Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses And How to Stop Them

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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04 Top Threats 05 Ransomware Protection 06 Stolen Credentials 07 IoT Attacks 08 Supply Chain Attacks 09 Cloud Security Vulnerabilities 10 Phishing 11 Enterprise-Grade Cyber Protection for SMBs

12 Quantum Spark 2500 Gateway Series 14 Secure Endpoints 14 Secure Mobile Devices 15 Secure Cloud Applications

16 Find Your Cybersecurity Partner

03 Cyber Threats Continue to Rise

3Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

CYBER THREATS CONTINUE TO RISE- FOR ALL BUSINESSES Cybersecurity threats and cybercrime continue to rise, and threat actors don't play favorites. Small and medium-sized businesses are just as likely to be targeted by threat actors as large enterprises. In fact, SMB organizations experienced an average of 180 cyber attack attempts per week during the first five months of 2025—up 61% compared to the same period in 2024. Enterprises also experienced increased attacks but by 37% in comparison1.

1 Source: Check Point Research

According to Check Point Research year-to-date data,

each week in 2025:

Why are SMBs becoming favorite targets? First, most have limited security resources and fewer security measures in place compared to enterprises. Second, they're creating and storing larger amounts of data as they digitalize key processes, and this data is valuable to attackers. Finally, attackers are using AI and other new technologies that make it easier for them to simultaneously attack many more targets.

What This Means to You As SMBs incorporate more cloud services and web-based tools into their operations, attackers adapt accordingly. In this paper, we'll discuss the top cyber threats to your organization and security measures you can implement to defend against them. If you source security services and solutions from a Managed Services Provider (MSP), this information can help you collaborate more effectively with them to make sure you are protected.

3

of SMBs experienced communication with malicious websites

of SMBs experienced an exploit attempt from outside their network

28%

65%

4Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

Although the most common cyber threats are well known, threat actors often shift their tactics in response to new opportunities. The primary threats in 2025 are ransomware, hacking using stolen credentials, Internet of Things (IoT) and remote work attacks, supply chain attacks, exploiting cloud security vulnerabilities, and social engineering attacks, such as phishing.

TOP THREATS

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5Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

According to the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), 88% of SMB breaches last year were caused by ransomware. Ransomware attacks have typically encrypted the business's data and then demanded payment for decryption keys, but there are new variations. Attackers might encrypt data and threaten to leak sensitive information if their demands aren't met. They might lock users out of systems and issue a ransom demand to restore access. Sometimes they use doxware—stealing sensitive information and threatening to disclose it. Less-competent hackers can buy ransomware-as-a-service to carry out sophisticated attacks. Finally, fileless ransomware encrypts data in legitimate applications, making it highly disruptive and difficult to detect.

88%

of SMB breaches last year

were caused by ransomware.

A ransomware infection is a showstopper. It helps to understand how ransomware operates, so you can ensure the right security measures are in place to prevent an attack:

Step 1: Gain Access—Ransomware can be installed on a system through phishing emails, website pop-ups, via remote control desktop software, and drive-by downloads on infected websites. Attackers can also gain access through unpatched consumer-grade devices, like routers or printers, with known vulnerabilities.

Step 2: Data Encryption—After the threat actor gains access, they either steal the data, begin encrypting it, or both. Some ransomware will also take steps to delete backup and shadow copies of files to make recovery more difficult.

Step 3: Ransom Demand—Ransom demands can be issued in different ways, but often, attackers will change a display background to a ransom note or place a text file in encrypted directories. These notes usually demand a set amount of cryptocurrency in exchange for access to the encrypted files, restored access to systems, or to prevent release of sensitive information. If the ransom is paid, the ransomware operator will—hopefully, but not always—provide the means of decryption.

The best way to defend against ransomware attacks is to back up data regularly, segment your network, keep systems patched to current standards, and train employees on phishing detection. You can also ask your MSP about endpoint security options and implementing a strong incident response plan.

RANSOMWARE

6Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

The primary tool used by hackers for gaining access to systems and networks is stolen credentials. Impersonating a legitimate user is like having the keys to the car. An employee or system admin's password makes it easy to log into systems, move laterally in the network, infect other systems, elevate their privilege, install or disable tools, and gather data as they go. According to the Verizon DBIR, stolen credentials are the primary hacking tactic in 33% of SMB attacks.

