The Future of Cybersecurity is Human + AI

Cybersecurity October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month — a crucial reminder that threats evolve, attackers innovate, and organizations (big & small) must stay alert. In a world where remote work, cloud computing, and third-party ecosystems have become standard, many businesses think “we’re too small” or “we’re not a juicy target.” The truth: you are a target, especially if your defenses are lagging or mis-aligned with your exposure. Common Gaps Businesses Face Weak identity and access controls (too many users with excessive rights) Inadequate threat detection & response (no 24/7 monitoring; slow reaction time) Poor or outdated compliance (HIPAA, NIST, ISO, CMMC etc.) Suppliers whose tools are poorly integrated or not vetted How Dedicated Telecom Group Helps Close Those Gaps At Dedicated Telecom Group, we provide full-spectrum cybersecurity: Offensive Security, Compliance & Risk Management, Threat Detection & Response, IAM, and Remediation. Our managed services give you real-time monitoring, audit-ready compliance support, and faster remediation when vulnerabilities are found. Supplier & Partner Advantage Dedicated Telecom Group has access to a portfolio of vetted cybersecurity suppliers. Our model lets Dedicated Telecom Group (and you) pick best-of-breed tools that have been evaluated for security, support, and certifications. When Dedicated Telecom Group recommends a solution, you get pre-vetted suppliers, better integration possibilities, and often better price / SLA due to the supplier network. Key Takeaways for October Use this month to perform a cybersecurity health check. Get stakeholder buy-in — cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue. Lean on experts like Dedicated Telecom Group to map risks and build a roadmap. Choose vetted suppliers that integrate and scale.

Compliance & Risk Compliance is often seen as a headache — acronyms like NIST, HIPAA, CMMC, or ISO feel like alphabet soup. But in reality, strong compliance and risk management don’t just reduce liability; they build trust and resilience. The Challenges Companies Face Regulations evolve constantly, and many businesses struggle to keep up. 48% of businesses report frequent insider attacks, showing that risk isn’t just external. Vendors and suppliers may have weak security, creating third-party vulnerabilities. Documentation is inconsistent, making audits stressful and expensive. Why Compliance is a Business Advantage Proof of trust — Customers and partners increasingly require proof of compliance. Fewer surprises — Regular risk assessments catch problems early. Resilience under pressure — Organizations that invest in compliance can respond faster when issues arise. Better decision-making — Risk management clarifies where to prioritize investments. The Cost of Falling Behind The average cost of a data breach continues to rise globally — and many of those costs are driven by slow detection, poor preparation, or fines for non-compliance. Supplier & Partner Advantage Dedicated Telecom Group works with suppliers whose solutions meet stringent compliance standards, helping clients align security and risk programs with business objectives. That means less scrambling, fewer penalties, and more confidence when auditors or clients come calling.

Detection & Response Even with solid defenses, determined attackers will eventually find a way in. The real question is: how quickly will you know — and how quickly can you respond? The Reality of Dwell Time The average time to detect a breach is around 204 days, and the average time to contain it is another 73 days. That’s more than nine months in total — plenty of time for attackers to explore, steal, and escalate. Every day lost compounds the damage. Why Organizations Struggle Too many alerts and not enough context lead to “alert fatigue.” Blind spots in monitoring — endpoints, mobile, or cloud workloads — create gaps. Incident response plans often exist on paper but aren’t tested. Teams lack visibility across different security tools. Steps to Improve Detection & Response Centralize monitoring through a SIEM or integrated platform. Prioritize alerts — define what’s critical and automate escalation. Run tabletop exercises so your team knows exactly what to do. Measure MTTD (Mean Time to Detect) and MTTR (Mean Time to Respond) — and set goals to reduce them. Human Risk Factor Research shows 74% of breaches involve the human element, whether through phishing, credential misuse, or error. That means fast detection isn’t optional — it’s the only way to contain the inevitable slip-up. Supplier & Partner Advantage Dedicated Telecom Group helps clients access pre-vetted platforms for detection and response that integrate across endpoints, cloud, and network. With proven solutions and tested support, organizations can act faster and contain threats before they spiral.

