Dissecting UK cybersecurity: The categories you need to know

By Richard Yew, Senior Director, Product Management – Security at Edgio

Cybersecurity has diversified with businesses constantly trying to counter the ever-increasing number of new threats. Budgets often do not increase at the same pace and the industry remains plagued by a shortage in personnel resources.

Today, 40% of Brits working from home and shopping is more popular in the UK than in any other country. The cybersecurity risks associated has left businesses with a sprawling landscape to keep secure.

Understanding the cybersecurity solutions to choose in such a diverse market can be incredibly challenging. Areas that are non-negotiable in this post-pandemic landscape are Endpoint Security, Managed detection and response (MDR) and holistic Web Application and API Protection (WAAP).

These areas are foundational to any cybersecurity programme, and each has a role to play in keeping organisations protected.

Endpoint security

Endpoint solutions focus on defending endpoints including mobile devices, laptops, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, point-of-sale (POS) systems, or simply any device that connects to a network. Any endpoint can be an attack entry point, and with over 29 billion IoT devices forecasted to be in operation by 2030 the scope for risk will double. This means that businesses of any size can find themselves vulnerable to a cyberattack.

It can be challenging to deploy endpoint protection effectively with a diverse mix of device types, operating systems, with many companies having the additional burden of supporting bring your own device (BYOD) policies. Nevertheless, endpoint protection platforms are always evolving to detect malicious activity and prevent file-based malware attacks, while allowing security engineers to investigate and respond to incidents, wherever necessary. As endpoints are a wide entry point into an organisation from which attackers often aim to move laterally, effective endpoint protection is essential for organisations of any size.

Management detection and response (MDR)

An element of cybersecurity that combines human and technological expertise, management detection and response (MDR) is a service that typically covers monitoring, response, and cyber threat hunting. MDR reduces the strain on internal staff and the alert fatigue they often face, instead allowing experts to monitor devices, applications and networks remotely to keep these systems secure, and respond quickly when under attack.

This combination of technology and services works in tandem with in-house IT and DevSecOps teams, providing mature capabilities in observation, detection, and response, ultimately lowering risk and allowing companies to focus more on their core business. Given a global shortage of around 3.4 million cybersecurity professionals, MDR is a great way for organisations to gain round-the-clock cybersecurity support they need, without the high CapEx for new staff (which are very hard to hire and retain).

Managed Security

Much like MDR, security as a service (SECaaS) outsources cybersecurity to remote experts. However, this solution is a cloud-delivered model at its core and is hosted by cloud providers. Thanks to this, SECaaS has soared in popularity, offering lower costs than in-house investments and scaling to handle any cybersecurity demands.

As SECaaS works on a subscription basis, businesses only need to pay for the services they need, when they need them. Outsourcing security frees up resources and gives internal IT teams the time and confidence to work on other projects. Hosted in the cloud, SECaaS also allows organisations to access the latest security tools, patches, and updates immediately, with no need for onsite deployment and extended downtime. SECaaS is a great option for organisations that want to completely outsource their cybersecurity and move to the cloud.

Web Application and API Protection (WAAP)

Web applications provide critical services and experience for customers and employees alike. Besides endpoint devices mentioned earlier, they also represent an expanded threat vector for attackers to exploit.  In fact, for several years running, web applications have been the top vector across all data breaches according to Verizon’s Data Breach and Investigations (DBIR) report. For this reason, having a holistic web application and API protection (WAAP) solution with multiple layers of protection for an organisation’s networks and web infrastructure becomes critical.

WAAPs provide protection against a wide range of critical threats targeting high value websites and applications, including injection and remote code execution (RCE) attacks, malicious bots attempting account takeover (ATO), or ransomware DDoS attacks, just to name a few. An effective WAAP protects against these types of evolving threats and many more. 

There are some critical elements to a WAAP offering. First, find integrated solutions that can be managed from a single pane of glass. A configuration information, as well as analytics, all in one console reduces complexity that can lead to misconfigurations, while also making it easier for security teams investigating incidents.

Parsing logs from separate solutions and consoles is difficult. A Gartner survey conducted in 2022 found that 75% of organisations plan to consolidate security tools, with most respondents agreeing, less complexity leads to a stronger security posture.

Second, make sure to consider WAAP solutions that scale with your business, and with attacks. It’s important to consider that point solutions, while often providing innovative best-of-breed features, generally run on smaller, more centralised networks. API integration makes these tools easy enough to set up, but they add latency – detection requires an additional hop to a cloud decision engine.

Furthermore, the networks they run on are relatively small compared with edge/CDN-integrated security. This becomes important if you are targeted by a large-scale automated attack, such as DDoS. Lastly, it’s important to choose a WAAP solution with simple, predictable pricing. You never know when an attack will happen- you just know it will. Look for vendors that don’t charge you extra when you’re under attack. Reputable vendors take their customers’ security very seriously, but it feels pretty bad to get hit with an unexpected, large bill even after effectively mitigating a major attack. But there are options out there now, should you wish to lock in predictable pricing, aligned to your best interests.

Cybersecurity from the start

It cannot be ignored by any business. It can be daunting, but understanding the difference in solutions is critical for businesses.

From endpoint security and MDR to WAAP, each service provides an important set of security reassurances. Work with a reputable, trusted partner that can put your mind at ease – no matter the solutions you choose to implement.