A layered security strategy is built from a five-pillar framework that protects against complex, multi-vector cyber threats.
Most small to midsize enterprises (SMEs) know that cyber threats are dangerous, but they don’t fully understand how security works. According to various studies, 94 percent of SME leaders believe they are knowledgeable about cyber threats. However, industry assessments reveal that most rely on isolated security tools.
Combating today’s threats requires a layered security approach. Also known as defense-in-depth, layered security uses multiple tools working in concert to stop threats. It reduces the risk that one security gap will let attackers breach the network.
A managed services provider (MSP) can reduce the cost and complexity of developing a layered security approach. Qualified MSPs have best-in-class tools and proven methodologies that provide enterprise-class security for a predictable monthly price.
Defending Entry Points
A practical, real-world layered security framework starts with defending common entry points. Email is the delivery mechanism for more than 90 percent of cyberattacks. Attackers bypass technical blocks by tricking employees into doing the work for them.
Legacy filters look for known “bad” files or blacklisted email addresses. Modern solutions use AI to analyze natural language, flagging context clues.
Tools such as WatchGuard DNSWatch act as a gatekeeper at the Internet routing level. If a user clicks a malicious link, the tool blocks the connection, serving a warning page instead of loading the phishing site.
Best-in-class training platforms run automated phishing simulations. If an employee fails a simulation, they are directed to a two-minute micro-learning session while the mistake is fresh in their mind.
Securing Access
Strong access controls are critical to preventing hackers from using compromised corporate credentials to gain access to critical systems. Strict rules should block authentication attempts that originate from another country, or if a user attempts to log in from a personal machine that lacks proper corporate security software.
SMS text codes and basic mobile push notifications are vulnerable to “MFA fatigue” attacks, in which hackers bombard a user with login prompts until they hit “approve.” SMBs should mandate authenticator apps or use hardware keys.
Privileged access management is also critical. Employees should be prohibited from using “Administrator” profiles. If a user with admin rights downloads an infected file, the malware inherits their privileges and installs itself into the system. Standard accounts require an IT override to execute changes, stopping unauthorized background execution.
Protecting Endpoints
Traditional antivirus programs rely on static lists of known threats. If an attacker alters the malicious code, antivirus misses it. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools evaluate behavior. If a laptop begins rapidly opening, encrypting and renaming files, EDR terminates the process and isolates that device from the network.
Endpoint devices should be managed using platforms such as Microsoft Intune or Apple Business Manager. This allows the organization to enforce global device PINs, mandate encryption, separate corporate and personal data, and remotely wipe a lost or stolen phone.
Unpatched operating systems and common business applications are highly targeted vectors. Organizations should use automated patching systems to push updates, eliminating known bugs and vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.
Containing Lateral Movement
If an attacker compromises a device, the network layer determines whether they are confined to that machine or if they can map the entire environment. Advanced firewalls dissect packets of incoming data looking for patterns associated with known hacking tools. They then block communication to malicious command-and-control servers.
The company network should be divided into isolated virtual LANs. Employee workstations should be kept separate from servers containing sensitive business and financial data. Guest Wi-Fi connections should be isolated so visitors cannot see corporate hardware.
Attackers frequently leverage legitimate software to move laterally inside systems. Zero-trust application controls use whitelisting to ensure that only approved applications are allowed to run.
Creating a Safety Net
When an advanced attack bypasses the first four layers, the recovery layer ensures business continuity. Organizations should maintain at least three copies of critical corporate data, stored on two different types of media, with one copy kept offsite or in the cloud.
Ransomware hunts down and deletes connected backup files before encrypting local servers. Immutable backups use strict write-once-read-many storage architecture. Once a backup is written to an immutable cloud vault, the data cannot be modified, overwritten or deleted by any user or administrator for a predetermined duration.
Having backups is meaningless if it takes days or weeks to restore data. The backup and recovery platform should be able to spin up virtual server images, restoring core business operations in minutes.
How an MSP Can Help
Building a multi-layered defense can be difficult and expensive. It requires hiring specialized engineering talent and building a 24x7 threat detection infrastructure.
An MSP makes layered security affordable by acting as an outsourced IT and security department. An MSP provides instant access to a deep bench of dedicated specialists. They bundle advanced enterprise software, continuous patch management and help-desk support into a predictable per-user, per-month fee.
Qualified MSPs build an integrated security stack to ensure that tools communicate and work together. They link security layers to a security operations center. AI-powered tools and human security analysts monitor the environment around the clock, allowing them to identify and isolate threats quickly.
A layered security approach is critical to combating today’s threats. By partnering with an MSP, SMEs can implement layered security at lower cost, risk and effort.
