Protect your edge device from cyberattack

By Spectrum Business

More small business leaders see value in equipping their networks with edge services for speed and scalability. But some are experiencing the dark side of the evolution: a migration by hackers and other bad actors targeting SMB edge devices.

How can small and midsized businesses enjoy the advantage of edge devices, without taking on an outsized amount of risk?

According to industry observers, “Network edge devices accounted for initial compromise in 30% of incidents” affecting small and midsized businesses last year. Edge devices such as virtual private networks (VPNs) and firewalls shore up network perimeters, yet too many cybercriminals are finding advantages in outdated software and lax oversight.

Sometimes an edge device may not have been updated with a readily available patch. Other times, it may have been incorrectly set up during installation or simply reached its end of life. In any event, due diligence is essential when managing your business network.

Network infiltrators seek out improper configurations and leaky password protocols as open gateways into business systems. Remote access devices that help the network connect to vital endpoints, even when protected by multi-factor authentication (MFA) protocols, can be breached.

Doing a thorough security check of your network is critical. So is relentless monitoring against suspicious activity at and around the edge.

SMB networks make juicy targets precisely because they are not always seen as prime vectors for cybercrime, not even by business owners themselves. But the data they process can have a limitless value.

Whether it is a healthcare operation accessing electronic health records or an independent hotel running credit-card payments, the cost of a breached edge device can be high. Ransomware attacks are common as well; these have been especially costly to small businesses which operate on tight margins.

Edge devices are designed to extend network reach but invite infiltration when not backed up by protocols like MFA and zero-trust authentication. These features are offered by leading device manufacturers like Cisco and should be prioritized for optimal protection.

Security involves more than hardware; having a workforce aware of the danger of phishing and what to do with suspicious emails can save you more than money. The trust of your customers and partners is uniquely valuable; so is your reputation.

Networks with edge devices can be monitored by a managed services provider. They not only guard against breaches in network edge systems but proactively seek out exploitable system weaknesses before they become attack vectors.

Having external support means an additional layer of IT protection. A managed services provider with national reach and 24/7 oversight, like Spectrum Business, is especially important to a secure edge strategy.