Network Security and Compliance Expertise

Cybersecurity is essential for businesses of all sizes, but it often comes with a hefty price tag. In 2024, the global average cost of a cyberattack has risen to over $4 million, according to the IBM Data Breach report. Fortunately, you don't need a massive budget to protect your organization from cyber threats. With some strategic choices and best practices, you can significantly improve your cybersecurity defenses without breaking the bank.

This guide outlines five essential and budget-friendly cybersecurity practices that can safeguard your organization from the most common threats in 2025. By focusing on these key areas, you can protect your data, systems, and reputation, even with limited financial resources.

To mitigate this risk, businesses must enforce policies that require employees to create strong, unique passwords for all accounts. Strong passwords should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Password managers, such as Bitwarden or LastPass, can simplify this process by securely storing and managing these complex passwords, ensuring that employees aren't tempted to reuse weak credentials across multiple accounts.

However, strong passwords alone aren't enough anymore, which is why Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a must. MFA adds an additional layer of security by requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to systems or applications. This could include something they know (password), something they have (a phone or token), or something they are (biometric verification). By implementing MFA, you can mitigate the risks of credential theft and phishing attacks.

Progent Recommendations:

Password Vault: Bitwarden, LastPass

MFA: Duo MFA, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator.

Related Services Available from Progent:
Progent is a certified Duo Managed Service Provider and can help you design, deploy, troubleshoot and manage a modern identity validation solution that provides the highest level of security without bogging down your users. Progent's ProSight Duo family of managed services offers two-factor authentication (2FA) for secure access to any application located anywhere, including Microsoft 365 and GSuite. For details, see Duo MFA Integration Consultants.

2. Establish a Patch Management Policy
One of the most critical yet overlooked aspects of cybersecurity is patch management. According to the CyberSecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, many known vulnerabilities are actively exploited by attackers, leading to severe data breaches and system compromises. CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog is a valuable resource that lists vulnerabilities known to be actively targeted by hackers, emphasizing the importance of timely patching.

Threat actors are known to exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software, and as ransomware threats continue to evolve, they increasingly target these unpatched systems. According to a CSO Online article,Threat Actor groups exploit known vulnerabilities to deploy ransomware, steal data, and extort victims under the threat of public exposure or encryption. In fact, some of the most active ransomware groups, like LockBit 3.0 and Play, leverage vulnerabilities in software like Microsoft Exchange or Fortinet appliances to gain unauthorized access to networks.

By implementing an effective patch management policy, businesses ensure that security updates are applied regularly, significantly reducing the risk of cyberattacks. Many cyber incidents, including ransomware attacks, are the result of exploiting vulnerabilities that could have been addressed through routine patching. If your organization struggles to manually keep up with updates, consider leveraging automated tools that streamline the patching process.

Auto-updates, which are built into most modern systems, can be configured to automatically install critical security patches, making this a low-cost, high-impact solution. Prioritize patching for essential systems like operating systems, browsers, and any productivity tools your business relies on, as these are frequent targets for attackers.

Create a patch management policy that ensures all software, hardware, and systems are up to date with the latest security patches. Many software providers offer automatic updates, which can streamline this process and ensure critical patches are applied promptly.

By regularly updating systems and applying patches, you reduce the attack surface and lower the risk of cyberattacks that exploit known vulnerabilities.

Related Services Available from Progent:
Progent's managed services for patch management provide businesses of any size an affordable end-to-end solution for identifying, acquiring, evaluating, testing, prioritizing, scheduling, applying, and documenting software and firmware updates to your ever-evolving IT network. In addition to optimizing the security and functionality of your network, Progent's patch management services free up time for your IT staff to focus on strategic projects and tasks that deliver maximum business value to your information system. For details, see Progent's Patch Management Services.

3. Implement a Security Awareness Training Program
While advanced security tools are important, the biggest vulnerability in any organization often remains the human element. Your employees are your first line of defense against cyber threats, and often, they are also the weakest link. Human error is one of the leading causes of cybersecurity breaches, primarily due to phishing attacks or poor security practices.

