Why SMEs need strong cyber security
Small businesses are targeted precisely because their defences are thinner. Here is what actually reduces the risk.
4 min read
There is a comfortable belief among small business owners that attackers only bother with big companies. The opposite is true. Attacks are automated. Scripts scan for open ports, weak passwords and unpatched software without caring who owns the network, and a business with twelve staff and no IT department is an easier win than a bank.
The consequences are not abstract either. A ransomware event usually means days without email, invoicing or accounting, and a ransom demand that is priced at roughly what the attacker thinks you can pay.
What actually reduces risk
Multi-factor authentication on email, because most breaches start with a stolen password. A properly configured firewall that is monitored, not just installed. Endpoint protection on every device, including the laptop the bookkeeper uses at home. Backups that are tested, so that recovery is a restore rather than a negotiation.
And training. Ten minutes every quarter on what a phishing email looks like does more than most expensive tools, because the person clicking the link is still the weakest point in any network.
POPIA is part of this
The Protection of Personal Information Act expects reasonable measures to protect the personal data you hold. A documented, managed security environment is the practical way to meet that expectation, and it is also what your insurer will ask about when a claim is made.