Cybersecurity for small businesses too with JOUO

Abusing the IT infrastructure of small businesses as „zombies“ or inconspicuous actors in a larger, sophisticated cyberattack is a tactical strategy used by attackers to gain access and trust to lucrative victims. The raid on the mighty fortress of Troy was successful with this tactic – and this tactic is still used: This approach can be seen as a form of „Trojan horse“, where the IT infrastructure of smaller companies is used as supposedly harmless platforms to gain undetected access to a larger, better protected target.

The selection of small businesses as a launching pad for such attacks is often due to their perceived weaknesses in cybersecurity.
 
Small businesses may have less sophisticated security measures, less vigilance and fewer resources to effectively defend against attacks. Cybercriminals can exploit these weaknesses to take control of the IT infrastructure and infiltrate it undetected.

The infected systems in small businesses then become a kind of invisible „zombie army“ under the control of the attackers. These networks can be used to carry out malicious activities without the small businesses themselves being aware of it. This can involve spying on information, carrying out denial-of-service attacks or installing malware on other systems.

However, the actual target of this tactic is often a different one: the large company. By using the small companies serving as „zombies“ as an intermediary, attackers can cover their tracks and circumvent the security measures of the larger target. The Trojan horse is used in communication with the large company, while the „zombies“ operate seemingly harmlessly in the background.

Trust is the most valuable key to the success of a cyber attack 

In this scenario, the victim trusts its long-standing suppliers. Sensitive documents are exchanged in confidence or interfaces to the respective trading systems are used. Downloading updates to software products, for example, is also carried out much less critically than, for example, with external partners, due to trust in the integrity of the partner.

Defending against such attacks requires small businesses to increase their awareness of cyber threats and implement appropriate security measures. The large company must also be aware that even smaller, inconspicuous actors in their supply chains can pose a potential risk. Collaboration, both between small and large businesses and between different industries, is crucial to strengthen resilience against such sophisticated cyber attacks.