Cybersecurity threats are an unavoidable reality for businesses of all sizes. Today, protecting your IT environment requires more than just basic security measures. While most organizations understand the importance of fundamental cybersecurity practices, such as enforcing password policies and filtering out phishing emails, many remain unaware of critical security gaps that could leave them vulnerable to attacks. This is where a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment matters most to your business.

The Cybersecurity Basics Most Organizations Understand

Most businesses recognize the need for foundational cybersecurity practices. These include:

• Implementing Security Policies: Organizations generally enforce password management policies, requiring employees to use complex passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to prevent unauthorized access.
• Phishing Awareness & Email Filtering: Businesses typically educate their employees on identifying phishing emails, and many deploy email security solutions to filter out potentially malicious messages.
• Firewalls and Antivirus Software: Standard security measures are put in place, including firewalls and antivirus software, offering a baseline level of defense against known cyber threats.

While these are essential first steps, they are no longer enough to protect against modern cyber threats. Many businesses remain exposed to risks they may not fully understand or know how to address.

The Cybersecurity Threats Most Organizations Overlook

Despite best efforts, many organizations fail to account for deeper security challenges. Here are three critical risks that often go unnoticed:

1. Lack of Next-Gen Endpoint Protection

Traditional antivirus solutions are able to detect known malware, but they often struggle against advanced cyber threats that use sophisticated tactics to evade signature-based detection. Next-gen endpoint protection employs artificial intelligence (AI) and behavioral analytics to detect suspicious activity before it leads to a security breach. Without advanced protection, organizations are highly vulnerable to ransomware, zero-day exploits, and fileless malware attacks.

2. Over-Reliance on a Single Point Solution

Many businesses adopt a single security tool or platform and assume they are fully protected. However, a robust cybersecurity framework requires a multi-layered approach. Relying solely on firewalls, antivirus software, or email filtering leaves organizations exposed to threats that are able to circumvent these defenses. A comprehensive strategy should integrate network monitoring, endpoint detection and response (EDR), security information and event management (SIEM), and proactive threat intelligence.

3. Lack of Evidence-Based Cyber Policy Review

Having a cybersecurity policy in place is one thing, but ensuring it is effective through continuous review is another. Organizations often neglect to conduct regular security assessments, leaving them blind to potential vulnerabilities. Without documented evidence of security measures and periodic evaluations, businesses may struggle with compliance requirements, incident response planning, and regulatory audits.

Thrive’s Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

Why a Risk Assessment is Critical

A cybersecurity risk assessment is a systematic process that identifies, evaluates, and addresses potential security risks. It provides a clear picture of an organization’s security posture and helps prioritize risk mitigation strategies.

A thorough risk assessment includes:

• Identifying critical assets and evaluating their vulnerabilities
• Assessing potential threats and their likelihood of occurrence
• Analyzing existing security measures and identifying gaps
• Providing actionable recommendations to enhance cybersecurity resilience

The Danger of Gaps in Perspective

One of the biggest cybersecurity challenges businesses face is the inability to recognize what they don’t know. Without a comprehensive assessment, organizations may believe they have adequate security measures in place while unknowingly leaving themselves exposed.

Common gaps include:

• Assuming compliance equals security: Meeting regulatory standards does not necessarily mean an organization is secure.
• Failing to test defenses: Security policies and tools need to be regularly tested through penetration testing and red team exercises.
• Neglecting insider threats: Employees, whether malicious or negligent, can pose significant risks to data security.

The Cost of Cybersecurity Negligence

Ignoring security gaps can have severe consequences for businesses, including:

• Financial Losses: Cyberattacks can lead to costly downtime, legal fines, and reputational damage.
• Data Breaches: A single breach can compromise sensitive customer and business data, leading to legal liability and loss of customer trust.
• Regulatory Penalties: Organizations failing to meet cybersecurity regulations face fines and restrictions.
• Operational Disruptions: Cyber incidents can bring business operations to a standstill, causing missed opportunities and productivity losses.

