Cyberdefense: A collective responsibility to protect our businesses

In an increasingly connected world, cyberthreats are omnipresent, affecting large corporations and small businesses alike. The threat is on the increase, as the recent theft of the Swiss Confederation's data and the DDoS attacks on the Federal Parliament's website have shown. A global approach to cybersecurity is essential to protect our companies and their sensitive data.

In this context, it is crucial to protect IT services and purchased software, which are often neglected despite their crucial role in corporate security. Their compromise can have serious consequences, ranging from data loss to theft of sensitive information, or even the introduction of ransomware.

From our perspective, there are a few basic rules to follow:

1. Outsourced services are an integral part of the business world, but blindly trusting these external providers can be risky. It is therefore essential to verify their reliability and establish relationships of trust, while maintaining an adequate level of control.
2. Regular testing of software and services is also very important to ensure that they function properly and avoid vulnerabilities. Penetration tests and regular audits of service providers further strengthen the defense against cyber threats.
3. To detect attacks as soon as they appear, continuous 24/7 monitoring is essential. Companies should therefore call on specialist service providers with experts capable of real-time analysis to identify suspicious activity and react quickly. Concrete examples of attacks against the supplier chain, such as the SolarWinds attack in 2021 or the NotPetya ransomware incident in 2017, illustrate the importance of protecting the entire chain to avoid disastrous consequences.
4. In a world where cyberthreats are constantly evolving, it makes more sense to pool cybersecurity resources. Pooling the purchase of services and setting up platforms common to several SMEs, strengthens the security of all corporate networks.

Implementing effective cybersecurity may represent a cost, but the amount must be weighed against the potential damage caused by an attack. Investments in security are justified to preserve business integrity and continuity.

In short, cybersecurity is a collective responsibility. By paying attention to IT services, regularly monitoring providers, reacting quickly to attacks, and relying on continuous monitoring by specialist companies with real-time analysis, we can build a solid defense against cyber threats. Together, we'll be better prepared to face the challenges of cyberspace and protect our businesses from digital dangers.