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10 Essential Cybersecurity Practices for Small Businesses

Your small business is under attack and you might not even know it- implement these 10 practices TODAY!

Here's the dreaded scenario:  You walk into your office Monday morning, coffee in hand, ready to tackle the week. But instead of your usual bustling business, you find computers frozen, files encrypted, and a ransom note demanding $25,000 to unlock your data. Sound like a nightmare? For 43% of cyber-attacks that target small businesses annually, this nightmare becomes reality.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: cybercriminals don't just target Fortune 500 companies. In fact, 46% of all cyber breaches impact businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees, and only 14% of small businesses are prepared to face such an attack. Why? Because hackers know what many small business owners haven't realized yet—smaller companies often have weaker defenses but valuable data worth stealing.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, nervous, or frustrated about cybersecurity, you're not alone. The good news? You don't need a massive IT budget or a computer science degree to dramatically improve your business's security posture. With the right cybersecurity practices for small businesses, you can transform from an easy target into a fortress that cybercriminals will think twice about attacking.  Absolutely we hope you'd partner with a professional IT services company, like us 😀, but if you go it on your own, these 10 tips will get you started!

The Cost of Doing Nothing Is Too High to Ignore

Before we dive into solutions, let's address the cost of poor cybersecurity. The average cost of a data breach reached an all-time high in 2024 of USD $4.88 million, and for small businesses, an average of $25,000 is lost by SMBs per incident. But here's what's even more alarming—75% of small businesses would face bankruptcy if they experienced a ransomware attack.

The threats are real, they're growing, and they're specifically targeting businesses like yours. Ransomware attacks increased by 20% in 2025 alone, and 83% of businesses reported experiencing at least one insider attack in 2024. Meanwhile, 51% of small businesses have no cybersecurity measures in place at all.

Your Trusted Guide to Cybersecurity Success

At Sentry Technology Solutions, we've seen firsthand how cybersecurity challenges can paralyze business operations. We understand where you are right now—maybe you're dealing with constant IT issues, worried about compliance, or simply don't know where to start with cybersecurity. We've helped hundreds of businesses just like yours navigate these exact challenges and emerge stronger, more secure, and more profitable.

We know the way forward, and we're here to guide you through it. The cybersecurity practices we're about to share aren't just theoretical—they're proven, practical steps that you can implement today to dramatically reduce your risk of becoming another statistic.  For a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the best Cyber Security practices, you can check out the full CIS Controls here: https://www.cisecurity.org/controls

The 10 Most Effective Cybersecurity Practices for Small Businesses

Drawing from the industry-leading CIS Controls framework and real-world experience protecting small businesses, here are the essential practices that will transform your security posture:

1. Know What You Own: Complete Asset Inventory

You can't protect what you don't know exists. Start by creating a comprehensive inventory of every device, software application, and cloud service your business uses. This includes employee laptops, smartphones, tablets, servers, printers, and even that forgotten router in the storage closet.

Why it matters: 27% of small businesses with no cybersecurity protections at all collect customers' credit card info. If you don't know where your sensitive data lives, you can't protect it.

Action steps:

  • Document every device connected to your network
  • List all software applications and their versions
  • Inventory cloud services and who has access
  • Remove or secure any unauthorized devices or software

2. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Everywhere

If you only implement one security measure from this list, make it this one. Multi-factor authentication blocks 99.9% of automated cyberattacks, yet smaller businesses (up to 25 employees) have a lower MFA adoption rate at 27%.

Why it matters: 80% of all hacking incidents involve compromised credentials or passwords. MFA ensures that even if your password is stolen, attackers still can't access your accounts.

Action steps:

  • Enable MFA on all business email accounts
  • Implement MFA for cloud services and applications
  • Use authenticator apps rather than SMS when possible
  • Require MFA for any administrative access

3. Keep Everything Updated: Patch Management

Cybercriminals love outdated software—it's like leaving your front door unlocked. 93 percent of test cases showed that an attacker could breach an organization's network defenses and gain access to the local network when security patches weren't properly applied.

Action steps:

  • Enable automatic updates for operating systems
  • Regularly update all software applications
  • Replace software that's no longer supported
  • Create a monthly review process for updates

4. Secure Your Network Configuration

Your network is the highway that connects all your business assets. If it's not properly secured, you're essentially putting up billboards for cybercriminals that say "Come on in!"

