The false sense of security: why are firewalls and antivirus no longer enough to protect your company?

For years, firewalls and antivirus have been the mainstays of digital security in companies. With the evolution of threats: ransomware among others, these solutions, which once offered effective protection against known threats, are now no longer enough to protect organizations' data and operations. And the reason is simple: the threat landscape has evolved - and a lot.

Companies that still rely exclusively on these tools are navigating with a false sense of security. Worse, this illusion can be costly, especially in the face of the exponential growth in ransomware attacks, social engineering and other sophisticated forms of digital invasion.

In this article, we'll explore how cyber threats have evolved, why traditional defenses fail, and what really works today to keep your company safe: immutable backup, disaster recovery (DR) plans, continuous monitoring and secure environments such as the private cloud.

The evolution of threats: the rise of modern ransomware

A decade ago, the main cyber risks involved viruses that corrupted files or spyware that collected personal data. Today, the scenario is quite different.

Ransomware - a type of malware that hijacks data and demands payment to release it - has become one of the most dangerous threats in the digital world. But what makes this type of attack so effective?

Clever distribution: attackers use apparently harmless emails, links on social networks and even malware embedded in legitimate files.
Lateral movement: once inside the network, ransomware spreads silently, compromising multiple systems.
Targeted attacks: criminals often study the company before the attack, targeting critical servers, backups and sensitive data.

This often happens without triggering traditional antivirus or firewall alarms, especially when attackers use valid credentials obtained via phishing or social engineering.

The illusion of traditional protection

Many managers still believe that investing in a firewall and antivirus is enough to keep their company safe. Although these resources still have their value, they can't combat modern threats effectively.

Firewalls don't prevent insider attacks

Firewalls are excellent for controlling network traffic by blocking malicious external connections. However, they don't prevent an employee from clicking on a malicious link in an email. What's worse, if the attacker is already inside the network with valid credentials, the firewall won't see this as a threat.

Antivirus detects what it already knows

Most antiviruses operate based on signatures of known threats. But cybercriminals are constantly creating new variants of ransomware that go unnoticed by these tools. In addition, a lot of malware is programmed to act in a dormant mode, only performing its function after long periods - making detection even more difficult.

Focus on prevention, but not on recovery

Both resources focus on prevention, but do not offer recovery mechanisms in the event of a breach. When the attack happens - and statistically, it will happen - what can your company do to minimize the impact?

What really works today

Faced with this scenario, companies need to adopt a more strategic stance, combining prevention, detection and response. This means broadening the range of solutions, going beyond the basics. Let's look at the tools and practices that really make a difference.

Immutable backup: the last line of defense

One of the biggest targets of ransomware is company backups. And it's not hard to see why: if the attackers manage to corrupt or encrypt the backups, the company has no choice but to pay the ransom.

The solution? Immutable backups.

An immutable backup is one that, once saved, cannot be altered or deleted by any user - not even administrators. It is stored in an isolated environment, with retention protected against accidental or intentional deletion.

This approach guarantees that, even in the event of an attack, the company will have a complete and secure copy of its data, ready to be restored.

Disaster Recovery Plan: rapid response is everything

It's not enough just to have a backup. It's essential to have a well-defined disaster recovery (DR) plan, with regularly tested processes.

This plan must answer the following questions:

Which systems are critical and should be brought back online first?
Where are the backup copies stored?
Who is responsible for each stage of the recovery?
What is the maximum tolerated downtime (RTO)?
How much data can be lost without causing severe impact (RPO)?

Companies that have a well-structured DR can resume operations in hours, not days or weeks. Find out more!

Continuous monitoring: visibility is power

Most attacks don't happen instantly. In many cases, cybercriminals spend weeks inside the network, exploiting vulnerabilities and gathering information before carrying out the final attack.

This is why continuous infrastructure monitoring has become essential. This includes:

User behavior analysis (UEBA): identifies unusual patterns, such as access at strange times or massive downloads.
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): centralizes and analyses event logs, detecting suspicious activity in real time.
Automated responses: some advanced systems already apply automatic containment when identifying anomalies.

This type of monitoring makes it possible to detect the threat before it causes real damage, drastically reducing response times.

Secure environments: the private cloud as a shield

Finally, you can no longer rely on local infrastructure alone. The on-premise model, in addition to requiring constant investment in hardware and security, tends to be more vulnerable when there is no specialized IT team 24/7.

The private cloud has emerged as a secure, controlled and scalable alternative. Unlike the public cloud - where resources are shared with other companies - the private cloud offers:

Dedicated and isolated environments;
High performance and customization according to business needs;
Advanced security features integrated by default;
Geographic redundancy and high availability;
Full-time specialized technical support.

By migrating critical systems - such as ERPs, file servers and e-mails - to the private cloud, the company can count on state-of-the-art infrastructure, continuous monitoring and built-in backup and DR resources, without having to manage everything itself.

Read more on: private cloud security

The new role of the IT manager and the entrepreneur

The current scenario demands a new position from technology leaders and executives: security is no longer optional, nor the sole responsibility of IT. It must be at the heart of strategic decisions.

Ignoring this reality can lead to the shutdown of operations, loss of customers, regulatory sanctions and irreversible damage to the company's reputation.

It's time to swap the feeling of lack of security for real security. And this can only be achieved with a layered approach, well-defined processes and reliable partners.

Conclusion

Firewalls and antivirus are still important parts of digital protection, but they are no longer enough. Information security today requires a broader approach, based on prevention, detection and rapid response.

Companies that want to survive (and thrive) in this new scenario need to invest in:

Immutable backups;
Robust disaster recovery plans;
Continuous monitoring and behavior analysis;
Secure and managed environments, such as the private cloud.

The false sense of security has already brought down many companies. The question remains: is your company really protected - or do you just think it is? Find out more!