Key Cyber Security Priorities for Small Businesses

Published On: November 20, 2025

Every organization is a target for cybercriminals

Small businesses often face the challenge of limited resources, while cybersecurity risks continue to grow. Cybercriminals do not only target large corporations; smaller organizations are often even more attractive targets because their security measures are weaker and easier to bypass. To ensure the sustainability and reliability of a business, key cybersecurity priorities must be established early. Below are five principles that help small businesses strengthen their security most effectively.

1. Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Identity and access management is the foundation of security in organizations of all sizes. In a small business with only a few employees, managing access may seem simple, but even one employee having excessive access to sensitive data can pose a significant risk.

IAM ensures that each employee has only the permissions necessary for their job. For example, an accountant should not have administrative rights to the sales platform, and vice versa. Role-based access control (RBAC) helps structure permissions. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) should also be implemented to protect company systems, even if passwords are compromised. Equally important is the use of secure passwords and a company-wide password policy to prevent the spread of easily guessable or reused passwords.

Practical steps:

  • Define roles and permissions early on.
  • Implement the principle of least privilege.
  • Use MFA for all critical systems.
  • Establish a company-wide secure password policy.
  • Regularly review access lists.

2. Email Security

Email remains a primary attack vector. Small businesses are especially vulnerable because they often do not have a dedicated security team to filter suspicious messages.

Phishers frequently use emails to lure employees into entering their passwords or opening malware-infected attachments. Employee awareness and email security measures play a key role here.

Small and large businesses alike should clearly separate work and personal life. When employees use work computers for personal tasks, or vice versa, the risk increases that malware or phishing emails will reach the work network.

Practical steps:

  • Implement an email security filter that checks links and attachments.
  • Train employees on how to recognize phishing emails and who to report them to.
  • Keep work and personal lives separate – work emails on work devices and personal emails on personal devices.

3. Cloud Service Usage

Cloud services provide a significant advantage for small businesses, especially in terms of security. While large companies have the resources to manage their own IT infrastructure and security teams, small businesses are better off trusting security to specialized service providers.

For SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions, the service provider takes care of security, from software updates to data encryption. This reduces the risk of missing critical updates or leaving systems exposed due to configuration errors.

However, it’s essential to carefully choose service providers. Prefer those with international security certifications (e.g., ISO 27001), offer data encryption, and have clear data backup policies.

Practical steps:

  • Carefully evaluate the security measures of service providers.
  • Establish a clear data usage and backup policy.
  • Use SaaS where possible (e.g., accounting, communication platforms, file management).
  • Ensure the service complies with local regulations (including GDPR).

4. Employee Training

Training is one of the most important yet often underestimated components of cybersecurity. For small businesses, this is especially crucial, as each employee’s role is significant. A mistake made by one person can affect the entire business.

The advantage in small organizations is that training can be more personalized and specific. With fewer employees, it’s easier to monitor how they apply new knowledge and adjust their training as needed.

Training doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Even simple practical exercises (such as how to recognize suspicious emails, what to do with a suspicious USB stick, how to react when a computer behaves oddly) provide value and strengthen the company’s security culture.

Practical steps:

  • Conduct regular short, practical training sessions.
  • Use real-world examples and scenarios.
  • Practice how to respond to incidents.
  • Measure training outcomes and provide feedback.

5. Backup Strategy

No matter how good your security measures are, there’s always a chance someone will access your systems or a technical failure will corrupt your business data. This is where backups come into play, serving as the company’s last line of defense.

Backups are critical for any organization, but small businesses often neglect them because urgent daily tasks seem more important or there is no dedicated person managing backups. In reality, the lack of proper backups after an incident can lead to significant damage or even business closure.

Backups must be multi-layered:

  • Data is backed up automatically and regularly.
  • Backups are stored both in the cloud and in a physical, separate location.
  • Backup operations are regularly tested (to ensure recovery works).

Practical steps:

  • Use the 3-2-1 backup strategy: keep 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of media, and at least 1 copy in a separate physical location.
  • Regularly test whether data can be successfully restored.
  • Create a clear plan for restoring from backups after an incident.
  • Automate the process as much as possible.