The Cybersecurity Gaps Most Small Businesses Don't Realize They Have

Cybersecurity is often treated as something small businesses only need to utilize after a major threat makes the news or an employee falls victim to a phishing attack. But many of the most serious cybersecurity incidents don't start out with an advanced hacker or sophisticated malware. They start with small gaps that businesses might not even consider.

For small and mid-sized businesses, these gaps can be especially dangerous. Limited IT resources and budget, outdated systems, inconsistent security policies, and employees who aren't trained to recognize potential threats can all create opportunities for cybercriminals. In fact, many cybersecurity risks for small businesses are preventable with the right technology, processes, and oversight.

The good news is identifying these gaps is the first step towards closing them. Here are some of the most common cybersecurity gaps businesses should be looking for:

The Cybersecurity Risks Businesses Often Overlook

Most businesses have a least some protections in place. They might have antivirus software, a firewall, email filtering, or cloud applications like Microsoft 365. However, having security protections in place doesn't necessarily mean that those protections are configured correctly or that every potential vulnerability is covered.

Some of the most common cybersecurity risks are hidden in everyday technologies and business processes.

Weak Passwords and Missing MFA

Passwords remain one of the simplest ways that attackers can gain access to business accounts. Employees may reuse passwords across multiple applications, use passwords that are so easy they are guessable, or continue using credentials that haven't been changed in years.

Even a strong password can potentially be compromised. This is where multi-factor authentication comes in.

MFA requires users to provide an additional form of verification beyond their password, such as an authentication app, security key, or biometric verification. If a password is stolen through phishing or another attack, MFA can make it significantly more difficult for an attacker to access the account.

Businesses should review which accounts have MFA enabled, particularly accounts that have access to sensitive information, financial systems, email, and administrative controls.

Outdated Systems, Devices, and Software

Technology that isn't regularly updated can become a serious security vulnerability.

Operating system updates, software patches, and firmware updates frequently address known security vulnerabilities. When businesses delay updates or continue using unsupported hardware and software, they may be leaving known weaknesses open to attackers.

This can happen when organizations don't have a complete inventory of their devices. A laptop, server, network appliance, or application that isn't being actively monitored may fall through the cracks.

Effective small business cybersecurity requires knowing what technology exists in the environment and and ensuring that is properly maintained.

Businesses should regularly review:

• Computers and laptops

• Servers and networks equipment

• Firewalls and wireless systems

• Business applications

• Operating systems

• Mobile devices

• Remote access tools

• Third party software

  
  

If a device is no longer supported by its manufacturer, it's worth evaluating whether it should be replaced rather than continuing to expose the business to unnecessary risk.

Microsoft 365 Security Settings That Go Unchecked

Microsoft 365 provides businesses with powerful productivity and security capabilities, but simply having Microsoft 365 doesn't mean an organization is secure.

There are numerous security settings within Microsoft 365 that should be reviewed and configured based on the organization's needs. These can include identity and access controls, MFA policies, email security, administrative privileges, sharing settings, mobile access, and other security configurations.

Another very common problem we see is excessive user privileges. Users should really only have access to the information and systems necessary for their roles. If too many employees have administrative privileges, a compromised account can be a much more severe issue.

Businesses should periodically review their Microsoft 365 security configurations rather than just assume that the default settings provide sufficient protection for their organization's unique needs.

Untrained Employees and Phishing Risks

Phishing remains the number one way that businesses suffer data breaches. While employees are a company's best asset, they are also the biggest liability when it comes to cybersecurity incidents.

Phishing attacks are becoming increasingly convincing. An employee may receive an email that appears to come from a customer, vendor, or financial institution. Attackers use social engineering to convince people to open malicious link, open an attachment, disclose credentials, or send sensitive information.

Technology alone cannot eliminate this risk.

While email filtering does a good amount to reduce risk of harmful emails, billions of phishing emails get past filters every day. Employee cybersecurity training should teach staff how to recognize suspicious emails, verify unusual requests, handle sensitive information, and report potential security incidents. Training should also be ongoing rather than a once a year presentation that employees quickly forget.

Regular phishing simulations and employee awareness training can help employees develop the habits they need to identify harmful threats before they can become incidents.

Untested Backups and Poor Recovery Planning

Many businesses assume that because they have backups configured they are protected.

Unfortunately backups don't always equal protected data.

The question you should be asking is: when was the last time we tested our backups?

A backup that cannot be successfully restored isn't much of a safety net at all. Hardware failures, ransomware, and accidental deletion happen all the time, and make access to reliable backups absolutely critical for small businesses.

Businesses should have a documented backup and recovery strategy that addresses what information needs to be backed up, how frequently backups occur, where they are stored, and how quickly systems need to be restored.

Backups should also be tested regularly to ensure that data can actually be recovered.

This is where disaster recovery planning becomes an important part of cybersecurity. The goal isn't only to prevent an attack, it's also to ensure the business can continue operating if something goes wrong.

Unmanaged Vendors Create Security Gaps

Your company's cybersecurity doesn't necessarily stop at your own network.

Businesses frequently rely on outside businesses for things like accounting, payroll, cloud applications, software, IT support, marketing, and so on and so forth. If a vendor has access to your systems or data, that relationship introduces new risk.

Organizations should know which vendors have access to company information, what systems they can access, and what security measures those vendors have in place.

Vendor access should also be reviewed periodically. If a former vendor no longer needs access to a system, those credentials and permissions should be removed.

No Incident Response Plan

Even businesses with strong security controls can experience a cybersecurity incident.

The problem is, many organizations don't know what they would do if an incident actually occurred.

Who should employees contact? Who has authority to shut down systems? How will the company communicate with customers? What happens if email is unavailable? When should law enforcement, legal counsel, insurance providers, or cybersecurity professionals be contacted?

Without a plan, valuable time can be lost during an already stressful situation.

An incident response plan gives employees and leadership a clear set of procedures to follow. It can help reduce confusion, limit damage, and accelerate recovery.

How Encompass IT Can Identify and Close These Gaps

Cybersecurity isn't about purchasing one security tool and assuming the business is totally protected. In reality, it is about identifying weaknesses across technology, employees, policies, and processes and addressing those weaknesses before an attacker can exploit them.

At Encompass IT, we help businesses identify and address the security gaps that often go unnoticed. Our approach to cybersecurity involves evaluating your systems, your Microsoft 365 environment, devices, access controls, backups, and other potential areas of exposure.

Our cybersecurity services can help businesses strengthen their defenses while providing ongoing monitoring and support.

Whether your business needs stronger MFA policies, better backup protection, employee security training, Microsoft 365 security improvements, or a more comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, identifying the gaps is the place to start.

Don't Wait for an Incident to Find Your Security Gaps

The most dangerous cybersecurity weaknesses aren't always obvious. A forgotten administrator account, an outdated laptop, an untested backup, or an employee who hasn't received security training can create an opportunity for an attacker.

Taking a proactive approach to small business cybersecurity can help reduce those risks and give your organization greater confidence in its technology.

If you're unsure what your biggest cybersecurity gaps are, Encompass IT Solutions can help. We can audit your current IT environment and help you develop a plan to address any identified gaps before they become a costly problem.

Contact Encompass IT today to schedule your cybersecurity audit so you can learn how to best protect your business.