The Benefits of Identifying and Addressing Security Gaps

Conducting a cybersecurity risk assessment and addressing security gaps offer numerous advantages:

• Enhanced Security Posture: Identifying weaknesses allows organizations to implement stronger security controls.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring adherence to industry regulations helps avoid penalties and improves trust.
• Cost Savings: Preventing cyber incidents is far less expensive than responding to a breach.
• Improved Incident Response: A well-prepared organization can quickly detect, contain, and remediate security threats.

Understanding the limitations of traditional security practices, investing in next-generation endpoint protection, adopting a comprehensive security approach, and conducting regular risk assessments are essential for businesses to safeguard critical assets. By identifying and closing security gaps, organizations can protect themselves from costly cyber incidents and ensure long-term resilience in the digital age.

Stay ahead of emerging threats—download the Gartner Top Trends in Cybersecurity for 2025 report to discover the key strategies shaping the future of cybersecurity.

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What Is the Story You Are Telling?

Every transformation is a journey. What challenge are you solving? Are you modernizing legacy systems, improving customer engagement, or streamlining internal processes? Defining your transformation’s purpose helps shape a story that resonates.

A strong story also needs a “why.” Are you responding to shifting market demands, addressing inefficiencies, or future-proofing your business? Framing your transformation as a necessary step toward progress builds momentum and alignment.

How Well Do You Know Your Audience?

Your digital transformation impacts different groups in different ways. To gain support, your message should be tailored to each key audience:

• Employees: How will their day-to-day work improve?
• Customers: What tangible benefits will they experience?
• Executives and stakeholders: How does this transformation drive growth, efficiency, or competitive advantage?
  Understanding your audience ensures that your transformation story is both engaging and persuasive.

How Is Your Story Structured?

A great transformation story follows a clear and simple framework:
From → To → Because

This structure clearly illustrates the impact of your transformation:

• From: The current state, highlighting pain points and challenges.
• To: The desired future state, showing improvements and benefits.
• Because: The rationale behind the transformation, explaining why change is necessary.

Example:
From relying on outdated, manual processes that slow down operations.
To an automated, cloud-based system that improves efficiency and collaboration.
Because customer expectations are evolving, and we need to remain competitive.

Using this framework ensures your transformation journey is clear, logical, and compelling.

Identifying FABs: Turning Features into Business Benefits

A key part of telling your digital transformation story is clearly outlining the business benefits. One effective way to do this is by identifying FABs: Features, Advantages, and Benefits. This method ensures that your transformation efforts aren’t just focused on the technology itself but on how it directly impacts your business and its stakeholders.

Breaking Down FABs:

• Features: What new technologies or capabilities are being implemented?
• Advantages: How do these features improve existing processes or solve challenges?
• Benefits: What measurable business outcomes result from these improvements?

Example:
Let’s say your company is implementing a cloud-based data analytics platform.

• Feature: AI-powered real-time data analytics.
• Advantage: Faster insights into customer behavior and market trends.
• Benefit: Improved decision-making, increased revenue opportunities, and enhanced customer experience.

By framing digital transformation initiatives in terms of FABs, you can effectively communicate the tangible business value—not just the technical details. This approach helps stakeholders understand why the transformation matters and how it contributes to overall success.

How Are You Being Measured?

A successful transformation is about more than change; it’s about impact. Clear metrics help track progress and validate success. Consider measuring:

• Operational Efficiency: Has automation improved productivity and reduced manual work?
• Customer Satisfaction: Are customers seeing faster service, better engagement, or improved experiences?
• Financial ROI: Has the transformation led to cost savings, revenue growth, or increased profitability?
• Security & Compliance: Are data protection measures stronger? Have regulatory requirements been met?

Defining success metrics from the start helps ensure accountability and continuous business optimization.

