Advanced Cybersecurity: How to Choose the Right Level of Protection for Your Business

You’re concerned about your business’s cybersecurity. And for good reason. With breaches making headlines every week and the growing risks your business faces, you have a lot at stake. But how do you know how much security is enough?

Are firewalls, antivirus software, and basic protections sufficient? Or do you need more advanced cybersecurity like a complete SIEM solution or continuous vulnerability management? And what about compliance…are you meeting the necessary requirements? If your cybersecurity knowledge is limited, navigating these questions can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, you have options.

Whether you need basic or advanced cybersecurity depends on many things, such as your industry, type of business, and IT environment. In this article, we’ll explore these factors, outline the options available, and guide you in how to select the best level of protection. But first, let’s look at why cybersecurity has become more critical than ever in the past two years.

Why the Right Level of Protection Is Now More Important Than Ever

It’s hard to ignore. Just open the paper or scroll through the news and you’ll see stories of data leaks or ransomware attacks. Cybersecurity has become an increasing problem in the past decade. However, the past two years have seen a significant shift with the rise of AI, leading to an accelerated number of breaches. At Leverage, we’ve observed a marked increase in attempted attacks on our clients—now occurring on a near-weekly basis.

AI has also revolutionized the methods used in these attacks. Deepfakes, AI-generated phishing emails that lack traditional red flags (like misspellings or suspicious formatting), and highly sophisticated social engineering scams that convincingly impersonate friends or loved ones. These are just a few examples of the evolving threat landscape.

But the damage caused by these attacks goes beyond your bottom line. While basic security packages may protect you from ransomware or catastrophic breaches that could shut down your business entirely, more advanced cybersecurity is often needed to protect against reputational damage. What happens if a cybercriminal causes a service outage or sends a phishing email under your company’s name? You’re likely to lose customers. And if the incident gains media attention, you could face reputational harm that’s difficult, if not impossible, to recover from.

On top of this, many businesses now face stringent regulatory requirements. Noncompliance fines can reach up to $100,000. Could your business afford that? These realities make it clear that advanced cybersecurity is often needed for many businesses these days. 

The Role of Cybersecurity Layers in Protecting Your Business

To counteract the barrage of cybersecurity threats businesses face, it’s important to understand what security layers are. Think of them as the defenses of a castle: the moat, walls, and guards all work together to keep intruders out. In cybersecurity, these layers include firewalls, antivirus, and phishing detection, with more advanced cybersecurity defenses added for industries with higher risks or stricter compliance requirements. 

Each layer serves a specific purpose, and together they form a comprehensive system designed to protect against a wide range of threats. This redundancy ensures that if one layer is breached, others remain in place to safeguard the castle—or, in this case, your business.

All businesses should start off with at least some basic security, like the firewalls and antivirus mentioned above. That said, the more high risk your industry or the stricter your compliance requirements, the more you’ll need to move beyond basic protections to advanced cybersecurity solutions.

Imagine the difference between securing a bank and a 7-Eleven. A 7-Eleven, which holds little cash, is a low-risk environment. Basic security measures like cameras, locks, and an alarm system are likely sufficient. A bank, on the other hand, is a high-value target, requiring more sophisticated defenses such as armed guards, vaults, and advanced surveillance systems. How does this comparison translate to cybersecurity? 

Consider a plumbing company with disposable PCs running all SaaS applications. If they can operate without relying heavily on stored data, they likely don’t need an advanced cybersecurity setup. Now contrast that with a financial institution or healthcare provider. These organizations handle sensitive and highly regulated data, making them prime targets for cybercriminals. For these businesses, advanced cybersecurity solutions with multiple layers of protection are not just necessary—they’re critical.

What to Look for in a Cybersecurity Solution?

As mentioned above, every business has different security needs based on its risk level and industry. In most cases, base security isn’t enough. Why? The reason is simple: there is no human led security team monitoring your systems. If a security incident happens, most businesses are left scrambling, unsure of how to respond. Meanwhile, the fallout from the attack intensifies—spreading through your systems, disrupting operations, and frustrating customers as service interruptions arise. Time is really of the essence when a breach happens. 