Action steps:

  • Change default passwords on all network equipment
  • Enable WPA3 encryption on wireless networks
  • Set up a guest network separate from business systems
  • Disable unnecessary network services and ports

5. Control Who Has Access to What

74% of organizations say they are moderately to extremely vulnerable to insider threats. Not every employee needs access to every system—implementing proper access controls dramatically reduces your risk.

Action steps:

  • Give employees only the minimum access needed for their jobs
  • Regularly review and remove unnecessary access permissions
  • Implement role-based access controls
  • Remove access immediately when employees leave

6. Back Up Your Data Like Your Business Depends on It (Because It Does)

Here's a sobering reality: if your small business falls victim to ransomware, there's a 51% chance you'll pay the fee. But with proper backups, you can tell ransomware attackers to take a hike.

Action steps:

  • Implement the 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies, 2 different media types, 1 offsite)
  • Test backup restoration regularly
  • Ensure backups are isolated from your main network
  • Document your backup and recovery procedures

7. Train Your Team to Spot Social Engineering

Your employees are both your greatest asset and your biggest vulnerability. Employees of small businesses experience 350% more social engineering attacks than those at larger enterprises, and phishing/spoofing was the top cyber crime reported to the United States Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in 2024, making up 193,407 or 23% of all complaints.

Action steps:

  • Conduct regular cybersecurity awareness training
  • Run simulated phishing tests
  • Establish clear procedures for handling suspicious emails
  • Create a culture where employees feel safe reporting potential threats

8. Monitor Your Network for Suspicious Activity

You can't fight what you can't see. 40% of the SMEs that faced a cyberattack experienced at least eight hours of downtime. Early detection can be the difference between a minor incident and a business-ending catastrophe.

Action steps:

  • Implement network monitoring tools
  • Set up alerts for unusual activity
  • Review logs regularly for suspicious behavior
  • Establish an incident response plan

9. Manage Your Vendors and Third-Party Risks

Supply chain attacks account for 15% of small business breaches in 2025, and 60% of cyber breaches originate from a third-party vendor. Your business is only as secure as your weakest vendor.

Action steps:

  • Vet vendors' cybersecurity practices before partnering
  • Include cybersecurity requirements in vendor contracts
  • Regularly assess third-party security posture
  • Limit vendor access to only necessary systems

10. Create and Practice Your Incident Response Plan

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Having a plan doesn't prevent attacks, but it dramatically reduces their impact and recovery time.

Action steps:

  • Document step-by-step incident response procedures
  • Assign specific roles and responsibilities
  • Practice your response plan regularly
  • Include communication plans for customers and stakeholders

Your Path to Cybersecurity Success

Implementing these cybersecurity practices for small businesses isn't just about checking boxes—it's about transforming your business from a vulnerable target into a secure, thriving organization. When you follow this roadmap, you're not just protecting data; you're safeguarding your reputation, ensuring business continuity, and giving yourself the peace of mind to focus on what you do best growing—growing your business.

Don't Wait for a Wake-Up Call

Global cyber-attacks attacks continue to rise, with the average number of cyber attacks per organization per week reaching 1,876 in the fourth quarter of 2024. The question isn't whether cybercriminals will target small businesses—it's whether your business will be prepared when they do.

Every day you delay implementing these cybersecurity practices is another day your business remains vulnerable. But here's the empowering truth: you have the power to change that starting today.

Ready to Transform Your Cybersecurity?

Feeling overwhelmed by where to start? That's completely normal—and itss exactly why Sentry Technology Solutions exists. We've guided hundreds of small businesses through this exact transformation, and we can do the same for you.

Our expert team understands the unique challenges small businesses face. We don't just implement technology—we become your trusted cybersecurity partner, providing clear plans tailored to your specific needs and budget. With Sentry by your side, you can confidently leverage technology to increase security, productivity, profit, and peace of mind.

Don't let another week go by without being a leader who goes to sleep at night knowing your business is fully protected.

Ready to take the first step? Contact us today to schedule your cybersecurity assessment and discover how we can help secure your business's future.


For more comprehensive cybersecurity guidance and to learn how Sentry can help protect your business, visit our Cybersecurity page.


Sources:

  1. StrongDM Small Business Cybersecurity Statistics for 2025
  2. Embroker Cyber Attack Statistics and Trends 2025
  3. Secureframe Cybersecurity Statistics 2025
  4. AAG IT Support Cyber Crime Statistics
  5. JumpCloud Multi-Factor Authentication Statistics 2025
  6. Qualysec Small Business Cyber Attack Statistics