Digital transformation isn’t just about technology, it’s about reshaping business processes by improving customer experiences, and staying ahead in a competitive market. Crafting a compelling, audience-focused, and structured transformation strategy, can drive buy-in, minimize resistance, and maximize success. Contact Thrive to learn more about how we can partner with you to start your digital transformation journey, today.

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The Hidden Risks of Legacy On-Prem Servers

Security Vulnerabilities
Legacy on-prem servers are vulnerable to a range of threats including outdated software, end-of-life operating systems, and unpatched vulnerabilities. Many businesses struggle to keep up with security patches and updates, leaving their sensitive data exposed for cyber criminals. Hackers often target these security weaknesses, leading to data breaches, ransomware attacks, or complete system failures.

In contrast, cloud providers, like Thrive, implement advanced security mechanisms such as continuous patch management, AI-driven threat detection, and encryption at rest and in transit. Cloud environments are also maintained by teams of security experts who ensure compliance with stringent industry regulations such as DORA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR.

High Operational Costs
On-premises infrastructure can be very costly to maintain. The upfront investment is significant, and the ongoing maintenance costs quickly add up too. Organizations also have to allocate resources to IT staff for routine tasks such as updates, troubleshooting, and backups. Plus, mainframe expertise is harder and more expensive to come by because skilled workers are reaching retirement age with no replacements on deck.

Cloud solutions, however, offer better scalability, and there’s no need to invest in hardware or worry about lifecycle management. With cloud-based infrastructure, businesses can focus on innovation and reaching their business goals rather than maintenance.

The Benefits of Migrating to the Cloud

• Enhanced Security Measures: One of the biggest advantages of cloud migration is an improved security posture. Cloud providers continually invest in cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies, offering real-time monitoring, automatic updates, and advanced encryption standards for customers. Most cloud platforms also feature dedicated security tools like firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and security information and event management (SIEM). Migrating to the cloud also significantly reduces the risk of breaches, due to regular patching and updates.
• Long-Term Cost Savings: The shift to the cloud can lead to substantial cost savings for businesses. Moving away from legacy hardware eliminates the need for expensive hardware upgrades, space for servers, energy, and cooling costs associated with maintaining an on-prem server room. Using the cloud reduces maintenance, fewer IT staff for routine updates, and less frequent downtime, leading to lower operational costs.
• Increased Agility: Modern businesses require agility to adapt to fast-changing market conditions. Utilizing the cloud provides businesses with the ability to quickly deploy new services, scale infrastructure quickly, and respond rapidly to ever-changing customer demands.

Migrating Your Legacy Servers to the Cloud

Moving from a legacy infrastructure to the cloud requires a well-planned approach to ensure minimal disruption and maximize long-term benefits. Below are some key steps to help your business migrate to the cloud successfully:

• Assess Your IT Infrastructure: Before starting your cloud migration, assess your current IT stack to understand what applications, services, and data need to be moved. Evaluate which workloads are cloud-ready, which may need modification, and if any should remain on-prem for specific reasons (such as compliance).
• Choose the Right Cloud Model For Your Business: Determine which cloud deployment model fits your business’s needs: public, private, hybrid, or multi-cloud. Public cloud solutions like Microsoft Azure are cost-effective and highly scalable. Private cloud options offer greater control over data and may be more suitable for regulated industries. No matter your choice, Thrive’s team of expert Cloud engineers can help design, build, and support the Cloud solution that best meets your business needs.
• Plan for Migrating Your Data: Data migration can be one of the most challenging aspects of the move to cloud. Businesses must ensure that their data is securely transferred to the cloud without any loss or corruption.
• Implement Strong Security Controls: Security should be a priority during and after cloud migration. Leveraging cloud-native security features such as identity and access management (IAM), data encryption, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) can ensure your data stays safe. Continuous monitoring and regular audits should also be a part of your post-migration plan to maintain a strong security posture.

