6 Budget-Savvy Tips for Strengthening Your Security Strategy

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Most businesses are looking for ways to stretch every dollar in every functional area these days, and cybersecurity is no exception. In our Kaseya Cybersecurity Survey Report 2024, we revealed that the majority of our survey respondents said they foresee their IT security budget staying the same in 2025. However, last year’s tools and last year’s budget may not be enough to stand up to today’s increasingly complex and sophisticated cyberthreats. Here are six ways multifunctional IT professionals can make the most of the tools and budget they have available to get the job done.  

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Balancing strong security and budget limitations is a high-wire act

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Businesses have finally absorbed the message that strong cybersecurity controls are a must-have for continued success, especially as the regulatory environment tightens. Many insurers also have a long, complicated list of compliance requirements for obtaining or retaining cyber insurance. Throw splashy media coverage of major cyberattacks into the mix and it paints a stark picture that shows business leaders why continued investment in cybersecurity, even in challenging times, is vital to a company’s long-term health.

However, that doesn’t necessarily translate into a bigger security budget, leaving IT professionals struggling to find ways to maximize security without cutting corners. Adversaries are constantly refining their techniques, tactics and procedures (TTPs). The advent and rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by bad actors only ratchets up the pressure as they leverage the technology to launch attacks at scale. About 75% of security professionals reported that they experienced a surge in attacks last year. Most of these attacks were attributed to the rise of generative AI, a problem that is only going to continue growing over time.

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6 smart strategies for maximizing security spending

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Fortunately, there are cost-effective ways to protect sensitive data and ensure operational continuity. Here are six smart moves that can go a long way toward achieving effective cybersecurity on a budget.

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1.      Prioritize protection from phishing

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With security budgets tightening or staying flat for many organizations, allocating resources where they have the greatest impact is more critical than ever. Email remains the top attack vector, with over 90% of cyberattacks beginning with phishing. Investing in phishing protection is not just a security best practice, it’s an essential cost-saving strategy. Mitigating phishing risk helps businesses prevent major financial losses like a data breach, ransomware attack or business email compromise (BEC) disaster.

To find the right anti-phishing solution, look for one that offers:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and block sophisticated phishing attempts, including zero-day threats.
• Automated remediation that speeds up response time and minimizes human effort.
• An easy way for users to report suspicious messages.
• Simple integration with your existing security tools to enhance protection without requiring a costly overhaul.

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2.      Invest in regular employee training

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Employees are both the weakest link and the first line of defense for businesses when it comes to cybersecurity. This dichotomy makes a well-run security awareness and phishing detection training program critical for defensive success. In our report, we revealed that the top cause of cybersecurity challenges for IT professionals in 2024 was dangerous or incautious user practices. The problem has also grown worse over time. In 2024, 45% of respondents cited poor user practices as a top cybersecurity challenge — a sharp jump from 15% in 2023. Ensuring that every employee completes regular security awareness training that includes phishing simulations is mission-critical.

Maximize your investment by choosing a training solution that offers:

• Simulated phishing tests to reinforce real-world awareness.
• Bite-sized, engaging training modules.
• A wide variety of regularly updated content.
• Smart, automated reporting that helps you easily prove the value of training to budget controllers.  

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3.      Leverage dark web monitoring

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The dark web is a thriving marketplace for cybercriminals to obtain information like stolen usernames and passwords. Combine this availability with the fact that people are notoriously bad at safe password management, and you’ve got a recipe for trouble. Dark web monitoring offers a cost-effective way to handle dangerous threats before they escalate, delivering strong protection without high costs.

A high-quality dark web monitoring solution will:

• Identify stolen credentials quickly and accurately.
• Mitigate the risk of costly ransomware, BEC and data breaches.
• Reduce your IT workload by automating threat alerts.
• Support compliance efforts to avoid regulatory fines.
• Offer a cost-effective security layer without a large investment.

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4.       Implement a managed detection and response solution

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As cyberthreats grow more sophisticated and the cybersecurity talent gap continues to deepen, securing the right talent can be costly and challenging. Managed detection and response (MDR) offers a cost-effective alternative, delivering advanced threat detection, real-time monitoring, on-demand security expertise and rapid incident response without the expense of setting up or maintaining an in-house security operations center (SOC). Organizations using MDR have reported up to 50% savings in cybersecurity operations, making it a smart investment for tight budgets.

MDR offers businesses:

• Faster threat detection and response, reducing breach costs.
• Elimination of manual work, freeing IT staff for higher-value tasks.
• Better compliance management, minimizing regulatory fines.
• Lower operational costs by reducing the need for multiple security tools.
• Stronger protection with 24/7 monitoring, without hiring additional staff.

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5.      Maximize your spending with security automation  

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Automating and integrating security processes maximizes protection while minimizing costs. AI-driven security automation enhances efficiency, reduces human error and can cut breach-related expenses by up to 65%. Adopting automated solutions also helps relieve pressure on overstressed IT teams. Experts estimate that over three-quarters of cybersecurity professionals (84%) regularly experience stress, fatigue and burnout. With cyberthreats escalating in an uncertain economic landscape, security automation isn’t a luxury — it’s a cost-saving necessity.

By embracing security automation, IT teams gain:

• Faster threat detection and response, reducing breach costs.
• Elimination of manual work, freeing IT staff for higher-value tasks.
• Better compliance management, minimizing regulatory fines.
• Lower operational costs by reducing the need for multiple security tools.
• Stronger protection with 24/7 monitoring, without hiring additional staff.

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6. Implement a layered security approach

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Make the most of every security solution in your arsenal by focusing on a multilayered, defense-in-depth approach. This strategy enables defenders to use a combination of lower-cost measures, like firewalls and endpoint protection, along with more advanced security solutions to create multiple barriers to cyberthreats. By combining these layers, you’ll create a robust security environment that makes it more difficult for attackers to penetrate your systems while keeping your costs manageable through the use of both basic and advanced security measures.

• Assess critical assets: Identify sensitive data, intellectual property and essential business systems that require the highest level of protection.
• Conduct regular security audits: Perform routine vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify gaps and weaknesses in your defenses.
• Prepare for incident response: Develop and regularly test an incident response plan to quickly and effectively respond to security breaches or attacks.

These smart strategies can help IT professionals stretch a tight budget while significantly strengthening an organization’s security posture. Learn more about how easy it can be to achieve comprehensive user protection affordably with our innovative platform Kaseya 365 User. LEARN MORE>>