Cybersecurity beyond tech: A guide for small organizations

In today's digital age, the landscape of cybersecurity is ever-evolving. With a heightened rate of cyber-attacks like ransomware, data breaches and website defacement, it's clear that mere technological solutions are insufficient.

For small organizations looking to build a robust cybersecurity posture, the missing pieces are often a security-first mindset and a well-implemented framework. This blog will walk you through how and how much you should budget for cybersecurity, with an emphasis on Zero Trust and cost-effective strategies.

Zero Trust: A cornerstone of cybersecurity

The Zero Trust approach is an excellent starting point for building a cybersecurity posture. Unlike traditional models that focus only on perimeter defenses, Zero Trust demands that no one, whether inside or outside the organization, is trusted by default.

It emphasizes the need for endpoint and identity management audits, among other implementations that do not necessarily require a large investment in technology.

Benefits for small organizations

• Cost-effectiveness: No need for elaborate and expensive firewall systems.
• Flexibility: Easy to implement as the organization grows.
• Enhanced security: Constant verification processes reduce the risk of data breaches.

The importance of app modernization

Legacy applications running on outdated virtual machines can be a cybersecurity nightmare. Up to 80% risk of being breached arises from unpatched and outdated software, particularly if your server ports are open.

Serverless approach

One of the solutions is to modernize applications by adopting a serverless approach. By doing so, the burden of maintaining cybersecurity measures is outsourced to your cloud provider, ensuring you benefit from the latest security protocols without the associated overhead.

Budgeting for cybersecurity

Costing per employee

In Hacktiv, our approach is to cost everything on a per-employee basis. For productivity tools like email and collaboration software, a budget of P200 per employee per month is allocated.

Cybersecurity expenses

For cybersecurity, a similar approach can be adopted. A budget of P300 per month per employee or device can provide basic but essential protection. This covers:

• Endpoint security
• VPN subscriptions
• Antivirus software

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is an ecosystem that comprises technology, people, and best practices. For small organizations, the Zero Trust framework offers a cost-effective and efficient means to start building a robust cybersecurity posture. Alongside this, modernizing your applications and earmarking a reasonable budget can go a long way in protecting your assets in this digitally fraught environment.

By adopting these approaches, you're not just buying security—you're investing in peace of mind for you, your employees, and your stakeholders. Remember, cybersecurity is not a one-time action but an ongoing practice. Make it an integral part of your organizational culture.