March 13, 2024
Part 1: Uh-Oh. We need backup!
In almost every business’s life, there’s that moment.
You know the one.
The one where you get a phone call because there’s an email where there shouldn’t be from someone who never sent one, or a ransomware demand, or a million dollars missing. And you feel your adrenaline surge while you’re thinking, “OK, what do we do now?”
If you’re really, really lucky, you work for one of those amazing, mythical companies where there’s a fully-staffed team of security experts who’ve been given all the tools they need to secure the company and respond to threats, should those threats break through the excellent defenses the team has stood up.
Or, more likely, you live in reality like the rest of us, and security is a mostly-neglected afterthought, left on the cutting-room floor of vicious budget negotiations. You might have antivirus, or not, you have Microsoft 365 but probably not at the right licensing level; it’s possible you have Defender, but no dedicated team to check the logs that roll in, so it’s ad-hoc.
So basically… you’re defenseless, and with all eyes on you, upper-Upper management wants to know what happened, and why, and probably who’s to blame.
It’s a rotten situation that happens to the best of IT teams all day, every day, in companies around the world. And if it hasn’t happened to you yet, well… buckle up, because statistically, it will. So what are your choices?
If the metaphorical barn door is open and the horse is already gone, then taking the time (and budget) to stand up adequate defenses *right now* is not likely to happen. Budget cycles for software expenses are usually closed, and opportunities for mass executive education thin on the ground. But… you have to take some steps, right?
This is where a firm like Exfil can really help you out.
Having the ability to call in reinforcements makes it clear that you *were* prepared, to the extent you were able to be. Having a fully-capable agency in your back pocket, prepared to step in, triage, inform, and then promote, security improvements, can ease your entire executive team and Board down off the ledge, while also planting the seeds that help you push for real improvements in security posture post-event.
At times like these, Exfil’s ability to be calm and reassuring really shines. During an active breach is not the time to bring in a FUD-laden firm. You want people who can walk into a whirling vortex of stress and say, “let us help. We got this. We’re here for you,” not one that enthusiastically steps into the circular firing squad of blame and antagonism that usually characterizes awful breaches. Exfil is that organization that, through reliable, steady data, and smooth and steady partnering, helps everyone focus on better, more secure outcomes for everyone.