How Thrive Can Help

Migrating to the cloud can dramatically improve security, reduce costs, and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation. With Thrive, you have access to a secure hybrid cloud solution that can help keep your data secure, scale with your business, and help you meet your business goals. Don’t wait until it’s too late— contact Thrive today and embrace the cloud and mitigate the risks of outdated infrastructure.

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In the rapidly evolving landscape of cybersecurity, these stats are not just numbers but an indication of the rising severity of cybercrime. Staying ahead of the latest threats and vulnerabilities is paramount for organizations. The recently published Verizon Database Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) provides valuable insights into the importance of fundamental security measures. 

Below we will detail the 5 most important observations from the report and how the right cybersecurity services can assist organizations in addressing current and potential security failures; including the significance of unique passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA), user training, timely patching, and more.

• Combatting Business Email Compromise and Ransomware

Verizon’s DBIR reveals a concerning rise in Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, with a nearly 50% increase compared to the previous year. Protecting your organization starts with addressing the basics. Thrive offers comprehensive security solutions that enable the implementation of strong passwords, MFA, and user training programs to enhance resilience against BEC attacks and ransomware.

• Prioritizing Timely Patching and Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)

The report emphasizes the importance of prompt patching, especially in the context of vulnerabilities like the Log4j vulnerability. Verizon highlights the significance of having a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to expedite vulnerability identification. Thrive’s advanced patch management system enables organizations to stay ahead by proactively addressing vulnerabilities. Our services offer enhanced response time and risk reduction associated with vulnerabilities.

• Strengthening Security with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Stolen credentials and vulnerabilities account for almost 24% of breaches, as highlighted by Verizon’s report. Implementing MFA is crucial in safeguarding user accounts. Thrive offers a robust MFA framework, supporting various authentication factors, including password security, biometrics, and hardware tokens. By leveraging MFA, organizations can fortify their security defenses against credential theft and significantly reduce the risk of successful cyberattacks.

• Cultivating a Culture of User Awareness and Training

End-user training plays a vital role in combatting cyber threats. Verizon emphasizes the need to educate users on identifying phishing and social engineering attempts as a second line of defense if and when systems fail. Thrive enables end users to have power over their data,  equipping employees with the knowledge and skills to recognize and mitigate potential threats. By fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness, organizations can empower their workforce to be the first line of defense against cyber attacks.

• Embracing Proactive Patch Management

Verizon’s report highlights the persistent challenge of delayed patching – with an average delay of 49 days, organizations of any size can’t risk that type of security gap. Thrive emphasizes the importance of a standardized patch cycle to ensure timely remediation of vulnerabilities. By leveraging our Vulnerability Management Solutions and patch management capabilities, organizations can proactively address vulnerabilities, reducing the window of opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit weaknesses.

The 2023 Verizon Database Breach Investigations Report re-iterates that while the flashy attacks attract the news organizations, the basics of using unique passwords, forcing users to use MFA, and training users to spot phishing and social engineering attacks will go a long way to protect your organization. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, Thrive stands ready to help companies go back to the basics while also being a trusted partner in navigating where to turn next in your security journey, such as an AI-enabled cybersecurity mesh architecture. Contact Thrive to set up a consultation and learn more. 

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Thrive not only has the experience and resources to guide you through the migration process, but also the managed service offerings to help you optimize and manage your applications once they get to the Cloud. Our Cloud analytics tools can determine optimal memory, CPU, and storage tier needs to ensure that your Cloud services are right-sized for predictable billing and performance.

DOWNLOAD Cloud Migration PDF

Guide to Cloud Migration

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The right IT partner will be able to make the connection between your business needs and your technology needs. Be realistic about what your business goals are and communicate them clearly to your IT partner, who should be able to create a solid strategy tailored to your alternative investment business.

DOWNLOAD Our Buyer’s Guide Today!

