Why ‘We’re Too Small to Be a Target’ Is the Most Dangerous Lie in Cybersecurity
Spoiler: attackers don’t care how big you are. They care how easy you are.
We hear it all the time:
“We’re just a small business. Who would want to hack us?”
“We’re not a bank. We don’t have anything valuable.”
“We’d never be a target—right?”
Wrong.
The idea that small organizations are safe from cyber threats is one of the most dangerous myths out there. In reality, smaller businesses are more likely to be targeted—not less.
Here’s why.
🤖 Attackers Don’t Discriminate. They Automate.
Gone are the days when hackers sat in dark rooms picking high-profile targets by hand. Today’s attacks are mostly automated.
They don’t “choose” victims—they scan for them. Open ports. Unpatched systems. Default credentials. Misconfigured firewalls.
Your size doesn’t matter. If you show up on the scan and you’re vulnerable, you’re next.
💵 Your Data Is Valuable—Even If You Don’t Think So
Healthcare clinics. Law firms. Small manufacturers. Local governments. Even vet clinics. We’ve seen all of them get hit.
Why? Because attackers aren’t looking for Wall Street data—they’re looking for:
Personal Identifiable Information (PII)
Financial records
Email accounts they can use to trick others
Insurance info
Credentials they can reuse elsewhere
If you store client or patient data, run payroll, process payments, or use email—you’re valuable.
🧨 Ransomware Isn’t Just for the Big Guys
In fact, ransomware attackers love small and mid-sized businesses.
Why?
You’re less likely to have strong backups
You’re more likely to pay the ransom just to get back to work
You may not have a response plan, so panic sets in
It’s fast, profitable, and low-risk for attackers. And unlike the headlines about Fortune 500s, your story doesn’t make the news—which makes small orgs quieter, easier targets.
✅ “Compliance” Doesn’t Mean “Secure”
We’re fans of compliance. It matters. It forces structure. It helps with insurance and industry requirements.
But passing an audit doesn’t mean attackers can’t waltz in the back door. Security is about posture, not paperwork.
Ask yourself:
Do you know your current vulnerabilities?
When’s the last time your firewall rules were reviewed?
Are you sure your backups actually work?
Is MFA deployed… or just “planned?”
If your answers are fuzzy, you're not alone—but you're also not secure.
🧠 You Don’t Need a Full Security Team—You Need a Plan
We work with a lot of small organizations. Most don’t have CISOs. Some don’t even have internal IT.
That’s okay.
Good security posture doesn’t require a giant team. It requires:
A clear understanding of your risk
Practical steps to close gaps
A roadmap that fits your budget and team
Real-world testing and guidance
That’s where a security posture review comes in. It’s not a penetration test or a compliance audit. It’s a look at how secure you really are—and what to do about it.
💬 Ask Yourself (and Your Team):
Who has admin access to our systems?
Could we detect if a vendor account was compromised?
Are our critical systems backed up, tested, and recoverable?
When’s the last time we changed any of our passwords?
What’s our plan if we get hit on a weekend?
If these questions make your stomach drop a little—you’re not alone. And you’re not behind. But it is time to act.
✅ Let’s Review Your Security Posture—Without the Scare Tactics
We’re not here to shame you. We’re here to help you get a real-world view of your security risks—and turn that into an actionable, right-sized plan.
No scare tactics. No sky-is-falling nonsense. Just clarity, strategy, and support.
🔐 Want to see how your posture stacks up?
Let’s schedule a Security Posture Review.
📬 info@ferrousequinetechnologies.com