cxo voice
  • Home
  • Technology
    • AI
    • Cloud
    • Telecom
    • Data Center
    • BPM
    • Blockchain
  • Finance
    • Banking
  • Cyber Security
  • View Points
  • Leaders Talk
  • News
  • Press Release
    • Submit Press Release
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Technology
    • AI
    • Cloud
    • Telecom
    • Data Center
    • BPM
    • Blockchain
  • Finance
    • Banking
  • Cyber Security
  • View Points
  • Leaders Talk
  • News
  • Press Release
    • Submit Press Release
No Result
View All Result
Leaders Talk and Latest Tech News | CXO VOICE
No Result
View All Result
Home News Cyber Security

Why Even One Unpatched Device Can Be a Catastrophic Risk for Startups and SMBs

by - Ramit Luthra, Principal Consultant – North America at 5Tattva

Ramit Luthra by Ramit Luthra
July 25, 2025
Why Even One Unpatched Device Can Be a Catastrophic Risk for Startups and SMBs

If you’re a startup or small business, you may not have the resources of a Fortune 500 company – but cyber attackers aren’t concerned with that. In fact, they’re counting on it.

One overlooked system. One missed update. That’s all it takes.

This isn’t a hypothetical risk. In the infamous Target breach, attackers didn’t go after Target’s main infrastructure directly. They gained access through an HVAC contractor’s unpatched system, and from there pivoted into the company’s network – ultimately compromising over 40 million credit and debit card records.

More recently, a critical SharePoint vulnerability (CVE-2025-53770) has opened the door to remote code execution for organizations still running on-premises versions. SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) remains unaffected, but those who delay patching their servers are leaving sensitive documents and workflows dangerously exposed.

In both examples, the core infrastructure wasn’t initially at fault – it was the neglected edge that brought everything down.

What’s the Real Risk?

Modern cyberattacks rarely start with brute force. They start with a scan, looking for systems running known, unpatched software.

ADVERTISEMENT
  • Automated attack tools are constantly scouring the internet for exposed entry points – aging servers, outdated apps, forgotten routers, and unmonitored IoT devices.
  • SMBs are frequent targets, precisely because they often lack formal patching processes, complete asset inventories, or 24/7 monitoring.
  • Lateral movement is quick once attackers get in. That unpatched printer server or backup appliance could be the launchpad for compromising your email, customer data, or financial systems.

What You Can Do – Right Now

1. Treat patching as a business-critical process – not an IT chore: Automate where possible and make patching part of your weekly operating rhythm – not just something you do after a headline breaks.

2. Know what you own: Keep an accurate, regularly updated inventory of all your devices, software, and cloud accounts. You can’t secure what you can’t see.

3. Review your integrations: Third-party platforms, vendors, and legacy systems often introduce risk. Ask hard questions about how often they update and what their security posture looks like.

4. Don’t go it alone: A trusted cybersecurity advisor or managed service provider (MSP) can help you assess your exposure, implement patching workflows, and harden your defenses – even on a startup budget.

Your entire cybersecurity posture can be unraveled by a single unpatched device. That vulnerability could stem from a legacy system, an obscure configuration, or even a third-party vendor’s oversight. Yet, it may be all it takes to land your business in tomorrow’s headlines. The truth is, you don’t need to fear technology — you just need to maintain it. In the world of cybersecurity, vigilance always beats complexity.

Also Read: mimik and Tech Mahindra Launch Agentic AI Production Center to Revolutionize Autonomous AI Development

Ramit Luthra

Ramit Luthra

Principal Consultant – North America at 5Tattva.

Related Posts

AI Threats
Cyber Security

Survey Reveals 65% of IT Leaders Struggle to Combat AI-Driven Cybercrime Threats

September 19, 2025
AI in Hiring
Opinion

AI in Hiring: Separating the Hype from Real-World Use Cases

September 19, 2025
AI-Powered Cyber Threats Demand AI-Driven Security
Cyber Security

AI-Powered Cyber Threats Demand AI-Driven Security

September 18, 2025
Check Point Lakera
Cyber Security

Check Point Software Acquires Lakera to Enhance AI Security Solutions

September 17, 2025
Wipro CyberShield
Cyber Security

Wipro and CrowdStrike Unveil AI-Powered CyberShield MDR to Enhance Enterprise Security