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Thrive’s position as a leading global technology provider was strengthened in 2022. Demand from small and mid-sized businesses in need of our end-to-end managed services to help drive their secure digital transformation climbed steadily across multiple industries. It is a sign of the times. According to IDC, for the first time ever, the majority of enterprise organizations (53%) now have an enterprise-wide digital transformation strategy which is a 42% increase from just two years ago. 

When clients come to Thrive for help, they’ve often just paid for a custom or off-the-shelf solution that doesn’t fit the realities of their business and the lasting headache of unwanted “technical debt” in the form of maintenance, aging software, updates, migrations, and service packs. These “solutions” end up being expensive paths to nowhere. 

With a growing consensus that digital transformation is an ongoing process — one that needs to adapt and evolve as technology, people, and businesses change – Thrive is very well positioned to help its customers along this journey in 2023.

Here Are a Few of Our Favorite Things from 2022:

Growth

• Thrive acquired six managed services providers in 2022. We welcome InCare Technologies, Preemo, SouthTech, and DSM in the U.S., and Edge Technology Group and Custard in the U.K.
• Our workforce is now represented by more than 1,000 employees based in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
• We welcomed two new members to our leadership team: Bill McLaughlin becoming President and Richard Gardiner as EVP of Global Marketing. 
• Thrive welcomed 130+ new customers in 2022.
• Sales and agent revenue had impressive, double-digit increases. 

Key Investments

• We made a significant investment to upgrade our 24x7x365 eyes-on-glass Security Operation Center (SOC) by integrating a Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) engine to significantly reduce incident response times for client threats and provide higher quality information for the Thrive SOC to combat intricate cyber risks in real-time. 
• ThriveCloud opened its ninth in world-class SOC 2 Type II certified data center, located in Atlanta, GA

Industry Awards

• Thrive was recognized by CRN twice in 2022, making the CRN 2022 MSP 500 List and the CRN 2022 Solution Provider 500 List. We were also named to the 2022 Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies and to Boston Business Journal’s Fast 50! At the solution level, Thrive’s Managed Endpoint Security and Response solution won the 2022 Fortress Cyber Security Awards for the Endpoint Detection product category.

Thank you for your commitment and hard work. And Cheers! to a prosperous 2023!

The post Tipping the Scales: Thrive’s 2022 Growth & Momentum appeared first on Thrive.

What is Your Supply Chain?

Your supply chain is the network of vendors your business works with to ensure access to products or services rendered. Your various vendors make up your supply chain. It doesn’t just include products, either; it can include activities, people, information, and other resources that let you maintain operations.

A supply chain is incredibly important to the continued success of your business. For example, if your organization makes shoes, then you need access to the materials to make said shoes, like leather, rubber, and otherwise. Another example is the computers you use to provide goods or services to your customers. If there are shortages in the supply chain or if products are unavailable, then your supply chain will be disrupted, which also means a disruption to your operations and a negative impact on your bottom line.

Why is the Supply Chain Having Problems?

There are several reasons why the supply chain is experiencing problems, one of which is the pandemic. People were forced to move essential employees off-site, meaning they needed the technology to make this happen. The pandemic placed a significant strain on the materials required to work remotely, and the goods needed to move entire workforces remotely could not keep up with demand. This is why certain components are hard to come by, even all this time later.

Additionally, there is a labor shortage in the form of crucial workers who make the supply chain work. Countless people have quit their jobs over the past year, including warehouse workers and truck drivers, both of which are essential to the supply chain, creating bottlenecks—which hamper it. The people in these positions are being asked to do more, and they quite simply can’t. These issues aren’t getting better; if anything, they are getting worse.

What Can You Do?

Here are some things you can do to keep the supply chain from impacting your organization to the extent it might otherwise:

Inventory Control

There are two parts of having effective inventory control. First, you’ll need to have an extensive list of your inventory so you know what you have on-hand at any given time. If you don’t, you might find yourself falling behind. The other part of inventory management is mitigating risk by building a surplus. While it’s not the ideal state of things, it’s the way we have to get through the pandemic supply chain problems.

