What the Ukraine War Joint Cybersecurity Advisory Means for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises

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Vulnerability assessment and management programs are necessary for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United States. But can effective solutions be scaled for organizations with more limited resources? Here's what you need to know to protect yourself in a digital security environment that's more challenging than ever.

In response to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the United States and allied cybersecurity authorities recently issued a joint Cybersecurity Advisory. This notification warns enterprises of all sizes, in the United States and worldwide, of increased threats from Russian cyber groups targeting businesses and critical infrastructure.

How is this relevant to ordinary SMEs that don't have a specific link to the hostilities? While this advisory is topical, the truth is that small and medium-sized enterprises are always attractive targets for cybercriminals for three reasons:

1. SMEs typically are focused on mission-critical operations and lack in-house resources to secure their digital systems and data;
2. Costs for appropriate mitigations are deemed too high by SMEs and solutions are more limited and piecemeal due to lack of funding;
3. SMEs don't understand they are preferred targets, e.g. "We're too small to have anything an attacker would want," which leads to insufficient protective capabilities.

In today's threat-filled security environment, your small or medium-sized enterprise is more vulnerable than ever to attacks from outside cyber criminals, insider threats, simple negligence, and more. SMEs are a target precisely because attackers believe they lack sufficient cybersecurity resources to mitigate common challenges. And if you have privileged data - your own or your customers - you have something an attacker desperately wants.

To avoid becoming a data breach victim, you must understand your threat environment. Appropriate vulnerability assessment and management programs are no longer optional; they are compliance, auditing, and risk management requirements.

Data Breaches & Cyber Security Events: Looking at the Most Recent Data

The IBM/Ponemon Institute Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021, which samples real breaches from organizations of all sizes, spotlights the risks facing SMEs:

• 2021 had the highest average data breach cost in 17 years
• Compromised credentials were the most common initial vector
• Remote work involvement increased costs
• Cloud-based solutions reduce costs and accelerate containment
• Security AI had the most significant cost-mitigating effect

Data for 2022 is beginning to roll in, and the numbers point to a continuing need for SMEs to understand the threats they face. The most recent ITRC Report: Data Breaches reveals that Q1 2022 is the third consecutive year of increased breaches when compared quarter-to-quarter: the problem for SMEs is only growing.

However, many SMEs still struggle to strategize, configure, and implement suitable solutions successfully. The answer is an effective vulnerability assessment and management program with advanced cloud-based and AI-powered capabilities that provide a deeper understanding of organizational information security risks and a more effective means of monitoring and managing them.

Cybersecurity that Adds Value to Your SME: Welcome to Workscope

Today, effective and affordable cybersecurity solutions exist that enable SMEs to enjoy the same level of security capabilities as large enterprises. The ideal cybersecurity solution for your SME should be an operational and strategic asset fully customized to your program needs and that supports your team's function more capably and efficiently.

Workscope from Stratify IT does that, and much more, without monopolizing resources. Workscope is a multi-element vulnerability assessment and management solution that understands your industry, assesses your current cybersecurity health, anticipates emerging needs, and manages a framework to achieve your security program objectives.

Workscope simultaneously adds value by identifying opportunities to gain a potential competitive or efficiency edge through IT, automation, and workflow improvements. Pricing is flexible and affordable, based on your organization's size and the performance you need.

Stratify IT is a trusted advisor to businesses and enterprises motivated to meet complex and evolving security challenges. We can partner with you to better compete and thrive in today's digital environment.

The war in Ukraine will pass. However, threats to your organization will persist. Contact us today to begin a conversation about aligning your cybersecurity infrastructure with performance that delivers strategic advantages and ongoing organizational value.