As a business owner, your growing concerns regarding the likelihood of a cybersecurity event were certainly validated over the course of this past year. According to security researchers, the average ransomware payment in 2021 increased to a record $570,000 and the average cyberattack in the United States now costs between $3.5 million to $4 million to resolve. You continue to see your attack surface increase as you come to rely more on a diversified supply chain, the growth of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, a remote or hybrid workforce, and other opportunities for exploitation. Furthermore, the cost to initiate attacks by hackers decreases every year, costing some as little as $40 per month to run a ransomware kit.
How should a business leader identify the right team to counter these cyber risks?
“Size doesn’t matter. Blended cybersecurity experience does.”
During our time in government, we led a small but mighty team whose successes far surpassed the largest deployments of other agencies. How did we do it? Passion was one factor, but diversity of thought was the true driver of success. Bringing together an “Ocean’s Eleven” team of cyber investigators with deep, diverse, interdisciplinary backgrounds and experiences allowed us to view and resolve risk from multiple viewpoints. Brainstorming, open discussions, collaborative sessions with international and local law enforcement all contributed to approaching challenges through “diversity of thought.” As you begin to explore the right resource for your company, aim to find a combined portfolio of knowledge including policy, regulatory, law enforcement, intelligence, legal, compliance and standards as well as other mixes of government and private sector experience. Combining all these elements creates a powerhouse of good advice, leading to an adaptive strategy in an ever-evolving landscape of threats.
“Bifurcate the work.”
Your Information Technology (IT) resource(s), whether internal or managed, must have a fundamental understanding of the security concerns facing your organization, but you should steer clear from suggesting they wear multiple hats. For small and mid-sized organizations which often rely on one or two staff members, the “BAU” work will consume most of their day. However, maintaining communication between IT and security resources is key. Fuse the teams, but rely on true cybersecurity experts to protect the house and defend your network.
“Promotes a 24/7 cybersecurity mindset and culture.”
The prime strike time for cybercriminals and other adversaries are nights (usually a Friday), weekends or holiday periods. In the last five years, cybercriminals initiated 76% of all ransomware incidents outside of traditional working hours. Ensure you choose a team with experts who are directly available to you with immediate access – who are ready for incident response, and prepared to parachute in, assess and begin immediate remediation, no matter the day or time.
“Properly utilizes the team and their tools.”
There are great and affordable software solutions in the marketplace to support your cybersecurity needs. Choose an expert who can incorporate these solutions into a comprehensive roadmap and plan. Having the right resources with the right set of eyes “on problem” is of paramount importance. Finally, knowing how and when to utilize the specific tools, their features (and their limitations) based on your company’s profile, as well as understanding what is valuable to an adversary and customizing the resource to your needs is key.