According to security services from the ‘five eyes’ countries – Britain, the US, New Zealand, Australia and Canada – Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are increasingly at risk of cyberattacks. But why? What makes MSPs such an enticing target for the bad guys? And, more importantly, what can MSPs do to protect themselves and their customers? 

Why are MSPs being targeted? 

Upon first hearing, it might sound odd that cybercriminals are targeting, and often successfully attacking, MSPs. We think of MSPs as IT and cybersecurity experts with good defences, so surely there are more tempting targets?

Unfortunately, this is only partially accurate. Although it’s true that many MSPs do have pretty robust cyber defences, there’s another reason they get cybercriminals champing at the bit.

MSPs are so attractive to hackers because they can typically remotely access clients’ networks and IT environments. And, that’s before we mention how much data the average MSP has access to – everything from financial information to breakdowns of customers’ security. 

In short, MSPs are being targeted for the same reason as supply chains. Successfully breaching an MSP means cybercriminals gain access to much more than the initial target. It could lead to ‘follow-on’ activity across the MSP’s whole customer base.

In other words, it’s a huge win for the bad guys. And cybercriminals are very obviously aware of that fact. According to new research by N-able, 90% of MSPs suffered a successful attack in the last 18 months. The study also found that the number of attacks prevented by MSPs almost doubled during the same period.

What are the consequences of a breach?

The impact of a successful attack on an MSP can be severe. The best way to think about it is to split the consequences into two categories – direct and indirect. Let’s deal with direct first.

Perhaps the most obvious impact of a breach is the disruption it could cause an MSP. Your business could be hit with a lengthy clean-up operation, systems downtime, and a big dent in staff morale. What’s more, depending on the kind of attack, there may be a financial aspect to the disruption.

A ransomware attack could lead to your business having to make a hefty payout. Meanwhile, a serious malware attack, with a long period of systems outage, could lead to you haemorrhaging revenue.

Likewise, the reputational damage to any MSP successfully breached could be grave. Most MSPs pride themselves on their strong security and market themselves thus to customers. So the news of an attack could seriously weaken customer trust, leading to a PR nightmare and potential loss of revenue.

We’ve dealt with the direct consequences, let’s move on to indirect. As we mentioned earlier, the major reason why cybercriminals are targeting MSPs is due to their customer base. And it's your customers who could be the most affected by an attack.

A real-world example of this is the REvil ransomware attack on Kaseya, the MSP software provider. The breach spread to dozens of MSPs and over 1,500 of their customers, illustrating just how fast an attack could get out of control.

What can MSPs do to protect themselves and their customers? 

We’ve painted a pretty terrifying portrait so far. However, just because the consequences can be dire, it doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to protect your business and customers. Here are a few of the most important.

Set up multi-factor authentication (MFA)

MFA is an authentication method that requires you to provide two or more verification methods to sign into an application. Instead of just asking for your username and password, MFA adds some extras, like a randomly generated pin code sent by SMS, a thumbprint, or a piece of memorable information known only to the user. 

MFA is also a sure-fire way to protect your business against cyberattacks. Passwords alone are vulnerable to data leaks and brute-force attacks. MFA, on the other hand, is very tricky for even the most sophisticated hackers to crack. 

Back up your systems and data

Backing up your systems and data can provide you with a vital failsafe after an attack. In some cases, it can even help you avoid having to pay a ransom. And, when it comes to what to back up, use this simple rule of thumb: ‘anything you don’t want to lose, back up’.

For more on how to do it, read this.

Segregate networks 

Both you and your customers should segment networks and systems as much as possible. What do we mean by segment? Well, one example is to never use admin credentials across multiple customers or systems.

Another is to ensure that no one has access or privileges beyond what they need to do their job. That might sound harsh but, in the event of an attack, it’ll allow you to isolate affected systems, customers, or accounts.

Train staff

At CyberSmart, we’re constantly pushing the importance of training. After all, if your staff don’t know which security behaviours are harmful or don’t know the warning signs of an attack, they’ll struggle to protect themselves or your business.

Training can fix this. And it’s probably the single most important thing you can do as a business. Find out more, here. 

Develop incident response plans

A successful attack on your business isn’t inevitable. Nevertheless, statistically, it is likely. So you need a coherent, easy-to-action response plan, in case the worst does happen.

