Easy Pickings: Small Businesses are Being Targeted by Cyber Criminals

According to studies by news network CNBC, small businesses make up 43% of victims when it comes to cybercrime – and only 14% of those were adequately prepared to defend themselves.

As a small business, it can be easy to neglect this side of your digital footprint. Often when people think of cyberattacks they think of large-scale data breaches with high profile targets – but this is not the case. Reports have shown that career hackers will seek out unprepared small businesses with the intent of holding their data ransom until a payment has been made, and according to the Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report (2019), the average cost of a cyberattack was $200,000 – an amount simply unpayable for many small and family-owned businesses.

David Kennedy, founder of cybersecurity company TrustedSec stated that ‘’if you’re doing business today and have any IT footprint you have to be doing security as part of it. You are basically playing Russian Roulette and it is only a matter of time before you are hit.’’

“We’ve seen one-person family pizza shops be fully compromised. We’ve seen one-person retail shops compromised. Independent Uber drivers targeted,” he continued.

Not only would the financial implications of a cyber attack cause massive disruption for any small business, they also risk their reputation and customer loyalty. The relationship between customer and business is always of high importance but the long-term effects, and subsequent loss of custom, caused by a data breach could have serious fallout for smaller businesses. 

Perhaps the absence of cyber security is caused by the scarcity of resources, or just a lack of awareness regarding the true extent to which a cyberattack could impact a small business – but regardless of its source, something needs to change so that businesses both big and small aren’t underprepared for the rise in cybercrime.

Cybersecurity needn't be a mystery for small businesses, but unfortunately many don't feel equipped with the knowledge or tools to successfully protect themselves. Cisco's Meraki Go aims to take away a lot of the stress surrounding online protection for small businesses. Meraki Go solutions cover a wide variety of network requirements, but it's the Meraki Go security gateway that can really up your protection online, arming you with an all in one and easy to deploy security solution that plugs right into your existing internet connection.

Here at RedPontem we are passionate about helping small businesses reach their goals unhindered by slow internet and cyber threats - it’s something we pride ourselves on, which is why we are a preferred partner for Cisco Meraki and Meraki Go solutions. The values held by Meraki Go are mirrored in our own, and with 30 years of IT experience, we are here to help with any and all questions or queries when it comes to online security. So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with a RedPontem specialist and take the first steps in securing your network today.