At some point, someone will get past your defenses. It’s inevitable.

Maybe it’s a phishing attack that tricks a user. Maybe it’s a zero-day vulnerability in your vendor’s software. Or maybe it’s something as simple as a weak password.

The question isn’t if an attack will happen—it’s how much damage will be done when it does.

 

Why Least Privilege Is Your First Line of Defense

The key to limiting damage is least privilege—ensuring users (and machines) only have access to what they absolutely need.

Think of it this way: If a guest asks to use your bathroom, you might say yes. But what if they start rifling through your medicine cabinet, grabbing prescription pills? You’d feel violated—and the damage would already be done.

Now imagine you had locked that cabinet. That’s the power of least privilege in cybersecurity. Users should only have access to what’s absolutely necessary—nothing more. If an attacker does get in, they’re trapped in a small, contained space, instead of roaming freely through your entire network.

 

When Hackers Target the Holes You Can’t See

But least privilege alone isn’t enough—especially when attackers go after the weak spots you didn’t know existed.

Take CVE-2025-21210, for example. This vulnerability in Windows BitLocker encryption could allow hackers to recover sensitive data in plain text, just by accessing a machine in sleep mode.

Or consider LSASS credential dumping—a technique where attackers extract Windows admin credentials directly from system memory. Once they have those, they can move laterally across your network, escalating privileges and taking control.

And if you think passwords will protect you, think again. Over a billion passwords were stolen in malware attacks last year alone.

 

AI: A Game Changer for Hackers—and Defenders

Attackers are already using AI to:

  • Automate phishing campaigns that mimic human behavior
  • Crack passwords by predicting common patterns
  • Evade detection by learning how security tools operate

But AI isn’t just a tool for hackers. Defensive AI is being used to:

  • Detect threats in real time and stop attacks before they spread
  • Analyze user behavior to flag suspicious activity
  • Enforce least privilege automatically, preventing unauthorized access

 

Your Next Steps

To stay ahead of these threats, your security stack must include:

Least Privilege Enforcement – Limit access for both users and devices

Credential Protection – Block LSASS dumping and other credential theft tactics

AI-Driven Detection – Identify attacks before they cause damage

Zero-Day Monitoring – Stay ahead of vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-21210

Multi-Factor Authentication – Stop relying on passwords alone

 

The Liability MSPs Can’t Ignore

Here’s the real question: Are you recommending these steps to your clients?

And more importantly, do you have evidence that you’ve made these recommendations?

If you’re unsure, it’s time to schedule a Cyber Liability Analysis with one of our advisors. We’ll help you uncover the hidden liabilities in your security program—before they come back to haunt you.