You don't need an enterprise budget to defend against modern threats, you need the right priorities. With stolen credentials the number-one way in, this checklist focuses on the identity-first basics that deliver the most protection per dollar.
Identity, do this first
- MFA everywhere that matters: email, cloud consoles, GitHub, domain registrar, payment tools.
- Prefer phishing-resistant passkeys or authenticator apps over SMS codes.
- Unique passwords via a password manager, no reuse, ever.
- Least-privilege access, people and services get only what they need.
- Same-day offboarding, revoke access the moment someone leaves.
Why identity first
#1
attack vector: stolen logins & phishing
Minutes
from leaked login to abuse
The essential baseline
- Tested backups, automated, with a restore you've actually verified.
- Device updates, keep OS and software patched; enable auto-update.
- Centralized logging & alerts, you can't defend what you can't see.
- Verify out-of-band, confirm any urgent money/access request on a second channel.
- Clear ownership of files, code and vendor permissions.
Security isn't a document nobody opens. It's your daily habits, access rights, vendor choices and how you handle a bad week.
Level up when ready
Once the baseline is solid, add SSO for smoother access, a formal incident-response playbook, penetration testing, and security-awareness training so your team can spot phishing and social engineering.
Need a hand?
We help teams stand up identity-first security without the enterprise overhead. See our cybersecurity services or book a free review.