Be Flexible

If you source specific components or products from a manufacturer, they may not have access to the same goods and services they had in the past. They will do their best to get you what you need, but there might be a chance they cannot fulfill the order. Therefore, you should be open to sourcing your products or services from alternative suppliers if necessary. While it’s great to have the established relationships with manufacturers, you also need to keep your needs in mind.

Use Technology Security

Technology Security can help make your supply chain problems less of an issue. Software can automate a fair amount of the inventory process, and the Internet of Things is also invaluable for letting you know which parts of your business might need to be addressed.

Thrive can’t control the supply chain issues, but we can help you address these challenges with complete and total transparency. To learn more about what we can do for your business, contact Thrive.

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Not long ago, consultants would design a large-scale solution for a defined problem or need. The organization would be left with a hefty bill and heavily built solution that hopefully provided some value. If even marginal improvements were seen, everyone declared victory and went on to the next big project.

This was not always a path small- and medium-sized businesses could – or should – take. Often, these businesses would purchase off-the-shelf software and services, and hope for the best. Both larger and smaller organizations incurred technical “debt” in the form of maintenance, aging software, updates, migrations, and service packs. Ultimately, their state-of-the-art solution became an aging, unviable one faster than expected.

However, the world has changed, particularly when it comes to accessing technology. Opportunities exist for organizations to gain value through digital transformation as a fractional service.

A Manageable Way to Achieve Digital Transformation

Access to “billion dollar” software was unheard for SMBs of just a decade or so ago. Today, a mid-sized company can sign up for Microsoft Office 365 with a credit card. For a relatively low monthly cost per user, state-of-the-art email, document management, workflow platforms, data visualization tools, and top collaboration tools are available. Setting up and configuring SharePoint was once a lengthy IT project in and of itself. Now it’s accessible with a few clicks.

At Thrive, we strive to help businesses solve problems and inefficiencies, replace paper-based solutions, and achieve digital reporting, visualization, and collaboration transformation. With lessons learned from the days of big projects, we view digital transformation as an ongoing process — one that will continue as long as the technology, people, and businesses change. The best way to address change is to align with it. We believe strongly that the ideal approach is to align the rate of change an organization can absorb with organizational needs, and adapt resources and plans accordingly.

For example, a typical digital transformation journey may involve one day each month of strategic planning and guidance, two days of training, three days of workflow development, a day of architecture and design for the upcoming efforts, and three days of reactive support and changes to existing solutions. This adds up to about 10 days a month, or one-third of what would normally be a single, full-time employee. Some months may require more development, and others more reactive support. It’s important to engage with a service delivery model that accommodates the needed flexibility.

Several factors make digital transformation as a fractional service significantly more effective:

• Adoption: A mid-sized business can only make, accept, absorb, and respond to a certain number of changes. Understanding that and building a cadence is key.
  
• Cost: A full-time consultant or employee can be expensive. If utilizing a full-time resource is difficult to fit into the budget, it may not be the best use of resources.
  
• Expertise: Assigning one person to a project can lead to a knowledge bottleneck. No matter how smart that person may be, they likely don’t have the breadth of experience that a whole team can deliver. Multiple people should be evaluating problems and collaborating on a solution.
• Single Point of Failure: People come and go from organizations, but operational needs will continue. A one-person team leaving for a new job can completely derail entire projects, especially at smaller companies.

The most important takeaway is to get educated on the modern capabilities digital transformation platforms provide, and start working on a model to make use of them.

Larger organizations with sprawling IT departments have had the advantage of awareness and education, with access to higher quality resources for many years. Now that smaller organizations enjoy access to the same technical resources, they have an advantage in digital transformation through their agility and flexibility, but need the right partner to get the most of these resources. The message is clear, though – organizations of all sizes can modernize IT infrastructure through fractional digital transformation, and Thrive can assist with yours.

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