The Kill Chain: How Cybersecurity Professionals Are Working to Protect IoT Devices

Serious question: If someone wanted to, could they hack into your SMB's network?

What if they already have?

43 percent of cyberattacks in the U.S. target small business. Without a cybersecurity action plan in place, you could find your SMB's data for sale on the dark web.

Fortunately, cybersecurity experts are developing electronic tools to help small business owners combat cybercrime: the kill chain. But, even the kill chain has its shortcomings. To make sure you're fully protected in the event of a cyberattack, get a cyber risk insurance plan.

The Kill Chain: What is It?
According to CSO, \in military parlance, a 'Kill Chain' is a phase-based model to describe the stages of an attack, which also helps to prevent such attacks.\" A cyber kill chain, like its military counterpart lays out a plan of action in cyberwarfare. These stages as per Dark Reading include:

  • Scouting: The cybercriminal picks a target and conducts research on the mark. Research includes looking for vulnerabilities in the target's computer system.
  • Weaponization: The cybercriminal develops a virus that can break through the target's vulnerabilities.
  • Distribution: The cybercriminal disseminates the virus via email, corrupted link, flash drive or by some other way.
  • Exploitation: The virus finds the vulnerability in the system and works to weaken the system's security, ultimately destroying it.
  • Installation: The virus installs itself in the system and provides the cybercriminal multiple entry points into said system, undetected.
  • Command and Control: The cybercriminal has complete control over the system and can manipulate and steal data.
  • Cybercriminals don't take days off. With every software update rollout, they are working to find its vulnerability and to take users for a ride at an incredibly costly expense.

Battling Cybercrime
First termed a kill chain by computer scientists at the Lockheed-Martin Corporation, this method of cyber protection could help stymie attacks. By understanding how a cybercriminal works, businesses can better protect their data. In looking at your network from the outside, you can determine where and how a cybercriminal can invade and latch on to your code. This requires a lot of work on behalf of your IT team. No IT team? You can either hire a cybersecurity firm to conduct routine maintenance checks for you, or you can learn how to protect your network yourself.

Initially, this is going to seem like a tall order, but by taking smaller cybersecurity measures you are taking leaps in protecting your business. Here's how:

Train your staff: Help your staff learn to recognize what a phishing email is and the importance of not clicking on random links and opening mysterious attachments.

Update software routinely: Software updates are obnoxious, especially when you have work to get done, but they help better protect your network from scheming cybercriminals.

Get cyber insurance: Cybercriminals come at all skill levels. An expert cybercriminal will burrow their way into someone's code no matter the cost. Should a cybercriminal get into your network and cause trouble, cyber insurance will cover the costs.

If you want your business to succeed, there are tools you need to keep it going, one being cyber insurance. Compare cyber insurance policies with CyberPolicy today.

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