Devices also can be vulnerable. Smart cameras and routers come with default usernames and passwords that are easily found on the Internet. If the vendor doesn’t require this to be changed during setup, and the owner doesn't change them, then anyone can have the password. Default and hard-coded passwords have been used in botnet campaigns to control hundreds of thousands of IoT devices without owners' knowledge.

Defend against stolen credential-based attacks by implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) everywhere. Also enforce the use of strong, unique passwords and regularly require password resets. Disable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access if it's not needed, implement Zero Trust security policies, and train users to recognize phishing attempts.

Threat actors mainly steal user credentials through phishing emails and increasingly, QR code phishing. In other cases, attackers use info- stealing malware, purchase stolen credentials on the dark web, target dormant accounts, or capture log-in sequences.

STOLEN CREDENTIALS

Stolen credentials are the primary hacking tactic in

33% of SMB attacks.

7Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

Internet-connected devices have created a large attack surface that is often poorly secured. Devices at branch offices or work- from-home environments range from printers and security cameras to routers, sensors, wearables, and smart systems. For SMBs, many of these devices are not visible or covered by security policies. Without consistently enforced security practices for mobile and Internet-connected devices, your organization is at risk. In fact, IoT security failures cost businesses an average of $330,000 per incident, according to NIST.

To minimize the risk of an IoT attack, you must first identify the devices and assess their risk. There are solutions that can automate device discovery and visibility to make this easier. You must then build effective security policies that protect against IoT risk across your locations. Policies should allow connection for managing, monitoring, and updating devices while preventing other connections. They should also include changing default device passwords, using VPNs, and implementing MFA for remote logins.

IOT ATTACKS

8Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

You can't operate without third-party vendors and partners, and cyber attackers increasingly use these relationships to their advantage. Threat actors target security vulnerabilities in suppliers’ systems, software, or services to gain access to the primary organization's data. By targeting one vendor, attackers can compromise large amounts of data from all the vendor's customers. The Verizon DBIR revealed that third-party and supply chain attacks doubled from 15% to 30% of all breaches in 2024. Now, nearly 45% of organizations expect significant supply-chain cyber attacks into 2025.

You can't assume that vendors and cloud hosts have security covered. In addition to understanding your own cyber risk profile, you'll want to expand your defenses to vet your partners' security practices. Consider requiring them to meet specific security standards, including notifying you of any breaches in their products or systems. Monitor third-party software for signs of vulnerabilities. You can implement rigorous access controls for partners and vendors and diversify critical suppliers where possible to minimize disruption in the event of an attack.

SUPPLY CHAIN ATTACKS

Last year, supply chain attacks doubled from

15% to 30%

9Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

As of early 2025, 44% of traditional SMBs use cloud infrastructure or hosting services, compared to 66% of small tech companies and 74% of enterprises. Within the next year, 63% of SMB workloads and 62% of SMB data will be run in public cloud services. However like any infrastructure, cloud has its share of security risks. Attackers use the same tactics—ransomware, credential theft, phishing, web application, and intrusion—to gain access to cloud-based SMB data and assets. In 2024, 80% of companies said that they experienced a cloud security breach. At the same time, 82% reported that human error was the cause, through misconfigurations, weak access controls, and inadequate security measures.

In cloud environments, responsibility for security is shared between the cloud provider and the customer. Start by using cloud providers' security features and tools. Prioritize configuration management and conduct regular audits. Implement and manage strong access controls, including MFA. Ensure data is backed up and take advantage of real- time monitoring and reporting features.

Next, take steps to secure your assets and resources within the cloud. Be sure to configure application security settings, manage access controls, encrypt data, and implement endpoint security measures. Work with your MSP to ensure that you have sufficient controls implemented to maximize protection.

CLOUD SECURITY VULNERABILITIES

10Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

Phishing is a deliberate attempt to obtain sensitive information, like login credentials or credit card numbers, by masquerading as someone trustworthy. More than 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent daily and AI-driven phishing attacks are up 4,000% since 2022. Why? Because they work. Phishing attacks successfully steal intellectual property, damage customer trust and brand image, and can result in crippling regulatory fines.