September 15, 2025
Quick Heal BHASHINI
Cyber Security

Quick Heal Technologies Partners with BHASHINI to Enhance Cybersecurity Education in Regional Languages

September 11, 2025
Ransomware in Education
Cyber Security

Ransomware in Education: Progress Made, But Challenges Remain for IT Teams

September 11, 2025
Exabeam
Cyber Security

Exabeam Enhances Security Operations with Google Cloud Integration to Combat Insider Threats from AI Agents

September 10, 2025
Load More
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Updates

Genpact AI

Genpact Unveils Advanced Insurance Policy Suite to Reinvent Insurance Buying

by Arshi Khan
2 days ago

LTIMindtree BlueVerse

LTIMindtree Unveils BlueVerse RightAction: AI Governance Framework for Autonomous Agents

by Deepa Sharma
2 days ago

PayTechs

Capgemini’s World Payments Report 2026 Reveals Merchant Exodus from Traditional Banks

by Arshi Khan
2 days ago

Aamir Sait MongoDB

Aamir Sait Appointed Area Vice President for India at MongoDB, Set to Drive Growth and AI Integration

by Deepa Sharma
3 days ago

AMD and Cohere

AMD and Cohere Join Forces to Boost AI Deployment for Enterprises and Governments Worldwide

by Deepa Sharma
3 days ago

Semiconductor cleaning

IBM and SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Partner to Advance Cleaning Technologies for High NA EUV Lithography

by Deepa Sharma
3 days ago

Expert Views

AI in Hiring
Opinion

AI in Hiring: Separating the Hype from Real-World Use Cases

September 19, 2025
Why Even One Unpatched Device Can Be a Catastrophic Risk for Startups and SMBs
Cyber Security

Why Even One Unpatched Device Can Be a Catastrophic Risk for Startups and SMBs

July 25, 2025
Cyber Criminals
Cyber Security

How WormGPT Became ChatGPT’s Evil Twin

July 15, 2025
When AI Empowers Both Networks and Hackers: The New Battlefield for India’s Telecoms
Opinion

When AI Empowers Both Networks and Hackers: The New Battlefield for India’s Telecoms

May 20, 2025
Molly Sands AI
AI

AI RIP: 5 Things Knowledge Workers Will Say ‘Sayonara’ to in the Next Decade

March 8, 2025

Get Latest Update

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives newsletter direct to your inbox!

ADVERTISEMENT

Leaders Interviews

Tokenization
Interview

Revolutionizing Finance: An Exclusive Interview with Sid Ugrankar, Co-founder of Qila.io on the Future of Blockchain and Tokenization

-
Steve Wilson, GenAI Cybersecurity LLMs
Cyber Security

How effective is GenAI in cybersecurity? The role of LLMs and AI in security solutions. [Interview with Steve Wilson]

-
Interview on Counterfeit products with Nikhil Narayan
Leaders Talk

Advancements in ML & AI made it possible to detect counterfeit products in real-time, says Nikhil Narayan

-
Newgenone bridges the gap between business users and IT teams with its low code capability: Varun Goswami
Leaders Talk

Newgenone bridges the gap between business users and IT teams with its low code capability: Varun Goswami

-

Entrepreneur

Top Leadership Skills Entrepreneurs Need in the Age of AI

Samsung Electronics appoints its first female president

Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs in India (2022)

Technology Adoption For Entrepreneurs

CXOVoice.com is a leading online publication for CXOs, entrepreneurs, senior leaders, developers, and industry professionals. Our coverage spans key sectors, including IT, technology, banking, finance, cybersecurity, engineering, and automobiles.

Connect with us

Easy Links

  • Cryptocurrency
  • Event
  • Blockchain
  • Press Release
  • Resources & Downloads

Write Us

[email protected]
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Feedback

Copyright © 2025 CXOVoice - All Right Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Technology
    • AI
    • Cloud
    • Telecom
    • Data Center
    • BPM
    • Blockchain
  • Finance
    • Banking
  • Cyber Security
  • View Points
  • Leaders Talk
  • News
  • Press Release
    • Submit Press Release

Copyright © 2025 CXOVoice - All Right Reserved