Security · Small business
Security basics for small teams.
Protect customer data with straightforward practices that fit small business budgets.
Access & accounts.
- MFA on all admin accounts.
- Least-privilege roles; quarterly user reviews.
- Password manager and SSO where possible.
Systems & recovery
- Patching and updates with staging.
- Backups with tested restores and retention.
- Logging and monitoring for uptime and anomalies.
Breach and ransomware reality.
Recent breaches show small teams are targets—phishing, stolen creds, and unpatched systems lead straight to ransomware.
- Phishing and stolen credentials are the #1 entry point—MFA everywhere, not just “important” logins.
- Ransomware thrives on flat networks and missing patches; segment and update regularly.
- Backups are useless if untested—prove you can restore quickly before you need it.
- Vendors are a risk: remove ex-vendors, enforce time-boxed access, and audit quarterly.
Stop the easy hits
Action items
- Security baseline: MFA, least privilege, password manager, and remove stale accounts.
- Patch cadence: monthly OS/app updates with staging; emergency patches as needed.
- Backups tested quarterly; know your RPO/RTO before an incident.
- Train staff on phishing; simulate to keep awareness high.
Test your defenses: red team options.
Don’t guess—simulate attacks to see how your systems and people respond.
- Phishing simulations to measure click-through and report rates.
- Network and app probing to find exposed services and weak configs.
- Access reviews: can we get in with stale or shared credentials?
- Runbooks tested: who responds, how fast, and how do you contain?
Red team
Prove resilience
- Tabletop and live exercises with clear scope and debriefs.
- Prioritized fixes with owners and deadlines.
- Follow-up verification to ensure gaps are closed.
- Align outcomes to business impact: protect revenue and reputation.