What’s more, basic security without a human-led team is inherently reactive. It responds to threats after they’ve occurred, rather than proactively seeking them out. In the age of AI—where attacks are more frequent, sophisticated, and constantly evolving—this approach leaves your business exposed. Especially when you consider that base security is rarely comprehensive. It often leaves critical areas, like third-party integrations or parts of your internal network, completely unprotected.

A human-led security team, combined with tools like comprehensive logging, provides a far more thorough defense for your business. Comprehensive logging is essential for compliance in industries such as healthcare and finance, and it offers deep visibility into your entire network. By analyzing billions of data points, it can detect the smallest anomalies that may indicate a breach or cyberthreat. When paired with a human-led security team, you arm your business with an advanced cybersecurity solution that proactively identifies and addresses threats before they escalate.

Lastly, I highly recommend choosing a cybersecurity solution that leverages AI technology. While the term “AI” is often overused these days, it plays a critical role in modern cybersecurity by providing faster threat detection, advanced cybersecurity training for your staff, and comprehensive vulnerability management. We’ll soon dive deeper into how our solutions leverage AI, but as you evaluate cybersecurity providers, be sure to ask them how exactly their AI tools protect your business.

Choosing between Basic and Advanced Cybersecurity: 4 Levels of Protection

Now for what you’ve been waiting for: a closer look at the different levels of security packages. I am going to show you what we offer at Leverage IT, which can serve as a guide for what to look for when evaluating the basic and advanced cybersecurity solutions of any provider, whether or not you choose us. 

One important point to keep in mind is that all four options below are packages. What does that mean, and why is it important?

When you’re exploring cybersecurity service providers, you’ll often encounter companies that only sell tools. At Leverage, we take a different approach. We don’t just sell tools—and we don’t recommend choosing a provider that does. Why?

As you’ve likely gathered from this post, cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, especially in recent years. A tool that worked well two years ago might be completely ineffective today, or simply no longer the best option. At Leverage, we see it as our responsibility to stay ahead of the threat landscape. We continuously monitor and adapt, adjusting our processes, training, teams, and tools to ensure our clients are protected against emerging risks.

In other words, cybersecurity is fluid. You can’t rely on a single tool, or even a handful of tools, to provide adequate protection. Instead, you need a dynamic approach that assesses your unique security needs and adapts the right tools and processes to address them. That’s why we regularly evaluate and update our tools, ensuring they remain effective as threats evolve and our clients’ needs change—all at no extra cost to you.

This commitment to adaptability is why we offer packages rather than individual tools. And if you’re evaluating other providers, I strongly recommend seeking out one that takes a similar approach. Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the packages.

Advanced Security Platform (ASP) Level 0

Before we get to our more advanced cybersecurity solutions, let’s start out with our basic package that covers all your essential needs and is included free with all Leverage plans. Here’s what you get.

Next-Generation Firewalls

We deploy advanced, AI-powered firewalls across all client environments. These firewalls analyze and block threats, providing a strong first line of defense against cyberattacks.

Advanced Endpoint Protection

Our base package includes a top-rated antivirus solution configured to ensure all your devices are protected from malware and other threats, keeping your systems secure.

Basic Anti-Phishing Filter

We protect your team from phishing with AI-driven technology that analyzes email communication patterns. For example, if you receive a malicious email from a friend or colleague whose account has been compromised, the technology can detect anomalies in the email’s tone, style, or context and flag it as phishing.

Quarterly Security Awareness Training
All clients receive phishing simulations and training every quarter. This keeps employees vigilant and better equipped to spot common cyber threats.

Core Monitoring Capabilities
A basic cloud SIEM service monitors your network and connected systems for signs of account compromise, such as suspicious email rules or unusual account activity. While it stores logs for only two weeks, it provides essential protection against account takeovers.

Reactive Alert Response
Our team responds to alerts triggered by our monitoring tools, investigating suspicious activity to minimize your risks and ensure any issues are addressed quickly.

ASP Level 1

The crown jewel of our Advanced Security Platform (ASP) Level 1 is Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (mEDR) paired with a 24/7 human-led Security Operations Center (SOC) via the cybersecurity platform Huntress. What does that mean? 

Think of it like this. If EDR is your high-tech alarm system—constantly watching for suspicious activity, locking doors, and sounding alarms—the SOC is the expert security team that steps in when your business’s alarm goes off. While automated tools handle the basics, our human-led SOC investigates threats, verifies real dangers, and takes immediate action to contain and resolve issues.

