There is an axiom in the technology lexicon known as the 1st Law of Cybersecurity: “If there is a vulnerability, it will be exploited. No exceptions.” This universally accepted truth postulated by Nick Espinosa, a long-time speaker and consultant regarding all things cyber, continues to prove itself true. One need only to look at recent ransomware data for proof.
In 2021, according to data analyzed by threat hunters and engineers in SpearTip’s Security Operations Center and verified by dozens of organizations, a cyberattack occurred every 11 seconds. The sheer volume of attacks—though not all successful in encrypting data or securing a payment—speaks to the increasing number of vulnerabilities covering the digital landscape. Of these relentless attacks, phishing schemes and social engineering efforts maintained their position at the top of the list of vectors of initial entry representing a greater than 25% increase year-over-year. Similarly, human fallibility continues to be the leading vulnerability. This is followed by credential theft. The notable similarity with these top vulnerabilities is both are preventable.
Exacerbating these preventable problems is what seems like another law of cybersecurity: as ransom payouts become more lucrative and frequent, threat actors will continue their assault against enterprises and individuals. Furthermore, as technology continues its exponential growth and legacy systems are (or at least should be) retired, more and more vulnerabilities are exposed followed closely by more and more exploitation.
Vulnerability spotted, exploited, rewarded. Process repeated.
The final nail in the coffin of many businesses is their inability or unwillingness to address the ransomware problem. According to a recent Ponemon Institute State of Cybersecurity Report, 45% of SMB operators self-report their mitigation processes for a cyber event as ineffective and insufficient. While self-awareness is an important first step, there must be follow-through; however, the increasingly troubling data indicates little is being done.
All signs point to the need for a comprehensive and effective solution against what ails the cyber landscape: devastating ransomware, ruthless threat operations, ineffective legacy toolsets, lack of organizational urgency, and individual unawareness. In considering such a solution, we can start with SpearTip’s 1st Law of Cybersecurity: “We will outmaneuver every adversary with the ShadowSpear Platform. No exceptions.”
Threat actors are human actors, first and foremost, and don’t rely solely on automated attacks; there are elements of human insight and creativity built into the launching of cyberattacks. These may include staging targeted attacks against known vulnerabilities before organizations are able to fully patch all gaps in endpoints or systems, or spending additional time and effort crafting a truly deceptive social engineering campaign against unsuspecting and trusting employees.
To successfully counter a human threat actor who mixes creativity with automated scripts and scanning technology to circumvent security controls, it’s vital to recognize that no single tool or software is a panacea. Like the adversaries we defend against every second of every day, we start with the human factor. SpearTip hires experts adept at providing the highest levels of technical knowledge, cyber threat hunting, detection and monitoring, rapid response, intuition, experience, and dedicated partner support. And like the threats we neutralize, our experienced team is alert and focused 24 hours each day, 7 days each week, 365 days each year. Certain levels of insight, knowledge, collaboration, and anticipation cannot be replicated in automation, which is why we empower our certified engineers to make the right and necessary decisions in the moment they need to be made.
SpearTip’s industry-leading human response and support efforts are bolstered by our superlative software solution that prevents cyberattacks from impacting your privacy and critical data. ShadowSpear is lightweight, stable, and integrates fully with all of your current cloud and network-based systems, programs, and applications to provide optimal visibility across your entire environment. It combines state-of-the-art endpoint detection and response with a fully functioning SIEM and automated scripts—all with a single pane of glass experience—that immediately identify and isolate malicious activity. Furthermore, ShadowSpear comes equipped with email security and phishing prevention capabilities, active-scan AV, and a whole host of additional security layers making it an all-in-one software solution allowing you to instantaneously enhance your security posture while ditching legacy toolsets.
The ShadowSpear Platform is a demonstrated defense against threat actors, ransomware, APTs, and all conceivable threats because it deftly combines genuine human experience, talent, and awareness with software that is proven, reliable, and powerful. Security is built into every fiber of SpearTip’s operation. It’s what drives us with every partnership and every alert as we outmaneuver every adversary with the ShadowSpear Platform. No exceptions.
SpearTip Defends You.
