Cyber Security
What is modern cyber security for small business?
Modern cyber security for small business is a layered program that combines secure network access (SASE), behavior-based endpoint protection (EDR and NGAV), 24x7 threat detection and response (SIEM, MXDR, SOAR), ongoing security awareness training, and tested data backup and recovery. The capabilities are typically delivered through an integrated platform and operated by an outside team, because most small businesses cannot staff a 24x7 security operation on their own. Cyber insurance underwriters now require most of these controls before issuing or renewing a policy.
The threats your business faces today are not the threats from five years ago. Attackers use AI to write better phishing emails, encrypt files in minutes, and move between identity, endpoint, and network faster than humans can react. Defending against that takes more than antivirus and a firewall. It takes layered tools that talk to each other, 24x7 monitoring by people who do this all day, and a written program your insurer and your customers can verify. We deliver that through Todyl, an integrated security platform that consolidates network, endpoint, and threat-response capabilities into one agent instead of eight. Todyl is the platform. Advantech is the implementation and management partner that designs it for your environment, runs it on your behalf, and stays accountable when something goes wrong.
Network Security & SASE
Your team is not all in one office anymore. They work from home, from client sites, from coffee shops, and from phones. The old model, a firewall at the office that protected everyone inside it, does not fit how work actually happens. SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is the modern replacement. It moves the security perimeter into the cloud so every user and every device gets the same protection no matter where they connect from. Wrong site blocked, risky download stopped, suspicious login flagged, the same way it would be on the corporate network.
- Zero-trust network access, every user and device verified before they connect
- Secure web gateway that blocks malicious sites and risky downloads
- Identity-aware access controls tied to your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace accounts
- Cloud-delivered firewall protection that follows users off-network
- Site-to-site and remote-user VPN replacement with a faster, safer model
Endpoint Protection (EDR & NGAV)
Old-style antivirus matches files against a list of known viruses. That worked when attackers used the same malware over and over. Today they generate new variants in minutes, and signature-based antivirus misses most of them. EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) and NGAV (Next-Generation Antivirus) watch how programs behave on every laptop, server, and workstation, then stop anything that acts like ransomware, credential theft, or data exfiltration, even if it has never been seen before. When something does slip through, EDR isolates the device automatically so the infection cannot spread to the rest of your environment.
- NGAV deployed across every workstation, laptop, and server
- Behavior-based threat detection that catches attacks signature antivirus misses
- Automatic isolation of compromised endpoints to contain ransomware in seconds
- Integrated rollback that restores encrypted files without paying the ransom
- Full forensic timeline of what happened, when, and how, for insurance and audit
Threat Detection & Response (SIEM, MXDR, SOAR)
Most successful breaches sit inside the network for days or weeks before anyone notices. The reason is simple: nobody is watching at 2 a.m. on a Sunday. Threat Detection and Response is the 24x7 monitoring layer most small businesses cannot afford to build internally. SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) collects security signals from every system. MXDR (Managed Extended Detection and Response) puts a team of human analysts on top of those signals so real attacks get investigated and stopped, not just alerted on. SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) runs the response playbook automatically so containment happens in minutes instead of days.
- Centralized log collection across endpoints, identity, email, and cloud apps
- 24x7 managed detection with human-led investigation, not just automated alerts
- Automated incident response playbooks for ransomware, account compromise, and data theft
- Threat hunting by analysts who do this every day across hundreds of environments
- Integrated remediation and post-incident reporting in writing
Security Awareness Training
The tools handle a lot, but most successful attacks still start with a person clicking the wrong link, approving the wrong MFA prompt, or wiring money to a fake vendor request. Humans are the number-one attack vector. Training works, but only if it is ongoing, short, and tied to what is actually happening in the wild this month. We run continuous phishing simulations against your team, deliver short focused training when someone clicks, and report results to leadership so you can see the trend line month over month.
- Ongoing phishing simulations using current real-world templates
- Quarterly micro-learning modules, short enough that people actually finish them
- One-click suspicious-email reporting built into Outlook and Gmail
- Targeted retraining when an employee clicks, attached to the specific incident
- Leadership-ready reports on click rates, reporting rates, and risk by department
Data Protection & Recovery
Layered defense reduces the odds of a successful attack. It does not eliminate them. When something gets through, recovery time is the difference between a bad afternoon and an existential event. We build immutable backups that ransomware cannot reach, test the restores on a schedule so the backup actually works when you need it, and document the recovery procedure so anyone on the team can execute it under pressure. For deeper coverage and a dedicated business continuity plan, see our Data Protection & Recovery service page.
- Immutable cloud backups that cannot be encrypted or deleted by attackers
- Scheduled restore testing, because an untested backup is not a backup
- Documented business continuity plan covering people, systems, and communication
- Disaster recovery runbooks anyone on the team can execute in an outage
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) agreed in writing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SASE and why does my business need it?
SASE stands for Secure Access Service Edge. It is the modern replacement for the old office-firewall-plus-VPN model. SASE moves your security perimeter into the cloud so every user and every device gets the same protection no matter where they work from. For a business with remote staff, hybrid workers, or multiple locations, SASE delivers consistent security, faster connections, and less hardware to maintain than the traditional alternative. It is also increasingly expected by cyber insurance underwriters as part of a modern security stack.
What is the difference between EDR and antivirus?
Traditional antivirus compares files on a device against a list of known viruses. If the malware is new, the antivirus misses it, which is why so many ransomware attacks succeed against businesses that have antivirus installed. EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) watches how programs behave instead, so it catches new attacks that have never been seen before. EDR also isolates a compromised device automatically and records a full forensic timeline of what happened. For modern threats, EDR is the baseline. Plain antivirus is no longer enough.
Do we need a SIEM if we are a small business?
Yes, but you do not need to run it yourself. A SIEM (Security Information and Event Management platform) collects and correlates security signals from across your environment so an attacker cannot move between systems unnoticed. Running a SIEM well requires 24x7 analyst coverage that most small businesses cannot staff. The right model for an SMB is a managed SIEM included with MXDR, where the platform and the analysts come together as a service. That gives you enterprise-grade visibility at a small-business price point.
How does MXDR differ from a managed antivirus service?
Managed antivirus means somebody else installs and updates antivirus on your devices. MXDR (Managed Extended Detection and Response) is a different category. It combines EDR, network signals, identity signals, and email signals into one detection layer, then puts a team of human analysts on top to investigate, contain, and remediate real attacks 24x7. MXDR catches threats that antivirus, managed or not, simply cannot see. If your business cares about ransomware, business email compromise, or insider threats, MXDR is the level of coverage you need.
Are cyber insurers requiring these tools now?
Yes, and the bar is rising every year. Most cyber insurance carriers now require multi-factor authentication, EDR or NGAV on every endpoint, tested backups, security awareness training, and 24x7 monitoring of some form before they will issue or renew a policy. Some carriers also require formal incident response procedures and documented vendor risk reviews. We build the stack to match what underwriters are asking for, and we provide the documentation your broker needs at renewal so you do not get denied or surcharged.
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