Identity & Access Management Identity has become the new perimeter in today’s hybrid workplace. Employees, contractors, and even systems all require access to sensitive resources. The problem? Credentials are also one of the weakest links in cybersecurity. The Scope of the Problem According to Fortinet research, 86% of breaches involve stolen or compromised credentials. Attackers no longer need to “hack in” — they just log in with information stolen from phishing emails, data dumps, or reused passwords. Once inside, it often takes organizations months to realize something is wrong. In fact, studies show it takes an average of 200–210 days to detect a breach. That’s more than half a year of free access for a cybercriminal. Common Weaknesses in IAM Stale accounts: Users who’ve left still retain active logins. Excessive permissions: Employees often keep access to systems they no longer need. Password reuse: One leaked password can unlock multiple accounts. Lack of MFA: Many organizations still don’t require multi-factor authentication across critical systems. Best Practices for Stronger IAM MFA everywhere — It’s one of the easiest and most effective defenses. Least privilege — Employees should only have access to what they need, nothing more. Automated provisioning & de-provisioning — Reduces human error and closes accounts promptly. Regular audits — Permissions should be reviewed and updated, not assumed. Supplier & Partner Advantage At Dedicated Telecom Group, we help clients not only design IAM policies but also select solutions from a vetted portfolio of suppliers. These tools are tested for security, integration, and compliance, so you can enforce identity controls with confidence.

Industry Pest Control Services Provided Telecom Expense Optimization, Cost Reduction, Ongoing Telecom Management A Major Pest Control company struggled with high telecom expenses and inefficiencies. Despite using current carriers, their telecom setup was inefficient and lacked transparency. By partnering with us, they found a way to cut costs without switching carriers. Challenge Before engaging with Dedicated Telecom Group, the Pest Control company's telecom setup was disorganized, with several services and plans that no longer fit their operational needs. The company was paying for redundant services, and its lack of transparency into actual usage was driving up costs. As the business grew and expanded, telecom costs continued to rise, affecting their bottom line. Our Approach Dedicated Telecom Group conducted a telecom audit, identifying redundancies and optimizing the pricing structure to enhance efficiency. Our team: ● Analyzed the client's telecom accounts and services ● Negotiated better pricing with existing carriers ● Eliminated redundant services and outdated plans ● Streamlined the telecom infrastructure for better cost control The Results Over the course of a 2-year contract, Dedicated Telecom Group helped the Pest Control Company save more than $3.3M in telecom costs by: ● $1.4M per year in better-negotiated pricing ● $260K per year from eliminating redundant services ● A 26% reduction in overall telecom expenses The company achieved a more streamlined and cost-effective telecom structure, which enabled it to allocate resources more efficiently across its operations. Ongoing Impact Dedicated Telecom Group continues supporting the company with the following: ● Ongoing cost reductions and expense management ● Streamlined billing and telecom processes ● Expert guidance for scalability and continued optimization Key Takeaways ● Saved $3.3M over 2 years ● Improved pricing without switching carriers ● Eliminated redundant services, leading to cost savings ● Streamlined telecom system for long-term savings and efficiency

Industry Architecture and Industrial Design Services Provided Telecom Expense Optimization, Cost Reduction, Procurement Services, Service Delivery Coordination The oldest Architecture firm in America was planning a move from a single-site office building that they had been leasing for over 40 years to a new suite in a different building in downtown Philadelphia. The IT Team and the company's principals sought a way to reduce their IT costs as part of the move. Challenge The client had a tight deadline to ensure the move to the new office was completed on time. They also had a large amount of infrastructure to move to their own Prem Data Center, which needed to be up and operational for staff to continue staying productive. Any downtime could have cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost billed hours. The client also wanted to reduce cost and have the Internet services installed 2 weeks before the official move date. Our Approach Dedicated Telecom Group conducted a thorough pricing audit of Internet carriers that serviced the new location and then gave the client some options. Once they chose the carriers they preferred, we negotiated a lower price on the client's behalf and developed an implementation schedule to effectively deliver the Internet circuits before the due date. Our team: ● Negotiated better pricing with one existing carrier and replaced the second carrier ● Had bi-weekly calls for 4 months while the project was running to align all resources ● Acted as an intermediary between the client and the carriers ● Reduced the cost of their total Internet bill ● Provided carriers with diverse fiber paths for a more redundant connection ● Worked with the IT consultant on the day of setup ● Reviewed all billing after the orders were complete ● Fully set up the client in the carrier portals for bill pay and ticketing The Results ● $75K in better-negotiated pricing ● $230K savings over 3-year contracts Ongoing Impact We continue to support the company with: ● Proactive expense management ● Mobility Help Desk ● Ongoing telecom optimization as they scale ● Quarterly bill reviews of the Internet Services Key Takeaways ● Over $75K saved in the first year ● Improved telecom pricing without switching carriers ● Service delivery management got the orders installed on time ● Better pricing and double the bandwidth