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3-minute read<\/span>DataRoad<\/span><\/p>\n In summary<\/p>\n In this article<\/p>\n Most cyber attacks on Portuguese SMEs do not target large corporations \u2014 they target smaller companies precisely because, on average, they have fewer defences in place. This checklist brings together the essential protections that any SME should have in place, regardless of its sector of activity.<\/p>\n A correctly configured firewall is the first barrier between the company's internal network and the outside world. In companies with multiple departments or device types, VLAN segmentation limits the impact of a potentially compromised device, preventing an isolated incident from spreading across the entire network.<\/p>\n The typical target is not the large company.<\/strong> Most attacks on Portuguese organisations target smaller companies precisely because they have, on average, fewer defences in place.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Having backups is not the same as having backups that work. Many companies only discover that a backup is corrupted or incomplete at the very moment they need it most. Good practice includes the 3-2-1 rule (three copies, on two different types of media, one of them off-site) and periodic restore tests, not just confirmation that the backup \u201cran without errors\u201d.<\/p>\n A compromised password is no longer enough for an attacker to access email, files, or critical applications when a second factor of authentication is active. It is one of the most cost-effective measures in cybersecurity, and it should be active for all corporate email, VPN, and management application access.<\/p>\n Outdated operating systems, management software and network equipment firmware are one of the most common entry points for cyber attacks. Centralised update management \u2014 rather than relying on each employee to update their own equipment \u2014 ensures that these patches reach all workstations consistently.<\/p>\n Most security incidents begin with a human action \u2014 clicking on a phishing link, a shared password, an unverified attachment opened. Periodic awareness sessions, even short ones, significantly reduce this type of risk.<\/p>\n Every employee should have access only to the systems and data necessary for their role \u2014 no more than that. This limits the impact of a compromised account and makes it easier to audit who accesses what information. Centralised access management, via Active Directory or equivalent, is the most efficient way to apply this principle.<\/p>\n With the growth of remote and hybrid working, access to company systems from abroad must be done exclusively via an encrypted VPN, never through direct, unprotected connections to the internal network.<\/p>\n A successful attack is rarely instantaneous \u2014 there are usually signs of anomalous activity before the actual impact (repeated access attempts, network traffic outside the usual pattern, unauthorised changes). 24\/7 monitoring makes it possible to detect and react to these signs before they become a serious incident.<\/p>\n Knowing in advance who to contact, which systems to isolate first and how to communicate internally in the event of an incident drastically reduces response time \u2014 and, consequently, the impact of the incident itself.<\/p>\n If your company does not have the majority of these points implemented, the most efficient approach is not to try to resolve everything at once, but rather to start with an audit of the current infrastructure, which identifies the most critical gaps and prioritises the fixes with the greatest impact relative to the risk.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A DataRoad<\/strong> is a Portuguese company specialising in managed IT services (MSP)<\/strong>, headquartered in Alfragide (Lisbon) and with an active presence in Porto, Faro, Funchal, \u00c9vora, Set\u00fabal and Beja. Since 2015, it has ensured the smooth running of IT infrastructures for businesses that cannot afford downtime \u2014 hotels, clinics, embassies, universities, multinationals and demanding SMEs \u2014 with a certified technical team, continuous monitoring and 24\/7 support.<\/p>\n DataRoad supports businesses that rely on technology to operate \u2014 from network infrastructure to cybersecurity, and from servers and backups to day-to-day support \u2014 with a model of managed service (MSP)<\/strong> which ensures continuity, performance and cost predictability.<\/p>\n Get in touch with DataRoad<\/p>\n Would you like to know whether your company\u2019s network is truly secure? We\u2019ll carry out an assessment and provide you with a no-obligation quote.<\/p>\n\n
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1. Dedicated firewall and network segmentation<\/h2>\n
Tested backups \u2014 not just made<\/h2>\n
3. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)<\/h2>\n
Managed security updates<\/h2>\n
5. Employee training and awareness<\/h2>\n
6. Access control and principle of least privilege<\/h2>\n
7. VPN for remote access<\/h2>\n
8. Continuous monitoring<\/h2>\n
9. Incident response plan<\/h2>\n
Where to start<\/h2>\n
DataRoad \u2014 IT services for businesses<\/h2>\n
DataRoad Services<\/h2>\n
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