Phishing has evolved from poorly written scam emails to multi-channel, behaviorally tailored campaigns, complete with deepfake voices and videos. Increasingly, phishing attempts are disguised as popular tools, like AI tools, Google, Microsoft applications, Salesforce, Zoom conferencing, and others—and delivered in QR codes, text, or Teams messages laced with malware. Between January and April 2025 alone, 8,500 SMB users encountered these attacks. A close relative of the phish is the highly targeted attack called a business email compromise (BEC), an attack in which the phisher compromises the account of a high-level executive and instructs employees to transfer money to an account controlled by the attacker. Even Facebook and Google have taken the bait.

The best defenses against phishing are to implement strong email filtering, use MFA for critical accounts, train employees to recognize phishing attempts, and have a clear policy and process to verify requests for money and sensitive data.

PHISHING

11Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

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Enterprise-size cyber threats require enterprise-level protection. You need industry-best security and outstanding network connectivity for business resilience, with security expertise built in. Check Point Quantum Spark™ Series of security gateways deliver it all—proven gateways tested, approved, and deployed by thousands of enterprises worldwide—but simpler, more affordable, and tailored to an SMB.

ENTERPRISE-GRADE CYBER PROTECTION FOR SMBS

An all-in-one solution

High-speed connectivity

Proven #1 threat catch rate

Enhanced business resilience

12Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

• Uncompromising all-in-one performance: Quantum Spark optimizes high-bandwidth connectivity over MPLS, broadband, 5G Cellular, Wi-Fi 7, and more. It includes sub-second failover for unstable connections; monitors link health; and supports multiple internet service providers.

• The best prevention: A 3x faster firewall makes sure security doesn't slow you down. Get the industry's best malware catch rate and stop phishing sites in real time. Built-in security policies deliver protection immediately, and allow you to tailor policies for your business.

• Easy setup: Plug it in, follow a simple set-up wizard, and your network is secure.

• Easy management: Ongoing management and upkeep is simple with a mobile app to monitor and mitigate any security issues while on the go.

• Affordable price: Quantum Spark delivers affordable protection. Ask your MSP for Check Point Quantum Spark.

QUANTUM SPARK 2500 GATEWAY SERIES Take Charge of Your Security

Quantum Spark security capabilities give you enterprise-level control over who accesses your network, prevent attacks and threats, and secure communications with your business from remote employees or multiple locations.

• Next-Gen Firewall: Ensures only the traffic that should be allowed on the network traverses the network. Prohibited traffic is blocked before it ever enters the network. The firewall delivers 2.7 Gbps of threat prevention and three times faster security inspection, so security doesn't slow down your business.

• Fast connectivity: There's no waiting with up to 2.4x faster Wi-Fi 7 access, 5G cell connectivity, and 10x faster Internet speeds. High- bandwidth 10GbE ports need fewer connections for outstanding performance.

• Application Control and URL Filtering: Ensures only authorized applications are used on the network and only allowed websites can be visited.

• User Awareness: Allows you to set policies that allow or prohibit network activity based on user identity or role.

• QoS: Quality of Service (QoS) enables you to prioritize your most important traffic for higher performance and business resilience.

• Built-in resilience: Dual power supplies deliver redundancy for uninterrupted uptime, while dual ISP support enables high-quality conference calls and dual SIMs ensure 5G cellular failover.

13Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

The Best Threat Prevention

Put the best security in action the minute you turn it on. Get large- enterprise features to prevent the most devastating threats.

• #1 Malware catch rate: Quantum Spark security gateways catch 99.9% of malware within 24 hours of identification.

• Anti-phishing: Stop phishing sites in real time, even those never seen before. Gain real-time scanning of all online forms to help prevent data loss to phishers.

• IPS: Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) filter traffic for attempts to exploit known vulnerabilities, as as well as attempts to exploit unknown vulnerabilities, based on suspicious behavior patterns. An IPS protects servers, systems, and applications (including browsers) against known vulnerabilities—even when they are not updated with the latest software or patches.

• Anti-Virus: Malware results in more breaches for SMBs than any other cause (2025 Verizon DBIR). Anti-Virus blocks known malware before it can get into the network.

• Anti-Spam: Unwanted email is always a problem, but Anti-Spam blocks spam email messages that often deliver malware or lead users to malicious sites.

• Anti-Bot: Bots collect information to send to their command and control center for further malicious activity. Anti-Bot detects and blocks that communication.

• Sandboxing: Launches suspicious files in a virtual sandbox to discover malicious behavior and then prevents it from entering the network. It prevents infection from undiscovered exploits, zero-day, and targeted attacks.