You’ll also need to encourage or help your customers to develop their own. Currently, just 4% of MSPs report that all their clients have an incident response plan. And, this means thousands of weak links across the IT sector. 

Regularly patch software

Patching or updating any software you use, so that it doesn’t have easily exploited weak points, is incredibly simple but very important. Over time, even the best software develops vulnerabilities, suffers a breach, or simply becomes outdated. Applying patches released by the software provider can fix this.

Think of it as being like fixing a puncture. You apply the patch so no air can leak out. Updating your software effectively does the same thing, giving you air-tight cybersecurity. 

The best part? It won’t take you anywhere near as long as fixing a puncture, just a couple of minutes each month. 

Map your supply chain risks

Last of all, understand your supply chain risks. Assuming you’ve locked down your own cybersecurity, identify who among your customers or suppliers could pose a risk. Alongside this, talk to your customers and partners about their cybersecurity. The best defence against threats is a unified approach and common strategy.

To find out more about the threats facing businesses, read our guide, The State of UK SME Cybersecurity. It’s full of useful insights on the risks small businesses face and what can be done to counter them. Get your copy here.

Firewalls can appear complicated at first glance. However, in reality, they’re easy to set up and offer an important defence against cyber threats. So, to help you better understand firewalls and how to protect your business, here’s everything you need to know. 

What is a firewall? 

A ‘firewall’ is a tool that protects your home or office systems from malicious traffic on the internet. 

Think of it as a well-armed bouncer, checking anything that enters your network for threats. It creates a barrier between a ‘trusted network’ (such as your office) and an ‘untrusted network’, like the internet. 

Firewalls keep your devices operating reliably. But they also protect you from a variety of threats, such as DoS (Denial of Service) and malicious packet attacks.

Most modern devices contain a firewall of some kind. You’ll find one built into your laptop and internet router, although, crucially not on most smartphones. Many businesses also set up a separate hardware firewall in addition to the one built into devices for an extra layer of security. 

Where does the term ‘firewall’ come from? 

The term ‘firewall’ has an interesting history (no, really). The term originally refers to a wall built to contain a fire between adjacent buildings. Later, it was used to describe the metal sheet that separates the engine compartment from passengers on an aeroplane. 

It wasn't until the 1980s that ‘firewall’ first became synonymous with the internet. The term appeared in the 1983 computer-hacking movie WarGames to describe the act of filtering data coming through routers and possibly inspired its later use.

How does a firewall work?

Firewalls analyse all incoming traffic based on a set of pre-set rules. The rules are then used to filter out anything malicious or suspicious and prevent attacks. 

The slightly more technical explanation is that firewalls filter traffic at a computer’s entry points or ‘ports’. These ports are where information is exchanged with external devices. For example, a rule might look something like this:

“Source address 172.18.1.1 is allowed to reach destination 172.18.2.1 over port 22."

A great analogy for understanding this is to think of an IP address (the unique number that identifies your device) as a house and port numbers as rooms within the house. Only trusted people (IP addresses) are allowed to enter the house at all. Then, once in the house, trusted people are only allowed to access certain rooms (destination ports). 

It’s much like hosting a party at your house, in that you’d probably keep some rooms off-limits. Perhaps there are some rooms that could pose a threat to children or maybe you just like your privacy, either way, the same basic principle applies to firewalls. Trusted devices are only allowed access to certain places. 

Why are firewalls important? 

Simply put firewalls are a vital first line of defence. To return to our bouncer analogy from earlier, without a doorman anyone can enter the building. Without a firewall, anyone can get into your business. 

It’s not difficult for even a relatively unsophisticated cybercriminal to probe your organisation’s devices in an attempt to break into your systems. Without a properly configured firewall, they’re much more likely to succeed. 

What’s more, the consequences can be disastrous. Not only will hackers gain access to your data and potentially leak it or use it maliciously, but the financial hit can also be severe. According to insurer Hiscox, the average cost of a breach for an SME is £11,000, and that’s before we even consider reputational damage or fines from regulators. 

A properly configured, maintained and monitored firewall will go a long way towards protecting your business. 

