Many small business prospects we encounter have no central corporate office, and their entire team consists of all remote workers.   Rarely do they have someone positioned to handle their IT needs, whether that be someone internal or an outsourced solution.   At best, they have someone in their company deemed most adept at using technology, handling basic IT issues, like ordering or replacing PCs, taking calls from other team members when IT problems are encountered, or finding a resource to create their website.   They definitely have not given much thought to cybersecurity and the risks inherent in today’s fast-paced digital world, even when their company consists of an entirely remote team working over the open internet.

While it may be shocking at first glance, it’s not atypical and almost makes sense, as these small businesses are focused on their immediate goals and their customers, keeping the lights on and not thinking strategically about IT.   As they grow over 20 to 30 team members, IT issues start to really encumber day-to-day operations, and thus, the need for some kind of IT help arises.  Also, it’s not unusual for someone in the company to have experienced a phishing attack, a super slow internet connection, or a technology issue that kills their productivity.   That is when we get a call, or at least, they are open-minded about learning more about how we can help them from an IT perspective.

In today’s increasingly digital world, with so many small businesses being staffed by work-from-home teams, they face significant cybersecurity threats they aren’t even aware of, which can lead to severe financial or operational consequences or even simply reputational damage. We find that often, these small businesses mistakenly believe they are too small to be a target for cybercriminals. On the contrary, attackers see small businesses as easy targets due to their typically weak or nonexistent security measures. This is supported by a 2023 report from Verizon Data Breach Investigations, which found that 46% of all cyberattacks target small businesses.

To help protect these small businesses from these threats, it’s crucial to understand the most common cybersecurity mistakes small businesses make and how to avoid them.  Below is a list of things small businesses need to address to get the ball rolling with implementing some security measures.  We’ll pluck the low-hanging fruit with this post and circle back in a few weeks for more tips with our next article addressing cybersecurity basics.   Let’s look at some issues that need to be dealt with right away:

Weak Passwords and Poor Password Management

One of the simplest yet most common mistakes small businesses make is failing to enforce strong password policies. Employees often use easy-to-guess passwords or reuse the same password across multiple accounts. This creates an open door for attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.

How to Avoid It:

Enforce strong passwords: Require passwords to include a mix
of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. 

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds an extra
layer of security, requiring a second form of verification, such as a mobile
code or biometric authentication.

Leverage password managers: These tools help employees generate and securely store complex passwords, reducing the need to remember them.

Lack of Employee Training

Employees are often the first line of defense against cyber threats. Without proper training, they may unknowingly click on phishing emails, download malicious software, or fall victim to social engineering attacks. Many small businesses overlook cybersecurity training, assuming that it’s too expensive or unnecessary.

How to Avoid It:

Conduct regular training sessions: Educate your employees on how to recognize phishing emails, avoid suspicious downloads, and follow safe browsing practices.

Simulate phishing attacks: Test your employees with simulated phishing campaigns to gauge their ability to detect and respond to threats.

Create a clear cybersecurity policy: Make sure all employees understand the company’s cybersecurity guidelines and the steps to take in the event of a potential threat.

Ignoring Software Updates and Patches

Cybercriminals often exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated software to gain access to a company’s systems. Small businesses frequently postpone software updates, thinking it’s a time-consuming task. However, neglecting patches leaves your business exposed to potential attacks.

How to Avoid It:

Set automatic updates: Ensure your operating systems, applications, and security software are set to update automatically.

Monitor software patch releases: Regularly check for new patches from software vendors and apply them as soon as they’re available.

Work with a Managed Service Provider (MSP): MSPs can monitor your systems and ensure that all updates and patches are applied promptly, minimizing your exposure to vulnerabilities.

Implementing cybersecurity with NTS is easy.

The above recommendations are laying some of the ground work for enhancing security measures.   Some of these solutions are possible with research and dedicating time to implementing them. However, it’s going to take a concentrated effort to get them launched by someone who isn’t familiar with the concepts and isn’t on top of this initiative on a day-to-day basis.  Don’t fret – NTS provides comprehensive cybersecurity services as part of our managed services. Our customers receive a proactive, effective solution through high-quality tools employed by a team of experts with a broad and deep skill set.  We provide foundational systems support that significantly maximizes network performance and uptime while reducing the risk of cyberattacks and malicious actions, allowing our clients to focus on their operations and customers. Schedule a consultation with NTS today!