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Join the Pondurance team. Explore our culture and open positions today. Who We Are At Pondurance we embrace, educate, and protect people by helping make our world a better and safer place. We believe in inviting good people into our company who are driven to become great! Every Pondurian is encouraged to focus and grow in their individual areas of interest, passion, and career path. We have accessible leaders as Mentors who believe “None of us are as smart as all of us”(R. Pelletier). We believe everyone has the freedom to be themselves, especially at work and so we embrace, support, and celebrate each other. Each Pondurian influences our company’s direction through speaking up, you have a voice and we want you to use it. Do you want to be a part of something different? Do you want to influence real change? Do you want to be part of the solution? Do you want to be a Pondurian? Then join us in redefining the security and cyber risk landscape. Enjoy a Pondurian Work Environment Interview, Onboard, and Work all from your home. Here’s how we hire: VIDEO INTERVIEWS We’re keeping it efficient by interviewing online. REMOTE ONBOARDING We’ll ship your equipment and provide you with the training you need to hit the ground running on day one from the comfort of your home. Enjoy a Variety of Perks and Benefits At Pondurance, we invest in our employees’ wellbeing and empower them with competitive benefits. From robust health benefits , to a variety of perks , we strive to foster a community where our team members feel valued, and their work appreciated. LEARN MORE Your next opportunity starts with Pondurance If this sounds like the company you’ve been looking for, it’s time to reach out. Browse our most recent open positions and apply below. We can’t wait to hear from you. VIEW OPENINGS Core Values At Pondurance we thrive on a culture of excellence by adhering to the following core values. Champion Others You empower and advocate for your customers, team, and colleagues. You do what's right. Creative Collaboration Responsive, driven, and innovative problem-solvers at heart. Leverage diverse opinions, figure it out together and succeed as a team Pursue Balance Pursue harmony in all elements of work and life. It takes work to make it work. Find your own balance. Be Genuine Be yourself. Act with integrity, lead with authenticity and hold yourself and other accountable. Life at Pondurance

Your employees are your first line of defense against cyber threats — and also your greatest vulnerability. Phishing, social engineering, and business email compromise are the leading causes of cyber insurance claims. Technical controls alone cannot protect against human error. That’s why Ambridge Partners has partnered with Pondurance to bring their policyholders a fully-managed security awareness training program—at an extremely competitive price that makes it accessible to organizations of every size. Ambridge believes so strongly in protecting their policyholders that they’re investing in this program alongside you. Pondurance has an award-winning platform and a reputation for excellence Pondurance immediately proved their value and earned our trust due to their immense expertise and guidance.” — Steve Long, President & CEO, Hancock Health Get end-to-end cybersecurity from one trusted provider YOU’RE ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL OFFERS ON PONDURANCE SERVICES Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Digital Forensics & Incident Response 24/7 SOC + Kanati Agentic SOC Exposure and Vulnerability Service Cybersecurity Advisory Services Compliance Solutions Protect regulated data & reduce risk Nearly half of all breaches involve customer PII. Get a cybersecurity strategy tailored to your landscape. Prioritize your specific risk landscape With breach costs in the millions — understanding your unique risks is critical to reducing exposure. Maximize bang for your cybersecurity buck Generic security strategies leave compliance gaps and vulnerabilities. A targeted, risk-based approach ensures cybersecurity resources are working where they matter most — protecting the business and keeping you compliant. PONDURANCE CUSTOMERS REPORT... 3x More cyberattacks disrupted 50% of incidents detected within 24hrs 63% Fewer high-impact breaches See what Pondurance can do for you Claim your exclusive offer today SEE OFFER DETAILS ©2008-2026 Pondurance, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Terms of Use Sitemap Menu Close PLATFORM SOLUTIONS ▾ INDUSTRIES ▾ COMPANY ▾ ABOUT US CLIENT TESTIMONIALS CONTACT US CAREERS EVENTS PARTNERS RESOURCES ▾ BEST PRACTICES BLOG CASE STUDIES CHECKLISTS EBOOKS INFOGRAPHICS PUBLISHED ARTICLES PRODUCTS & SERVICES RESEARCH VIDEO LIBRARY WEBINARS WHITEPAPERS Suspect a Breach? 888-385-1720 Call 888-385-1720 ! EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR AMBRIDGE CUSTOMERS Save on Security Awareness Training from Pondurance 4.7 / 5 on Gartner Peer Reviews

