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4 Key Cybersecurity Challenges Businesses Face, Is MDR the Solution?

Digital expansion, remote work, and the proliferation of connected devices have extended the attack surface, making organizations attractive targets for cybercriminals. Although many businesses believe they are too small to be attacked, hackers often use them as a testing ground to hone their techniques before taking aim at larger, more lucrative targets.

Dealing with growing cyber threats is a critical task for organizations of any size, and managed detection and response (MDR) services, along with managed service providers (MSPs), are key allies in mitigating these risks.

4 Key Cybersecurity Challenges for Businesses

Companies are facing a growing number of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, but many still don’t consider security a priority. MSPs can play a critical role in helping these organizations develop a robust cybersecurity strategy that adapts to emerging threats. However, businesses’ limited resources and lack of advanced detection capabilities leave them exposed to attacks such as living-off-the-land (LotL) and ransomware, which require more advanced defenses than those typically available to organizations. Here are the main challenges they face: 

1.More sophisticated cyber threats:

Digital threats are evolving rapidly, becoming more targeted and advanced, making it difficult for companies to defend themselves effectively. They often lack a security infrastructure capable of adapting to the constant innovation developed by cybercriminals. The techniques employed by malicious actors are growing more complex, such as using legitimate tools in living-off-the-landattacks, allowing attackers to remain invisible inside compromised systems.

2.Lack of cybersecurity expertise: 

Organizations are often understaffed in cybersecurity. This shortfall of trained professionals leaves the business vulnerable, making it difficult to implement proactive security policies, integrate advanced protection technologies, and respond to incidents. The shortage of specialized personnel also prevents companies from keeping abreast of current trends and emerging threats, putting them at a disadvantage against increasingly organized cybercriminals.

3.Compliance:

Complying with regulations such as NIS2 or DORA is a major challenge for many companies, especially those with little experience in legal and compliance issues. Compliance is necessary not only to avoid fines but also to maintain customer confidence and ensure business continuity. 

Economic impact of a cyberattack: 

According to a Microsoft report, the average cost of a cyberattack on a small or midsize company stands at around $255,000, although some incidents can set the target back up to $7 million. Within this range, the Ponemon Institute estimates that a data breach has an average cost of $2.98 million, mostly due to the financial damage incident investigation, recovery, and negative reputational impact inflicted.

The role of MDR services in protecting organizations 

Developing a solid incident detection and response capability is essential to improve businesses’ cybersecurity posture and strengthen organizational resilience. MSPs are crucial allies in implementing effective cybersecurity strategies and solutions that help companies detect and mitigate threats in an agile and efficient manner, maximizing their resources.

Managed detection and response (MDR) services provide an end-to-end solution, allowing organizations to access the same advanced security technologies and cybersecurity experts typically only available to large corporations. These services are critical for detecting advanced threats, such as low-profile ransomware attacks, through constant monitoring and expert teams' use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

MDR services also enable a fast and efficient response to any security incident, minimizing its impact and preventing threats from spreading. MSPs that implement MDR solutions also facilitate regulatory compliance, reducing the risk of penalties for non-adherence to regulations and optimizing security management costs. Thus, MDR services are a key tactic to protect a company’s most valuable assets, ensuring a proactive approach to cybersecurity risks.

If you want to know more about our MDR service, click here to access Your Partner Guide to Quickly Bringing MDR to the Market, and be sure to check out the following blog posts: