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Cybersecurity for Small Business: Essential Steps to Prevent Ransomware in 2025

October 8, 2025 — Small and medium-sized businesses have become prime targets for cybercriminals — and the numbers keep climbing.

In 2025 alone, the U.S. accounted for nearly half of all ransomware attacks worldwide, and 70% of those targeted small and mid-sized businesses, according to SentinelOne.

These attacks are not just inconvenient — they’re expensive.The average recovery cost for small businesses now ranges between $120,000 and $1.2 million, factoring in downtime, data recovery, and lost revenue (PurpleSec).

So, how can small businesses stay safe in today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape? Let’s explore the latest trends — and the most effective ways to strengthen your cybersecurity in 2025.

(Ransomware is malware that aims to encrypt files on a device, causing any files and systems that rely on them to become useless. Essentially a hostage situation, hackers demand that businesses pay a ransom if they want their information or data returned.)

The Real Cost of a Cyberattack

The financial and emotional toll of a ransomware incident can devastate a business.

A 2025 VikingCloud study found that the average recovery cost for a small business following a data breach now ranges from $120,000 to $1.2 million, factoring in downtime, lost data, and customer churn. For many, that kind of loss is impossible to fathom.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) also reports that ransomware remains one of the most frequent, destructive, and costly types of cybercrime affecting American businesses.

“Small businesses continue to be attractive targets for ransomware groups because they have valuable data but often lack the resources of larger enterprises to protect it.”
– CISA, 2025 Ransomeware Awareness Campaign.

Why Small Businesses Are Prime Targets

Cybercriminals see small businesses as “easy wins.” Unlike large corporations, SMBs often lack in-house IT security, yet they handle sensitive data that’s just as valuable — customer information, invoices, payroll, and credit card details.

Key 2025 insights:

35% of all cyberattacks are ransomware-based.
43% of breach victims are small businesses.
19% of all cyber insurance claims in 2025 involved ransomware.

(Source: VikingCloud 2025 Cybersecurity Statistics)

The bottom line: small businesses remain in the crosshairs because they combine high-value data with limited protection.

Protecting Your Business from Ransomware Attacks

The steep rise in cybercrimes, particularly ransomware attacks, has made it clear why cyber readiness is critical.

According to the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s Ransomware Guide, best practices that may help manage the risk from a ransomware or phishing attack include:

Frequent Data Backups. Remember to maintain encrypted backups of your data offline and test regularly. The critical aspect of keeping and preserving backups offline is that it reduces the chances of a ransomware variant zeroing in and deleting accessible backups. If you maintain offline backups that are current, then there’s no need to succumb to hackers’ ransom demands.
Create a plan. Develop and maintain a “basic cyber incident response plan” that outlines communications, including the response and notification processes following an incident. Check out this Ransomware Response Checklist within the guide to ensure you’re covering all your bases.
Implement a training program. A cybersecurity awareness and training program that incorporates guidance on identifying and reporting suspicious activities will help small businesses strengthen their defenses against phishing attacks.

Interested in finding out what resources exist for small business owners aiming to shore up their digital presence and make themselves less of a target by hackers? Here are a few quick but effective articles to help:

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