How Does Advanced Persistent Threat Detection Save Small Businesses?

You've heard it before and you'll hear it again. Small businesses are the easiest target for cyberattacks because they typically have a smaller or nonexistent IT department. If you fit under the small business umbrella, you know the struggles of managing IT. You also know the threat of losing your sensitive data is a real challenge you face daily.
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One of these major attacks against your data comes in the form of an advanced persistent threat. Understanding the danger you face and how detection keeps persistent threats at bay keeps your business safe and helps you identify issues that may have otherwise been hidden.

​Advanced Persistent Threat Targets

Due to the level of effort needed to carry out the attacks, advanced persistent threats (APTs) are usually aimed at high-value targets. The ultimate goal of an APT attack is to steal information over a long time, rather than skim attacks.
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APT is a method of attack that every business, no matter the size, should be aware of and protect against. Just because the main targets are enterprises doesn't mean SMBs are immune from these attacks. With over 50% of all cyber-attacks being done against SMBs, you can't afford to be complacent.

​The Evolution of Advanced Persistent Threat Attacks

The purpose of an APT attack is to gain ongoing access to your systems, which is done through five stages.

1. Gain Access: Like a thief with a crowbar, cybercriminals will find a way to pry their way into your network through an infected file, junk email, or an application vulnerability. Without dedicated security teams in place, your network is an open book to potentially exploit.
2. Establish a Foothold: Cybercriminals inject malware into your system that gives them the means to create hidden backdoors and tunnels that allow them to move around undetected. The malware uses techniques like rewriting code to cover the hacker's tracks and hole them up in their virtual cave without worrying about retaliation or discovery.
3. Moving Deeper: Once they've established a virtual base camp inside your network, hackers use methods like password cracking to gain administrative privileges to give them more access to the system.
4. Lateral Movement: Using administrative access, the hackers can now move at will. They can also attempt to access other services and parts of the network without a trace. To the general user, the targeted network will appear to be fully functional as though nothing is amiss, but underneath the hood, the infestation grows.
5. Lying in Wait: Now that they are fully integrated with the system, the hackers gain a full understanding of how it works and the vulnerabilities behind it. Now they can harvest any information they want without worrying about being caught. At this point, even if they are found out, they have set up measures to distract security teams long enough to burrow in deeper or get out without a trace. Hackers can keep this process running indefinitely if they want or withdraw once their specific goals have been met. There one minute, gone the next without a footprint to be found.

​APT Security Measures for SMBs

Corporate cyber defenses tend to have sophisticated networks and dedicated teams designed to repel something like an advanced persistent attack before it makes any headway. They're able to detect issues before they impact the bottom line, sealing off or counteracting these attacks to keep them isolated. SMBs don't often have the same resources available to handle an advanced persistent threat attack, relying instead on either the hope of not being a target or a service that provides solutions tailored to situations like this.

In this instance, a solution like RocketCyber does wonders for SMBs by providing a managed SOC that keeps your intellectual property safe. Using a built-in app store that has purpose-built threat detection apps, RocketCyber gives you the means to protect your business through endpoint monitoring, network security, and cloud protection. If committing to the solution alone is intimidating, then the next step is finding an MSP that offers RocketCyber in its collection of services.

​Your Dedicated Digital Security Team

Small businesses have enough to worry about, choosing your cybersecurity solutions shouldn't be another worry to add to the mix. With an IT service provider like IntegriTel, you have professional security services through some of the latest and greatest vendors in the industry. Alongside RocketCyber, we also employ solutions through Bitdefender, providing consistent services across every aspect of your technology needs.

If advanced persistent threats or other forms of malware are on your radar and you need a solution dedicated to keeping you safe, IntegriTel has you covered. Give us a call if you're interested and we'd love to talk through how we can keep you protected well into the future.