Cyber security isn’t just an I.T. problem. It’s an everybody problem.
Did you know that one in three small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) experienced a cyberattack in 2024?
These attacks set companies back $255,000 on average, with severe incidents costing as much as $7 million. Many small companies just can’t recover from that.
But why do so many attacks succeed?
It’s often not because of some new technological advance in hacking methods, but because attackers exploit basic unpreparedness and simple human error.
Fortunately, you can start preventing the most common cyberattacks with your existing resources, along with some expert help.
Here are four quick cybersecurity improvements to make in 2025.
#1. Fortify Your First Line of Defense Through Training
How can you guarantee your organization’s I.T. security if employees cannot recognize, avoid, and respond to potential threats?
Here’s the short answer: It will be tough, maybe impossible.
Let’s use a phishing example. Attackers now increasingly use LinkedIn to learn everything they can about company CEOs, then send spoofed emails—from addresses similar to the ones they are trying to imitate—to dupe employees into clicking on malicious links or executing unauthorized transactions.
An unsuspecting employee could take a quick glance, see that the name and email address appear correct, and easily think such an email came from you.
But an informed employee would know to look further at the email address and note small details, such as whether it is from your company’s domain. They would also know to approach you to verify the email’s authenticity.
This is why it’s crucial to raise awareness of cyber risks and employees’ role in boosting security. Communicate your security policy, host mandatory training, and implement regular attack simulations to gauge your team’s cyber readiness.
Learn more: The Definitive Guide To Keep Safe From Phishing
#2. Protect Your Networks and Install Firewall Security
How reliable are your endpoint protection solutions? Do you have commercial-grade antivirus software?
Both options can act as your software-based firewall. They provide a central point to identify and attempt to mitigate threats such as malware or malicious websites that might lead to a virus if otherwise left unaddressed.
What about your network firewall?
Firewalls offer a lot of different functionalities. Some are very basic, ensuring you and your employees can safely access the internet and keep unwanted traffic from accessing the network.
This is a good starting point, but there are more robust options as well:
- Intrusion Detection: This ensures that suspicious network activity patterns can be identified and even blocked in real time as soon as they are noticed.
- Domain Name System (DNS) Blacklisting: Network users attempting to visit a malicious website will be logged and blocked rather than being granted access.
- Virtual Private Networks: VPNs allow employees to access the network safely when working off-site, so their connection is encrypted, authenticated, and secure.
These improvements can considerably improve your company’s cybersecurity posture.
Related: What Are Common Network Security Vulnerabilities?
#3. Create a Mobile Device Policy and Be Diligent About It
The massive rise in telework has made bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies critical. You need to worry about company-owned devices as well as any personal devices employees might use to connect to your network or access company information.
Employee-owned devices can be a significant weak point in a company’s security, and hackers know it. Your best course of action is to create a policy with set parameters for the use of personal devices.
Have a minimum level of security required for any device that accesses company information or uses the company network.
Additionally, encourage your team to protect their own devices – both digitally and physically.
#4. Stay On Top of Updates and Backups
Is your Windows operating system (OS) up to date? Outdated software is notorious for exposing SMBs to vulnerabilities.
The good news is that Microsoft has a team of experts constantly working to build the latest security into their software, and now, their latest and safest—Windows 11—is ready. Ensure your employees using Windows devices run that update before October 14.
And the sooner the better. If you keep hitting snooze on that upgrade, it could really come back to bite you. There’s nothing worse than falling victim to an attack targeting an already-patched vulnerability because of an outdated OS.
Now is also a good time to look at other assets–like antivirus software–to verify they are current.
Next up: Do you have a backup policy?
They’re crucial for data loss prevention and ensuring business continuity. Cyberattacks often compromise data, or hold it hostage in the case of ransomware. Not having a backup can leave your business with lost information and costly downtime, but you can keep things up and running if you have a secure, usable backup.
Get into the practice of regularly backing up your essential company data.
Get Help and Advice From the Experts at Attentus
Running a successful SMB often boils down to comprehensive risk management. Set the proper foundations for protecting your organization’s critical assets, and you can avoid the negative implications of lax security—including downtime, compliance violations, and more.
Plus, customers’ trust in your business will naturally increase when they see that you value security and know how to protect information in an increasingly dangerous digital world.
At Attentus, we’ve helped hundreds of SMBs build robust security postures through comprehensive employee training, virtual chief information officer (vCIO) consulting, and technical solutions.
One of our core values is building trusted relationships with our clients and empowering them to build trust with theirs. We’re here to help you make cybersecurity as simple and effective as possible. And with a client retention rate of over 10 years, we’re proud to be a partner our clients rely on for the long haul..
Book a free custom consultation to learn more!
