--- title: Top 3 Most Common Cybersecurity Breaches Impacting SMBs description: More cybersecurity attackers threaten small- and medium-sized businesses than ever before. Here are three of the top threats out there today, and what SMBs can do to protect themselves and their employees. image: https://blog.integrityts.com/hubfs/cybersecurity-breaches-smb.jpg --- [![Integrity Technology Solutions](https://blog.integrityts.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IntegrityTechnologySolutions_February2026/images/integrity_color_logo.png?width=284&height=53&name=integrity_color_logo.png "Integrity Technology Solutions")](https://www.integrityts.com/) - [Who We Are](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/) - [Our Team](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/our-team/) - [Partners & Certifications](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/partners-certifications/) - [NIST Cybersecurity Framework](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/nist-cybersecurity-framework/) - [Careers](https://www.integrityts.com/careers/) - [Industries](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/) - [Financial Institutions](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/financial-institutions/) - [Healthcare](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/healthcare/) - [Insurance](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/insurance/) - [Manufacturing](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/manufacturing/) - [Services](https://www.integrityts.com/services/) - [Co-Managed IT Support](https://www.integrityts.com/services/co-managed-it-support/) - [IT Cybersecurity](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-cybersecurity/) - [IT Support](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/) - [Technology Advisement](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/technology-advisement/) - [Managed Security](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-security/) - [RemoteFix Help Desk](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/remotefix-help-desk/) - [Security Awareness Program](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/security-awareness-program/) - [Managed Cloud Security](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-cloud-security/) - [Vulnerability Management](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/vulnerability-management/) - [Managed Detection & Response](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-detection-response/) - [Managed Backup & Disaster Recovery](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-backup-disaster-recovery/) - [Teams Phones (Voice)](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/teams-phones-voice/) - [IT Tool Kit](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/it-tool-kit/) - [Password Management / LAPS – Copy](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/password-management-laps/) - [Secure Cloud / Hosted Infrastructure](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/secure-cloud-hosted-infrastructure/) - [Microsoft 365 Licensing/New Commerce Experience](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/microsoft-365-licensing-new-commerce-experience/) - [IT Professional Services & Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/) - [Network Infrastructure](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/network-infrastructure/) - [Cloud Migrations](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/cloud-migrations/) - [Incident Response](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/incident-response/) - [SharePoint Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/sharepoint-consulting/) - [Security Risk Assessments](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/security-risk-assessments/) - [Tabletop Exercises](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/tabletop-exercises/) - [AI Capabilities](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/ai-capabilities/) - [Administrative Policies & Controls](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/administrative-policies-controls/) - [HIPAA Risk Assessments](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/hipaa-risk-assessments/) - [MIPS Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/mips-consulting/) - [SAFER Guides Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/safer-guides-consulting/) - [Pricing](https://www.integrityts.com/pricing/) - [Blog](https://blog.integrityts.com/) - [Contact](https://www.integrityts.com/contact/) # Blog ## Top 3 Most Common Cybersecurity Breaches Impacting SMBs [Integrity Staff](https://blog.integrityts.com/author/integrity-staff) February 21, 2019 at 10:00 AM ![cybersecurity-breaches-smb](https://blog.integrityts.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cybersecurity-breaches-smb.jpg?width=1200&name=cybersecurity-breaches-smb.jpg) The most common cybersecurity breaches impacting small- and medium-sized businesses may seem fairly simple to avoid, but they’re costing people and companies billions of dollars. Learn more about each of these types of breaches and what you can do to protect yourself and your company. ### 1. Ransomware Businesses will soon want to make plans to thwart the forecasted surge in cyber extortion. “The risk of cyber extortion and data breaches will increase in frequency,” according to the [2018 Study On Global Megatrends In Cybersecurity](https://www.raytheon.com/sites/default/files/2018-02/2018_Global_Cyber_Megatrends.pdf). “CISOs will be faced with a greater risk of cyber extortion, such as ransomware, according to 67 percent of respondents.” The report notes that, as of publication, 19 percent of respondents rating cyber extortion as very frequent. Within three years, 42 percent of respondents expect that it will be very frequent. Ransomware is when malicious software—aka malware—encrypts your data until you pay a ransom. Attackers may even threaten to publish it unless they receive money. SMBs are a target for ransomware because attackers assume they don’t have an [incident response plan](https://blog.integrityts.com/how-to-build-a-disaster-recovery-plan-template-for-your-business) or [protected data backups](https://blog.integrityts.com/shopping-for-a-backup-solution-here-are-some-questions-an-organization-should-ask-itself). Businesses can protect themselves from ransomware attacks by: - Training employees on [security awareness](https://blog.integrityts.com/why-your-business-needs-an-effective-security-awareness-program). - Keeping employees’ operating systems current. - Installing antivirus software. - Planning for cybersecurity breaches. - Having secure data backups.   ### 2. Credential Theft The market for stolen identities is expected to grow beyond $18 billion by 2024, according to research from [Global Market Insights](https://www.gminsights.com/pressrelease/identity-and-access-management-IAM-market-report). Hackers steal these identities through [credential theft](https://blog.integrityts.com/the-best-strategy-for-protecting-against-credential-theft), and then sell them on the [dark web](https://blog.integrityts.com/what-you-really-need-to-know-about-the-dark-web). Credentials are anything used to verify a person’s identity, such as a username, email, or password. When the credentials match, an adversary gains the ability to access a system or network. Often, credentials are stolen through [phishing](https://blog.integrityts.com/gone-phishing-6-tips-for-verifying-identity-when-asked-for-data) attacks—when people are convinced to give up their personal information by opening links or attachments infected with malware. Like with ransomware, we suggest practicing good security awareness to combat credential theft. We also suggest creating and storing [strong passwords](https://blog.integrityts.com/password-strength-audit-your-accounts-today) with a [password manager](https://blog.integrityts.com/password-strength-audit-your-accounts-today), as well as using [multifactor authentication](https://blog.integrityts.com/two-factor-authentication-and-why-you-should-use-it/).    ### 3. Business Email Compromise A closely related cybersecurity breach is business email compromise—aka BEC or wire transfer fraud. BEC usually happens when an email “from the CEO” arrives in your inbox. The sender, masked as a CEO, urges the receiver to transfer a large amount of money to an account. The receiver, convinced this is a legitimate request, may very well carry out the transaction. Of course, the email and the CEO are a ruse, but the account and the money are real, resulting in bankrupted individuals and businesses. In fact, from 2013 to 2018, this scheme cost victims more than $12.5 billion.   The [Department of Justice](https://www.ic3.gov/media/2018/180712.aspx) suggests the following protections: - All requests for payment should be verified first. - Email-only communications should be regarded as suspicious, meaning you should be able to call someone to verify the request. - Establish code phrases for phone conversations.   Whether it’s ransomware, credential theft, or a business email compromise, these are some of the biggest cybersecurity threats today. How prepared is your organization for a cybersecurity incident? With just 5 questions, we can help provide you with direction. [Take this quiz today](https://integrityts.outgrow.us/incident-response-prep)!  [![Take this 5-question quiz to find out how prepared your business is for a cybersecurity incident](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2136188/a6f0f1ce-d369-4e05-ba78-b0d9d02ab3d1.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2136188/a6f0f1ce-d369-4e05-ba78-b0d9d02ab3d1) ### Leave a Reply ## CONTACT US ### PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS. 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