Small Business Cybersecurity: How to Get Started

Small businesses face many of the same cyber threats as large enterprises, but often without the same resources to combat them. Whether you’re managing a team of five or fifty, a strong cybersecurity plan is essential for protecting your digital assets, customer data, and business continuity.

This guide provides a step-by-step roadmap to small business cybersecurity, incorporating best practices, real-world insights, and advanced strategies including RMM, next-gen firewalls, and SOC 2 certification.

1. Start with an IT Inventory

The first step in any cybersecurity plan is understanding your environment. Begin by creating a comprehensive IT inventory of your company’s digital assets: laptops, desktops, mobile devices, routers, cloud storage accounts, software tools, and login credentials. This foundational step supports endpoint protection, patch management, and compliance audits.

Long-tail keyword: how to create a cybersecurity policy for small business

Keeping this inventory up to date is key. Use automated tools or RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) software to track devices and updates in real time, reducing blind spots and improving IT compliance. A reliable device inventory enables IT teams to respond to threats faster and identify outdated hardware or unmonitored endpoints.

Also, map out your dependencies. Knowing which systems are mission-critical can help you prioritize protection and recovery planning.

2. Draft and Evolve Your Cybersecurity Policy

Your security policy does not have to be perfect from day one. Start small. Define expectations for password strength, update schedules, access levels, and response procedures in case of a breach. The goal is to build a living document that evolves with your business and keeps your team aligned.

Include onboarding and offboarding procedures, roles and responsibilities, breach reporting timelines, and how to escalate incidents. Review your policy quarterly to ensure it reflects current tools, workflows, and threats.

3. Strengthen Authentication with Password Managers and MFA

A password manager is one of the easiest wins in cybersecurity. Require strong, unique passwords across all accounts and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for critical systems.

Tools like 1Password and Dashlane help teams manage credentials securely, making onboarding and role transitions easier. MFA significantly reduces account takeover risk, even if login credentials are exposed.

4. Install Malware Detection and Antivirus Software on All Devices

Every device that touches your network should have up-to-date antivirus software and malware detection tools. These frontline defenses help stop phishing attacks, ransomware, and unauthorized access before they cause damage.

Use your RMM to deploy and monitor antivirus and malware scanning across your device inventory. Regularly verify that updates are installed and active. Without these layers, even basic phishing attacks can lead to massive breaches.

For companies starting from scratch, prioritize coverage on high-risk assets like laptops used remotely or systems with access to sensitive data.

5. Implement Next-Gen Firewalls and VPNs for Network Security

Network security is just as important as endpoint protection. A next-gen firewall controls data entering and leaving your network and adds intrusion prevention, application control, and deep packet inspection.

Small businesses often suffer downtime from single points of failure. Address this by:

• Using redundant ISPs
• Configuring MC-LAG and switch stacking
• Enabling HA clustering for firewall appliances

Also, implement VPN access for employees working remotely. This encrypts data transmission and adds a layer of isolation from unsecured networks. Next-gen firewalls and VPNs work hand-in-hand to enforce secure boundaries around company systems.

6. Establish a Reliable Data Backup Strategy

Data loss from ransomware, hardware failure, or accidental deletion can be catastrophic. Backups are your safety net. Use automated, off-site, or cloud solutions and test your restore processes regularly. Monitor backup logs and retention policies to confirm integrity.

Level’s interviews found that many SMBs lack recovery testing procedures. Set quarterly calendar reminders to run mock restores and validate that backups work under pressure.

7. Create a Culture of Security Awareness

Cybersecurity is not just technical. It’s cultural. Train your employees to recognize cyber threats, follow best practices, and take ownership of security.

Topics to cover:

• Spotting phishing and social engineering attempts
• Using password managers and MFA
• Securing home WiFi and personal devices (BYOD)
• Reporting incidents quickly and accurately

Include onboarding training and periodic refreshers.

8. Automate Monitoring with a User-Friendly RMM

RMM software helps streamline updates, patch management, monitoring, and IT support. For SMBs, a user-friendly RMM tool can transform IT from reactive to proactive.

Modern RMM platforms like Level support bulk scripting, multi-platform deployment, and offline validation. They also ensure device info accuracy and offer peer-to-peer updates that do not rely on central servers.

9. Strengthen Trust with SOC 2 Certification

If you manage sensitive customer data, pursuing SOC 2 certification demonstrates your commitment to data security and regulatory compliance.

Level’s SOC 2 certification journey included:

• End-to-end encrypted remote sessions
• Peer-to-peer device control
• No data stored on company servers
• Rigorous audits based on AICPA standards

Insights from the Field: What Small Businesses Are Saying

From over 50 interviews with small business leaders and IT professionals, two major gaps surfaced: complexity in RMM tools and lack of consistent security training.

RMM Pain Points:

• Many businesses only used a fraction of the functionality in their RMM platforms
• Long setup and configuration times created operational friction
• Reports of inaccurate device data and patch failures led to mistrust in the platform

These issues point to the need for simplified, reliable tools that support proactive IT automation and bulk management across operating systems.

Security Awareness Gaps:

• Several SMBs admitted to having no formal training for employees
• Cybersecurity often became a priority only after an incident
• Many lacked documentation or a central security policy

This highlights the importance of integrating training and awareness into company culture early, not reactively.

Final Thoughts

A strong cybersecurity plan protects your company from evolving cyber threats, regulatory fines, and costly downtime. Whether you’re starting from scratch or maturing your defenses, this guide helps you:

• Identify and protect all digital assets
• Secure devices and networks with best practices
• Train employees to avoid common attacks
• Use automation and RMM tools to scale operations
• Demonstrate trust through compliance and certifications

Start small, stay consistent, and grow your cybersecurity maturity one policy, one patch, and one protocol at a time.

Your cybersecurity journey doesn’t end here. It evolves with your business.