But what do we mean by ‘properly’ configured? Well, for your firewall to work optimally, you need to ensure it has the power to manage normal and encrypted internet traffic without slowing down your devices or compromising security. A good IT support partner can help you do this or, alternatively, automated tools like CyberSmart can guide you through the process yourself. 

Firewalls and Cyber Essentials 

You might be reading this article because you’ve come across the firewalls section of the Cyber Essentials questionnaire. Or perhaps you’re considering completing Cyber Essentials certification for your business. 

Either way, the section of Cyber Essentials dealing with firewalls can appear confusing. But, in reality, it’s very simple. You’ll be asked about which firewalls you have in place, whether they are password protected and ‘accessible’ services.

The first two elements are self-explanatory. All you need do is list the firewalls you use and set up password protection for them if you don’t already have it (the questionnaire or one of our team will provide guidance on how to do this). However, ‘accessible services’ is a little more complicated. 

What does 'accessible services' mean? 

‘Accessible services’ is the traffic that is approved to pass through the firewall. In an office environment, your firewalls will usually be configured so that IT support can access anything they need to. However, most of us aren’t working in an office at the moment and home routers are often set up to block all services as default. 

Sadly, working from home doesn’t mean the end of all IT troubles, so your remote workers may wish to allow external access to their personal router. If this is the case, then it’s best practice to allow a single, static IP address through the firewall. That way, you can be sure your IT support team, and only the IT support team, has access. 

And that’s all there is to firewalls. Hopefully, this has answered most of your questions but, if there’s anything else you’d like to know, please get in touch with one of our team.

Looking to improve your cybersecurity but not sure where to begin? Start by getting certified in Cyber Essentials, the UK government scheme that covers all the fundamentals of cyber hygiene.

We love an awards ceremony at CyberSmart. It’s a chance to wear long-neglected formal wear, snaffle a free dinner, and meet up with the people that make cybersecurity such a great industry to work in.

However, what we love even more than the glitz and glamour is winning. So imagine our delight when we were nominated for the 2022 SC Awards Europe and CompTIA Spotlight Awards and took home a gong at each. 

What were the awards?

The SC Awards Europe, run by SC Media UK, is one of the most prestigious events in the cybersecurity industry’s calendar. It aims to recognise and reward products and services that continue to stand out from the crowd, exceeding customer expectations to help defeat imminent threats and cybersecurity attacks.

The nominees and winners of these awards usually, read like a who’s who of the cybersecurity sector. So we were very happy to be nominated, particularly as we narrowly missed out on an award last year.

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a global leader in the training and upskilling of IT professionals. And, it’s one of the leading voices in our sector. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this makes the organisation’s annual awards ceremony a must-attend within the cybersecurity industry. 

What did we win? 

We won both the CompTIA UK Innovative Vendor Spotlight Award and SC Awards Europe’s Best SME Security Solution award.

We’re incredibly proud to win two such prestigious awards, especially amongst such impressive competition. We’d also like to say congratulations to all the other nominees and winners.

What comes next? 

Although we’re always thrilled to win awards, our work is far from done. We won’t stop until every small business has the knowledge and protection to keep themselves safe from cyberattacks.

As we write this, SMEs are being targeted like never before and there are still too many without adequate protection. And these awards, while proving we’re on the right track, only spur us on to help more small businesses.

To find out more about what drives us, read our latest guide, The State of UK SME Cybersecurity. It’s full of useful insights on the risks small businesses face and what can be done to counter them. Get your copy here.

UK SMEs have faced a turbulent few years. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way many of us work forever. The conflict between Russia and the international community has raised the spectre of cyber attacks on UK businesses. And cyber threats for SMEs continue to rise.

So with all these factors in play, how are the UK’s SMEs managing? Has the rise in remote working led to a change in cybersecurity practices? How often are SMEs facing cyber threats? Most importantly, what can they do to better protect themselves?

To answer some of these questions, Gartner-owned Software Advice – a company that provides advisory services, research, and user reviews on software applications – surveyed 500 managers at UK SMEs.

And we’ve teamed up with Software Advice to bring you the results. 

What’s in the guide?

Using the data provided by Software Advice, we tackle:

• How often SMEs are being attacked
• The impact of COVID-19 on SME cybersecurity
• The biggest threats facing SMEs
• The consequences of a breach on SMEs
• What SMEs are most worried about
• How effective SMEs’ defences are
• What SMEs can do to better protect themselves

And much, much more.

