IT-Sicherheit

Why should vulnerability analysis be a concern for SMEs as well?

More than half of all small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany have already been victims of a cyberattack; depending on the scale of the attack, financial losses have reached millions.

The media constantly reports on cyber incidents involving the tech industry’s biggest players. From data breaches at Facebook and Twitch, to ransomware attacks on MediaMarkt and Saturn, to serious vulnerabilities in Microsoft products. All this news leads to the assumption that such cyberattacks are always aimed solely at the tech giants and that one’s own small or medium-sized business is therefore of no interest to malicious actors.

Why should cybersecurity be a concern for small and medium-sized businesses as well?

In reality, however, the opposite is true: SMEs are a very popular target for attackers. More than half of all SMEs in Germany have already fallen victim to a cyberattack, with financial losses running into the millions depending on the scale of the attack. Ransomware attacks, leaks of business-critical data, and the compromise of entire IT infrastructures are just the tip of the iceberg.

IT security affects every business—including yours

The first step: Vulnerability analysis

To improve the security of IT systems, it is essential to conduct a comprehensive analysis of these systems to assess their current security level. This is precisely where a vulnerability analysis comes in. Automated scans can be used to test, determine, and report on the security levels of various components of an infrastructure. Thanks to automation, even large infrastructures can be mapped and analyzed quickly and easily.

After a successful vulnerability scan, the results must be validated and analyzed. Based on these analyses, measures are then discussed that will improve cybersecurity within the company in the short term, but above all in the long term and in a sustainable manner.

IT security affects every business—including yours

Promoting IT security in a sustainable way

It is important to understand that simply scanning the IT infrastructure does not guarantee security; rather, it merely identifies potential courses of action. To derive the greatest possible benefit for cybersecurity from such an analysis, specific measures should be defined and implemented based on the identified potential courses of action. It is important that the defined measures to improve the security level are also continuously and meticulously monitored for compliance and implementation.

Given the constant evolution and change in digital systems, regularly reviewing IT security is key to ensuring optimal protection against malicious actors online. For example, conducting an annual vulnerability assessment is a good approach, as it allows companies to evaluate the progress of their security measures while directly identifying and addressing new vulnerabilities in their IT infrastructure.

Your journey with OHB Digital Services

We support you in the process of taking your IT security to the next level. To this end, our IT security experts will conduct an initial consultation with you to gain an understanding of your current cybersecurity status and identify your priorities for further security development. This involves determining which systems are critical to your business and how they should be tested as part of the vulnerability scan.

Once we have agreed on a specific testing period, we will begin analyzing the systems you have prioritized using the automated vulnerability scanner “Nessus Professional.” Our analysts will then review the results for accuracy and filter them as necessary, so that you receive a report containing only findings relevant to improving your company’s security.

Once the scheduled vulnerability scan is complete, you will receive a comprehensive report on the results, which will also be presented and discussed in detail during a feedback session. During this session, our experts will work with you to develop specific measures to enhance your company’s security. This ensures that your company realizes immediate benefits right after the vulnerability analysis.

To create long-term value for you and your business, we offer ongoing vulnerability assessments that allow you to continuously monitor the evolution of your security posture and set priorities in an agile manner. Feel free to contact us.