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How Cyber-criminals Exploit Small Businesses—and How to Stop Them!


The problem we are all missing!

Are cyber-criminals quietly circling small businesses? In the United States, Small businesses are being hit with a wave of cyberattacks that used to be reserved for large enterprises. According to VikingCloud research, "80% of SMBs recognize they have cyber vulnerabilities, and yet they use easily hackable passwords with pets' names, a series of numbers, or a family member's name (23%), never back up their data (16%), and don't require multi-factor authentication (14%)." These percentages are staggering. The fact that 80% of SMBs recognize they have vulnerabilities suggests companies are not prioritizing cybersecurity (I think everyone knows this). Due to a lack of prioritization, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting SMBs that lack strong defenses. In today's threat landscape, a single phishing email, stolen credential, or ransomware attack can halt operations and drain finances overnight. The following types of attacks are the most common against SMBs in 2025:


Why are SMBs facing these challenges?

Budget, budget, budget! Everything in the world comes down to money, and with cybersecurity, you have to spend the company's money to protect "everything". The average small business breach costs around $120,000. What some CEOs and owners don't realize is that the risk is bigger than just money. You also risk data loss/data exposure, Reputation damage, customer loss (long-term revenue), operational disruptions, legal/regulatory liability, intellectual property theft, loss of employee trust/productivity, and loss of strategic momentum. This list could be broken down into even more detailed categories, but I think we get the point. For an SMB, securing and preparing for a cyber breach is worth the investment. The most common challenges faced by small businesses:


  • Resources - leadership does not want to allot enough budget to implement proper security controls

  • Awareness - proper training has not been provided to recognize phishing or social engineering attempts.

  • Legacy systems and processes - older software or hardware.

  • Leadership - In a business where your IT department may be small and lack designated cybersecurity professionals, the push for cybersecurity must come from Leadership


Practical Strategies to Stop Cyberattacks on Small Businesses!

Protecting your business from cyber threats starts with making cybersecurity a priority for everyone on your team. Small companies can’t afford to treat it as an afterthought. Attacks are faster, wiser, and more frequent than ever. While there are many tools and strategies available, not every solution is realistic for smaller organizations. The following four approaches are cost-effective, practical, and easy to implement, helping you strengthen security without overwhelming your team or budget.


  1. Employee Training

    Ensure that every employee is trained to recognize phishing attempts in email. This can be done by completing phishing awareness training that teaches employees how to spot suspicious emails, verify vendor requests, and manage passwords properly.

  2. Harden Access Controls

    Ensure you implement a complex password policy (Numbers, uppercase and lowercase characters, special characters, 10-15 characters) and enable MFA on everything: email accounts, login names, admin accounts, and VPNs. Ensure you implement business-grade antivirus/malware software, and firewalls are installed and enabled on all end-user devices.

  3. Data Backup and Recovery Planning

    Implementing a proper backup plan will ensure you have a method to recover from a cyber attack or system outage. Backups should be secure, offline, and easily accessible, with a clear, tested recovery plan to ensure minimal downtime during restoration.

  4. Patch Management and Software Updates

    Cybercriminals are always looking for soft targets; leaving vulnerabilities unpatched or unupdated will create a large threat vector. Ensure you always keep your software and operating systems up to date and patched after each release.


The final method I want to highlight is Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) tools or engineering. With the right GRC solution or properly implemented GRC framework, you can streamline and automate risk management, compliance, audits and assessments, policy and control management, vendor risk management, and many other critical areas across your organization.


Great resources for GRC

  • If you are looking for a great book that covers the implementation of GRC engineering, check out "GRC Engineering for AWS" https://www.ajyawn.com/

  • For a fantastic GRC tool, check out 6Clicks, a cutting-edge GRC solution designed to streamline and automate risk and compliance management for enterprises, service providers, and government organizations. Powered by its proprietary AI engine, Hailey, and built on a unique hub-and-spoke architecture, 6Clicks enables distributed teams to collaborate effectively while maintaining centralized oversight. https://www.6clicks.com/


By ensuring these four key areas are covered, SMBs can significantly improve their security posture and mitigate common cyber risks. The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) provides a Small Business Cybersecurity Checklist to help get started.


Cyberforefront plug!


Is Your Small Business Cyber-Secure?

Small businesses with 100 employees or fewer are increasingly targets for cyberattacks, yet many lack the tools and guidance to protect themselves effectively. At CyberForefront.com, I’m creating a Small Business Cybersecurity Checklist and Implementation Plan designed specifically for businesses like yours.


While the checklist is still in development, I’m offering personalized consultations to help you identify immediate risks, prioritize protections, and plan a strategy tailored to your business. This is your chance to get expert guidance before the risks become real threats.


Reach out today at CyberForefront.com to schedule a chat. Let’s discuss how to protect your business, safeguard your data, and strengthen your cybersecurity posture.






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