Roberto Popolizio
I asked 500 experts this exact question for you…
Here are the 4 standout answers.
Benj Hawkins, Sales Manager at SaferNet:
Small businesses can now improve their cybersecurity affordably by focusing on key, cost-effective steps.
- Start with strong passwords for all accounts and enable two-factor authentication where possible, adding an extra layer of security.
- Use a basic firewall to control who can access your network, and train employees on recognizing phishing emails and other scams that often target small businesses.
- Regularly backing up data is also essential, ensuring you can recover quickly if data is lost or compromised.
- Many of these tools, such as password managers, built-in firewall settings, and secure cloud storage for backups, are low-cost or free.
SaferNet offers an all-in-one, budget-friendly solution designed specifically for small businesses. With 24/7 VPN protection, firewall defenses, threat detection, and easy device monitoring, SaferNet provides comprehensive cybersecurity in a user-friendly platform that doesn’t require a full-time IT team.
Scalable solutions like SaferNet allows small businesses to start with essential protections and expand as they grow. This way they can build strong cybersecurity without breaking the bank, ensuring their data, networks, and customer information are protected against evolving digital threats.
Jonathan Anastasia, President of CUBE3.AI
Blockchain technology is becoming instrumental in elevating cybersecurity, especially in fraud prevention. With its core mechanism—distributed ledger technology—blockchain enhances transparency and accountability in ways traditional systems cannot. This decentralized structure means that no single entity controls the data, significantly reducing the risk of tampering. Rather than relying on centralized repositories that can be prime targets for cybercriminals, blockchain disperses data access across multiple checkpoints, creating a network of independent verification.
For fraud detection, blockchain offers unparalleled traceability. Every transaction is documented across the network in real-time, making it nearly impossible for malicious actors to alter data without leaving a visible trail. This transparency is crucial for identifying fraudulent actions in digital transactions, where unauthorized access or payment manipulation is common. By providing immutable records, blockchain enables stakeholders to verify legitimacy at every step, potentially reducing fraud incidents tied to identity theft, unauthorized access, or synthetic fraud.
Integrating blockchain’s principles into cybersecurity frameworks provides businesses and individuals with stronger defenses against sophisticated fraud schemes. Blockchain is not merely an additional security layer—it represents a transformative shift, bringing resilience and accountability to the digital world and helping to address the evolving challenges of fraud in an increasingly interconnected landscape.
Usman Choudhary, Chief Product and Technology Officer, VIPRE Security Group:
Embedding AI as part of a layered security approach is now the most effective way of successfully using AI to protect against cyber threats.
Foremost, AI improves the automatic detection of fraudulent emails. Techniques such as machine learning have long been in use for this purpose.
Security teams can use AI to accelerate incident investigations and close incidents faster. When investigating incidents, security professionals can ask questions using natural language, request summaries about discovered links and files, explore context about artifacts, ask for deeper sandbox analysis of links and files, and more.
Especially in the context of business email compromise (BEC), a tactic persistently deployed by criminals, deploying AI for mapping email usage and behavioural patterns can help security teams to quickly identify suspicious emails for more detailed investigation.
AI can facilitate an employee self-service approach to cybersecurity. With AI-based tools, employees can identify low-level fraudulent activity independently, escalating only those threats to the security team that need expert intervention. Say, an employee suspects phishing and asks the AI tool, “Is this email from Supplier Z?” The AI analyses the email’s domains to verify if it’s from Supplier Z. With this capability, employees can interact with the AI via text or voice, from anywhere, whether on their desktop at home or smartphone in a coffee shop.
Panos Moutafis, Ph.D. CEO & Co-founder at Zenus, Inc.
Quantum computing presents a double-edged sword for the future of cybersecurity. On one hand, it threatens to shatter current encryption methods, leaving sensitive data vulnerable to attack. Imagine a world where today’s strongest security measures are rendered obsolete – that’s the potential disruptive power of quantum technology.
However, this same technology also offers a powerful shield. Quantum computing can revolutionize AI-powered defenses, enabling the development of sophisticated algorithms that can detect and neutralize threats with unprecedented speed and accuracy. It is like having a cybersecurity guardian with superhuman abilities, constantly evolving to stay ahead of malicious actors.
This duality presents a crucial challenge for organizations worldwide. Adapting to this new reality requires a proactive approach, embracing quantum-resistant cryptography and harnessing the power of AI to fortify defenses. The organizations that lead this charge will not only safeguard their own data but also pave the way for a more secure digital future.
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