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In a field flooded with tools, buzzwords, and compliance checklists, critical thinking is what cuts through the noise. It’s not just about following frameworks – its about asking the right questions. How does this control actually reduce risk? Is this alert meaningful, or just noise? What’s the intent behind the regulation, and how does it apply to my environment?  Cybersecurity isn’t static. Threats evolve. So do the technologies and motivations behind them. Critical thinking is how we stay ahead –by analyzing not just what is happening, but why it matters, how it affects our mission, and where the next move should be.  It’s the difference between reacting and preparing. Between compliance on paper and resilience in practice.  

For business leadership, IT and cybersecurity managers and government contractors, thinking critically about security is essential. The message is clear: operate with the assumption that you’ve already been hacked and implement strategies designed to reduce the damage and prevent future breaches.  

This blog lays out why an “assumed breach” mindset is vital, discusses key measures to strengthen your security posture, and shares concrete examples of how historical failures have led to catastrophic breaches.  

Why Start with the Threat Story?  

Every breach has a threat story — they follow a script. It starts with something simple: scraping public info, probing for weak spots, fooling someone into opening the door. From there, it’s a slow creep — privilege escalation, staying hidden, exfiltrating and stealing valuable data. Every lapse in cybersecurity begins with a predictable threat story and understanding the threat story means you’re not just reacting to symptoms You’re recognizing the pattern, seeing the setup, and cutting it off before the damage is done.  

When organizations fail to monitor and adjust their defenses continuously, they create the perfect conditions for these adversaries to thrive. According to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report (2024), the average breach takes 178 days to detect. That’s nearly six months of silent access and time for hackers to explore systems, escalate their privileges, and quietly exfiltrate data – all while you’re thinking everything is fine.   

The solution? Rethink how you approach cybersecurity by staying critical, proactive, and adaptive.  

The Assumed Breach Mindset: Assume They’re Already In 

What if you approached security like you’ve already been breached? This mindset shifts the focus from reactive to proactive, enabling teams to tighten defenses at every layer of the organization. It forces you to assess ongoing risks, improve detection and response times, and continually review security controls for vulnerabilities.  

By adopting this approach, you can detect and mitigate bad actors before they do long-term damage.  

Consequences of “Set it and Forget it” Security  

Security that doesn’t evolve is security that fails. Here’s what it looks like in the real world.   

1. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs):

   These attackers don’t merely hack and run; they work methodically, sitting undetected and gathering intelligence over time.  

2. Lax Monitoring:

   Without frequent assessments, security controls degrade, leaving doors open for attackers.  

3. Lost trust, Lost data:

   Undetected attacks lead to theft of intellectual property, financial harm, and reputational damage.  

Real World Lessons 

Case Study 1: Snowden Breach  

Edward Snowden’s case demonstrated glaring holes in monitoring and internal access controls. Despite his role as a contractor, he accessed over 1.7 million highly classified NSA files due to poor privilege control and lack of detection capabilities.  

Key lesson: Never underestimate insider threats. Rigorous monitoring and role-based access restrictions are critical.  

Case Study 2: U.S. Telecom Breach (Salt Typhoon)  

The state-sponsored Chinese group Salt Typhoon exploited telecom vulnerabilities to spy on sensitive U.S. government communications. By sitting undetected, they accessed metadata and call data from high-profile targets, including government leaders.  

Key lesson: Persistent attackers invest in bypassing basic defenses. Continuous monitoring and patching are essential. 

Turning the Tide with a Proactive Framework 

Implementing robust, proactive cybersecurity practices doesn’t happen overnight.  With frameworks like the NIST SP 800-171 and the Security Assessment Domain, you can start building security that actually holds.   

Leveraging NIST/CMMC for Security Excellence  

The Security Assessment Domain focuses on areas like periodic assessments, action plans, continuous monitoring, and system security planning (SSP). Here’s how these can reduce risk:  

1. Perform Regular Assessments: Step beyond annual audits. Incorporate quarterly and monthly evaluations to ensure defenses remain aligned with evolving threats.  
2. Develop a Plan of Action & Milestones (POAM): Address deficiencies systematically and track remediation efforts to demonstrate ongoing progress in security.  
3. Monitor Continuously: Ensure all controls, from technical to administrative, operate effectively in real time.  
4. Keep the SSP Alive: Treat it like a living document. Track system changes and ensure your security policies adapt to operational shifts. Update it when systems and risks change. 

Focus on Threat Detection  

Compliance matters, but detection speed matters more. Shrinking your Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and responding to breaches swiftly can be the difference between stopping an attacked and reporting a breach Increase visibility across systems and layer in advanced monitoring tools, behavioral analytics and endpoint visibility to flag suspicious behavior before it escalates.  

Taking Critical Steps to Secure Your Organization  

Here’s where to focus now, while aligning with CMMC and NIST 800-171 standards: 

• Train Your People: Most attacks start with someone clicking the wrong thing. Equip users with the knowledge to spot phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics. A well-trained staff is your first and best line of defense.  

• Lock Down Access: Limit access to those who truly need it. Over-permissioning is a gift to attackers.  

• Partner Up: For smaller teams or larger teams who need specialized cybersecurity support, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) can fill the gaps without breaking the budget.

• Simulate Real Attacks: Include penetration testing as part of your assessments to reveal the cracks, before a bad actor does. History and data show that organizations need to reframe cybersecurity as an ongoing, adaptive process—not a one-time exercise.  

Reframe Cybersecurity: It’s not a One-Time Fix 

Security isn’t a milestone; it’s a moving target.  And organizations that treat it as a living, breathing priority are the ones that bounce back faster and lead with confidence.  

Want to learn how to rethink your approach and adopt the “assumed breach” mindset?  

Watch the full on-demand webinar, Thinking Critically About Security, for deeper insights and actionable advice from leaders at NeoSystems and Cohn Reznick.  

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Become part of the proactive organizations that are minimizing their risk and staying ahead of the curve.