5 Cybersecurity Mistakes SMBs Make (and How to Avoid Them)
Cybercriminals don’t just target large corporations.
In fact, SMBs are their favorite target.
Why?
Because they tend to have fewer controls, less specialized staff, and a false sense of security.
The numbers speak for themselves:
a large majority of SMBs suffer at least one security incident per year, and for many of them a serious attack marks the beginning of the end. Not because of the attack itself, but because of the subsequent operational, financial, and reputational impact.
In Latin America the situation is even more delicate: the region shows one of the fastest growths in volume and sophistication of attacks, and SMBs are usually poorly prepared to face them.
The good news is that most incidents we see every day are preventable.
Not with magic solutions, but with basic decisions well made.
These are the five most common mistakes we find in SMBs… and how to fix them.
1. Weak Passwords (or Poorly Managed)
The Real Problem
Passwords remain the main entry point.
And in many companies, that door is barely ajar.
Reused passwords, short ones, shared among employees, or directly written on paper. In practice, this turns any successful phishing into direct access to critical systems.
The impact is concrete: a breach due to compromised credentials can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, stop operations, and create legal problems.
It’s not a technical problem.
It’s a management decision.
What Changed (and Many Don’t Know)
Modern recommendations no longer talk about “changing your password every 90 days” or impossible-to-remember combinations. Today the focus is on:
- long passwords (phrases, not words)
- uniqueness (one per service)
- verification against leaked password databases
- multi-factor authentication
A short and complex password is worse than a long and unique phrase.
What to Do
- Use a corporate password manager
- Require long passwords (phrases)
- Enable MFA on all critical accounts, without exception
- Periodically verify corporate credential leaks
2. Ignoring Updates and Patches
The Real Problem
Many SMBs postpone updates for fear of “breaking something.”
The problem is that attackers don’t wait.
Today, a published vulnerability can be exploited within hours or days. Edge devices — firewalls, VPNs, routers — are priority targets and, paradoxically, the least patched.
Not updating is not conservative.
It’s taking an unnecessary risk.
What We See in Practice
- Firewalls with months without patches
- VPNs exposed with known vulnerabilities
- “Critical” systems that nobody dares to touch
That delay is often the entry point for ransomware.
What to Do
- Enable automatic updates where possible
- Define a weekly patch window
- Always prioritize Internet-exposed devices
- Maintain a real inventory of systems and versions
- Follow alerts for actively exploited vulnerabilities
3. Lack of Staff Training
The Real Problem
Technology fails less than people.
The human factor remains the most exploited vector.
Phishing, vishing, fake emails, malicious links, deepfakes. The average user takes seconds to make a mistake… and that mistake can compromise the entire company.
Most SMBs train “once a year,” if at all. That doesn’t work.
What Does Work
Continuous awareness.
Light load, frequent, practical, and without punishment.
Organizations that train regularly drastically reduce incidents. Not because their employees are smarter, but because they learn to detect patterns.
What to Do
- Brief and frequent training, not annual
- Real phishing simulations
- Focus on identity verification and urgent requests
- Clear channel to report incidents without blame
- Include modern scenarios: deepfakes, malicious QR codes, fake calls
4. Non-existent or Useless Backups
The Real Problem
Ransomware is not fought by negotiating.
It’s fought by restoring.
And for that, the backup has to exist, be isolated, and work.
In too many SMBs we find backups that:
- are not tested
- are permanently connected
- can be deleted by the attacker
That’s not a backup.
It’s a false sense of security.
The Current Standard
Today the minimum acceptable is the 3-2-1-1-0 scheme, where the immutable copy is key. Without it, ransomware also encrypts or deletes backups.
What to Do
- Implement immutable or isolated backups
- Automate verifications
- Test restorations periodically
- Define clear recovery times (RTO / RPO)
- Document the recovery procedure
5. Believing “It Won’t Happen to Us”
The Real Problem
This is the most dangerous mistake.
And the most common.
SMBs are not invisible. They are easier.
Fewer controls, less monitoring, less response.
Attackers know this and act accordingly.
Underestimating the threat is, in practice, accepting it.
What to Do
- Assume the company is a target
- Evaluate risks realistically
- Prioritize basic controls before complex solutions
- Define an incident response plan
- Allocate specific budget to security
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is not a product or a box you buy once.
It’s a continuous practice.
The SMBs that survive incidents are not those that are never attacked, but those that:
- detect earlier
- respond better
- recover faster
At Ayuda.LA we help companies reduce real risk, not add tools without criteria. We evaluate, prioritize, and accompany with a practical approach, aligned with business.
If today your security depends on luck, it’s time to change that.
Let’s talk.