Active ransomware groups and threat actors, such as Scattered Spider, 8Base, Akira, BlackBasta, and Dragonforce continue to target employees through phishing scams, social engineering, and other deceptive tactics to gain access to networks. This makes security awareness training a critical defensive measure for any business. According to IronLogix, educating employees on recognizing threats and following safe security practices is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your business.

A well-structured security awareness training program will educate employees to recognize phishing attempts, properly handle sensitive information, and report suspicious activities. This is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your business, as it empowers your staff to become the first line of defense against cyber threats. Many affordable online training modules are available, allowing businesses to continuously educate employees on the latest tactics used by cybercriminals.

Regularly testing and training your staff, including simulated phishing exercises, helps to develop the muscle memory needed to respond instinctively when faced with a potential attack. This hands-on practice ensures employees are prepared to act quickly and correctly when a real threat emerges, significantly reducing the likelihood of a successful breach.

Related Services Available from Progent:
Progent's certified cybersecurity experts can help you design and deliver up-to-date training and test drills to make sure your staff can continue to recognize and ward off the latest phishing and social engineering attacks.

4. Backup Your Data Regularly and Test Restorations
Data loss is one of the biggest concerns for IT professionals and business owners alike. Whether caused by hardware failure, human error, or cyberattacks, losing access to critical data can significantly disrupt or even halt business operations. One of the most cost-effective ways to protect your business is to implement a regular data backup routine. A survey of IT professionals cited that data loss is most often caused by hardware or system failure (31%), followed closely by human error (29%) and cyberattacks (29%). This is why having a reliable data backup system is essential for any business. According to a January 2024 blog by Field Effect, backups are particularly useful in ransomware incidents, where attackers might encrypt your data and demand a ransom. If you have recent backups, you won't be as pressured to pay - allowing you to restore operations without major disruptions.

Field Effect recommends following the 3-2-1 backup rule, a widely accepted strategy in cybersecurity:

• Keep three copies of your data: the original file and two backups.
• Store those backups on two different types of storage (e.g., one on an external hard drive and one in the cloud).
• Keep one backup offsite, such as in a cloud service, to ensure recovery even in the case of a physical disaster.

Backup strategies can vary depending on the organization's needs. Some businesses may require hot backups, where data is frequently accessed and needs to be restored quickly, while others might opt for cold storage, which is more suitable for archived data that isn't needed immediately.

Equally important to backing up data is testing your restorations. A report cited in Field Effect's article found that 58% of data backups fail during restoration. Testing ensures that your backups are functioning properly and can be restored quickly without errors. There's nothing worse than realizing a backup has failed when you need it most, so regularly verifying the integrity of your backups can prevent this nightmare scenario.

By developing and testing a robust backup strategy, organizations can ensure that they are prepared for unexpected data loss due to hardware failures, human error, or cyberattacks, thereby minimizing operational disruptions and financial loss.

Progent Recommendations:

Barracuda Backup
Altaro VM Backup
Hornetsecurity 365 Total Backup
Microsoft Azure Backup
MSP360 Backup

Related Services Available from Progent:
ProSight's Data Protection Services offer a range of affordable and fully managed services for secure backup/disaster recovery (BDR). ProSight DPS automates and monitors your backup processes and enables fast restoration of critical data, applications and virtual machines that have become unavailable or corrupted due to hardware failures, software bugs, natural disasters, human error, or malware attacks such as ransomware. ProSight DPS can help you copy, encrypt, recover and restore files, folders, applications, system images, plus Hyper-V and VMware images. Critical data can be backed up locally and to the cloud and Progent can help you manage and test your data based on best practices. For details, refer to ProSight Data Protection Services.

5. Upgrading Your EDR to an MDR Solution
Upgrading from EDR to an MDR solution is a game-changer for businesses that want enhanced security without the burden of constantly managing their defenses. Sure, EDR is effective - it catches suspicious activities on your endpoints and automates certain responses. But as cyber threats grow more sophisticated, managing an EDR system requires continuous attention. That's where MDR steps in.

