Cyber threats are more complex and more sophisticated than ever before. Attacks have adapted to take advantage of new ways of working (e.g. more mobile workers) but cyber security hasn’t kept pace with technological change.

Common cyber security challenges for SMBs

• A move to a mobile, connected workforce: 49 percent of the workforce is mobile. 92 percent of threats come via email and the web.
• Evolving threats: 70-90 percent of malware is unique to each organisation
• A shortage of security talent: Many tools require more resources than you have available to make work.

For small and medium-sized businesses across Australia and New Zealand, these challenges are amplified as security often takes a back seat to simply keeping operations running. But if you fall victim to a cyber-attack, it could put your entire business at risk. Dicker Data believes as businesses embrace the digital age, security needs to be driving the decision-making process to help deliver the right outcomes.

Effective security is more than just a firewall
Security used to take a blocking-focused approach which stopped anything that looked remotely malicious (or was unknown) from entering a network.

But this can be so restrictive that it hinders operations, such as mobile workers being locked out of connecting to an organisation from outside a protected network because only on-site employees are granted access.

Security now needs to act differently across all stages of the attack continuum (before, during & after).

9 steps to create an effective cyber security plan:

1. Discover when malicious sites, applications or downloads are being accessed.
2. Enforce existing security measures to block this activity.
3. Harden security tools to make entry difficult before a connection is established.

During an attack – if a possible threat is allowed to enter, it is then monitored.

4. Detect  what it is doing and where it gains access.
5. Block  any activity they try to do to stop them from stealing important data.
6. Defend  against any activities or actions they take while in your network to stop damage or theft.

After an attack

7. Audit  the scope of damage or intrusion that has taken place and investigate for any damage or effects caused by the breach.
8. Contain  any signs of intrusion that have been left behind.
9. Remediate  the weaknesses which were exploited to help prevent it from happening again.

Security for the digital age
Cisco, a long-standing Dicker Data partner, has been known as a networking specialist but, over the past few years, it has acquired several security companies to expand their expertise and deliver a more comprehensive security stack. For small businesses who lack the in-house capabilities, outsourcing their security needs is an effective way to ensure these 9 steps are taken to future-proof the company.

Cisco and Dicker Data have partnered to explore how cyber threats are changing and why solutions such as Cisco Umbrella are providing robust security for the digital age.

 

ABOUT KYLE TAEGE//

Kyle is the Networking Business Manager at Dicker Data NZ