Organizations in healthcare and financial services face rising scrutiny to protect PHI, PII, and financial data, requiring continuous, proactive security—not just compliance. Beyond Checkbox Compliance: Strengthening Data Protection and Security in Regulated Industries Pondurance December 16, 2025 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link Organizations in regulated sectors such as healthcare and financial services face growing scrutiny around how they safeguard sensitive data. PHI, PII, financial records, and behavioral information remain prime targets for attackers, and regulators now expect organizations to demonstrate proactive, continuous security—not just periodic compliance reviews. Numerous regulatory frameworks, such as HIPAA and PCI DSS , require that organizations provide ongoing monitoring, timely detection, and the ability to respond quickly when something is amiss. Compliance must reflect operational readiness, not static paperwork. This is a challenging reality for midsized and smaller enterprises with limited internal resources to secure complex environments, mitigate evolving threats, and manage heightened expectations from auditors, cyber insurers, customers, and business partners. In this fourth article in our series, we’ll share how managed detection and response (MDR) enables midsized organizations to meet growing requiring compliance requirements in a fast-changing threat landscape. Read previous articles in this series: From Data Breach to Cyber Resilience with Managed Detection and Response (MDR) How MDR Makes Your Security Tools Work Better When Cyber Threats Don’t Sleep: The Case for a 24/7 Security Operations (SOC) Regulatory Requirements Demand Continuous Security, Not Periodic Attestation Organizations generally understand their regulatory obligations, but the evaluation criteria have evolved. Instead of confirming policy existence or reviewing months-old logs, regulators now look for real-time operational evidence: how quickly an organization detects unusual activity, how thoroughly it investigates suspicious behavior, and whether it maintains visibility across its systems. This evidence should align with regulatory technical safeguards—like HIPAA—and with NIST standards. Modern environments require this shift. Cloud adoption, remote work, and distributed tools have widened the attack surface. Data sprawl , which happens when an organization’s data assets quickly grow and disperse across systems, locations, and storage platforms, only compounds the risk. Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled systems add complexity by accelerating data processing and increasing the number of places sensitive information can be accessed or misused. Even organizations that simply license AI-powered tools, rather than build them, must understand how those tools interact with sensitive data. Shadow AI —the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence tools by employees or end users—can expose their organization to data security, compliance, and reputational risks. And although AI-specific regulations are still developing, organizations must understand where sensitive data resides and ensure their controls evolve as technology changes. Why Checkbox Compliance Falls Short in Modern Threat Environments Despite best intentions, many organizations still rely on annual assessments or documentation-heavy checklists. This may satisfy baseline requirements but does not address modern risk. Attackers exploit gaps created by system changes, cloud migrations, or new workflows—especially those involving AI—that traditional compliance reviews overlook. Controls that look adequate on paper can degrade quickly when environments shift. Midsized organizations often have foundational tools—firewalls, EDR, SIEMs—but lack the analysts required to interpret and correlate the information they generate. Alerts accumulate endlessly, yet determining which ones indicate real risk requires experience and context. Automated tools can miss subtle behaviors like credential misuse, lateral movement using legitimate tools, or configuration drift in cloud environments. These issues rarely surface without human investigation. AI can amplify such risks. Automated processes move quickly and can unintentionally expose data or create misconfigurations at scale. Because AI accelerates data movement and decision-making, issues that once took days to escalate can unfold in minutes. When incidents occur, regulators expect clear evidence that the organization detected, investigated, and responded appropriately. This level of detail must come from ongoing operations, not from documentation created after the fact. Pondurance MDR: A Practical Path to Demonstrable Data Privacy and Security For organizations that must prove they are actively safeguarding sensitive data, Pondurance managed detection and response (MDR) offers a