Where can you get a copy?

As this is such important data for the entire cybersecurity industry, we’re offering our guide free to anyone who finds it useful. All you need to do to get your copy is download it here or hit the button below.

Each year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport releases its Cybersecurity Breaches Survey. It’s fast become one of the most influential cybersecurity reports around, driving government policy and the National Cyber Strategy.

The Cybersecurity Breaches Survey covers everything from threats to the processes businesses use to protect themselves and takes in everything from schools to start-ups. However, it’s also a very long report, with lots of tables, graphs and references – not something that’s easily digestible during your lunch hour.

So, to save you the trouble, we’ve pulled together the key takeaways for SMEs.

1. The number of cyberattacks stays stable

It’s no secret that during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic the number of attacks on UK businesses skyrocketed. DCMS figures from 2020 show that 46% of UK businesses reported a cyberattack, up from 32% the previous year.

However, the number declined in 2021 to 39% and it’s stayed stable at the same figure this year. That might sound like great news, but there are some caveats. First of all, 39% is still too many; that’s more than a third of all UK businesses being attacked in any given year.

On top of this, there’s a chance that the figures, while accurate, don’t tell the whole story. As the report states, the better your cyber defences, the more likely you are to detect and report an attack. This suggests that smaller organisations and those with less sophisticated defences might be underreporting attacks.

2. Phishing remains the most common type of attack 

One of the most important findings of the Cybersecurity Breaches Survey is just how common social engineering attacks, particularly phishing scams, have become. 83% of all organisations surveyed said they’d experienced some form of phishing attack in the last 12 months. And this was followed, some way behind, by impersonation-style social engineering attacks with 67%.

What does this tell us?

Well, it tells us that cybercriminals have hit upon a formula that works for targeting businesses big and small. But that’s not all. It also teaches us that security training for staff has never been more important. With most cybercriminals using some form of social engineering attack, your people need to be able to spot the signs and recognise threats when they see them.

3. Few businesses are taking the supply-chain threat seriously

We’ve covered the risk posed by supply chains at length (if you haven’t already, read this). According to research, up to 80% of cyberattacks now begin in the supply chain. Cybercriminals have realised that to target high-profile businesses, you don’t need to attack the organisation itself.

Big corporate enterprises often have the best in cybersecurity tools and processes, so breaching their defences is difficult. However, the SMEs who supply or provide services to these big companies usually have far more modest defences. And, crucially, they provide a ‘backdoor’ into bigger organisations by being part of the supply chain. A breach at even the smallest link in the supply chain can have dire consequences for everyone within it.

Despite this, only 13% of businesses assessed the risks posed by their immediate suppliers. In fact, few considered cybersecurity an important factor in the procurement process. 

4. Getting hacked costs a lot

This might not come as surprise but a successful cyber breach can really hit your business in the pocket. The average cost of a breach across businesses of all sizes is £4,200, with a figure of £3,080 for SMEs. The news is even worse if you’re a medium or large-sized business. The average figure for firms of this size stands at an eye-watering £19,400.

It’s worth noting that only one in five businesses suffer any negative consequences as a result of a breach. But, with 31% of businesses reporting that they’re attacked at least once a week, the chances of being part of that one in five is high.

5. Most small businesses don’t have a cybersecurity strategy

To be clear, the lack of a formal cybersecurity policy isn’t just a problem for small businesses; just 23% of all businesses have one. Nevertheless, the trend is much more severe among smaller businesses. While 57% of large firms have a formal strategy, just 20% of micro firms and 37% of small firms have one.

And it’s not just an overarching strategy that’s missing. Most businesses don’t have a clear plan in place for what to do if the worst happens. Just 19% of businesses surveyed said they had a formal incident response plan. 

This makes for worrying reading. It suggests that, in those crucial first few minutes and hours after an incident, too many businesses aren’t dealing with the threat in an organised way, handing a huge advantage to the bad guys. 

6. Ransomware confusion reigns

One of the worst questions any business has to answer is what to do in the event of a successful ransomware attack. Do you pay out? Or do you play hardball with the ransomers?

Although it’s a tricky question, it’s crucial to have a policy one way or another. However, one in five businesses (19%) stated they weren’t sure what they would do. On top of this, many small businesses still believe that ransomware isn’t a threat, either because they are ‘too small’ or have ‘nothing of value’ to steal.

