As technology continues to advance and cybercriminals become more sophisticated in their techniques, it’s becoming increasingly clear that no organization is completely immune to cyber-attacks. Whether you’re a large multinational corporation or a small business, the reality is that you will be breached at some point.
You Will Be Breached
It’s crucial to remember that a breach is not something to fear. With the right cybersecurity measures in place and a solid incident response plan, it is possible to recover from a breach and minimize the impact on your organization. It’s important to approach cybersecurity as an ongoing process of risk management, rather than a one-time fix, and to continually assess and update your security measures to stay ahead of evolving threats. By doing so, you can help ensure that your organization is well-prepared to recover from a breach and continue operating successfully.
Why “You Will Be Breached”
You’re operating in adverse conditions
Operating in adverse conditions is a reality that organizations face in today’s cybersecurity landscape. Threat actors use automated tools to identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks, and then exploit these weaknesses intelligently to gain access to sensitive data. This can include sophisticated phishing attacks, malware infections, and other methods of infiltration. As a result, it’s essential for organizations to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity and implement robust security measures to protect their assets. This includes using multi-factor authentication, keeping software, and operating systems up-to-date, and providing regular employee training to ensure that everyone is aware of the latest threats and best practices. By doing so, organizations can minimize the risk of a breach and protect themselves from the potentially devastating consequences of a cyber-attack.
Cybercrime is a profitable industry
Cybercrime has become a highly profitable industry, with state actors and organized crime groups funding innovation and sharing tools and knowledge to stay ahead of the curve. This has led to the development of increasingly sophisticated attack techniques, such as ransomware, spear-phishing, and other types of malware. The sharing of knowledge and findings across the cybercrime industry has made it easier for even inexperienced hackers to carry out attacks and profit from their efforts. This means that all organizations, regardless of their size or industry, are potential targets for cybercriminals looking to cash in on their operations. As a result, it’s essential for organizations to invest in robust cybersecurity measures and remain vigilant against the latest threats. By doing so, they can help protect themselves from the financial and reputational damage that can result from a successful cyber-attack.
What Can You Do About It?
Build Resilience
In today’s cybersecurity landscape, it’s important for organizations to adopt a healthy “assume breach” mindset. This means recognizing that a breach is a real possibility and taking proactive steps to minimize the potential impact of an attack. One way to do this is to emphasize the importance of early detection and response. Tools, people, and processes can reduce the risk, but can’t eliminate it. Acknowledging that in a worst-case scenario a breach could happen is an important step within your organization to quantify risk, manage it, and put appropriate protections and response plans in place to minimize the impact.
“Cyber resiliency engineering is an emerging specialty systems engineering discipline applied in conjunction with resilience engineering and systems security engineering to develop more survivable, trustworthy systems.
Cyber resiliency engineering intends to architect, design, develop, maintain, and sustain the trustworthiness of systems with the capability to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to adverse conditions, stresses, attacks, or compromises that use or are enabled by cyber resources.”
Source: NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Special Publication (SP) 800-160, Volume 2
It’s important for all organizations to understand that they will likely be breached at some point. The key is to take proactive steps to minimize the risk of a breach occurring, and to have a plan in place to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a cyber-attack. By doing so, you can help protect your sensitive data and minimize the potential impact of a breach on your organization.
Watch 2023 State of Cybersecurity | You Will Be Breached
Learn about today’s threats, how to effectively manage your cyber risk, and 4 steps you can take today to prepare your business from what’s coming next: 2023 State of Cybersecurity | You Will Be Breached