clear, practical path to defensible privacy and security. Pondurance MDR delivers real-time visibility across cloud, network, endpoint, and identity systems, combining technology with human-led expertise to interpret the activity automated tools alone cannot reliably analyze. Rather than relying on periodic log reviews or alert-forwarding tools, analysts in Pondurance’s security operations center (SOC) correlate events, investigate suspicious behavior, and escalate only validated threats. This ongoing, human-led oversight shortens attacker dwell time and improves an organization’s ability to detect and contain issues early—an expectation regulators and cyber insurers increasingly demand. It also strengthens defenses against modern adversaries who often abuse native administrative tools, compromised credentials, or low-noise lateral movement techniques that evade automated detection. When a threat is confirmed, Pondurance works with clients to contain the issue and guide remediation, then provides recommendations to improve cyber hygiene, reduce attack surface, and maintain alignment with regulatory frameworks. Pondurance also provides the operational evidence auditors and investigators now look for. Analyst notes, alert histories, and incident timelines document that monitoring is active and that decisions are based on real analysis. These detailed records support compliance reporting, customer assessments, post-incident reviews, and forensic investigations. As organizations adopt AI-enabled tools and workflows, Pondurance MDR helps organizations maintain visibility into evolving data flows and emerging behavioral patterns. Correlation of telemetry with threat intelligence helps identify risks associated with misuse, unauthorized access, or novel attack techniques influenced by AI-driven behaviors. This approach supports both security and privacy obligations in fast-changing environments. The result is a more resilient security posture that demonstrates ongoing protection of PHI, PII, and other sensitive data for organizations of all sizes. Download the Comprehensive AI Playbook for the Mid-Market Strengthen your cybersecurity and compliance strategies with practical, actionable guidance designed for evolving environments. Access the playbook here . Featured Posts READ MORE Recognizing Social Engineering in the Age of AI October 14, 2026 Pondurance Named Managed Security Innovation of the Year in 2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards October 12, 2026 Why Everyday Cybersecurity Habits Still Matter October 5, 2026

Cybersecurity 101: Public WIFI Michael DeNapoli March 9, 2026 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link On a recent trip visiting Pondurance customers, I remembered a question we get asked quite a lot here: "Is it safe to use public WIFI?" The answer is generally "Yes,' but there are some things to be aware of and precautions to take, so let's dig into the topic. Is Public WIFI Safe? Generally speaking, public WIFI is quite safe to use. While this was not the guidance those of us in Cybersecurity offered only a few years ago, a lot has changed since then that has made use of "unsecured" WIFI much safer than it used to be: Nearly all applications and websites now use Transport Layer Security (TLS), which used to be called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and is often still referred to informally by the older name. This means that all data transfer between you device and the app/website is encrypted, making it nearly impossible for anyone snooping on your WIFI connection to know what you're sending and receiving from your bank, social media sites, or most anything else you browse or access. TLS itself has gotten more secure in the last several years. There's quite a lot of technical information behind the hows and whys there, but the short version is that the type of encryption now required by the current TLS standard is significantly stronger than in previous versions. While it is possible to break that encryption, a modern website connection encryption key would take years for most hardware to actually break. This means that - unless you see someone sitting near you with a stack of powerful server devices in a datacenter rack - your encryption is safe from being broken and decrypted. Browsers have begun to flag any site that isn't using modern encryption as "Unsafe" - often very visibly right in the address bar. No longer do Edge, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Brave, or other browsers show a green lock icon when a site is encrypted; they now just show a red warning when the site is not encrypted because TLS encryption is the standard these days. Care is Still Required This isn't to say you should just connect to public WIFI willy-nilly, though. There are still some dangers, but they're no longer specific to public WIFI, and instead are things you should watch out for with any WIFI connections: Always