Are we too small to be a target for hackers?
Short answer
No. Most attacks are automated and don't check your size first: they look for weak passwords, missing updates, and people who will click. Smaller organizations are often easier targets because they have fewer defenses, and they're a route into larger clients and partners. The good news: a handful of basic controls stop most attacks.
Draft · pending expert review
Criminals don't pick targets from a list of large companies. Their tools scan the internet and inboxes for whatever is easiest to break into.
Why smaller organizations get hit
- Fewer security tools and less monitoring
- Staff who haven't been trained to spot phishing
- Access to larger clients, partners, or bank accounts worth stealing
The controls that stop most attacks
- Multi-factor authentication on email and remote access
- Endpoint detection and response on every computer
- Prompt security updates
- Tested backups kept separate from your network
- Short, regular security training for your people
None of these require a big budget. They require someone to put them in place and keep them running.