Attackers don’t distinguish between large and small companies; automated tools scan every system that has a weak spot. The good news is that most core measures are not complex, and their impact is significant.
Start with an inventory
You can’t protect what you don’t know about. An up-to-date list of computers, servers, network devices, cloud accounts and software in use is the starting point for any security work.
Core security layers
- Identity: multi-factor authentication (MFA) on email and all remote access accounts
- Endpoint: behaviour-based detection and response (EDR) beyond antivirus
- Email: filters for phishing, spoofed senders and malicious attachments
- Network: up-to-date firewall rules and separation of guest and business networks
- Patching: regular deployment of operating system and application updates
- Backup: off-network, immutable and regularly tested backups
The human factor
Many attacks start with a click on an email. Short, regular awareness training, the habit of reporting suspicious emails, and verifying payment instructions through a second channel are as effective as technical measures.
Suggested plan for the first 90 days
- Days 1–30: inventory, MFA and a status check of backups
- Days 31–60: deploy EDR and email security, set up the patching process
- Days 61–90: review permissions, create an incident response plan and run the first drill
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