7. Cyber Essentials uptake is still low

Unless this is your first CyberSmart blog, you’ll know we talk about Cyber Essentials certification constantly. It’s the single most important thing a small business can do to improve its cybersecurity.

But, unfortunately, the uptake of Cyber Essentials is still very low. Only 6% of businesses have the Cyber Essentials certification and just 1% have Cyber Essentials Plus. Unfortunately, this is likely a problem of awareness. Although every business could benefit from taking the certification, too few are aware of its existence. This needs to change, and fast.

Looking to improve your cybersecurity but not sure where to begin? Start by getting certified in Cyber Essentials, the UK government scheme that covers all the basics of cybersecurity.

If you’re at all tuned into the cybersecurity sphere, you may have noticed that 31st March was World Backup Day (we forgive you if you missed that, it’s not a red-letter day in most peoples’ calendars). In the midst of all the messages telling you that it’s important to backup data, you may have found yourself wondering, why? And more importantly, how?

It got us thinking too. So, here’s the lowdown on backups – how they work, why you need them, and what you need to do to set them up.

Why do you need backups?

The rationale behind backups is pretty simple: sometimes, bad things happen and, when they do, you want to be sure your most valuable assets are safe. In this case, we’re talking about data, whether that’s personal data, customer data, or important files.

Simple, right? However, a staggering 21% of people have never backed up their devices. This is even more surprising when you consider all the ways in which data can be lost. There’s human error, which a Stanford University study estimates accounts for 88% of all data loss. You could lose data through the simple theft of a device. And, then, there’s cybercrime.

Data is the most valuable currency to cybercriminals. It’s why ransomware attacks are so prevalent and it’s also what most cyberattacks target (even a phishing attack is ultimately after data).

Using data backups not only protects you against accidental loss, but it’s also a key weapon against many cyber attacks. Take ransomware as an example; a cybercriminal may have held your data to ransom but, with a backup of that data, your business will still be able to operate while you decide what to do next. 

Think of it in the same way you would business insurance. You pay out each month, praying you’ll never have to use it, but if the worst does happen you’re covered. 

How do data backups work? 

Data backup software is a very simple concept. You install the software on your devices and systems, it then copies and saves your data to an external source. This could be an external drive, data centre, or cloud. 

Most modern data backup tools will save to a cloud. The data is copied, encrypted, and sent to a cloud server until you need to restore it. Storing your data in this way ensures that it’s safe in the event of accidental loss or a cyberattack. 

What data should you back up?

In most modern organisations, you can find data in just about every function of the business, whether that’s marketing, finance or sales. Files, folders, images, payroll data, supplier data, customer data, third-party app data – it all needs to be backed up. 

It might sound counter-intuitive that you need to back up third-party data. However, many Software as a Service (SaaS) businesses will only backup their own platform.

How do you set up data backups?

Setting up data backups for your business isn’t a complicated process. There are countless options, from tools like Dropbox Business to Microsoft OneDrive. The option you choose will largely depend on your business, but there are a few things to bear in mind.

1. Make it cloud-based 

You don’t have to use a cloud-based service as your primary backup, an external drive or your own data centre will work just fine. But, a cloud-based option will easily scale with your business and probably save you money in the long run. Added to this, there’s the safety element. Using a cloud is by far the safest way to store your data.

2. Keep it simple

 As an SME, it’s unlikely that your business is packed with IT experts. So, whichever option you choose, ensure it’s easy to set up and use. A good test of suitability is to ask yourself whether the least technically minded person in your business would be able to use it without difficulty. 

3. Set up a redundancy option 

Although you’re never likely to need it (cloud providers lose data very, very rarely), it’s worth setting up a backup of your backup. We advise having three copies of your data: the original, one in the cloud, and one on a company-owned drive or data server. That way you’re covered, whatever happens. 

4. Pick one that’s automated 

If you’re anything like the majority of small businesses, you probably don’t have a dedicated IT team. And, even if you do, they’re unlikely to have time between fixing printers and helping people locked out of their devices to manage backup processes.

To get around this, you’ll want a solution that backs up your data automatically, so no one in your business has to worry about it. 