make sure you know what WIFI to connect to. Don't just assume that because you are in an airport, anything called "Airport WIFI" is something you should connect to. Look around for signs which identify which WIFI network you should use, and don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask the staff of the airport, bar, coffee shop, etc. While there isn't a lot that a rogue WIFI operator could really do, it is still a wise idea to only connect to the official WIFI hotspot of the establishment you are in. Look out for websites that show any kind of warning in the address bar like the one shown here. This indicates that the website is not using TLS, and therefore your communication with that site could be snooped on. This is a very rare occurrence these days, as nearly every website uses TLS in order to operate properly on the modern Internet. If sites that you know are secure are suddenly showing up as not secure, disconnect from the WIFI and double-check to make sure you are on the correct hotspot. Anything that allows something between you and the website to be unencrypted will cause all sites to suddenly become unsecured and throw up that warning. Be on the lookout for any pop-up messages or messages about the website re-directing you to another site. With the exception of a pop-up "captive portal" like the one shown here that you will find when you first connect to public WIFI hotspots, you shouldn't see pop-up messages or re-directions which show notifications. These can indicate that the hotspot and/or the website have been compromised to attempt to deliver malware to your computer. Disconnect, and let someone at the location where the hotspot exists know what happened so they can have the issue corrected. The initial "captive portal" message is expected and safe, any other weird pop-ups or re-directs are not. There is one exception to this rule. Some hotspots do not use a "captive portal" login. There will be signs posted with the WIFI information that you need to open a browser to get connected. That logon site will most likely show up as unsecured, or you will get a message about a re-direct to a non-secure site. This is expected, and the logon portal should not require you to give up any information beyond possibly your email address. Never type in passwords, identification numbers, or any other private information on these logon sites. Once you are logged on, ensure that any site you go to from that point onward is not showing warnings or errors. Finally, use good online hygiene and common sense no matter where you connect to the Internet. Be it at your office, at a coffee shop, or at home; you should always be careful of phishing messages, fake websites, and other online dangers. These don't get more significant on public WIFI, but they are equally present whenever you connect to the Internet. Verdict: Is it Safe? Also, What About a VPN? Yes, public WIFI has become significantly safer to use in the last few years. A combination of better security provided by the WIFI hotspot providers and improvements in app/website security have made using public WIFI something everyone can do. Look for errors or warnings, make sure you know which hotspot to connect to, and utilize the same Internet safety techniques you would use anywhere else; and you will be just fine. Virtual Private Network (VPN) services - like NordVPN, Express VPN, or those provided by your employer - are generally not required these days for surfing the web when on public WIFI. If your employer has installed one on your work laptop/phone/etc. you should use that tool because it is performing other security tasks for your company, but you don't need to use a VPN otherwise. VPN services can make your browsing slightly (very slightly) more private, but they won't make it more or less safe; so feel free to use one if you would like to, but don't worry if you need to get online and don't have a VPN available. About the Author: Michael DeNapoli is a seasoned Senior Solutions Architect with more than 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, solution architecture, and enterprise systems design. Throughout his career, he has led technical strategy, security architecture, and advanced solution development for organizations ranging from emerging security vendors to global enterprises. Michael’s expertise spans cybersecurity operations, cloud architecture, technical sales leadership, security posture management, and identity protection, with a proven track record of guiding clients through complex technology challenges. Today, he brings his deep industry knowledge to Pondurance as a Senior Solutions Architect, helping organizations strengthen their security foundations with clarity and confidence. Featured Posts READ MORE Recognizing Social Engineering in the Age of AI October 14, 2026 Pondurance Named Managed Security Innovation of the Year in 2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards October 12, 2026 Why Everyday Cybersecurity Habits Still Matter October 5, 2026

