How small and mid-sized businesses can stay ahead of evolving cyber security threats

How SME cyber security solutions can help you stay ahead of evolving threats     

When cybercrime makes the news, it’s usually because a large organisation has fallen victim to an attack. With high-profile hacks and data breaches dominating headlines, it’s easy to assume they’re something that only large enterprises need to worry about. But that’s far from the case.

During 2020 and 2021, data breaches at small businesses jumped 152% compared to the previous two years. That’s according to RiskRecon, a Mastercard company that assesses companies’ cybersecurity risk. This figure is twice as high as it was among larger companies in the same period.

Small and mid-sized businesses are an easy target for cyber criminals

The reality is that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are just as enticing to criminals as large ones; in some ways, even more so. For many smaller organisations, preparing for a cyberattack is not a priority, typically because they’re more focused on day-to-day operations or because they don’t expect to be targeted. However, their hesitation to invest in strong cyber defences can leave critical vulnerabilities exposed, making SMEs highly attractive targets.

Ready or not, small businesses are facing a rising threat from cybercrime, and will have to work both hard and smart to stay ahead. But with threats coming from all sides, where should SMEs begin, and how can they keep pace with constantly evolving risks?

How to tackle evolving cyber security risks

To stay on top of threats, organisations must constantly assess and improve their security strategy, procedures and tools. At an absolute minimum, every business must know what the critical assets are in its environment. After all, if you don’t know what assets you have and which ones matter most, you can’t prioritise your cyber security investments and properly protect yourself against threats.

Alongside this, organisations need to establish the right mix of measures to protect critical information systems and assets. This starts by performing an objective assessment of the current state of readiness, compared to the target future state of readiness, then setting out a programme of improvements to enable that transformation.

Finally, businesses should accept that they’ll never eliminate the risk of a cyber-attack. It’s not a question of if your defences will be breached, but of when that will happen. It’s what you do to prepare for a breach – and how quickly and completely you respond when one happens – that makes the difference.

Strengthen your cyber security defences with Northdoor

If this sounds like a tough challenge, that’s because it is. Cybersecurity isn’t a one-and-done exercise, but something that organisations need to be thinking about constantly. That can be especially taxing for SMEs, who are unlikely to have the resources to dedicate to a comprehensive cyber security programme.

There’s now a way to bridge the gap: cybersecurity as a fully managed service from Northdoor. We handle as much or as little as you need: from infrastructure management and endpoint monitoring to continuous vulnerability scanning and supply-chain risk assessments, plus everything in between.

Within our managed service, Northdoor cyber security experts review your needs and analyse your existing measures. We then design and execute the appropriate strategy, including all the technology solutions you need to protect your business — from the core assets out to your relationships with external parties.

For more information on how Northdoor can help you evolve your security strategy to stay ahead of threats, leave us a message or call us on 020 7448 8500 to arrange a free initial consultation.

Find out more about cyber security as a fully managed service