12 Key Facts About SMBs' Cyber-security Needs

Small and midsize businesses need to understand that no company is too tiny for a cyber-attack or data breach and it doesn't matter what industry they are in. In fact, more than half of SMBs have been subjected to a breach in the last 12 months, according to a new survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute and sponsored by Keeper Security. Additionally, only 14 percent of the 598 IT and IT security respondents polled rated their companies' ability to mitigate cyber-attacks highly effective. The biggest reasons cited for the lack of confidence are insufficient personnel, budget and technologies, along with a lack of leadership in terms of who determines IT security priorities. The survey also finds that the most frequent attacks on SMBs are Web-based and include phishing and social engineering breaches. One of the biggest problems SMBs face is a lack of control and visibility into employee password protection, which is believed to play a key role in security defense. One way SMBs can increase their security strategies and prevent cyber-attacks is by partnering with managed security service providers and other security solution providers. Here's a look at key takeaways from the study.