BENEFITS Attackers move at machine speed and don’t have business hours Your SOC needs to be always on and constantly vigilant to keep pace with modern threats. For most midmarket organizations, that’s simply not doable in house. Pondurance SOC extends the power of your team, to meet demand without increasing headcount. 24/7 U.S.-BASED SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER (SOC) Respond at machine speed, all day every day Get 24/7/365 protection from the first agentic SOC in an MDR, backed by the human expertise of our certified security analysts. HOME / 24/7 SOC What is a Managed SOC? Our Managed SOC (or SOC-as-a-Service) is crucial for many mid-market sized organizations to have always-on operational cybersecurity. Whether augmenting your team or providing an entirely outsourced SOC, we’ll work within your environment. Virtually eliminate alert fatigue We blend agentic AI with human expertise to make the impossible possible. Every alert is reviewed in under 2 minutes, leaving human analysts free to dig in where it matters most. With 80% fewer false positives, your team only get and review valid potential threats, prioritized by level of potential risk of harm. Investigate to new depths Our Kanati agentic SOC delivers 10x more contextual enrichment and threat correlation. That sets our threat hunters up for success as they reference world-class threat intelligence through our partnership with Recorded Future and ensure that any remediation is both rapid and complete. Build resilience over time As a Pondurance customer, you’ll benefit from experience gained far beyond your environment. We cross integrate learnings from our SOC, DFIR team, and real-time threat intelligence to continuously improve your cybersecurity posture and ability to eliminate breach risks. AGENTIC AI + HUMAN INTELLIGENCE Industry-leading technology, backed by passionate expert analysts Our Kanati agentic SOC technology rapidly accelerates security operations — moving the breadth and depth to which threats can be investigated beyond human capabilities. This drastic improvement in efficiency frees up our SOC analysts to devote their full attention to the most complex threats facing your organization. Learn more about Kanati Agentic SOC » 325 years experience of SOC analysts 3.4M threat detection events per month 100% alert coverage Ready to get started? Find out how Pondurance can eliminate breach risks with a quick, personalized demo. We promise, no hard sell. GET A DEMO REAL CUSTOMER STORIES “We called Pondurance at 3:30 in the morning and they immediately picked up the phone and thus began a three-day journey. We got ourselves out of a ransomware incident and began to decrypt our system, having most of it back available just three days later.” — Steve Long, President & CEO, Hancock Health REAL CUSTOMER STORIES See what happened when… Threat actors gained entry to a U.S.-based healthcare organization’s shared human resources account using compromised user credentials. REAL CUSTOMER STORIES See what happened when… A global financial institution decided that it didn’t make sense to build their own SOC but instead decided to outsource their security operations to a 24/7 SOC-as-a-Service. REAL CUSTOMER STORIES See what happened when… A grocery supercenter acquired a new grocery organization and decided to augment its existing SOC with an outsourced SOC capability. REAL CUSTOMER STORIES "We truly have middle-of-the-night visibility and the peace of mind that comes from knowing that someone is still looking at our data even after our analysts have gone home at the end of the day." — Tobey Coffman, Director of Information Security Services, Ball State University REAL CUSTOMER STORIES “Having a 24/7 SOC with Pondurance actively looking for IoC’s and threat hunting (with their knowledge of what is happening with other customers) gives us peace of mind without having to staff that skillset in-house” — Manager of IT Operations and Security, Insurance SOC CAPABILITIES World-class security operations for the entire security lifecycle Our U.S.-based SOC teams provide 24/7 monitoring and protection, and are able to triage threats, carry out threat hunting, and provide automated and human threat remediation. Explore our agentic AI workflow » Detect Real-time monitoring for active threats backed by multi-source threat signals and advanced, risk-based analytics. Investigate & respond Threats are investigated extensively, ensuring complete containment and disruption. Automated threat remediation ensures rapid response. Validate & triage Kanati thoroughly investigates every alert in minutes. Analysts are free to eliminate noise and use SOAR capabilities to coordinate SOC and customer workflow. Report & improve Post-incident insights and proactive recommendations help you strengthen your defenses and help us fine tune your detection rules.

