I Thought Hackers Only Went After Big Companies. I Was Wrong.

I used to roll my eyes when I heard about cybersecurity on the news. Data breaches at Target. Ransomware hitting hospitals. Hackers stealing millions from banks.

"That's a big company problem," I'd think. "I run a 12-person accounting firm. Nobody cares about us."

I was wrong. Really wrong.

The Day Everything Changed

It was a Tuesday morning. Lisa, one of our senior accountants, came to me looking pale. "Something's wrong with my computer," she said. "All my files have these weird extensions now, and there's a message saying we owe someone Bitcoin."

Ransomware. The thing I thought only happened to hospitals and corporations had just locked up seven years of client financial records.

The ransom? $15,000. The real cost? Nearly $60,000 when you factor in the IT emergency response, the lost billable hours, the clients we had to delay, and the new security systems we had to implement.

Why Small Businesses Are Actually Prime Targets

Here's what I learned the hard way: hackers actually *prefer* small businesses. And it makes perfect sense when you think about it.

We're easier to hit. Big companies have dedicated IT security teams, sophisticated monitoring systems, and budgets for protection. We had... Dave from down the street who "knows computers."

We're less prepared. Most small businesses don't have incident response plans. When something goes wrong, we panic. Hackers know this and use it to pressure us into paying.

We still have valuable data. My firm had Social Security numbers, bank account details, and tax records for hundreds of clients. That's incredibly valuable on the black market.

We're the gateway. If you're a hacker trying to reach a big company, sometimes the easiest way in is through their small vendors and partners. We were connected to some very valuable targets.

The Numbers Don't Lie

After the incident, I did my research. What I found shocked me:

• 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses
• 60% of small businesses that suffer a major cyberattack close within six months
• The average cost of a data breach for a small business is over $100,000
• Only 14% of small businesses are prepared to defend themselves

We got lucky. We survived. But I know businesses that didn't.

What I Wish I'd Done Differently

Looking back, the fixes weren't even that expensive or complicated. The problem was I never thought we needed them.

I wish I'd trained my team. The ransomware got in because Lisa clicked a link in an email that looked like it came from the IRS. It was tax season. She was busy. The email looked legitimate. With just basic training on spotting suspicious emails, she might have caught it.

I wish I'd had better backups. We had backups, but they were on a drive connected to our network. The ransomware encrypted those too. Now we have offline backups stored separately.

I wish I'd taken password security seriously. Half my team was using "password123" or their dog's name. One of them used the same password for everything—including their bank account.

I wish I'd assumed we were a target. The biggest change? My mindset. I no longer think "it won't happen to us." I think "it's probably going to happen eventually, so let's be ready."

It's Not About Being a Tech Expert

Here's the thing that surprised me most: you don't need to become a cybersecurity expert to protect your business. You just need to make your business slightly harder to attack than the one next door.

Hackers are lazy. They're not going to spend hours trying to crack your defenses if the business down the street has none. Basic security measures—things like training your team to spot scams, using strong passwords, and having proper backups—make you a much less attractive target.

My Advice to You

If you're reading this thinking "that won't happen to me," I get it. I was you two years ago.

But ask yourself: What would you do if you showed up tomorrow and couldn't access any of your files? What would you tell your clients? How much would it cost you in lost business, emergency IT help, and reputation damage?

For me, the answer to those questions is what keeps me investing in basic security measures now. It's not about fear—it's about being smart with your business.

Don't learn this lesson the way I did.

Ready to protect your team?

At PrymoSec, we make security training simple for small businesses. Our interactive modules teach your employees to spot scams, protect passwords, and handle data safely—without complicated jargon or expensive enterprise solutions.

Your team will actually learn. You'll have the documentation to prove it. And you'll sleep better knowing your business is protected.

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