Protect Business Data

Encrypting data during network communications prevents it from being captured by attackers. Virtual Private Network (VPN) capabilities encrypt data traversing the network, allowing only intended receivers to read the information.

• Remote Access: Encrypts traffic from user devices to the network, whether devices are in the office or on the road.

• Site-to-Site VPN: This feature allows you to encrypt all communications between multiple office locations.

Quantum Spark Management for MSPs

Quantum Spark Management is a powerful tool designed specifically for MSPs to efficiently manage their SMB customers’ networks. It offers centralized visibility into customer security and connectivity posture, real-time alerts for issues requiring attention, in-depth dashboards for monitoring and analysis, zero-touch gateway provisioning with configuration templates, and task delegation to end customers. The app, accessed from the Infinity Portal, simplifies complex operations, enabling scalable, streamlined, and proactive service delivery.

Web Browser and Mobile App for On-the-Go Management

Easily manage Quantum Spark security gateways from a web browser or mobile app. Check Point’s WatchTower iOS and Android mobile application enables staff to monitor security status and quickly mitigate any threats wherever they are.

14Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

If you don’t have a system backup and restoration plan, consider

Check Point Harmony Endpoint security solution.

Ransomware Protection

When an anomaly or malicious behavior is detected, Harmony Endpoint blocks and remediates the full attack chain without allowing leftover malicious traces. Harmony Endpoint uses a unique vaulted space locally on the machine that is only accessible to Check Point- signed processes. If the malware attempts to perform a shadow copy deletion, the machine will not lose any data.

Check Point Harmony Mobile is the market-leading mobile threat defense solution. It keeps business data safe by securing employees’ mobile devices across all attack vectors—apps, network, and operating system. Easy to deploy, it prevents threats without affecting the user experience or privacy.

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SECURE ENDPOINTS SECURE MOBILE DEVICES

Phishing Protection

Prevent credential theft with Zero-Phishing® technology that identifies and blocks the use of malicious phishing sites in real time. Zero-phishing blocks users from entering credentials—even preventing corporate credential re-use.

15Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

Harmony Email & Collaboration is threat prevention for cloud email and office applications, such as Microsoft Office 365 and Google G Suite, as well as Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint. It connects to cloud applications using native APIs, making it invisible to attackers. No network changes are required.

Once deployed, Harmony Email & Collaboration scans cloud mailboxes and applications for existing threats. When a user receives an email, file, or message through an Office 365 or G-Suite application, it examines the email for malicious content and determines if it needs to be quarantined, cleaned, or removed. Check Point APIs analyze data in transit and at rest to make sure no malicious content penetrates or propagates within the organization. Prevent cloud email and application threats from a single, user-friendly management platform and one license for email, office, and enterprise applications.

Protect Against Business Email Compromise

Harmony Email & Collaboration inspects communication metadata, attachments, links and language, as well as all historical communications, to determine prior trust relations between the sender and receiver. This increases the likelihood of identifying user impersonation or fraudulent messages to prevent business email compromise (BEC).

SECURE CLOUD APPLICATIONS Prevent Account Takeover

Prevent unauthorized users and compromised devices from accessing your cloud email or productivity suite applications. Transparent to users, Harmony Email & Collaboration also provides insight into the identity provider’s authentication process, so suspicious logins—such as those seen in two different locations or logins with bad IP reputations—are immediately denied and blocked.

16Top Cyber Threats Facing Small Businesses

Nearly two-thirds of SMBs say they lack the in-house skills and infrastructure to build and manage a robust cybersecurity framework. That's where Managed Service Providers (MSPs) who provide security solutions can help. As proactive cybersecurity defenders, they can provide you with access to advanced security tools, proactive threat management, compliance support, security awareness training options, and ongoing assistance in defending against emerging threats. Look for an MSP who can help you create a clear strategy for securing your business and provide guidance.

Let Check Point help you find a solution partner to begin protecting your business.

To find a local partner, go to: https://partnerlocator.checkpoint.com/

FIND YOUR CYBERSECURITY PARTNER

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The world's leading companies, as well as thousands of SMBs worldwide, depend on Check Point for the industry's best security and threat prevention. Security for a small business is too important to ignore. Let Check Point help you take your security and networking to the next level with enterprise-grade protection.

Learn more about Quantum Spark security gateways as well as other Check Point solutions for small and medium business security today.

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