Understanding Persistent Footholds: A Threat to Small Businesses & Organizations
In the realm of cybersecurity, there’s a crucial concept that every individual and organization should familiarize themselves with: “persistent footholds.” While it may seem like silly technical jargon, its implications can be far-reaching for both small businesses and large enterprises.
Understanding The Persistent Foothold
Much like ‘phrogging,’ a term popularized by a recent Hulu documentary, the persistent foothold can be likened to an unwelcome and elusive guest in your digital environment. Essentially, it’s a hacker who gains unauthorized access to your system and quietly resides within, often evading detection. Once this intruder has breached your defenses, they wield the power to observe, steal, manipulate data, and exploit your network, serving as a catalyst for further cyberattacks. For a small business, this can be catastrophic. The National Security Alliance reports that a whopping 43% of U.S. cyberattacks in 2018 targeted small businesses.
One of the most troubling aspects of persistent footholds is their stealth—using advanced techniques to cover their tracks, creating difficulty for standard measures of detection. As they remain hidden, they continually siphon off your assets and trade secrets, with many unaware until it’s too late. The consequences of such incursions can be devastating, both financially and reputationally, making it crucial for businesses of all sizes to fortify their digital defenses against these elusive adversaries.
Proactive Defense Strategies For Businesses
Protecting yourself against these silent, malicious actors may sound like a daunting task, but it is not impossible. From fortifying your network security to educating your team about best practices, there is a range of tactics and tools at your disposal to establish robust defenses.
> Enforce Strong Passwords & Multi-Factor Authentication
> Perform Regular Security Assessments & Audits: Periodic checks of your infrastructure can help identify any suspicious activities or unauthorized access
> Take advantage of Firewall & Next-Generation Antivirus Solutions: Remember that performing regular updates is crucial to maintain the effectiveness of these solutions.
> Employee ‘Cybersecurity Best Practices’ Training & Education
> Patch & Update ALL Software: It is important to keep all operating systems and solutions up-to-date as hackers often look to exploit vulnerabilities in older versions of software.
> Monitoring & Intrusion Detection: Implement tools such as Managed Detection & Response (MDR) as well as a Security Operations Center(SOC), which actively monitor network traffic for unusual or suspicious activities.
> Data Encryption: Encrypting your sensitive data adds an extra layer of protection, even if it’s accessed by an unauthorized user.
Remember, cybersecurity is an ongoing process and not a one-time task. To keep your business safe it’s important that you stay vigilant, stay informed, and continue to implement and adapt your security measures. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your business’s current cybersecurity strategy, please don’t hesitate to reach out.