67% of SMEs that suffer a cyberattack go bankrupt within 6 months. Yet most successful attacks exploit basic mistakes — easily avoidable ones. Here are the 7 we see most often during our IT audits.
This is the most critical mistake. Without MFA, a stolen password — through phishing, a data breach or brute force — gives direct access to all your systems. Microsoft estimates that MFA blocks 99.9% of account-compromise attacks.
Using an admin account to read your email or browse the web is like driving with a detonator on the passenger seat. A single phishing click from an admin account hands the attacker full control of your environment.
"We have backups" — but when were they last tested? Most SMEs discover their backups are corrupted or incomplete... during a ransomware incident. An untested backup is not a backup.
Windows 7, Windows Server 2012, old versions of Office... Unsupported systems are riddled with known vulnerabilities that cybercriminals actively exploit. Most ransomware exploits flaws for which patches had been available for months.
"The server password is 'company2023'" — known to 8 people, 3 of whom have left the company. Shared passwords make access auditing impossible and turn every employee departure into a potential security incident.
95% of cybersecurity incidents start with a phishing email. A single employee who clicks a malicious link can compromise the entire organisation. Technology alone cannot stop everything — human training is essential.
When an attack happens — and it's a "when," not an "if" — the first 30 minutes are critical. Without a documented plan, businesses waste precious time deciding what to do, making the situation worse. Panic is expensive.
How many of these mistakes does your organisation have?
A Synéra cybersecurity audit gives you a complete view of your vulnerabilities with a prioritised remediation plan. No jargon, no scaremongering — just the facts.
See our cybersecurity services