Hackers are ready. Are you? Why You Need A Third-Party Cybersecurity Assessment Immediately
Misconfigurations?
Vulnerabilities?
How confident are you that these items are not being missed in your network?
I’m sure you have a great IT team that brings lots of expertise to the table, but mistakes happen. Oversight happens. A momentarily lapse of judgement happens.
If you knew there was an extra lifeline that could easily create an added layer of security, wouldn’t you want to do it? Knowing that a cyberattack can strip your organization of money, time, reputation, and even its very existence, why wouldn’t you want to take that extra step?
So, what’s the step? A third-party assessment, an action that is far easier than you may realize, and far more effective than just using your own IT team.
Why is it more effective? Well, even with the expertise of an IT team, the possibility of misconfigurations and vulnerabilities remains. That's why it's crucial to embrace third-party cybersecurity assessments to identify weaknesses before hackers do.
Think I’m exaggerating? Well, how about a little wakeup call?
The Colonial Pipeline Incident: A Costly Reminder
In May 2021, the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies nearly half of the fuel consumed on the U.S. East Coast, fell victim to a devastating cyberattack. Hackers exploited a single misconfigured VPN account, gaining unauthorized access to critical systems. The incident caused panic, disrupted fuel supplies, and resulted in a significant financial loss.
The harsh reality is that misconfigurations are not uncommon. They can act as open doors for cybercriminals, providing them with an entry point to wreak havoc on your business. The Colonial Pipeline attack serves as a stark reminder that waiting for a hacker to discover a misconfiguration is a dangerous gamble.
Make sure this does not happen to you.
Here are 3 ways that a third-party assessment can help you:
Reason 1: You need an outsider perspective
Third-party assessments bring an unbiased and independent perspective to evaluating your security posture. While your MSP may have extensive knowledge and experience, an external assessment offers a fresh set of eyes. This unbiased view helps identify blind spots and vulnerabilities that might be overlooked internally.
Reason 2: You need specialized assessors shedding light on problems
Third-party assessors specialize in cybersecurity, armed with the latest knowledge of emerging threats and industry best practices. They possess the tools and expertise to identify potential misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses in your systems. Relying solely on your MSP's expertise may not provide the comprehensive assessment needed to uncover hidden risks.
Reason 3: You need To Understand Your business risks and how to address the important ones
Engaging a third-party assessment demonstrates your commitment to proactive risk mitigation. By identifying misconfigurations before hackers do, you have the opportunity to rectify vulnerabilities promptly and strengthen your security defenses. This approach minimizes the risk of falling victim to costly cyberattacks and the associated reputational damage.
Vulnerabilities? Misconfigurations? If you don’t find them, someone will.
The Colonial Pipeline incident serves as a stark reminder that the consequences of misconfigurations can be severe and far-reaching.
Unless you plan to wait around until your organization is the media headline regarding the next major cyberattack, you need to take this very simple action and get that added layer of security. Your organization deserves to be secure and to have confidence in your security plan, so you need to make a third-party cybersecurity assessment a priority in order to identify misconfigurations and vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
The cost of an assessment pales in comparison to the potential losses and damage that can result from a successful cyberattack.
You can let a third-party assessment find your organization’s vulnerabilities and misconfigurations or a hacker. Your choice.
