July 24, 2025
Key Takeaways
Small businesses are the top target for cybercriminals in 2025.
A breach can cost $120,000 or more and permanently damage customer trust.
Most SMBs lack an incident response plan and proper training.
Practical steps like MFA, backups, and employee training go a long way.
Partnering with a local IT provider like Systems Support brings peace of mind, fast support, and practical security solutions.
The Cybersecurity Wake-Up Call Small Businesses Can't Ignore
If you're a business owner in South Shore Massachusetts, here's a reality check: small businesses are now the top target for cybercriminals. If your business has data, an internet connection, or a payroll system—you're a target.
At Systems Support, we serve small and midsize businesses across the South Shore—and we're seeing the impact firsthand. That's why we put together this list of must-know cybersecurity statistics and simple steps local businesses can take to stay safe in 2025. These insights aren't just numbers—they're red flags that demand immediate action.
8 Surprising Cybersecurity Statistics That Should Worry Small Businesses
1. 61% of small businesses were targeted by a cyberattack in the past year
The rise in phishing emails, ransomware attacks, and credential theft schemes means that small companies with minimal cybersecurity often become low-hanging fruit for attackers. This is especially true for those businesses not working with a managed IT support team. What's more concerning is that many business owners don't even realize an attack has occurred until significant damage is already done.
2. The average cost of a small business data breach is $120,000
The financial impact of a breach can be catastrophic. The average cost of a breach is $120,000. Between recovery costs, lost revenue, legal fees, and damage to reputation, many small businesses find themselves unable to bounce back. What's even more alarming is that these costs don't account for long-term trust issues with customers or partners.
3. Over 50% of SMBs have no incident response plan
When disaster strikes, having a plan can make the difference between recovery and shutdown. Yet 50% of SMBs don't have an incident response plan in place. This leaves employees uncertain, decision-makers scrambling, and attackers with more time to cause damage. Having a clearly documented, rehearsed plan reduces recovery time and cost dramatically.
4. Few SMBs offer cybersecurity training to employees
Employees are often the weakest link in any cybersecurity chain. Whether it's clicking on a malicious link, using weak passwords, or falling for a spoofed email, human error opens the door to attackers. Security awareness training helps employees recognize threats, avoid traps, and report suspicious activity—protecting your business from the inside out.
5. 1 in 5 small businesses shut down after a successful cyberattack
The U.S. National Cybersecurity Alliance reports that 60% of SMBs close their doors within six months of a cyberattack. For small businesses already juggling slim margins and labor shortages, the cost of downtime, recovery, and lost customer trust can be fatal. The risk isn't just financial—it's existential.
6. DDoS attacks increased 106% in 2024
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks flood your systems or website with traffic until it crashes. According to Zayo, these attacks are up 106%. Many small businesses aren't prepared with defenses or failovers, resulting in hours (or even days) of outage. This is especially dangerous for e-commerce businesses and customer-facing operations.
7. Cyber insurance claims by SMBs rose by 47% year-over-year
This number reveals a growing trend: cyber incidents are no longer rare, and small businesses are bearing the brunt. While cyber insurance can help mitigate financial losses, insurers are now demanding stronger cybersecurity controls before issuing policies. If you're not securing your infrastructure, you might not qualify—or get hit with high premiums.
8. Local businesses are more likely to be targeted during holidays and off-hours
Cybercriminals know when you're least prepared. Weekends, early mornings, and holidays are prime time for attacks. Why? Because that's when many small businesses aren't actively monitoring their systems or don't have staff on-call. Automated monitoring and offsite support become critical during these high-risk windows.
What South Shore Businesses Can Do Right Now to Stay Secure
These stats are sobering, but the good news is that most successful attacks exploit simple weaknesses. Here are five practical steps any small business can take to reduce risk:
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Don't just rely on passwords. MFA requires a second verification step—like a text message or authentication app—to log in. This one move can block over 90% of credential-based attacks.
Keep Software and Systems Up to Date
Outdated systems are full of known vulnerabilities. Set a schedule for automatic updates on all operating systems, routers, antivirus software, and business-critical applications.
Train Your Team (Regularly)
Schedule cybersecurity awareness training at least quarterly. Teach employees how to spot phishing emails, secure their devices, and follow best practices for handling sensitive information. Role-based training is even better—different departments face different threats.
Back Up Your Data (And Test It)
Use both cloud and physical backups to protect your data. Just as importantly, test those backups regularly. A backup that can't be restored quickly in an emergency is as bad as having none at all.
Partner with a Local IT Provider
Having a dedicated IT team that understands your systems, your staff, and your schedule makes all the difference. Systems Support offers responsive, local IT solutions tailored to the South Shore's small businesses. Our 15-minute response time and proactive monitoring help stop attacks before they become disasters.
Why This Matters for South Shore Businesses
We live here. We work here. We give here. At Systems Support, our team is local, and so are our clients. We've worked with businesses from Plymouth to Braintree, from Marshfield to MetroWest. Whether it's a ransomware lockout or a spoofed email that looks like it came from your bookkeeper, we've seen firsthand how these incidents can spiral.
Take, for example, a local dental office that called us after being locked out of their scheduling system over a holiday weekend. They hadn't invested in cybersecurity training or offsite backups. We were able to recover their data—but the stress, the cost, and the reputational damage were real.
Cybersecurity isn't just an IT issue anymore. It's a business continuity issue. It affects customer trust, insurance premiums, employee productivity, and even compliance requirements if you handle health or financial data.
If you've been relying on good luck or the idea that "nothing has happened yet," it's time to stop gambling with your business.
Ready to Protect Your Business?
We're not just here to fix problems—we're here to prevent them.
If you're unsure how vulnerable your business is, book a free 15-minute discovery call with Systems Support. We'll walk you through a no-pressure evaluation of your current setup and provide clear, actionable steps tailored to your needs.
Stop hoping your luck holds out. Start building a cybersecurity foundation that protects your business today, tomorrow, and every day after.
