If you think your small business isn’t worth a hacker’s time, think again. The reality is that cybercriminals don’t care how big or small your company is—they care about how easy it is to digitally break in.
Unfortunately, small businesses tend to be easier targets because they don’t have the resources to keep up with the vast range of constantly evolving cyberthreats. But the fallout from a cyberattack is brutal: lost revenue, damaged reputation, and in many cases, business closure.
But you can protect your business without breaking the bank or getting overwhelmed by tech jargon. With a little knowledge and a trusted cybersecurity partner, you can make smart moves to safeguard your data (and your customers’ trust) before the worst happens.
Small businesses are vulnerable, and the consequences are severe
Don’t assume your business is too small to attract hackers—73% of small businesses experienced a cyberattack last year, often with catastrophic consequences. An estimated 60% of small businesses close their doors within six months of a data breach, and yet 51% of them don’t budget for cybersecurity—at all.
By the numbers: The cost of inaction
The average cost of a data breach for businesses with fewer than 500 employees is $3.31 million. But of course, this number isn’t necessarily applicable to the thousands of small and local businesses with just a handful of employees, so let’s reframe that data in a different way: the average cost per record breached is $164.
In other words, if your small business experiences a cyberattack and 100 of your customers have their personal data stolen, that breach will likely cost you over $16,000 to remediate and recover from. When small businesses often operate with tight budgets and have modest cash flows, a five-figure setback can be devastating—not to mention the added cost of downtime as you recover.
A breach can instantly wreck your reputation
The financial loss from a cyberattack is bad enough, but the damage to customer trust can be even harder to recover from. Once customers lose confidence in your ability to protect their data, it’s an uphill battle to regain their trust. While this is true for organizations of any size, it’s especially devastating for small businesses, as they tend to live and die by reputation and word-of-mouth referrals.
Today’s customers expect businesses to prioritize their protection. And data breach doesn’t just compromise sensitive information—it tells your customers that their data wasn’t adequately safeguarded.
This leads to loss of loyalty, which can severely harm your business’s long-term growth. In fact, 81% of consumers believe that there is a direct correlation between how well a company protects their data and how it views and values them as a customer.
The power of SASE: Protection and connectivity rolled into one
Adopting Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a great way for small businesses to boost cybersecurity on a tight budget. To put it simply, SASE is an all-in-one network and cybersecurity solution—in other words, your security is built right into your internet connection.
But it doesn’t just provide security on-site. No matter where your team accesses your business apps, platforms and tools—from home, at a coffee shop or on the road—that built-in security follows them. And since it’s a streamlined, unified solution, it’s easy to manage and scale as your business grows.
Start small with ZTNA: A game-changer for small businesses
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is an affordable add-on to SASE that allows you to start small, monitoring traffic and user behavior, and scale up as needed. So you can get immediate visibility into potential threats without investing in a complex or expensive system. It’s a smart way to protect your assets while maintaining flexibility as your business grows.
Think of ZTNA as a bouncer at an exclusive venue. Instead of assuming everyone in line to get in is trustworthy, ZTNA checks and verifies every single person who wants access. And once they’re inside, they only get access to the specific parts they’re allowed to see. No one can just wander into restricted areas. It’s a way to double-check everyone, every time, keeping out anyone who doesn’t belong—even if they somehow get past the first level of security.
SSE: An easy-to-implement, all-in-one security solution
Security Service Edge (SSE) is an over-the-top security solution that can be quickly layered onto your existing infrastructure. It protects your data by monitoring and controlling web traffic, enforcing compliance, and blocking threats before they reach your network. It’s fast to deploy and doesn’t require major changes to your current setup, which makes it perfect for businesses that need robust protection without the hassle or expense of updating current technology.
Stay safe with EPP and RBI
Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) and Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) are two additional tools that can significantly boost your cybersecurity defenses. EPP solutions focus on protecting individual devices from malware, ransomware, and other malicious activities, while RBI isolates browsing sessions, ensuring that harmful websites can’t infect your network.
In other words, EPP is like a personal security guard for every device your employees use (smartphones, tablets, desktops), while RBI forms a protective bubble around your Internet browsers to keep anything dangerous from escaping. Together, they offer a powerful shield against some of the most common threats small businesses face.
Partner with a trusted cybersecurity provider
Cybersecurity is no longer optional—it’s a must-have, even for small businesses. When you leverage tools like SASE, ZTNA, SSE, EPP and RBI, you can keep your company secure, protect customer trust, and avoid costly data breaches.
Taking these steps can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Partnering with a trusted provider like Windstream simplifies the entire process—from initial implementation to ongoing support.
Windstream offers a suite of affordable cybersecurity solutions that are ideal for small businesses, and we act as a true partner and extension of your own team, ensuring consistent performance, reliability and support.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get proactive about your small business’s cybersecurity now.