With MDR, you get "eyes-on-glass" coverage. Experts are monitoring your systems 24/7, analyzing threats, and responding to incidents in real time. Instead of relying solely on your EDR, which sometimes can miss complex attacks or generate overwhelming alerts, MDR combines the strengths of EDR with a dedicated team of security professionals who can actively hunt for threats and react quickly when something goes wrong.

MDR also gives you the flexibility to focus on your core business while leaving security in the hands of experts. While this may sound like a luxury for some organizations on a tight budget, many MDR solutions are scalable and priced for small and mid-sized businesses, making it a practical next step for companies that want enterprise-grade protection without hiring an entire security team in-house.

In short, while EDR is great, upgrading to MDR ensures that your business is always protected, even when you're not watching. It's a proactive, hands-off way to maintain strong security defenses and peace of mind.

Progent Recommendations:

SentinelOne Singularity EDR and Singularity Complete with Vigilance MDR

Related Services Available from Progent:
SentinelOne's Singularity product line is a subscription-based, cloud-centric cyberthreat defense stack that features computer learning software and professional services to deliver enterprise-class endpoint detection and response (Singularity EDR) and managed detection and response (Singularity Complete with Vigilance MDR). Progent is a certified SentinelOne Partner and dealer and oversees thousands of endpoints secured by SentinelOne Singularity technology. SentinelOne is the go-to incident response software activated by Progent to provide control and visibility of a customer's network at the outset of a ransomware recovery emergency. SentinelOne is also the root EDR software powering Progent's Active Security Monitoring (ASM) managed services. For more information about Progent's SentinelOne-based EDR and MDR services, see SentinelOne Singularity EDR and Singularity Complete with Vigilance MDR.

Final Thoughts

Today, cybersecurity is no longer an option - it's a fundamental requirement for businesses of all sizes. The reality is, cyberattacks aren't just targeting large corporations anymore. Small and mid-sized businesses are often in the crosshairs because of perceived weaker defenses. Thankfully, building a robust cybersecurity strategy doesn't have to come with an exorbitant price tag. By focusing on key, budget-friendly practices, you can significantly strengthen your security posture and minimize risks.

By implementing key practices like strong password management, multi-factor authentication, consistent patch management, security awareness training for employees, regular data backups and testing, plus upgrading your EDR to MDR, you can greatly enhance your business's security without overspending.

It's no longer enough to hope you won't be targeted - you should assume you will be and prepare accordingly. By proactively investing in these practical, cost-effective cybersecurity practices you will reduce the potential impact of cyberattacks and ensure your business is resilient, no matter what challenges the future may bring.

References
1. "10 Best Cybersecurity Tips & Practices in 2024 From Experts." IT Support & Cybersecurity Services | ITSasap.com.
https://www.itsasap.com/blog/cybersecurity-best-practices

2. "Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPG) Checklist." | Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/cisa_cpg_checklist_v1.0.1_final.pdf

3. "Top 10 Cybersecurity Best Practices for Businesses in 2024: Expert Recommendations." | IronLogix.
https://www.ironlogix.com/top-10-cybersecurity-best-practices/

4. "Cybersecurity Best Practices for Small Businesses." | Field Effect.
https://fieldeffect.com/blog/cybersecurity-best-practices-this-year/

5. "Data Backups: What Business Owners Should Know" | Field Effect.
https://fieldeffect.com/blog/data-backups

6. "IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024" | IBM.
https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach

6. "IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024" | IBM.
https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach

7. "Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigation Report" | Verizon.
https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/2024-dbir-data-breach-investigations-report.pdf

Contact Progent for Cybersecurity Expertise
If you need expertise in any aspect of network security, call Progent at 800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.

Ransomware 24x7 Hot Line: Call 800-462-8800
Progent's Ransomware 24x7 Hot Line is intended to guide organizations to take the urgent first phase in responding to a ransomware assault by containing the malware. Progent's online ransomware engineer can help businesses to identify and isolate breached servers and endpoints and protect undamaged assets from being penetrated. If your network has been penetrated by any version of ransomware, don't panic. Get immediate help by calling Progent's Ransomware Hot Line at 800-462-8800. For details, see Progent's Ransomware 24x7 Hot Line.