized access requests.

The “enterprise perimeter” is no longer a simple boundary between the inside of the business and the outside. It’s a barrier that is continually under attack. At IT Solutions, one of our primary goals is to help decision-makers defend that perimeter — and the resources inside of it — with a robust strategy backed by sensible tactics.

To learn more about our security solutions, including our Security as a Service offering, call 866.PICK.ITS or visit https://www.itsolutions-inc.com/managed-it-services/security.