5. Find out what your provider’s DRP is

Every data storage provider should have a disaster recovery plan (DRP). You need to know what your provider has in place should their servers experience an outage or be destroyed and how you can access your data. So when choosing, be sure to ask.

Protecting your business on a budget is tricky. Calling in the experts or investing in the latest tools is expensive. So what can you do? CyberSmart Active Protect secures your business around the clock with no need for costly consultants, tools or an in-house team. Try it today.

Provided you’ve read any cybersecurity story in the media recently, you’ve probably come across the phrase ‘zero-day attack’ before. It’s often dropped into reports by journalists with little explanation of what it means or why you should worry about it. So, in the interest of clearing up some confusion, here’s everything you need to know. 

What does ‘zero-day’ mean?

Usually, software companies and developers will periodically fix flaws in their products. However, there are some rare instances where this doesn’t happen and a flaw goes unnoticed.

The term ‘zero-day’ refers to those security vulnerabilities that fall through the cracks. It’s neat shorthand for developers having only just discovered the flaw and limited time (zero days) to fix it.

A zero-day attack happens when the bad guys get there first and hackers exploit the flaw before the developers discover it. 

How do zero-day attacks work? 

All software, no matter how robust initially, develops vulnerabilities over time. It could be that the software was built with vulnerabilities that weren’t anticipated at the time or it might be that a new cyber threat has emerged since it was created.

Whatever the reason, the fix is usually simple. Developers create a patch, release it in an update to users, and the vulnerability is dealt with. Think of it as being a bit like your mum fixing your school trousers after you fell over in the playground for the umpteenth time.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen and hackers get there first. And, as long as the vulnerability goes undetected, cybercriminals can write and implement code to exploit it. This could allow them to steal confidential data, launch social engineering attacks, or even release malware onto users computers. 

This can go on for as long as the vulnerability remains undetected; sometimes days or even months. What’s more, even when the flaw has been fixed and an update released, it may take some time before every user updates their device. After all, an update is only as good as the number of users who download it. 

How do you know when a zero-day attack has happened?

A zero-day attack is particularly dangerous because the only people who know about it are the cybercriminals themselves. This allows them to pick their moment, either attacking instantly or biding their time.

Because vulnerabilities come in many shapes and sizes from problems with password security to broken algorithms, they can be very hard to detect. Often, a business won’t know there’s anything wrong until the vulnerability has been identified.

Nevertheless, there are some telltale signs. You might see sudden surges in unexpected traffic, odd behaviour from software you’re using, or suspicious scanning activity. 

Are there any famous examples?

Incidents involving zero-day vulnerabilities are more common than you might think. Only days ago (early Feb 2022), it was revealed that three critical flaws in the code for a WordPress plugin threatened 30,000 websites worldwide. Fortunately, on this occasion, WordPress appear to have got there before the bad guys, but there are plenty of examples when businesses weren’t so lucky.

Zoom, 2020

In this instance, hackers found a vulnerability in the popular video conferencing platform Zoom. It allowed cybercriminals to remotely take over the computer of anyone using Zoom and running an older version of Windows.

Microsoft Word, 2017

In a horribly alarming twist, this attack used a vulnerability in Microsoft Word to steal users banking login data.  Users who opened seemingly normal Microsoft Word documents unwittingly installed malware on their device that was able to collect banking login credentials. 

Apple iOS, 2020

Apple is generally famous for its impregnable security (remember the old myth that Apple Macs couldn’t get viruses?). However, in 2020, hackers did discover a vulnerability in its iOS mobile operating system. This flaw allowed cybercriminals to remotely access and control unlucky users iPhones.

What can you do to protect your business?

Update your software regularly

The easiest way to protect your business against zero-day attacks is to regularly patch your software and operating systems. It shouldn’t take you more than a couple of minutes each month. All it requires is that you check now and then for any new updates to tools and software you use. Or, if you want an even easier solution, simply turn on auto-updates in your device’s settings, and you won’t even have to think about it.

Use a firewall and anti-malware

Firewalls and anti-malware tools are the first line of defence for most cybersecurity threats and zero-day attacks are no different. Good firewalls and anti-malware can thwart some zero-day attacks the minute they enter your system. 

