Cyber Attacks on SMB’s are Incredibly Common:

• A significant share (over 40%) of SMBs report website attacks each month.
• Over the course of a year, about one in three SMBs are hit by at least one cyberattack.

Top Cyberattack Types Affecting SMBs:

1. Phishing (Email-Based Attacks)

• Most common entry point.
• Targets employees with fake emails pretending to be from trusted sources.
• Used to steal credentials, deliver malware, or trick users into transferring money.
• Over 90% of cyberattacks on SMBs start with a phishing email.
– Verizon DBIR, 2025

2. Business Email Compromise (BEC)

• A type of phishing but more targeted.
• Cybercriminals spoof or take over a company email account (often executives or finance staff) to trick others into wiring money or sending data.
• Average loss: $125,000–$250,000 per successful BEC incident.

3. Ransomware

• Encrypts business data, demanding payment (usually in cryptocurrency) to restore it.
• Disrupts operations and can cost weeks of downtime if backups are not available.
• 1 in 5 SMBs hit by ransomware never recover their data fully.

4. Credential Theft / Account Takeover

• Stolen login credentials (often via phishing, keyloggers, or dark web leaks) used to access email, cloud accounts, VPNs, etc.
• May go undetected for weeks/months.
• Especially common when MFA (multi-factor authentication) is not in use.

5. Malware / Viruses

• General category including spyware, trojans, and remote access tools (RATs).
• Delivered via email attachments, downloads, or infected websites.
• May be used to spy, steal data, or gain control over systems.

6. Exploitation of Unpatched Systems

• Attackers scan for vulnerable software versions (e.g., outdated WordPress, firewalls, VPNs).
• Common with SMBs lacking regular patching policies.
• 60% of breaches involve known, unpatched vulnerabilities.

7. Website Attacks / Defacements

• Brute-force login attempts, SQL injection, or malware injections on SMB websites.
• Often target e-commerce or businesses with customer portals.

8. Insider Threats (Malicious or Negligent)

• Employees or contractors accidentally or intentionally cause breaches.
• May involve data theft, unauthorized access, or sending data to personal email.