The volume and complexity of cyber attacks is growing quickly. If you’re wondering when to shore up your startup’s security protocols, don’t wait for things to go wrong – start now.
As businesses become more reliant on digital infrastructure, it’s no longer a case of “if” a cyber attack will happen, but when. Cyber attacks are an ever-present reality of the digital world, and startups and small businesses are particularly vulnerable.
Startups tend to be prime targets because they typically have fewer security measures in place and a more fragmented infrastructure. It’s common to think that your business is too small to experience a cyber attack and that there’s nothing worth stealing – but it’s exactly this mindset that will put your startup at risk.
It’s best to operate like you’ve already had a breach and be proactive with security measures. By looking at your security from end to end, you can:
- Identify weaknesses and reduce the number of areas that could be targeted or exploited (known as your “attack surface”)
- Detect and respond to cyber threats
- Create a plan for how you’ll respond and recover if there’s an attack
What is a fragmented security system?
Fragmented security systems are made up of lots of individual tools and solutions. Most startups slowly build up security when they’ve got the time or bandwidth to make improvements, but this gradual approach can lead to a fragmented environment.
A fragmented system is problematic for a few reasons. The main issue is that it creates a security environment that’s noisy and overly complex, with lots of tools that do the same thing. This can mask potential vulnerabilities in your business and make it harder to pinpoint your weaknesses if you do suffer an attack.
On a practical level, a fragmented system is also much harder to manage. Organizing and updating multiple tools and licenses from lots of different vendors takes valuable time and money. This can easily lead to human error – miss an alert or fail to set up your software correctly, and that’s when something will slip through the cracks.
Taking an end-to-end approach to security
While a fragmented system will protect aspects of your business, end-to-end security offers protection across your entire company and network. It ensures all communications, data and devices are secure, even if you’re working remotely or sharing information with people outside of your business (like freelancers).
End-to-end security might sound elaborate, but it’s simply about looking at your business as a whole and understanding how you can make each part of it secure. Bobbie Stempfley, VP and Business Unit Security Officer at Dell summed it up well in this podcast:
“An end-to-end security strategy has to include the starting point: knowing yourself as an organization and understanding your environment, your data and your business processes. It’s not just about protecting the technology or the fortress – it’s about security at all levels.”
To follow this approach, start by finding your points of vulnerability, such as weaknesses in software, excessive user privileges or open network ports. Once you’ve identified where an unauthorized user might be able to access your systems, you can start implementing preventative measures. These could include:
- Isolating critical data
- Enforcing stricter access controls
- Updating systems and applications
- Working with secure suppliers
Implement key aspects of Zero Trust framework
This aligns with Zero Trust principles, which encourages organizations to: “never trust, always verify”. Zero Trust has become an industry buzzword in recent years, but it’s an important framework as our working environments become harder to secure.
Zero Trust continually verifies users, instead of only once in the traditional, perimeter-based security model. The framework is made up of multiple principles, but focusing on just one or two actions will have a meaningful impact on your business.
A good place to start is by implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) throughout your systems. MFA provides an extra layer of security when signing into an account by requiring a second verification method, rather than solely relying on usernames and passwords which can be easily guessed. It’s simple and quick to set up, and will go a long way to improving your startup’s security.
It’s also wise to adopt Roles Based Access (RBAC) if possible, where users are assigned permissions and privileges based on their role in your business. As your startup grows, RBAC can help to secure sensitive information, monitor network access effectively, and ensure that employees or freelancers can only access the information they need.
Take advantage of security tools that leverage AI
Of course, few startups have the time to develop an extensive security strategy. It’s likely that you’re already managing your finances, sales, marketing and operations with a small team (or by yourself), so it’s not surprising if becoming an expert in cybersecurity feels like a step too far.
Take advantage of technology that offers sophisticated threat detection and response capabilities. Track, detect, investigate and respond to threats in your startup. In addition to continuous monitoring, these technologies leverage AI and Machine Learning (ML) to analyze data and identify patterns or anomalies that might signify a threat. Read more in our cybersecurity ebook.
Cybersecurity can fall down the priority list when you’re busy, but it needs to be an ongoing process. By implementing Zero Trust principles and investing in the right tools, you can start building a sustainable, end-to-end strategy that secures your startup for the future.