One Unpatched Device Can Collapse Your Security: Cybersecurity Lessons for SMBs
Ramit Luthra is a strategic leader who drives business expansion and revenue growth through his expertise in shaping and executing digital strategies for Fortune 500 companies. He has led complex engineering, operations, and AppDev organizations and has elevated operational efficiency while introducing digital solutions on a global scale in roles at McKinsey, BlackRock, Citigroup, and Edward Jones. Throughout his career, he has consistently focused on process optimization, automation, and cost reduction, driving significant improvements in efficiency and time-to-market for products. As a General Partner at Edward Jones, Ramit spearheaded Technology Infrastructure & Operations, with a budget of over $500 million, to seamlessly integrate legacy mainframe, compute, and network systems with latest technologies such as AI, cloud, middleware, and NextGen network solutions. He empowered & mentored over 50,000 associates across 15,000 branches and offices by making them evangelists of modern technology. Ramit was instrumental in transitioning the firm from an investment advisory to a comprehensive wealth management organization serving over 8 million clients by streamlining siloed processes and end-user technologies. After concluding his tenure at Edward Jones, Ramit has been actively involved in investor and advisory roles with several technology startups. He leverages his extensive industry experience to provide strategic guidance and support, helping these startups navigate challenges and achieve growth. As EVP and Global head of Enterprise Infrastructure & Security Solutions organization at Citi, Ramit led a distributed global workforce that introduced self-service tools and automations to improve efficiency and productivity. He led in-house teams and outsourced partners to manage the lifecycle of 250+ products for over half a million global users. He earned a patent for his innovative SaaS application, which significantly enhanced the efficiency of M&A and divestiture processes. Ramit’s earlier career at BlackRock Financial and McKinsey & Co. further honed his skills in integrating technology services and operational processes, fostering collaboration, and reducing application delivery timelines by 75%. His work has consistently bridged the gap between software engineering and IT operations, providing seamless end-user experiences and equipping teams with practical knowledge and skills. Ramit holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Punjab Engineering College in India and has completed executive education courses in CIO Leadership Development at Columbia University and Financial Management at Cornell University. He is also a certified General Securities Representative with FINRA Series 7 certification. Ramit’s contributions extend beyond his corporate roles, serving on the executive board of St. Louis Community College and on advisory boards for ZScaler and Comcast. He is also a Director at Empower Orphans, a charity organization aiding abandoned and underprivileged children. Why even one unpatched device can be a catastrophic risk for startups and SMBs If you’re a startup or small business, you may not have the resources of a Fortune 500 company – but cyber attackers aren’t concerned with that. In fact, they’re counting on it. One overlooked system. One missed update. That’s all it takes. This isn’t a hypothetical risk. In the infamous Target breach, attackers didn’t go after Target’s main infrastructure directly. They gained access through an HVAC contractor’s unpatched system, and from there pivoted into the company’s network – ultimately compromising over 40 million credit and debit card records. More recently, a critical SharePoint vulnerability (CVE-2025-53770) has opened the door to remote code execution for organizations still running on-premises versions. SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) remains unaffected, but those who delay patching their servers are leaving sensitive documents and workflows dangerously exposed. In both examples, the core infrastructure wasn’t initially at fault – it was the neglected edge that brought everything down. What’s the Real Risk? Modern cyberattacks rarely start with brute force. They start with a scan, looking for systems running known, unpatched software. Automated attack tools are constantly scouring the internet for exposed entry points – aging servers, outdated apps, forgotten routers, and unmonitored IoT devices. SMBs are frequent targets, precisely because they often lack formal patching processes, complete asset inventories, or 24/7 monitoring. Lateral movement is quick once attackers get in. That unpatched printer server or backup appliance could be the launchpad for compromising your email, customer data, or financial systems. What You Can Do – Right Now 1. Treat patching as a business-critical process – not an IT chore. Automate where possible and make patching part of your weekly operating rhythm – not just something you do a fter a headline breaks. 2. Know what you own. Keep an accurate, regularly updated inventory of all your devices, software, and cloud accounts. You can’t secure what you can’t see. 3. Review your integrations. Third-party platforms, vendors, and legacy systems often introduce risk. Ask hard questions about how often they update and what their security posture looks like. 4. Don’t go it alone. A trusted cybersecurity advisor or managed service provider (MSP) can help you assess your exposure, implement patching workflows, and harden your defenses – even on a startup budget. Bottom Line Your entire cybersecurity posture can be unraveled by a single unpatched device. That vulnerability could stem from a legacy system, an obscure configuration, or even a third-party vendor’s oversight. Yet, it may be all it takes to land your business in tomorrow’s headlines. The truth is, you don’t need to fear technology – you just need to maintain it. In the world of cybersecurity, vigilance always beats complexity. Read More
