77% of small and medium-sized businesses have fallen victim to cybercrime in the past two years. Yet many business owners still take no action. Why?

Many SMEs believe that cybercriminals only target large enterprises with deep pockets and valuable data. The reality? SMEs are actually a prime target, because hackers know that security is often not properly in place.

A phishing email, a weak password, or an outdated website—nothing more is needed to take over your business data. Cyberattacks don’t just lead to financial losses, but also to reputational damage and even business downtime.

Why Cybercriminals Do Target SMEs

Many SME owners think: “My business is too small to be interesting.” But that’s a dangerous misconception. Hackers don’t necessarily look for the biggest companies—they look for the easiest targets. And those are often SMEs that underestimate cybersecurity.

Recent research shows:
📌 77% of SMEs were affected by cybercrime in the past two years.
📌 67% of cyberattacks in 2024 were related to phishing.
📌 The average damage of a cyberattack on an SME is €270,000 per incident.

Whether it’s ransomware, phishing, or data breaches—hackers often use simple methods to gain access to business data. The biggest weak link? Human error.

The Biggest Cybersecurity Mistakes Within SMEs

Many business owners recognize the risks of cybercrime, but still take insufficient action. These are the three biggest misconceptions within SMEs:

❌ Misconception #1: “We’re too small to be interesting”

🔹 Why this is wrong:
Cybercriminals don’t look at the size of your business—they look at how easy it is to break in. SMEs are a favorite target because security measures are often minimal. On top of that, hackers can use small businesses as a gateway to larger clients or suppliers.

🔹 What you can do:
✔ Use strong passwords and a password manager.
✔ Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) for email and business applications.
✔ Limit access to sensitive systems and data.

❌ Misconception #2: “Our employees won’t fall for phishing emails”

🔹 Why this is wrong:
Phishing remains one of the most successful attack techniques. In 2024, 67% of all cyberattacks were related to phishing. Cybercriminals use AI to create highly convincing fake messages, meaning even the most alert employee can be misled.

🔹 What you can do:
✔ Train employees to recognize phishing and suspicious links.
✔ Run regular phishing simulations to increase awareness.
✔ Set up a clear reporting system so employees can immediately flag suspicious messages.

❌ Misconception #3: “A cyberattack will only cost us a few hours of work”

🔹 Why this is wrong:
The average damage of a cyberattack on an SME is €270,000 per incident. This includes lost revenue, legal costs, reputational damage, and recovery efforts. Some businesses don’t even survive a major attack.

🔹 What you can do:
✔ Make regular backups of critical business data and test the recovery process.
✔ Create an incident response plan so your team knows what to do during an attack.
✔ Consider cyber insurance as an additional safety net.

5 Concrete Steps to Better Protect Your SME

Cybercrime is constantly evolving, and protection is not a one-time action but an ongoing process. These are the essential steps to make your business more secure in 2025:

✅ 1. Keep software and systems up to date
Security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered in software, and updates patch these gaps. Make sure all devices and programs are kept up to date.

✅ 2. Use 2FA or MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)
An extra verification step makes it much harder for hackers to break in. This is one of the easiest and most effective security measures.

✅ 3. Limit access to sensitive information
Not every employee needs access to all data and systems. Apply the “need-to-know” principle.

✅ 4. Create a cybersecurity culture
Cybersecurity should not be a one-off conversation, but a structural part of your business operations. Regular awareness training helps employees stay alert.

✅ 5. Ensure backups and an incident response plan
Create daily backups and test whether your data can be quickly restored in the event of an attack. This helps limit damage and downtime.

Conclusion: Cybercrime Is a Real Risk for Every SME

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting small and medium-sized businesses, because security is often lacking. By taking the right measures and raising employee awareness of cyber threats, you can protect your organization from financial and reputational damage.

But how do you ensure that employees are not only aware of cyber threats, but also actually act more securely?

👉 Read this blog to learn how CyberWise can help: Unlock Cybersecurity Awareness with CyberWise: The Game That Secures Your Organization

Or discover how CyberWise works yourself with a free demo.

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