High-profile cyberattacks across the UK have once again highlighted a serious issue: many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are leaving themselves exposed. Despite growing digital threats, cybersecurity is often overlooked by businesses with limited resources or in-house expertise.
Yet the risks are very real. The UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024 found that half of all UK businesses experienced a cyberattack or data breach in the past year—phishing remains the most common method. SMEs, in particular, are seen as easy targets by attackers due to their typically less mature cyber defences.
The cost of an attack can go far beyond immediate financial loss. Disruption to services, reputational damage, loss of sensitive data, and legal consequences can all have long-lasting impacts.
What Can SMEs Do? Start With the Basics
The good news is that meaningful protection doesn’t have to be complex or expensive. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) outlines key actions in its 10 Steps to Cyber Security, which help organisations build resilience across people, processes, and technology. For SMEs, focusing on core areas such as risk management, user awareness, secure configuration, and incident response is a smart way to reduce exposure.
Additionally, the government-backed Cyber Essentials scheme provides a clear and affordable framework to guard against the most common threats. Certification demonstrates that your business takes cybersecurity seriously and can even be a requirement when bidding for certain contracts.
Four Practical Actions You Can Take Now:
- Raise awareness among staff – Many breaches begin with a simple mistake. Train your team to spot phishing, use strong passwords, and follow safe data practices.
- Keep systems updated – Apply software updates and security patches regularly. Unpatched systems are a common entry point for attackers.
- Strengthen access control – Use two-factor authentication and restrict admin rights to only those who need them.
- Prepare for incidents – Have a clear plan in place for how to respond to a cyberattack. Know who to contact, how to contain the issue, and how to recover.
Protecting your business is no longer optional. Cybersecurity should be part of your everyday operations—not an afterthought. By taking proactive steps now, SMEs can prevent small vulnerabilities from becoming business-critical failures.
