Guide to Cybersecurity for Small and Medium Businesses

Significant improvements in access to information technology (IT) and Internet connectivity have dramatically increased opportunities for businesses around the world. However, the increased connectivity also creates new risks. As businesses rely more on digital tools, these tools create potential vulnerabilities to ever-evolving cyber threats.

This guide aims to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) build basic digital resilience by focusing on cybersecurity. It explains foundational concepts of cybersecurity and suggests basic, low-cost actions that MSMEs can implement and later integrate with more sophisticated strategies as the organization matures in its understanding of cyber risks. It also encourages business owners to view cybersecurity as another operational risk. Cybersecurity is a complex problem that affects a variety of business operations— without a one-size-fits-all solution. This guide presents a range of actions available to MSMEs to help mitigate the specific risks most pertinent to their business operations.