Cyberattacks are a growing threat for organizations of all sizes. The FBI's Internet Crime Report estimates the cost of cybercrime at $2.7bn in 2020 alone, and this figure is only going to increase. Many businesses think they have the security protections they need. Often, they believe in investing in preventative measures such as firewalls and antivirus software. Still, this alone is not enough to secure your business' defences against the various and multiple cyberthreats.
88% of small business owners feel their business is vulnerable to cyberattacks, but to improve their defences and security posture, it isn't possible to simply create a new on-site security department from nowhere. Instead, solutions such as managed detection and response (MDR) can help businesses control their cybersecurity in a financially manageable yet highly effective way. Before looking more closely at the role MDR can play in your business, let's look more closely at your organization’s security posture.
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VISIT THE HUBWhat is enterprise security posture?
Your organization's security posture refers to the overall status of your readiness in terms of cybersecurity. With thousands of assets in your infrastructure, usually not all on a single site, you have to consider the vulnerabilities of each asset and a myriad of attack vectors. Your security posture measures:
- The visibility level you have into your asset inventory
- The visibility level you have into your enterprise's attack surface
- The controls you have in place to protect your organization against cyberattacks
- The plans and strategies to react to and recover from security breaches
- The effectiveness of any automated features within your security program
To assess your organization's security, you need a full inventory of your IT assets. They are at the center of your security posture, and you need a fully accurate list to know what you need to protect. Your assets include all on-premise, cloud, mobile, third-party, managed and unmanaged assets. It also includes additional applications, infrastructure elements, and each asset's individual risk.
Your internal security controls need to be audited too. Assessing their effectiveness can help determine what additional support or services your organization may need. Some controls, such as firewalls, are deployed to prevent attacks. Others, such as intrusion detection systems and event management systems, are used to detect attacks if they breach your protective controls. Additional tools and processes are needed for response and recovery from such attacks.
The right combination of tools is essential to ensure your business is protected, but it isn't necessary or even possible for every organization to invest in this full suite of tools. Optimizing your security posture is about knowing your strengths but also your limitations. Many organizations believe they have done enough with preventative measures, but there is much more to do.
How MDR can solve your security posture problems
MDR exists to deliver a whole range of comprehensive software, tools and human expertise which work together to provide a complete cybersecurity solution. MDR removes the need for selecting individual tools and can be integrated with your existing security systems to help ensure you have the level of protection you require.
Gartner forecasts that 50% of businesses will depend on MDR by 2025, and the vendors in this sector specialize in ensuring their clients' security infrastructure is as strong and robust as possible. MDR can close the gaps in your security posture and create a stronger defence against the threat of data breaches, social engineering and other cybersecurity attacks.
Customized solutions
A key selling factor in MDR services is their flexibility. This is in terms of both customizability to suit your business' needs and capacity to integrate into your current security setup easily. Customizing a solution to meet your needs is essential as one-size-fits-all seldom works in the cybersecurity world. When selecting your required security services, there are many considerations to keep in mind. There may be industry-specific compliance requirements, on-site IT staff to consider, business policy requirements and individual, organizational security service needs.
Budget-satisfying costs
MDR is an investment for any organization, but it almost always results in a long-term cost-saving and overall cost advantage. The total cost of ownership when choosing MDR services is significantly lower than the cost of hiring an in-house security team and providing the tools they need. When you add in the additional cost of regularly updating these tools and budgeting for 24/7 monitoring, the financial impact can be overwhelming.
It's also important to consider how difficult it is to find, hire and retain a reliable and suitably qualified security team. There is a global security staff shortage and fears that the talent available can’t keep up with the demand as cyber threats continuously evolve. MDR organizations are already equipped with highly trained and talented staff in all areas of security management, analysis, and containment. As security specialists, MDR providers attract talent more easily as they already have the tools and infrastructure those qualified need to succeed.
AI meets authentic human intelligence
Data breaches and other cyberattacks are launched by humans. They may be using sophisticated technology and software to support their actions, but it all begins with human action. Therefore, your response cannot be fully automated and technology-based. Trained and experienced analysts have an advantage when detecting and responding to threats. Their experience means they can immediately react and plan the right course of action when the technology notifies them of any kind of suspicious activity. Bringing together the latest tools and software and the expert minds to handle it ensures a solution that gives your organization the highest level of protection.
While many businesses believe they've ticked the security box by lining up firewalls and threat detectors, this is usually not enough. A strong security posture is not something any organization can be without. Taking the necessary steps to shore up your defences with MDR puts your business in a much stronger position.
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Pondurance
We are a Managed Detection and Response company that protects your organization’s digital assets and technology resources by combining practical solutions, operational excellence, and security expertise. Our innovative technology and passionate security professionals mitigate risks, support compliance efforts, and scale your resources – giving you confidence in your security posture.
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