Each networked endpoint – including desktops, laptops, and mobile devices – should be outfitted with antivirus and other advanced malware protection software. DNS protection evaluates each request to a DNS server, filtering out those that appear suspicious or malicious, and blocking the web page connection.Įndpoint protection.

DNS helps protect against users inadvertently clicking on a malicious web page, often as a result of a phishing attack. Next up: domain name service (DNS) protection. Some also include a policy enforcement firewall (PEF), which provides a “zero trust” boundary at the point of network access.ĭNS protection. Next-generation firewalls include additional features such as intrusion detection/intrusion prevention (IDS/IPS), application-level protection and control, and cloud-based threat intelligence. Firewalls are typically the first line of defense, inspecting network traffic and blocking or allowing it based on predefined rules relative to port, protocol, and other filters. But today it can be delivered along with the networking equipment any growing business needs for speedy connectivity within its walls (and beyond).Ī robust defense in depth strategy can include the following types of layers: Taken together, the multiple layers dramatically reduce the probability of a successful attack.Īnd here’s the best news for SMBs: It once took a variety of security appliances and software components to implement a defense in depth strategy. The idea is that even if an attacker makes it past one defense, others are in place to thwart the attack. In security circles, that means a “defense in depth” strategy that includes multiple layers of protection. It’s incumbent on SMB leaders, then, to focus on setting up a proper defense. The 2021 version of the report showed that among companies where size was identified, 307 breaches occurred in large organizations and 263 in smaller ones.

Whereas in 2020 SMBs (less than 1,000 employees) suffered fewer than half the number of breaches that larger companies did, last year it was nearly even, according to the Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report. While small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may not consider themselves prime targets for cyber security attacks, the fact is they are being targeted more frequently these days.

Mac vs windows for cyber security