Small businesses are not flying under the radar when it comes to cybercrime. Cybercrimes cost the small business community $2.9 billion in 2023, with small businesses targeted specifically because they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger companies. In the Inland Empire — where thousands of small businesses support a sprawling logistics, healthcare, and retail economy — a single breach can expose customer data, disrupt vendor relationships, and set recovery back months. The reassuring part: most attacks exploit predictable, preventable mistakes.

Here are seven of the most common cybersecurity gaps, and what you can do about each one.

Skipping Software Updates

Every unpatched piece of software is an open door. Attackers routinely scan for businesses running outdated operating systems, plugins, and applications — and exploit known vulnerabilities before most owners have thought to update. Enable automatic updates wherever possible, and block out time each month for software that requires manual patching. This single habit closes more attack vectors than almost anything else on this list.

Weak Passwords and No MFA

A strong password alone isn't enough anymore. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) — requiring a second verification step like a text code or authenticator app — is now the baseline for any business. Enable MFA on all accounts, especially email, as the most important step any organization can take to prevent unauthorized access. Set a policy that requires unique, complex passwords for every system and enforce MFA for all staff logins, not just administrators.

In practice: A password manager makes it easy for your team to maintain distinct credentials across every platform without the sticky-note workarounds.

Undertrained Employees

Your technology can be locked down tight and still fail if your team doesn't recognize a threat when it arrives. Staff training is your first line of defense — employees and work-related communications are the leading cause of data breaches for small businesses. The threat landscape has also shifted: ransomware remains the top cyberattack facing small businesses in 2025, and AI is now enabling criminals to craft more convincing phishing emails at scale, shifting attacks toward exploiting human behavior rather than technical vulnerabilities.

Run phishing simulations. Hold quarterly briefings on current scams. Make cybersecurity awareness part of onboarding — not a one-time checkbox.

Insufficient Backup and Recovery Plans

Many small businesses discover they have no usable backup only after they actually need one. Ransomware — malware that encrypts your files and demands payment for their release — renders local backups useless if they sit on the same compromised network. Automate your critical data backup to an offsite or cloud location, including system configurations in addition to files. Test your recovery process at least twice a year. A backup you've never restored is an assumption, not a plan.

Document security is part of this picture. Password-protecting PDFs is a practical first step for securing contracts, financial records, and client files before sharing or archiving them. Adobe Acrobat is an online PDF tool that lets you reorder, rotate, delete, or add pages to a PDF whenever you need to make modifications before locking a document down.

Neglecting Network Security

Unsecured Wi-Fi and flat network architecture are common entry points. Segment your network so that customer-facing systems, employee workstations, and administrative tools don't share the same access level. Use a firewall, enable WPA3 encryption on wireless networks, and keep your guest Wi-Fi isolated from internal systems. In the Inland Empire — where vendors, contractors, and logistics partners routinely move through shared facilities — network boundaries matter more than most owners assume.

Ignoring Mobile Device Security

Your team's phones and tablets are endpoints, even if they're not company-issued. A single unmanaged personal device accessing business email or cloud storage can introduce vulnerabilities your desktop environment has never seen. Establish a mobile device management (MDM) policy that requires device encryption, screen locks, and remote wipe capability for any device accessing company data. This applies to warehouse staff checking manifests on a phone just as much as it does to office employees.

Skipping Regular Security Audits

You can't protect what you haven't mapped. A security audit — a systematic review of your systems, access controls, and policies — surfaces gaps before attackers find them. The Federal Trade Commission advises small businesses to build a cybersecurity risk framework using the free NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, organized around six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. Even a basic annual review against this framework gives you a structured view of where you stand and what needs attention.

Consider bringing in an outside IT consultant for at least one audit per year. A fresh perspective surfaces assumptions your internal team has stopped questioning.

Strengthening Perris Valley's Business Community

Cybersecurity isn't a one-time investment — it's an ongoing practice. Whether you're running a distribution operation, a healthcare practice, or a Main Street retail shop, the steps are the same: patch, authenticate, train, back up, segment, manage devices, and audit regularly.

The Perris Valley Chamber of Commerce connects local businesses with the resources, training, and peer network to navigate challenges like these. Start with whichever gap on this list you haven't addressed yet. One closed vulnerability is better than waiting until every box is checked.