NetSafe® MDR Protects Your Business Systems

In today's digital battleground, cyberattacks are not a matter of if but when. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are particularly vulnerable, with 46% of all cyber breaches impacting businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees. Even more concerning, 60% of small businesses that suffer a cyberattack shut down within six months.

The statistics paint a stark picture:  

• The global average cost of a data breach reached $4.88 million in 2024, a staggering 10% increase from the previous year. Projections indicate this number will only climb, potentially hitting $5 million by 2025.  
• The volume of attacks is escalating. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2023 Annual Data Breach Report, that has been a 78% increase in publicly reported data compromises in 2023 compared to 2022.

The threat landscape is complex and ever-evolving, with ransomware attacks increasing by 13% year-over-year in 2024 and phishing attacks skyrocketing by an astounding 1,265% partly due to the rise of sophisticated AI-driven methods.

However, organizations are adapting and enhancing their security strategies. Moving beyond traditional security measures, a proactive, 24x7 defense is becoming the standard. This is where Managed Detection and Response (MDR) offers a powerful solution. NetSafe MDR can transform your security posture from reactive to resilient, providing the expert eyes and rapid response capabilities needed to confidently navigate today's dynamic cyber environment.

What is NetSafe® MDR?

NetSafe MDR acts as a vigilant, round-the-clock security guardian for your digital assets, encompassing workstations, networks, and cloud environments. It goes beyond traditional security measures by offering:

• Continuous Monitoring: Like an ever-watchful eye, it constantly observes all activity within your systems. ‍
• Intelligent Threat Detection: Leveraging specialized technology, it identifies subtle and sophisticated hacking techniques that conventional security might overlook. ‍
• Expert Human Analysis: Real cybersecurity professionals actively monitor alerts and thoroughly investigate any suspicious activity. ‍
• Rapid Response: Upon detecting a threat, it swiftly intervenes to neutralize it before significant damage can occur. ‍
• Contain Hackers: Prevent them from moving within your interconnected systems. ‍
• Comprehensive Protection: It safeguards a wide range of assets, including your computers, online services, and even user login attempts.

Think of it this way: Instead of just having alarms like traditional antivirus software, NetSafe MDR provides both the alarms and a dedicated team of experts ready to investigate and address any intruders on your behalf, 24x7.

To truly grasp the power of NetSafe MDR, it's helpful to understand how cyber attackers operate. NetSafe MDR is designed to detect and neutralize these threats early in the attack lifecycle, preventing them from gaining a significant foothold in your data.

How Hackers Access Your Data

Let’s break down the typical attack stages and how NetSafe MDR would provide protection at each point. NetSafe MDR will identify and alert on probing activities. Security analysts will investigate the potential threats to block malicious activity and proactively strengthen defenses before the attacker can move to the next stage.

Step One: Reconnaissance

• What's happening? Hackers are probing your systems to find weaknesses. They might look for outdated software they can exploit or gather information to craft convincing phishing emails, often using automated tool.
• ‍NetSafe MDR is looking for unusual network scans, unauthorized attempts to access sensitive information, and patterns of data collection that don't align with normal user or system behavior. It would also monitor for known indicators of reconnaissance tools and techniques.  

When NetSafe MDR spots these red flags, it does not just send an alert. It proactively takes steps to block the hacker's initial probing efforts, preventing them from gaining the crucial information needed to launch a full-scale attack.

Step Two: Weaponizing

• What's happening? Using the information gathered, the attacker creates the "weapon" – the exploit or the malicious payload they will use to get into your network. This might involve crafting malicious documents or preparing exploits for identified vulnerabilities. ‍
• NetSafe MDR actively looks for suspicious file creation, unusual network traffic that could indicate malicious tool transfers, and attempts to exploit unpatched vulnerabilities. When such activity or unpatched software is detected, NetSafe MDR will trigger alerts, enabling patching and the cessation of unusual traffic.

Step Three: Delivery

• What's happening? The attacker delivers the "weapon" to the target. This often involves phishing emails with malicious attachments or links or exploiting vulnerabilities in publicly facing application.
• ‍NetSafe MDR proactively detects and blocks suspicious email activities (like those from unusual senders or with unusual subjects/attachments), attempts to access malicious websites, and exploitation attempts targeting vulnerable services, often before you even notice them.

Step Four: Exploitation

• What's happening? The attacker uses the delivered weapon to gain unauthorized access. This could involve tricking users into entering credentials on a fake website or exploiting a software vulnerability to execute malicious code. Once inside, they might explore the network to understand its layout and identify valuable target.
• ‍NetSafe MDR monitors for successful logins from unusual locations or at unusual times, the execution of suspicious processes, lateral movement attempts within the network, and unauthorized access to sensitive data or systems. In the event a threat actor bypasses initial detection (a rare occurrence), a dedicated team member will promptly assess the situation and take decisive action to neutralize the threat.

By continuously monitoring for these activities at each stage and leveraging a combination of technology and human expertise, NetSafe MDR aims to detect, analyze, and respond to threats before they can achieve their objectives, minimizing the impact of a cyberattack.

Are you ready to raise the cybersecurity shields? NetSafe MDR is an affordable option to bring best-in-class security to your business systems. Book a meeting with one of our IT Experts! We look forward to helping you.

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More Reading:
- A Guide to Thwarting Modern Cyber Attacks
- Maximizing Email Security: Essential Strategies to Protect Your Inbox
- Prioritize Multi-Factor Authentication for Your Small Business