It’s Not Just Big Corporates: How Hackers Target SMEs

Many small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) assume that cyber criminals focus only on large corporations. In reality, SMEs are becoming increasingly attractive targets. Cyber criminals know that smaller businesses often have limited IT resources, fewer dedicated cyber security staff and security measures that may not be as advanced as those in larger organisations.

This combination makes them easier to breach, and yet the impact of an attack can be just as devastating, from financial losses and operational downtime to reputational damage and regulatory consequences. In fact, a single successful attack can disrupt an entire business, compromise sensitive customer data, and even threaten the company’s long-term survival.

Understanding why SMEs are attractive targets is only the first step. The real risk comes from the specific tactics that cyber criminals use to exploit these vulnerabilities. By knowing the most common threats, business owners and their teams can take proactive steps to protect their data, systems and operations before it’s too late.

Here are some of the most common cyber threats that SMEs are facing today:

Phishing - That “urgent” email from a supplier? Or the fake invoice from a trusted partner?
Phishing is still the number one-way criminals sneak in. A single click on a malicious link can give attackers the keys to your network. 

Ransomware – Attackers lock your data and demand payment to release it. The downtime and recovery costs can cripple an SME.

Exploiting weak passwords - Reused or simple passwords are a gift to hackers. Once compromised, they can access email, systems, even financial accounts. Did you know that ‘password’ remains the most common password in the UK, with sequences like ‘123456’ also in the top choices. 

Business Email Compromises – Cyber criminals impersonate a senior executive or supplier, tricking staff into transferring funds or revealing sensitive data.

How can SMEs can prevent a cyber attack?

While no system is completely immune, SMEs can significantly reduce their risk by adopting proactive security measures:

·       Train your team to recognise phishing emails, suspicious links and social engineering tactics (these are the methods cyber criminals use to manipulate or trick people into revealing confidential information, clicking on malicious links or giving access to systems, often they exploit your trust or add fear or urgency to requests.)

·       Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible.

·       Keep software and systems up to date to patch vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.

·       Back up data regularly and ensure you have a tested recovery plan in place.

·       Monitor and respond to unusual activity on your network to catch threats early.

Taking these steps doesn’t just protect your business, it helps safeguard your customers, employees and reputation.

How can DNS help?

At DNS, we partner with leading cyber security experts Huntress to deliver enterprise-grade protection tailored for SMEs. We don’t just detect threats — we’re watching over your systems, logins, and behaviour 24/7, even after the lights go out in the office. With advanced threat detection, round-the-clock monitoring, and cyber security awareness training, we safeguard your business against today’s most damaging attacks. And when something happens, we can respond in as little as 8 minutes on average.

Contact us to find out more or to start your free trial today.