21 Jul An Organization’s 5 Most Vulnerable Cyber Breach Entry Points
When burglars case a house to thieve, they look for easy access. Unlocked doors and open windows are the most common entry points into homes. What about business computer networks? What are the most vulnerable locations cybercriminals target for entry? How can MSPs help clients secure these weak spots? Let’s find out.
The Top 5 Most Vulnerable Breach Entry Points In An Organization’s System
- Poor Security Patching
Lack of up-to-date security patches opens networks and devices to harm. A missed patch could lead to direct administrative access, which can be devastating. Organizations must stay current on all patches to preserve system health and protection. However, company systems remain at risk until a vulnerability is discovered and a patch is created – sometimes, the hackers find the weakness before the vendor. Additionally, obsolete operating systems such as Windows 7 pose risks to an organization because they no longer receive security updates.
- Lack of Server Message Block Signing
Server message block (SMB) signing works as a Windows network file sharing protocol used for authentication. The feature validates a system’s communication authenticity to help prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. SMB signing is typically disabled by default except on servers configured as domain controllers. Hackers can seize authentications through an SMB and deliver them to a host that is SMB disabled. The communication will be accepted because it doesn’t have to verify it.
- Weak Passwords
This vulnerability is one of the easiest to remedy, yet remains one of the top breach facilitators. Understandably, employees are bogged down with passwords. They must have unique passwords for work and personal cyber activity – for laptops, desktops, cell phones, networks, online shopping, email accounts, and boundless internet recreation. So, it’s not surprising that many workers violate cybersecurity best practices with weak, easy-to-remember passwords or the same password for multiple accounts.
- Mobile Devices
More employees than ever are using mobile devices for work–and many of those are personal devices. Company devices get lost or stolen, left unattended while turned on, and used on non-secure Wi-Fi connections. Personal mobile devices endure the same dangers, plus one: they often don’t bear sufficient security, like password protection or file encryption.
- Unprotected Shared Folders
An organization’s share folders often contain sensitive data. Overly permissive protocols or unprotected folders directly endanger that data. And the risk is there both externally and internally. Anyone on the inside with malicious intent can gain access, perhaps undetected.
MSPs can offer vulnerability scanning to help clients protect their networks and their data. It can be one of their most powerful tools. This proactive approach detects risks before they become incidents. Not only will regular vulnerability scans provide better IT security for your clients, but the problems they uncover can expand your revenue and your worth to your client when you perform the fix.
To find more about how you can use vulnerability scanning to secure your clients, visit us and request a demo.