Small businesses are frequent targets of cyberattacks because they often have fewer defences. The good news: a set of basic measures stops most attacks.
Accounts and access
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for email, cloud services, VPN and admin accounts.
- Password manager for unique, strong passwords.
- Least privilege: staff only get access they need; separate admin accounts.
Devices and software
- Automatic updates for operating systems, browsers and applications.
- Endpoint protection on all computers.
- Device encryption for laptops and phones.
- Inventory of all devices and software.
Data
- Backups following the 3-2-1 rule, including an offline or immutable copy, with regular restore tests.
Email and web
- Email security: spam and phishing filters, SPF/DKIM/DMARC for your domain.
- Secure websites: HTTPS, updates and monitoring.
People
- Security awareness training: recognising phishing, handling suspicious emails and reporting incidents quickly. Most attacks start with a human mistake.
Preparation
- Incident plan: who to call, how to isolate affected systems, how to restore, when to inform authorities (GDPR breach notification) and customers.
Network
Firewalls, separate guest Wi-Fi and secure remote access complement these measures.
Start with the biggest risks
MFA, backups and updates provide the most protection for the least effort.
We help SMEs implement these measures – from email security and backups to network protection and onsite device setup.
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