Unpacking how cyberwarfare and crime impact your business without a cybersecurity consultant is like walking through a house of mirrors.
In general, you know the threat is real. But is it a threat that can hurt your business? Will you really be swept up in attacks carried out by cyber aggressors in Russia and Iran?
Compared to your growth goals and day-to-day operations, it might feel too abstract. You don’t know where to begin to answer these questions or counter the threat. You’re not even certain it really does impact you.
We believe you should have reliable information about the business impact of cyberwarfare at your fingertips. Our cybersecurity consultants have put together this article to guide you through the maze, share what’s real and give you tips on what you can do about it.
5 Things Every Business Should Know About Cyberwarfare
1. Cyberwarfare doesn’t only hit military targets
The aggressor could go after military entities or hit the power grid, financial institutions, hospitals or water treatment plants. Consider which may prove more difficult and be certain that cybercriminals often target the easiest hits.
The weapons in the cyberwar arsenal
- Cyber espionage
- Disinformation and propaganda campaigns
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks
- Phishing
- Ransomware, malware and other viruses
It’s a widespread threat that everyone should be prepared for – which is why President Biden warned the country in March 2022 that Russia was preparing to attack critical infrastructure in the United States.
2. You get caught in the crosshairs because cyberwar is “leaky”
Cyberwar is not a precise weapon. Attacks are leaky and spread out beyond the main target. It could hit you, one of your vendors or partners.
Many businesses already confronted this reality through the SolarWinds attack Russia executed. Or they suffered when Chinese-backed hackers infiltrated Microsoft Exchange. Both attacks had sweeping consequences, hitting everyone from small businesses to government officials at the Department of Homeland Security.
3. Cyberwarfare is here to stay
Carrying out digital attacks carries less cost than traditional warfare. People can’t see the damage, making it easier to spin up a disinformation campaign at home to obscure who did what and when.
4. We’re witnessing behavior-altering, knock-on effects
Cyber insurance is a good example of how industries are adapting to the new reality. Providing coverage is riskier for insurance companies. As a result, they’re mandating that the businesses they cover have basic cybersecurity best practices in place.
5. You can’t sit on the sidelines
Success emboldens these mercenaries to broaden their attacks. This will increase coverage in the news. As the threat becomes ubiquitous, everyone from your clients to your insurance company will start talking to you about how you safeguard their information.
The Private and Public Sectors Are Underprepared
Speaking to The Guardian, the former general counsel of the National Security Agency, Glenn S. Gerstell, said that while the military is ready to mount a response to cyberwar, we haven’t done nearly enough in the public or private sector to defend ourselves.
It’s a valid point, whether you’re talking about cyberwar or more general cybercrime.
Your size makes you attractive to digital criminals
Not all attacks are conducted by state-backed hacking groups. At the end of the day, you’re a business with access to financial resources and valuable client data. If you’re smaller, they automatically consider you an easier target, because small companies don’t have the resources that corporations do. Bottom line: you will always be a target to a criminal somewhere in the world. Not to worry; there is plenty you can do to safeguard your network and data.
Trust but verify
Managed IT providers are big targets. Before you start working with an IT provider you should always ask what protections they have for their internal systems and client data.
Book a consultation and ask how we’ll protect you
We Believe All Businesses Should Be Safeguarded
Security is baked into our solutions at every level. It’s a layered approach that goes beyond ticking a few boxes.
Intelligently layered security, for everyone
The threats a small law firm encounters aren’t the same threats a multinational with offices in different countries faces. That doesn’t lessen the severity of an attack. Large or small, a business can be devastated by cybercrime. By intelligently layering cybersecurity solutions, we right size cybersecurity for our managed clients.
CMMC-registered practitioner on staff
Broken into 5 levels, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) outlines the cybersecurity capabilities contractors must demonstrate if they want to work with the Department of Defense.
Everyone benefits from knowing what’s outlined in Level 1 because it serves as bare minimum for good cyber hygiene. Our CMMC-registered practitioner can help anyone – contractor or security-minded leader – understand which level is right for them.
5 Ways To Protect Your Business Today – Tips From Our Cybersecurity Consultants
1. Grab this checklist
All 42 points in our comprehensive checklist are common sense measures any business should follow if they want to:
- Inspire client trust
- Thwart cybercriminals
- Obtain cybersecurity insurance
2. Prepare your employees
No one can effectively fight back if they don’t know what they’re up against. Train your team how to spot phishing emails. Share resources that help them understand how hackers use psychology to manipulate them into clicking links, downloading files or wiring money.
3. Turn on identity-based security
It can be hard to enforce strong password policies, and that has devastating consequences. The compromised password in the SolarWinds hack was “solarwinds123.”
Identity-based security, like multifactor authentication, can be enforced and protects you against:
- People who reuse passwords across accounts
- Weak, easy-to-guess credentials
- Hackers buying passwords on the Dark Web
4. Get a risk assessment
Assessments take the guesswork out of cyberthreats. You address your real business risks, stay within budget and don’t burden your employees with productivity-killing restrictions.
5. Work with cybersecurity consultants
Cybersecurity consultants keep you updated on the latest threats, but don’t burden you with figuring out the response. By leveraging our tools and expertise, you don’t have to think about cybersecurity. It’s taken care of for you.
Leave the House of Mirrors Behind
The mind-bending experience of a house of mirrors should only exist at a carnival. When you work with our cybersecurity consultants you leave the distortions behind and focus on what matters: growing your business.
Start with an assessment
The fastest way to book a risk assessment is to fill out the form on our Book a Consultation page. We’ll reach out and coordinate with your team to set up the assessment.
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