Pondurance MDR is offered at preferred rates to Munich Re Specialty Insureds PONDURANCE DELIVERS WORLD CLASSE MANAGED DETECTION AND RESPONSE (MDR) SERVICES WITH SPECIAL OFFERS AND PREFERRED RATES TO MUNICH RE SPECIALTY INSUREDS Incident Response Planning Managed Detection and Response Patch Management and Vulnerability Management Logging and Monitoring Vendor / Supply Chain Risk Management Menu Close PLATFORM SOLUTIONS ▾ INDUSTRIES ▾ COMPANY ▾ ABOUT US CLIENT TESTIMONIALS CONTACT US CAREERS EVENTS PARTNERS RESOURCES ▾ BEST PRACTICES BLOG CASE STUDIES CHECKLISTS EBOOKS INFOGRAPHICS PUBLISHED ARTICLES PRODUCTS & SERVICES RESEARCH VIDEO LIBRARY WEBINARS WHITEPAPERS 888-385-1720 ! Suspect a Breach? Call 888-385-1720 EXCLUSIVE OFFER Risk-Based Cybersecurity Backed By Human Intelligence 4.7 / 5 on Gartner Peer Reviews Get a free personalized demo We will never sell your data GET A DEMO Pondurance offers cybersecurity services to protect the human experience against cyber threats TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SPECIAL OFFERS ON: • MDR • Incident Response Retainer • Table Top Exercise • Rapid Risk Assessment • External Attack Surface Monitoring • Microsoft 365 Configuration Review • AI Governance Program • Ransomsnare (Anti-Ransomware) • vCISO (Virtual Chief Information Security Officer) • Pen Testing (Internal/External) • Vulnerability Management Platform • MyCyberScoreCard Risk Assessment (NIST CSF, PCI, HIPPA/HITECH, CMMC, NYDFS) • Business Impact Analysis / Business Continuity Plan (BIA / BCP) Pondurance has an award-winning platform and a reputation for excellence ©2008-2026 Pondurance, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Terms of Use Sitemap

Explore effective strategies to safeguard your organization against data loss, including logging, backup solutions, and encryption methods. Defenses To Protect Your Organization From Data Loss Pondurance October 27, 2025 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link Data loss poses a serious risk for small and midsize organizations, causing possible operational disruptions, financial losses, compliance violations, and data compromise. These losses can occur with a cyberattack, a system crash, physical damage to a device, theft of a device, or human error. More than 70% of participants in a June 2025 Handy Recovery Advisor survey said they had lost data at least once, with 34% of the losses from accidential deletions and 30% from device failure and hardware malfunction. Ransomware also remains a threat for data loss, with 51% of attacks resulting in data being encrypted by the threat actor, and 29% of that encrypted data being stolen, according to Sophos’ The State of Ransomware in the U.S. 2025 . But there are ways to defend your organization against data loss, and Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025 in October is a great time to explore those ways. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) suggests three defensive practices for organizations: using logging, backing up data, and encrypting data. Using logging When a user logs in, opens a file, sends an email, or accesses the database, the network records the activity as a log. A log records who the user was, what was accessed, when the activity occurred, and where it happened. Logging can be used to establish a baseline for normal activity, identify changes to the baseline to quickly detect and respond to suspicious activity, analyze information for compliance, and assist with audits, forensic analysis and investigations. To establish a logging system, CISA recommends that organizations set up logging, monitor the logs, and write policies and procedures. For setup, your organization needs to use a centralized log management solution and decide what you need to log. CISA suggests that all organizations enable logging on servers, firewalls, endpoint devices, and cloud services, but you can also record network traffic, authentication, applications, and more. Then, your organization should regularly monitor the logs, either manually or with tools, and set alerts for actions with a higher risk, such as unsuccessful logins. Your organization should also adopt policies and procedures around logging and monitoring, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Guide to Computer Security Log Management is a valuable resource. Your organization should establish a team with named individuals who can respond in the event of a cyber incident. At a minimum, your