The focus in cybersecurity is often on external threats. Hackers breaching firewalls, phishing emails tricking employees, and ransomware attacks crippling operations get most of the attention. However, one of the most dangerous and overlooked threats comes from within a network itself. Lateral movement attacks allow attackers to quietly navigate an organization’s internal systems, escalating privileges, stealing data, and causing serious damage before anyone even notices.

Lateral movement happens when an attacker gains access to one system and then moves deeper into the network. Instead of forcing their way through an organization’s perimeter, they exploit weak internal security to expand their reach. Attackers can extract login credentials from compromised machines, use stolen hashed passwords to gain access, take advantage of misconfigured systems, or hijack remote desktop sessions to jump from system to system.

Many businesses assume that once an attacker gets inside, their security systems will detect and stop them. The problem is that most security measures are designed to prevent outside threats, not contain movement within a network that is already compromised. Some of the biggest breaches in history have happened because attackers moved through systems undetected for months. The SolarWinds hack, for example, allowed attackers to infiltrate systems and operate in the shadows for an extended period. As businesses shift toward hybrid work environments and cloud-based operations, the opportunities for attackers to move laterally are only increasing.

Stopping lateral movement means limiting an attacker’s ability to explore a network freely. The best way to do this is by segmenting the network so that different systems and departments are not easily accessible to one another. Users and applications should only have access to what they need for their roles, and admin privileges should be tightly controlled. Monitoring for unusual login locations, unexpected privilege escalations, and strange network traffic can help catch an attacker before they do serious damage. Multi-factor authentication adds another layer of security, making it harder for attackers to use stolen credentials. Regularly updating software, closing unnecessary ports, and disabling outdated protocols can help prevent attackers from finding easy entry points. Endpoint detection and response solutions provide real-time monitoring, allowing security teams to detect and stop threats as they happen.

Lateral movement attacks may not make the news as often as massive ransomware breaches, but they are just as dangerous. Once an attacker has a foothold inside a network, time is on their side. They can steal, destroy, or manipulate data long before anyone realizes they are there. Companies need to shift their security mindset from just stopping external threats to also focusing on what happens inside their own systems. Strengthening defenses now can mean the difference between a minor security incident and a major breach. If your business is concerned about lateral movement attacks, now is the time to take action and protect your network before it's too late.