Limit the number of applications you use

Most businesses already do this to some extent, software costs money after all. However, when it comes to protecting your business against zero-day threats a simple maxim applies: the less software you have, the smaller the number of potential vulnerabilities. So try to use only the software and tools your business really needs. 

Educate your team 

Most zero-day attacks capitalise on human error in some way. So educating your employees on good security practices and habits can help reduce the risk of a successful zero-day attack. For more on how to go about this, check out our blog on security training. 

Protecting your business on a budget is tricky. Calling in the experts or investing in the latest tools is expensive. So what can you do? CyberSmart Active Protect secures your business around the clock with no need for costly consultants, tools or an in-house team. Try it today.

When you sign in to an online account, you’re asked to prove your identity (a process we call authentication in the cyber world). Usually, you’ll do so via a username and password. The trouble is, it’s not a very safe way to do it. Usernames can be guessed and many of us use the same, simple passwords for everything.  

So it’s been clear for some time we need something better. Enter Multi-factor authentication (MFA). But what is it? And why should you use it?

What is multi-factor authentication?

MFA is an authentication method that requires you to provide two or more verification methods to sign into an application. Instead of just asking for your username and password, MFA adds some extras, like a randomly generated pin code sent by SMS, a thumbprint, or a piece of memorable information known only to the user. 

You’ve probably already experienced this if you used online or signed into a Google account recently. In fact, it’s well on the way to being commonplace for most applications.

The idea behind MFA is very simple. The more locks you have on the door, the harder it is for an intruder to break in. Think of it as adding a cyber deadbolt, a door chain lock, and maybe some cameras for good measure to keep the bad guys out. 

Why does your business need it?

Again, the why is delightfully simple. Using MFA can dramatically reduce the chances of a successful cyberattack on your business. 

Passwords and user credentials are important, but they’re vulnerable to brute-force attacks and can be stolen by hackers. In contrast, an MFA method like a thumbprint or one-time PIN is very difficult for even the most dedicated cybercriminal to crack. 

On top of the obvious security benefits, you’ll also need some form of MFA to complete Cyber Essentials certification. Under the new requirements, MFA should always be used for accounts that connect to cloud services. 

What types of multi-factor authentication are there? 

Broadly speaking, there are three neat categories of MFA:

• Information you know, such as a password, security question, or PIN
• Objects you possess, such as a smartphone – this is where one-time PINs come in
• Things you are, think biometrics like thumbprints or voice recognition

2FA or MFA? 

At this point, you could be forgiven for wondering whether using MFA is overkill. After all, you probably already use two-factor authentication (2FA) for things like your business banking or office suite (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace). Do you need the extra authentication factors? 

Remember the old maxim, beloved by school teachers and parents, ‘it’s better to be safe than sorry’? Well, it really does apply when it comes to cybersecurity. 2FA is hard for cybercriminals to crack and it’s far safer than using just a password. However, it’s a no-brainer to make the risk even smaller by adding extra layers of authentication. The harder it is for cybercriminals to breach your business, the less likely they are to succeed. 

Protecting your business on a budget is tricky. Calling in the experts or investing in the latest tools is expensive. So what can you do? CyberSmart Active Protect secures your business around the clock with no need for costly consultants, tools or an in-house team. Try it today.

From Monday 24th January, the price of Cyber Essentials is changing. Here’s everything you need to know about what it means for your business.

What’s changing? 

For the first time since its creation seven years ago, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and certification body IASME have announced changes to the price of Cyber Essentials certification.

The change, which goes through on Monday 24th January 2022, includes several additions to the Cyber Essentials question set.

Why is the price of Cyber Essentials increasing? 

The world has changed dramatically since Cyber Essentials was launched seven years ago. Cloud services are now widely used, digital transformation has really taken hold and, of course, many of us are now doing some form of remote or hybrid working.

So, to help businesses better tackle these challenges, IASME and the NCSC have updated the requirements of Cyber Essentials certification. The update includes new requirements for:

• Cloud services
• Multi-factor authentication
• Password management 
• Security updates
• Working from home

We've outlined all of the most important changes below.

These changes add an extra layer of complexity to certification, particularly for larger organisations. And the new pricing reflects the rigour involved in assessing bigger businesses.

What does this mean for you? 