organization should restrict and monitor access to the logs and securely store and retain the logs. Your policies and procedures should include ongoing user training to teach employees how to recognize suspicious activity and review logs. Backing up data Backing up data is an efficient and cost-effective way to protect data at small and midsize organizations. Often times, using backups is the only way to restore data quickly, with minimal downtime, after a cyberattack, system crash, deletion, theft, or physical damage. Without backup data, recovery can take weeks, months, or even years, depending on the reason for and extent of the data loss — and sometimes, data without a backup is permanently lost. A backup is a secure copy of the data that is stored in a location separate from your organization’s network. As much as 78% of users back up their data, according to an October 2024 Handy Recovery Advisor survey. However, only 33% of users perform backups on a regular basis . CISA recommends regular backups as part of a strong cybersecurity strategy. Your backup plan should begin with an understanding of what you want to back up. Your organization should do an assessment of your data, focusing on sensitive data, such as human resources records with Social Security numbers and birth dates, and critical data, such as financial records and databases. Also, consider the data flows, user behaviors, user activity, and devices used. Your organization also may have specific requirements for backups based on compliance laws, such as HIPAA and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, which require security backups. CISA recommends following the 3-2-1 backup rule to set up your backups. The rule requires three copies of your files, two types of storage, and one copy of the data stored at another location. For the two types of storage, organizations typically choose local storage and cloud services. Local storage, such as external hard drives and USB drives, is easy to use but vulnerable to breaches and physical damage. Cloud storage is convenient to use and readily accessible but is still vulnerable to data breaches. Cloud storage is the most popular data storage, with 55% of users choosing cloud storage as their primary storage. However, in a recent study, 50% of cloud storage users reported that they only use the cloud to back up data, contrary to CISA’s recommendation. Once there are backups, your organization needs to keep them safe with physical security, encryption, and offline copies and regularly test the backup procedures to know that your team can quickly restore your data following a data loss event. Over 40% of participants were able to use backups to recover encrypted data lost during a ransomware attack, according to Sophos’ The State of Ransomware in the U.S. 2025 . Also, your organization should offer training to assure that employees know how to use the backup plan. Encrypting data Just backing up data isn’t enough. Your organization needs to take defenses one step further with encryption. Encryption is when data is scrambled into coded language that only authorized users with the key can read. By encrypting your data, threat actors cannot read your information even if they do manage to steal it. Then, your organization can use its backups to restore your data. CISA recommends using Advanced Encryption Standard with a 256-bit key (AES-256) as the most secure form of encryption. AES-256 is the encryption used by the U.S. government to protect its data, with the number of possible key combinations making it nearly impenetrable in a brute force attack. AES-128 and AES-192 also provide high levels of security, and CISA suggests that AES-128 may run faster on your devices, particularly older ones. Using best practices, your organization should encrypt all devices, hard drives, removable media, laptops, and documents, including all stored and sent data. It’s important to frequently back up the encrypted data to an external hard drive and/or a cloud service and regularly test the backups. You should disconnect the hard drive and store it in a secure location when not in use. Conclusion Small and midsize organizations are at risk of experiencing data loss, but there are ways to defend against it. Defenses such as using logging, backing up data, and encrypting data can keep your organization’s data safe and secure to prevent operational disruptions, financial losses, compliance violations, and data compromises. Featured Posts READ MORE Recognizing Social Engineering in the Age of AI October 14, 2026 Pondurance Named Managed Security Innovation of the Year in 2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards October 12, 2026 Why Everyday Cybersecurity Habits Still Matter October 5, 2026

