If it seems like all we’re reading in the news recently is “Cyberattack this” and “ransomware that…” it’s because the new reality for businesses is a world where nobody, regardless of size, are safe from cyber threats. Gone are the days of “I’m too small to be an attractive target.” While this seems like a bleak forecast, and it is, it should be a wake-up call to become more aware of what these threats look like and how they can happen. As ransomware groups continue to grow their knowledge in selecting victims and carrying out attacks, it is important for all businesses small to large, schools and other organizations truly take cybersecurity seriously. One strategy to start when taking security seriously is Block and Tackle Cybersecurity.
No One is Immune
Many small to mid-size businesses (SMB) owners underestimate their risk to cyber threats. In a recent poll 42% of small businesses experienced a cyber-attack in 2021, with email spear-phishing attacks leading the pack for methods of compromise. Spear phishing are target attacks customized to explicitly fool a specific business, or individual. Gone are the days where attacks like these are reserved for high profile companies.
According to a Cyber Threat Report released by SonicWall, the world saw an alarming 148% uptick in ransomware attacks in 2021. These numbers are also predicted to rise in 2022. From colleges and government entities to small doctor’s offices and retail businesses… there’s no limit or filter to who ransomware groups will choose which is why more and more skilled IT cybersecurity experts are leaning on a proactive block and tackle cybersecurity strategy.
Block and tackle Cybersecurity… What is it?
“Football is two things. It’s blocking and tackling. I don’t care about formations or new offenses or tricks on defense. You block and tackle better than the team you’re playing, you win.” – Vince Lombardi
While that quote does apply to football, we can also look at it from a cybersecurity standpoint. Foundational items such as security awareness training, thorough and efficacious patching, and written security policies and paramount to creating an effective defensive line against wrong doers.
The Best Defense is Only the Beginning…
George Washington stated “…offensive operations, often times, is the surest, if not the only means of defense…” and the keys to offensive security lie in the assumption that your business is already compromised. The traditional mentality views our networks as a “fortress” of which we defend a hardened parameter; Meanwhile modern adversaries exploit us from the inside by taking advantage of untrained and unaware employees, and reactive security policies targeted at static, externally inward threats. By assuming these threat actors already operate in our networks, we move towards the zero-trust mindset of containing and mitigating breaches, moving threat management from the reactive realm to the proactive.
The current state of our technological world might make effective, proactive cybersecurity seem like a daunting task, but Hill Country Tech Guys are here to be to be both your offensive and defensive lines against malicious threat actors. We utilized bleeding edge tools, expert staff, and proven strategies to help your business build a modern, dynamic security posture.