Here’s what’s included in ASP Level 1.

Advanced Cybersecurity Backed by a Human-Led Team, 24/7

As mentioned above, your business benefits from advanced endpoint protection with 24/7 monitoring and a dedicated SOC. A SOC consists of real security experts who investigate, isolate, and fix threats to keep your business safe.

Expanded Monitoring Capabilities
Continuous monitoring works alongside your built-in antivirus protection to detect hidden threats and suspicious activity missed by basic tools—ensuring no threats slips through the cracks.

Threat Response Procedures

If a threat is detected, compromised machines can be instantly locked down and isolated, while infections are automatically removed. 

ASP Level 2

At ASP Level 2, advanced AI security really kicks into gear, offering personalized protection tailored to your unique staff and business. For healthcare organizations, the addition of IRONSCALES Complete satisfies HIPAA requirements. Here are some of the package’s highlights.

Stronger Account Protection Measures
At this level, the basic anti-phishing filter from ASP Level 0 is upgraded to IRONSCALES Complete, which includes comprehensive Security Awareness Training (SAT), advanced file scanning, and enhanced account takeover detection. It autonomously investigates suspicious activity, enabling us to lock down compromised accounts as needed.

Enhanced Anti-Phishing
As part of IRONSCALES Complete, your organization gets more advanced cybersecurity awareness training, including AI-driven phishing simulations and spear phishing campaigns. In this approach, the AI learns about your environment and users, and then tests your staff’s detection skills with realistic spear phishing attempts.

Personalized Phishing Training for Your Staff

Training adapts to each employee’s performance. If someone fails a phishing simulation, they’re automatically assigned additional training. What’s more, employees are graded with a security awareness score, and the system autonomously adjusts the difficulty of future simulations and training to improve their skills.

Consult with Super-Intelligent AI on Suspicious Emails

Your staff can consult a sophisticated AI assistant via chat whenever they encounter a suspicious email. The AI can answer questions about potential red flags and help your staff determine the email’s legitimacy.

ASP Level 3

If your business needs the ultimate protection with the most advanced cybersecurity features and full compliance, ASP Level 3 is for you. While every business has unique security needs, we often recommend ASP Level 3 because it’s the same system we use to protect our own business. For companies with FTC consumer safeguard compliance requirements, the full SIEM and CVE monitoring and remediation solutions help meet those obligations. Here’s what’s included in the Level 3 package.

Full SIEM Implementation for Complete Network Security

ASP Level 3 layers ins a complete Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution. This system analyzes and scans logs from all network devices, computers, servers, and cloud platforms, identifying threats that standard monitoring tools might miss.

Advanced Threat Detection that Uncovers Secret Attacks
The enhanced intelligence of our complete SIEM solution goes beyond identifying direct compromises. It detects subtle signs of intrusion—like unusual login behavior or stolen tokens—enabling our SOC team to spot breaches where cybercriminals are quietly probing your systems before launching an attack.

Complete Compliance Coverage that Meets FTC Requirements
Designed to meet stringent requirements like the FTC Safeguards Rule, ASP Level 3 provides you year-long log retention and granular threat detection. It’s ideal for businesses in highly regulated industries like car dealerships, insurance, and CPA firms.

Continuous Vulnerability Management
A full Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) monitoring and remediation solution is implemented, which continuously scans all your workstations, software, and networks for CVEs. Identified vulnerabilities are prioritized and patched, ensuring your systems stay secure and up-to-date.

Industry-Specific Requirements to Be Aware of

Now that you understand the different levels of protection and have taken a look at our basic and advanced cybersecurity packages, it’s important to recognize that some industries face unique compliance requirements. Below are some you may encounter:

  • FTC Consumer Safeguards Rule: Requires businesses to implement security measures that protect consumer data—focusing on preventing unauthorized access and ensuring the confidentiality of financial information.
  • WISP Compliance: Mandates that businesses create a Written Information Security Program (WISP) to safeguard personal data. This includes identifying risks, training employees, and implementing access controls.
  • HIPAA Requirements: Requires healthcare organizations to protect patient data by ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and security of electronic health records while adhering to privacy standards.
  • PCI Standards: Set by the Payment Card Industry (PCI), these rules provide a framework for businesses to secure credit card transactions and prevent fraud and data breaches. 