Pondurance immediately proved their value and earned our trust due to their immense expertise and guidance.” — Steve Long, President & CEO, Hancock Health Take advantage of special offers and preferred rates on world class MDR, DFIR, and more Every business has unique objectives, outcomes, and cyber risks. Pondurance's risk-based approach aligns cybersecurity initiatives with your highest value assets and highest risk vulnerabilities. This methodology ensures you realize the benefits of risk-based intelligence across the entire cybersecurity lifecycle. GET A TRUSTED PARTNER ON YOUR SIDE At Pondurance, you're never just a ticket in a queue. We take a personal, hands-on approach to cybersecurity, so you'll always know the names of the experts protecting your business. From setup, to continuous monitoring, to our 24/7 SOC who deals with threats while you sleep, we've got your back and are making sure you stay secure. BENEFITS OF PONDURANCE Identify and mitigate threats before they cause damage Improve incident response capabilities Reduce time to detect and contain breaches with the first agentic SOC in an MDR Menu Close PLATFORM SOLUTIONS ▾ INDUSTRIES ▾ COMPANY ▾ ABOUT US CLIENT TESTIMONIALS CONTACT US CAREERS EVENTS PARTNERS RESOURCES ▾ BEST PRACTICES BLOG CASE STUDIES CHECKLISTS EBOOKS INFOGRAPHICS PUBLISHED ARTICLES PRODUCTS & SERVICES RESEARCH VIDEO LIBRARY WEBINARS WHITEPAPERS Suspect a Breach? 888-385-1720 Call 888-385-1720 ! EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CRC’S INSURETRUST GROUP Save on risk-based cybersecurity services from Pondurance 4.7 / 5 on Gartner Peer Reviews Get end-to-end cybersecurity from one trusted provider YOU’RE ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL OFFERS ON PONDURANCE SERVICES Incident Response Planning Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Patch Management and Vulnerability Management Logging and Monitoring Vendor / Supply Chain Risk Management Protect regulated data & reduce risk Nearly half of all breaches involve customer PII. Get a cybersecurity strategy tailored to your landscape. Prioritize your specific risk landscape With breach costs in the millions — understanding your unique risks is critical to reducing exposure. Maximize bang for your cybersecurity buck Generic security strategies leave compliance gaps and vulnerabilities. A targeted, risk-based approach ensures cybersecurity resources are working where they matter most — protecting the business and keeping you compliant. PONDURANCE CUSTOMERS REPORT... 3x More cyberattacks disrupted 50% of incidents detected within 24hrs 63% Fewer high-impact breaches See what Pondurance can do for you Claim your exclusive offer today SEE OFFER DETAILS Pondurance has an award-winning platform and a reputation for excellence ©2008-2026 Pondurance, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Terms of Use Sitemap

Download Pondurance eBooks crafted by experts for cutting-edge cybersecurity insights and strategies that give you the edge. Resources eBook Next Gen MDR: A Buyer's Guide for the AI Age eBook Modern Managed Detection and Response for Healthcare Providers: Your Ultimate Guide eBook Navigating the AI Frontier: Strategy, Security & Compliance eBook Breach Risk Rising: A Survival Guide for Healthcare Security Teams eBook Playbook: Eliminating Breach Risks eBook Practical Cybersecurity: A Roadmap for Manufacturers eBook Risk-Based Cybersecurity Protects What's Most Important eBook Practical Cybersecurity: A Roadmap for Retailers eBook Modern MDR for Manufacturers: Your Ultimate Guide eBook Modern MDR for Retailers: Your Ultimate Guide eBook Modern Managed Detection and Response for Healthcare Providers: Your Ultimate Guide eBook Demystifying Modern MDR: Your Ultimate Guide to Managed Detection and Response LOAD MORE FILTER ALL BEST PRACTICES CHECKLISTS CASE STUDIES EBOOKS INFOGRAPHICS PUBLISHED ARTICLES PRODUCTS & SERVICES RESEARCH VIDEO LIBRARY WEBINARS

Find fast answers to all your cybersecurity questions with Pondurance FAQs — your trusted source for expert insights! Resources LOAD MORE FILTER ALL BEST PRACTICES CHECKLISTS CASE STUDIES EBOOKS INFOGRAPHICS PUBLISHED ARTICLES PRODUCTS & SERVICES RESEARCH VIDEO LIBRARY WEBINARS