Streamlined Cybersecurity is Not Just for the Enterprise

As cyberattacks are evolving in sophistication, they no longer are just directed toward breaching enterprise organizations. While many businesses without a security team understand the importance of comprehensive cybersecurity, they are unsure how to build and manage a complete cybersecurity program without the needed in-house security experts and technology. In an interview with Rob Knake, Senior Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, and the former White House Director of Cybersecurity under the Obama Administration, robust cybersecurity is possible for organizations of all sizes, even without a cybersecurity team on staff.

Hacker technology and capabilities

Cybercriminals are now using technology and capabilities against small organizations previously only seen at a state level. Once they’ve made their way into the network, these hackers are requesting ransom for sensitive data, trade secrets, and more. Many cybercriminals even threaten extortion if organizations do not pay the ransom – claiming that they will take money directly from your bank account or sell your company’s proprietary information on the dark web. Paying the ransom is not an option, according to Rob Knake. “Not only is it not guaranteed that they’ll release your data back to you after paying the ransom,” Rob states, “but you are helping them fund and improve their hacking technology if you pay them.”

The traditional methods of anti-virus and firewall software aren’t enough to ward off these elaborate attacks. First to note is that basic protective methods do not always catch network intrusions, and if the intrusion is detected, the software does not automatically respond to and eradicate the threat. Even if this software were to send an alert, someone would still need to manually investigate, which takes expertise, resources, and time that not every organization has the luxury of having. You may have an IT team, but they are rarely security experts. Also, every moment used to investigate the plethora of cybersecurity-related alerts will take away from other crucial job functions.

Increase your cybersecurity maturity level

Larger enterprise organizations can afford to have a 24/7 Security Operating System (SOC) with multiple tools and skilled staff fully dedicated to handling threat alerts and response, threat intelligence, threat hunting, incident response, and even third-party security assessments. So, how do other organizations, without a fully staffed security team, have robust cybersecurity around the clock?

As Rob Knake mentions, there now are more efficient and affordable ways for companies with limited resources to have a high cybersecurity maturity level. As cybersecurity solutions evolve to meet the level of sophistication of today’s cyber threats, some have consolidated best-of-breed functionality and streamlined cybersecurity processes, making it much easier to manage. For example, one of the 13 modules within the Defendify cybersecurity platform includes a combination of smart, automated tools that detect malicious activity and cyber breaches. This technology is coupled with cybersecurity experts who monitor activity 24/7, analyzing threats and proactively containing cyberattacks. That means that with Defendify’s Breach Detection & Response module, organizations without security teams don’t need to hire specialized security experts or implement complicated cybersecurity tools to reach the same cybersecurity maturity level as larger enterprises.

Watch an interview with Rob Knake, ”Why Cyberattacks Aren’t Just For the Enterprise, And What To Do About It” to hear more about Rob’s perspectives on cybersecurity challenges facing organizations today and how companies of any size can protect themselves from threats.

More Cybersecurity Insight Interviews with Rob Knake:

• Video: The Cost and Impact of a Cyber Breach
• Video: Modernize Data Security Beyond Antivirus 
• Podcast: Modernized Cyber Conflicts Explained