In a recent Forbes article by Davey Winder, the FBI issued an urgent reminder for all businesses and individuals: enable two-factor authentication (2FA) immediately. The advisory follows a dramatic rise in cyberattacks across sectors—particularly ransomware—which continue to cripple organizations both large and small.
The FBI’s plea is simple and clear: many successful attacks, especially those involving ransomware and credential theft, could have been prevented with basic 2FA enabled on email accounts, business applications, and remote access platforms. The fact that 2FA remains unused or improperly configured in so many environments is a major contributing factor to the success of these campaigns.
But while 2FA is undeniably a critical first step in reducing risk, it is not a silver bullet. In fact, relying solely on “Detect and Respond” measures—like MFA, antivirus, and EDR—is proving to be insufficient in today’s threat landscape.
The Threat is Outpacing Traditional Defenses
Cybercriminals are evolving. Many are leveraging AI-generated phishing campaigns and malware that can bypass detection tools entirely. Others exploit zero-day vulnerabilities or legitimate remote administration tools to maintain persistence within networks, often going undetected for weeks.
The Forbes article cites the FBI’s concern that “cyber actors are exploiting unpatched systems and default credentials,” and are now targeting less-defended businesses as prime entry points. The trend is clear: attackers no longer need to breach massive enterprises to cause damage. Small and mid-sized businesses are now the preferred target because they often lack advanced cybersecurity protections—and are more likely to pay ransoms.
The Problem with “Detect and Respond”
Here’s the core issue: by the time most security tools detect a threat, it’s already too late. Detection-based defenses assume compromise is inevitable and focus on limiting damage after an attacker is inside. This model gives the upper hand to cybercriminals who are using stealthy malware, encrypted command-and-control (C2) channels, and living-off-the-land tactics.
Even 2FA, while essential, does nothing to stop what happens after a malicious payload is executed or after an attacker gains lateral movement inside the network. The FBI warning is necessary—but it's not sufficient for the level of protection modern businesses require.
It’s Time to Move to “Isolation and Containment”
What businesses need is a shift in approach—from Detect and Respond to Isolation and Containment. This is exactly the philosophy behind AppGuard, a battle-tested endpoint protection solution with a 10-year track record of preventing malware from ever executing, regardless of whether it’s known or unknown.
AppGuard doesn't rely on signatures or heuristics to identify threats. Instead, it enforces strict containment policies that block malicious activity at the process level—before it can ever launch or do damage. It neutralizes attacks by stopping them from gaining a foothold in the first place.
This approach effectively protects systems even when users click on phishing links, open malicious attachments, or fall for social engineering tricks that bypass 2FA. With AppGuard, even if the attacker gets in, the attack can’t execute or spread.
Why AppGuard is the Protection Businesses Actually Need
Let’s be blunt: every business is a target. The FBI has made it clear that threats are rising. The sophistication of these threats means that legacy solutions aren’t enough, and every business leader should be asking themselves not just how to detect an attack—but how to prevent it from happening altogether.
AppGuard is already deployed in some of the most sensitive government and defense environments, and is now available for commercial use. It operates silently, doesn’t require constant updates, and stops malware at the source—before damage occurs.
The Bottom Line: The FBI’s warning is not hypothetical. Attacks are increasing, and small to mid-sized businesses are squarely in the crosshairs. While enabling 2FA is a necessary step, it’s just the beginning.
Business owners, it’s time to go beyond detection. Talk with us at CHIPS about how AppGuard can help your organization adopt a true prevention-first strategy—one built around Isolation and Containment that keeps ransomware and advanced threats from ever executing.
Don't wait for a breach to rethink your cybersecurity approach.
Contact CHIPS today to learn how AppGuard can protect your business from becoming the next headline.
Like this article? Please share it with others!
Comments