An optimal technology stack for SMBs: fortifying your business in today’s world

In today’s fiercely competitive business environment, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) must be agile and resilient— and fortify themselves against security risks.

Crafting the right technology stack is critical to achieving these objectives.

In this blog post, I’ll explore an optimal technology stack for SMBs, encompassing cutting-edge solutions like remote browser isolation (RBI), cloud computing, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and more.

I’ll also delve into how these technologies address today’s major threat vectors, including phishing, weak passwords, remote work, and lateral movement by threat actors.

Discover how Parallels Secure Workspace can help your business — download your free trial now!

Cloud computing: the foundation of security

Building your technology stack on cloud computing provides a solid foundation for addressing various threat vectors.

Cloud service providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offer robust security measures, including data encryption, threat detection, and identity access management.

Here are some of the most common threat vectors and how cloud computing addresses them:

Phishing: Cloud-based email security solutions can identify and filter out phishing emails, preventing employees from falling victim to these attacks.
Bad passwords: Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) within your cloud environment enhances security by requiring additional verification beyond passwords.
Remote work: Cloud-based applications and data allow for secure remote access, and cloud providers ensure data encryption and security in transit.
Lateral movement: Proper cloud configuration and access controls reduce the risk of unauthorized lateral movement within the cloud environment.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

In the era of remote work and evolving threats, the Zero Trust model is indispensable.

ZTNA or Zero Trust Network Access models assume that no one, whether inside or outside the organization, can be trusted until their identity and device are verified.

This approach is pivotal in safeguarding against the lateral movement of threat actors.

Here is how ZTNA addresses various common threat vectors:

Phishing: ZTNA ensures that even if an employee’s credentials are compromised, access is only granted after further verification, reducing the risk of phishing attacks.
Bad passwords: Strong authentication policies enforced by ZTNA mitigate the impact of weak passwords.
Remote work: ZTNA secures remote access by requiring verification for each session, regardless of the user’s location.
Lateral movement: By segmenting access and verifying users and devices at every step, ZTNA reduces the risk of lateral movement by threat actors.

Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)

Phishing attacks often target web browsers, making remote browser isolation a game-changer.

RBI or remote browser isolation technology keeps web browsing activities away from the local device, preventing malware and malicious code from infiltrating your network.

How remote browser isolation addresses today’s major threat vectors:

Phishing: Remote browser isolation ensures that even if an employee clicks on a malicious link, the threat remains isolated in a remote environment, unable to access your network.
Bad passwords: Remote browser isolation can also protect against keyloggers, which are often used to steal passwords.
Remote work: With employees working from various locations, remote browser isolation provides an added layer of security for web browsing, reducing the risk of malware infections.
Lateral movement: Isolating web browsing activities further mitigates the risk of lateral movement via compromised web content.

Business digitization and collaboration

To effectively combat threats, SMBs must embrace digitization and collaboration tools.

Modern collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack, integrated into your technology stack, facilitate secure communication and collaboration among remote teams.

Here’s business digitation and collaboration technologies can protect you against various common threat vectors:

Phishing: Collaboration platforms enable employees to verify suspicious emails with colleagues before taking any action, reducing the chances of falling for phishing attempts.
Bad passwords: Encourage the use of password managers and MFA within collaboration tools to fortify password security.
Remote work: Collaboration platforms centralize communication, making it easier for remote teams to collaborate securely.
Lateral movement: With centralized communication and access controls, collaboration platforms limit the potential for lateral movement by threat actors.

In conclusion, constructing an optimal technology stack for SMBs is a strategic move in today’s digital landscape.

Cloud computing, ZTNA, remote browser isolation, and collaboration tools collectively address major threat vectors, fortifying your business against phishing attacks, weak passwords, remote work challenges, and the lateral movement of threat actors.

By adopting these technologies, SMBs can not only protect their assets but also position themselves for growth and resilience in an ever-evolving threat landscape.

See how you can protect your business and set yourself for success in 2024 (and beyond) with Parallels RAS. Try it now!

Did you enjoy this post? Check out Dr. Zero Trust’s previous blog posts on Zero Trust strategies, remote browser isolation, and more.