First, it’s important to state that Cyber Essentials remains one of the best-value things a business can do to improve its cybersecurity. In fact, with the inclusion of the new requirements, Cyber Essentials offers better protection to SMEs than ever before.

In other words, the new look Cyber Essentials gives you more for your money while still remaining affordable for any business.

How is CyberSmart approaching the changes?

Up until 7th March 2022, we will continue to offer Cyber Essentials to all our customers and partners for the same price as before.

In other news, after listening to feedback from our customers,  we're also launching our new CyberSmart bundles, containing the CyberSmart Dashboard, CyberSmart Active Protect and Cyber Essentials certification in one neat package.

These bundles contain everything your business needs to improve its cybersecurity and stay secure long after certification. To find out more, please get in touch at hello@cybersmart.co.uk or click here.

The cybersecurity industry has long had a reputation for impenetrable jargon, be it tools, threats or solutions. So, in this blog, we’re demystifying another confusing term. What are ‘DDoS attacks’? Why should you be worried about them? And, most importantly of all, what can you do to stop them?

How does a DDoS attack work?

DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. And it’s a very simple but potentially very disruptive premise. Cybercriminals pick a target, then flood its network with so much malicious traffic that it can’t operate as it usually would. The result is that legitimate traffic (such as shoppers or readers) grinds to a halt. 

You’ve probably seen this technique used before without necessarily putting a name to it. Google was hit with the largest attack on record in 2017. Meanwhile, Amazon Web Services fell foul of a gigantic attack in February 2020. 

How common is this kind of attack? 

DDoS attacks are more common than you might think and they’re on the rise. 2020 saw a 151% increase in the frequency of attacks in comparison to 2019. And, to make matters worse, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting small businesses with this kind of attack. 

How much damage can a DDoS attack do? 

A DDoS attack is highly disruptive for any business. But for big corporates, it’s usually something they can swallow. After all, for a multi-billion dollar business, a few days lost revenue and some disgruntled customers don’t have to spell disaster. 

However, for a small business, a DDoS attack can have serious consequences. A successful DDoS attack can take down entire websites and systems. This could mean lost revenue, breached data, reputational damage, dissatisfied customers, and a massive cleanup effort to get systems back up and running. In other words, a potentially critical situation for a small business with limited resources. 

What can you do to protect your business? 

We’ve painted a pretty scary picture so far. But that doesn’t mean small businesses are defenceless in the face of DDoS attacks. There’s plenty you can do to help your business avoid the worst-case scenario. 

Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A WAF blocks suspicious traffic and prevents DDoS attacks from accessing your business’s servers. And, the best thing about a WAF is that it’s easy to customise for your business. For example, if you mostly do business in the UK, you could configure it to block all non-UK traffic. Or, you could take it a step further and blacklist traffic from markets renowned for attacks.

Of course, like all software, you need to ensure you’re patching regularly for it to be most effective. 

Learn to spot the signs

We’re always talking about the importance of security training for your staff and our advice is no different when it comes to preventing DDoS attacks. One of the key reasons that DDoS strikes are so hard to stop is so few people know how to recognise them – until it’s too late and business systems fail.

To give an example of what we mean, did you know a sudden surge in traffic – even for just a few minutes – could signal the start of an attack?

Even basic cybersecurity knowledge among staff about what the threats are, how to spot them, and what to do in the event of an attack, can help your business get a head start on cybercriminals.

For more on security training, read this. 

Be mindful of your supply chain

A huge proportion of cybersecurity attacks now begin in the supply chain. And, unfortunately, this includes DDoS attacks. Most SMEs are part of a supply chain and lack the security resources of larger partners, making them an enticing way for cybercriminals to attack more glittering prizes. 

These ‘attacks through the back door’ are becoming increasingly common. US retail giant Target was fined $18.5 million after a breach at its air conditioning partner led to the leak of millions of credit card details. 

So talk to your suppliers and partners about their cybersecurity practices and share experiences and advice. For those below you in the chain, this may mean asking for proof that their cybersecurity is in order. And for the bigger companies you service, this could mean agreeing to shared security practices and transparency in the event of a breach. 

Protecting your business on a budget is tricky. Calling in the experts or investing in the latest tools is expensive. So what can you do? CyberSmart Active Protect secures your business around the clock with no need for costly consultants, tools or an in-house team. Try it today.