Our advanced cybersecurity ASP Level 3 package is specifically designed to support businesses in high-risk industries—such as CPA and financial service firms, healthcare organizations, and car dealerships—that must meet these strict compliance requirements.

However, if you explore cybersecurity options outside our offerings at Leverage IT, it’s crucial to be cautious of sham products. Many low-cost solutions are marketed as compliance-friendly but offer only minimal protection. These tools may meet compliance requirements on paper, but they often aren’t very effective and fail to provide the real security your organization needs.

While these products might save you money and help you avoid fines, they leave your business vulnerable to reputational damage and financial losses from cyber breaches. With cybersecurity, you truly get what you pay for. That’s why investing in robust solutions ensures both compliance and genuine protection for your business.

Basic or Advanced Cybersecurity Solution? How to Make the Best Decision for Your Business

Whether you choose a basic or advanced cybersecurity solution, selecting the right level of protection for your business comes down to three key factors: risk assessment, compliance requirements, and budget considerations. Let’s break these down to see how they apply to your business.

Risk Assessment: When evaluating your risk, you need to consider your IT environment, your industry’s risk level, the size of your business, and its complexity. All these factors influence how much protection your business needs. At Leverage, our cybersecurity experts assess all these factors for you. We’ll educate you on the cybersecurity options available to you, helping you make an informed decision to protect your business. We also discuss the cost, the potential impact of implementing (or not implementing) specific security measures, and how those measures mitigate risks. Finally, we make a recommendation for the level of security best suited to your business.

Compliance: As you can probably tell by now, compliance isn’t just about avoiding fines—it’s about protecting your business’s reputation and building trust with your clients. You know that every industry has unique requirements, such as HIPAA for healthcare or PCI standards for payment processing. Understanding and addressing these regulations is critical. At Leverage, we guide you through the complexities of compliance, ensuring your security measures meet the necessary standards while delivering real protection, not superficial solutions. Our goal is to ensure you’re both compliant and secure, so your business is prepared for audits and shielded from the risks compliance measures are designed to prevent.

Budget: Lastly, and importantly, is your budget. Our role is to help you understand your risks and the costs of mitigating them. It’s helpful to view this not just as a financial decision, but as a risk decision and business decision. What is your risk tolerance? Are you comfortable with limited protection of your IT network? Does your business face significant risk, or are you in an industry cybercriminals rarely target? Of course, budgets can sometimes be tight. You may not be able to afford the most advanced cybersecurity solution. We understand that, and that’s why we’ve divided our packages into three levels—to provide flexible options that align with your budget while still offering protection.

As you can probably tell by now, we take a consultative approach with our clients. While we personally use ASP level 3 at Leverage, we know this may not be the right solution for every client. Frankly, we need the most advanced cybersecurity protection available. We operate in a high risk industry and are on lots of cybercriminals’ radar. However, we recognize that not every business faces the same risks. If you’re a small retailer or a plumber who could survive without their data (as mentioned earlier), you might not need the same level of protection. On the other hand, if you’re in a highly regulated industry with strict compliance requirements, Level 3 is likely the best choice.

Ultimately, the decision of which level of security you select is yours. Our job is to guide you, answer your questions, explain the risks, and make a recommendation. That’s what a true partner does, and it’s exactly what we strive to do for our clients.

Taking Action on Your Cybersecurity Needs Brings Peace of Mind

By now, you should feel more confident about your cybersecurity needs and options. As your business grows, so does the risk. Which is why it’s important to assess that risk and make a sound decision about cybersecurity.

Whether you choose Leverage or another provider, taking action on your cybersecurity needs is critical. Imagine the relief of knowing you’ve done everything necessary to protect your business from potential breaches. No more sleepless nights worrying about risks. Just peace of mind, knowing you’ve taken the right steps to secure your company. That’s what we can do for you at Leverage. 

If you’re ready to take that next step, Leverage’s Managed Cybersecurity service can help. We’ll guide you through the process, assess your risks, educate you on your options, and answer all your questions—empowering you to make the best decision for your business. That’s what true partners do. That’s who we are. Contact us today to secure your business and gain the confidence that comes with being protected.

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