The Top SMB Cybersecurity Misconceptions

Many small businesses believe that because they’re not large companies, they’re not worth attacking, which is one of the most common cybersecurity misconceptions among SMBs. Just because you’re not a big business doesn’t mean you’re not a target. In fact, SMBs are often targeted specifically because they’re less likely to have robust cybersecurity measures in place. Being a smaller business doesn’t mean that important data like your account passwords and credit card information aren’t valuable to hackers. Cybercriminals will target any business they believe they can exploit, regardless of size. BrunNet can help set your SMB up with the proper cybersecurity measures that will protect your business’s important data.  

This is a dangerous misconception as every business has value and something worth stealing. Hackers are always on the hunt for things like birth dates, SIN numbers, and credit card information. On the business side, hackers typically attack digital infrastructure, corporate accounts, and intellectual property (IP). To hackers, all of this data is extremely valuable. Furthermore, data breaches that expose sensitive customer information can seriously damage your business’s reputation and can significantly cost both you and your customers. Your customers trust you with their important personal information, so it’s crucial that you have extra measures set up for protection. BrunNet can help you set your business up with security measures like multi-factor authentication to strengthen your business’s cybersecurity. 

While your IT department may have some basic cybersecurity measures in place, they likely don’t have the specialized knowledge and expertise to effectively defend against sophisticated cyberattacks. In addition, even if your IT department is doing a good job, you could still be at risk if they make a mistake or overlook something. Having cybersecurity experts like the BrunNet team always on guard is the ultimate way to protect your business.   

While insurance can help mitigate the financial damages of a cyberattack, it won’t do anything to prevent the attack from happening in the first place- it is simply not a method of protection. In addition, many insurance policies have exclusions or limits on coverage for cyberattacks, so you could still be left with significant costs. Being proactive with your cybersecurity measures will help your business avoid insurance claims and be more secure overall. 

Many SMBs believe that they can’t afford to invest in cybersecurity, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The cost of a cyberattack can be far greater than the cost of preventative measures. A significant amount of downtime and money is required to mitigate a cyberattack- it’s simply not worth the risk to not have security measures in place. There are many free or low-cost cybersecurity solutions available for SMBs to take advantage of. BrunNet works with clients to provide affordable solutions that will help protect your business from cybercrime. 

Having the proper infrastructure in place is extremely important to prevent a cyberattack. However, technology can only do so much. Cybersecurity is the responsibility of the entire organization, not just the IT staff. Hackers are not hacking only tech anymore, they are also hacking people. Company-wide awareness is key – and this is why BrunNet has partnered with Beauceron Security to deliver comprehensive security awareness solutions.