Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are finding themselves increasingly in the crosshairs of malicious actors . While large corporations often make headlines for data breaches and ransomware incidents, SMBs are equally, if not more, vulnerable. Unfortunately, many SMBs don’t understand the depth of cybersecurity controls, which can lead to a lack of attention to critical cybersecurity practices like patch and vulnerability management.
One of the biggest challenges SMBs face is the disparity in resources compared to their larger enterprise counterparts. Large enterprises typically have dedicated cybersecurity teams, substantial budgets and access to cutting-edge tools to protect their systems and data. In contrast, SMBs often operate with limited resources, both in terms of budget and personnel.
While many SMBs are well-versed in general IT management, cybersecurity expertise is often lacking. The skills required for effective cybersecurity, particularly in areas like patch and vulnerability management, are specialised and not always available in-house. This skills gap can leave SMBs exposed to risks that could have been mitigated with the proper expertise.
Malefactors are aware of the resource constraints faced by SMBs, which makes them attractive targets. Unlike large entities that often have robust defences in place, SMBs may have more vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Additionally, SMBs sometimes operate under the false assumption that they have nothing of.