Are You Aware Of The True Scale Of The Cyberthreat To Your Business?

Delegates at our regular security events often tell us we have opened their eyes to the true scale of the cyber threats they face

If we tell you that in a recent free trial of a new security product we identified over 500 attack attempts on the network of one of our managed services clients in the first day alone, and that this is not an uncommon scenario, you will understand the extent of today’s security environment.

The truth is that every organisation is under constant attack, and as users become more mobile the risk increases and the threats get smarter. In the past it was enough to build a perimeter wall around your organisation but as technology moved on, security has had to change alongside it.

Let’s look at the factors in more detail.

Your users now connect from many locations and devices. They no longer need your carefully created virtual private network (VPN) to get work done, they use cloud services instead. As the shift to software as a service (SaaS) continues, using highly efficient cloud-delivered tools such as Office 365 Google Docs and Salesforce can lay the organisation open to threat if they are used over untrusted internet connections. You need a fast, easy way to protect users anywhere they access the internet.

Your threats continue to increase in sophistication but attackers often reuse the same infrastructure in multiple attacks, often leaving cyber fingerprints behind. You need to be able to use those fingerprints to uncover attacks before they launch.

Sadly, the problem doesn’t end there, not when many of your branch offices connect directly to the internet instead of pushing traffic to your headquarters. You are left with limited or zero visibility into the threats targeting these users, and there is a need to protect those branch offices without adding another appliance or deploying endpoint security.

Your team may have been focussed on reducing the time to detect and defend against malware. Has this really increased your security, when you are still flooded with infections despite your existing protection? It’s not enough to wait for malware to reach your network or endpoints before you try to detect and stop them, you need to be able to identify and block threats earlier.

For instance, committing to Cyber Essentials and Essentials Plus will give you a solid foundation for security. Carrying out a vulnerability assessment and penetration test is a must, but do not become complacent, you should be doing these on an ongoing basis. And think about consolidating the number of vendors you deal with. Simplifying management can deliver more effective security.

One of the ways we keep our clients safe is to work with best of breed partners such as Cisco. Its cloud security platform Cisco Umbrella is the industry’s first secure internet gateway in the cloud, providing the first line of defence against threats on the internet wherever users go.

Cisco Umbrella gives you the intelligence to uncover current and emerging threats; visibility of activity across all devices and ports; and stops phishing, malware, and ransomware earlier. A massive 84% of those who try it, buy it.

We have decades of experience in helping clients to understand why traditional security solutions do not protect today’s mobile workforce, and why we must rethink security and use all the latest tools to help defend our organisations against those that wish them harm.

Get in touch with our security team to register for a free, no obligation 14 day trial of Cisco Umbrella. Or book a place at our next security event and hear cyber-risk technical specialists discuss the latest threats and risks, and how to avoid becoming a security statistic.