Every day, many small business owners wake up to a long list of text messages and missed phone calls from employees who are unable to access their work files and applications due to ongoing cybersecurity incidents. Whether it’s a ransomware infection, phishing attack, or data breach, these disruptions often have severe consequences for SMBs.
While cybersecurity incidents may seem like an inevitable risk all small business owners need to accept and live with, the reality is that most of them are preventable with the right approach in place—one that addresses both the diversity of today’s cybersecurity threats and the fact that employees now often work from remote locations, and that’s where the concept of layered cybersecurity protection comes in.
What Is Layered Cybersecurity Protection?
The term “layered cybersecurity protection” refers to the concept of deploying multiple layers of security controls to protect sensitive information and IT systems.
Layered cybersecurity protection is like a Russian nesting doll, where each doll represents a layer of defense. Just as you need to open each doll to reach the smallest, innermost one, cybercriminals have to bypass numerous security layers to access the core systems and data they protect, including:
1. The Human Layer:
End-users represent the outermost layer of cybersecurity. Because of how exposed they are, they attract a lot of unwanted attention from cybercriminals, especially in the form of social engineering attacks.
Unfortunately, many employees are not trained well enough to recognize and respond to the threats they face, which is one reason why they’re involved in 88 percent of data breaches.
2. Perimeter Security Layer:
This layer is designed to protect the outer boundary of a company’s network and prevent unauthorized access from outside. It typically involves deploying physical and virtual security measures like firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and spam filters to create a secure boundary around sensitive data and resources.
3. Network Security Layer:
A secure network is like a maze with many dead ends, trap doors, tripwires, and cameras. Cybercriminals that enter this maze struggle to move laterally from the initial point of breach to other parts of the network. A well-thought-out network security layer can ensure that even malicious insiders can't cause significant harm.
4. Endpoint Security Layer:
By focusing on individual employee devices, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets, the endpoint security layer plays a crucial role in today's world of remote work and bring-your-own-device policies.
These devices may not always be connected to the main company network, so they require separate security measures in the form of modern endpoint protection software.
5. Application Security Layer:
The application security layer focuses on protecting the software applications employees rely on from potential cyber-attacks that exploit their vulnerabilities.
Patching is a key component of this layer because around 60 percent of breaches involve unpatched vulnerabilities. Another component is multi-factor authentication (MFA), which helps secure cloud-based applications against unauthorized access.
6. Data Security Layer:
Finally, there's the data security layer, whose purpose is to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data by implementing encryption, access controls, and regular data backups. It goes without saying that a strong data security layer is essential, as it safeguards the company’s most valuable asset – its information.
When properly combined, these layers can form an impenetrable wall around any company’s data and systems and make it impossible for attackers to accomplish their nefarious objectives.
The Importance of Layered Cybersecurity Protection Is Growing
Layered cybersecurity protection wasn’t always as important as it is today. In the past, many small businesses could get away with basic cybersecurity defenses because they were not seen as high-priority targets. However, the cybersecurity landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, and even small companies are now being targeted at an alarming rate.
According to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report, 61 percent of all SMBs have reported at least one cyberattack in 2021, and the number is only expected to grow because of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attack techniques, the expanding digital footprint of small businesses, and the rising value of the data they produce.
Yet, as revealed by the 2022 CNBC|SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, only 5 percent of small business owners report cybersecurity to be the biggest risk to their business. By underestimating the severity of the threats, they face and failing to implement the necessary controls, they put themselves at a higher risk of being breached.
How TechGen Can Help:
The good news is that the first step toward more robust cybersecurity defenses is often the most difficult. At TechGen, we make it easy for small businesses to implement the layered cybersecurity protection strategy described above, helping them stay secure and thrive in today’s digital landscape.
Our team of experts will work with you to identify your unique security needs and implement multiple layers of protection to safeguard your sensitive data and systems. Once your defenses are upgraded, we can provide ongoing monitoring and support to ensure that they remain effective against emerging threats.
Conclusion:
Times have changed. Just like folks in small-town America no longer leave their doors unlocked, small business owners can’t afford to leave their digital doors opened either because the digital landscape is full of cybercriminals on the prowl, looking to devour any company that can’t defend itself. In fact, it’s best to install multiple locks on every digital door by implementing a layered cybersecurity protection strategy that addresses everything from the human element to data security.