Cybersecurity for SMEs: Are You Really Covered?

When it comes to IT security, many small and medium-sized businesses assume they’re “probably fine.” After all, there’s antivirus on the machines, right? Maybe there’s a firewall too. Surely that’s enough?

Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. In today’s environment—with ransomware on the rise, phishing attacks growing in sophistication, and compliance standards tightening—it’s critical for even the smallest business to take a proper, layered approach to cybersecurity. Here’s a breakdown of what you should have in place, and why it matters.

1. Commercial-Grade, Cloud-Managed Antivirus (AV)

Not all antivirus is created equal. The free version bundled with your laptop is better than nothing, but that’s about it.

What you need:A centrally managed, commercial-grade antivirus or EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response) solution. Something that lets your IT team or MSP see all your devices in one dashboard, push out updates, get alerts when something’s wrong, and respond fast.

Why it matters:If you don’t know what’s going on across your fleet, malware could be spreading silently—and you’d never know until it's too late.

2. A Dedicated, Business-Class Firewall

A proper firewall is like the front door to your office—it needs to be solid, locked, and preferably alarmed.

What you need:A commercial-grade, dedicated firewall device (not just a cheap home router) with proper configuration, threat filtering, VPN access control, and logging.

Why it matters:Consumer routers offer very limited protection. If you’re just plugging your business network into “whatever came with the broadband,” you’re leaving the front door wide open.

3. A Properly Secured Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace Setup

Many SMEs use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, but few lock them down properly.

What you need:

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enforced across the board

• Conditional access rules (blocking logins from risky countries/devices)

• Secure password policies

• Admin accounts separate from daily user accounts

• Regular audits and alerting for suspicious activity

Why it matters:Most cyberattacks these days start with someone’s email account getting compromised. With MFA off and weak or reused passwords, it’s not if—it’s when.

4. Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Also known as “why your receptionist shouldn’t have full access to the server.”

What you need:A system of managing who has access to what—and when. That includes:

• No one using admin accounts for day-to-day tasks

• Just-in-time elevation for software installs

• Monitoring of privileged access

• Auto-expiry for temporary rights

Why it matters:Every extra set of admin rights is another vulnerability. If someone clicks the wrong thing with admin rights, the damage multiplies. PAM is about reducing the blast radius.

5. Patch Management: Not Just “Set and Forget”

Yes, Windows auto-updates. No, that doesn’t mean you’re patched properly.

What you need:A centralised patch management system that ensures:

• All Windows and macOS devices are up to date

• Third-party software (Adobe, Chrome, Java, etc.) is also patched

• You get alerted if a machine misses a patch

• Servers and critical systems are patched out-of-hours

Why it matters:Most vulnerabilities are patched within days of discovery. But if your system is still running old versions, you’re a sitting duck.

6. Users Without Local Admin Rights

This one’s simple: if a user can install whatever they want, so can malware.

What you need:A policy that removes local admin rights from everyday users. If software needs to be installed, they raise a request and it’s handled centrally.

Why it matters:This reduces the risk of drive-by installs, dodgy browser extensions, and accidental misconfigurations.

7. Email Security and Spam Filtering

Don't rely on just the default spam filter.

What you need:An advanced email filtering solution that scans for phishing, malware, and impersonation attempts—even before the message hits the inbox.

Why it matters:Many attacks aren’t stopped by default tools. Think of this as a second set of eyes scanning every email before your staff see it.

8. Backups (Proper Ones, Not Just "Sync to OneDrive")

Syncing files to the cloud is not a backup.

What you need:A proper backup strategy, ideally 3-2-1:

• Three copies of your data

• On two different media

• One offsite/offline copy

Why it matters:Ransomware often encrypts synced data too. You need point-in-time restore options that sit outside your regular infrastructure.

9. Staff Training

Even the best tech in the world can’t stop someone clicking “Yes” on a dodgy pop-up.

What you need:

• Regular, bite-sized security awareness training

• Phishing simulations

• Clear policies and reporting procedures

Why it matters:Your people are your last—and most fallible—line of defence. Education turns them into a strength rather than a liability.

10. Security Monitoring and Response (SIEM or MDR)

You wouldn’t leave a warehouse unmonitored—why leave your digital assets any different?

What you need:Some form of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) or outsourced Managed Detection & Response (MDR) that watches for abnormal behaviour across systems, users, and devices.

Why it matters:Prevention is great—but early detection is even better. Without it, you won’t know you've been breached until the damage is done.

In Summary...

Good cybersecurity is never just one thing. It's a stack—layers of protection, policy, and process that work together. For small businesses, this doesn’t mean spending a fortune or hiring a security team—it means having a proper plan, the right tools, and a trusted partner to help keep it all under control.

If your current setup doesn’t tick most of the boxes above, it’s probably time for a chat. It’s a lot easier (and cheaper) to fix gaps now than to explain to customers why their data has been compromised later.