Many small business owners operate under a comforting myth: “We’re too small to be a target.” Unfortunately, that belief is exactly what cybercriminals count on. Across Canada, the facts tell a very different story. Your business may be modest in size, but that doesn’t make you invisible — it makes you vulnerable.
Small Businesses Aren’t Safe by Default
It’s tempting to assume that hackers aim only for the big corporations, but the data shows otherwise. In 2022, one report highlights that 45% of SMEs fell victim to a cyberattack.
Another report found that fewer than half of Canadian SMEs believe they are vulnerable to an attack, even though elsewhere research shows 73% have actually experienced a cybersecurity incident.
In other words, many small businesses are underestimating their risk and overestimating their safety.
Why Cybercriminals Love “Small” Targets
So why do attackers go after smaller businesses? There are several compelling reasons:
- Weaker Defences: Small businesses often lack dedicated IT or security teams, rely on outdated software, and have limited patching processes.
- High-Reward, Low-Risk: Hackers can attack 20 smaller companies with minimal defence rather than one large company with robust security. It’s easier, cheaper, and more likely to pay off.
- Valuable Data: Even small firms hold customer information, financial records, vendor data, or supplier access. All of which are worth something on the dark web or as ransomware leverage.
- Complacency and Misconception: Many small business owners believe “it’ll never happen to us”, and so they skip basic security safeguards. For example, a recent survey found 18% of Canadian small businesses believe cyber threats don’t apply to them.
Common Misconceptions Among Small Business Owners
Let’s now look at the common misconceptions among small business owners about cyberattacks:
| Misconception | Reality |
| “We’re too small to matter.” | Attackers don’t pick on you because you are big; they pick on you because you are vulnerable. The numbers prove it. |
| “We don’t have anything worth stealing.” | Even a small dataset, access to banking or vendor payment systems, or an email account can be gold to criminals. |
| “We’re safe because no attack has happened yet.” | A lack of past incidents doesn’t mean you are secure; it may mean you haven’t been noticed yet. |
| “Cybersecurity is too expensive for us.” | The cost of prevention is typically far less than the cost of recovery. The average losses for SMBs can run into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. |
| “Our IT provider handles it.” | Having an IT provider is good — but you also need proactive cybersecurity practices, training, and incident response readiness. |
In Quebec, a survey found that more than 6 in 10 SMBs were attacked in 2022. Among them, 74% blamed outdated IT/OT systems for making them vulnerable, and 65% said they lacked the skilled personnel to monitor cybersecurity.
A 2025 poll by Zensurance showed 53% of small Canadian businesses have experienced a cyber-incident — breakdowns included phishing (46%), malware (23%), and funds-transfer fraud (19%), ransomware (6%), and so on.
These aren’t just “maybe” events; they are happening across Canada to businesses like yours. The question isn’t “if” you will be targeted, but “when”.
What Your Business Should Do Right Now
Here are practical steps your business can take to raise its defences immediately:
- Inventory and Prioritize: Know what data you hold, who accesses it, and where the weakest controls are.
- Patch and Update Regularly: Attackers exploit known vulnerabilities. So, avoid delaying patches and updates to minimize risk.
- Train your Staff: Human error is still one of the biggest risk factors, as phishing remains a top entry point. So, train your staff to reduce cyberattacks exploiting human weaknesses.
- Use Strong Access Controls: Enforce strong passphrases, password managers, and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Have a Backup and Recovery Plan: If ransomware hits, your ability to recover controls your liability. So, ensure you have an effective backup and recovery plan in place.
- Develop an Incident Response Plan: Know who to call, what to do, and how to communicate if things go wrong.
- Secure Your Network and Devices: Remote work and BYOD (bring your own device) environments open further vulnerabilities. So, keep your network and devices secure.
The Cost of “Too Small” Thinking
When a breach happens, the impacts can spread far beyond the immediate compromise. For small businesses, the costs include:
- Lost revenue (from downtime, reputational loss, or trust erosion)
- Data breach regulatory or legal exposure
- Ransom payments or expensive recovery efforts
- Cost of notifying customers and restoring systems
- Potential closure—some small businesses never recover
Consider that if 40% of small Canadian businesses lose over $100,000 from just one cyber incident, the real question isn’t “Can we afford cybersecurity?” — it’s “Can we afford not to have it?”
Taking Control of Your Security Story
Knowing the risk is one thing. Acting on it is another. Here are three strategic moves you can make this quarter:
- Get a risk assessment. Let a third-party evaluate your current state and highlight gaps.
- Prioritize quick wins. Do the “low-hanging fruits” first, i.e., patching, backups, MFA, and staff awareness.
- Make cybersecurity part of your business plan. Allocate budget, assign responsibility, and track progress, just like other business objectives.
Final Thoughts
Being a small business doesn’t make you invisible — it makes you vulnerable. The idea of being “too small to be hacked” only leads to inaction, and that’s a risk no business can afford today.
By shifting your mindset from “We’re too small to matter” to “We’re too smart to ignore security,” you take control of your digital future.
At Sun IT Solutions, we specialize in Managed IT Services and Cybersecurity Solutions built for businesses of every size. From 24/7 threat monitoring and data protection to cloud management and disaster recovery, our experts ensure your systems stay secure, compliant, and running smoothly.
Don’t wait for a breach to take cybersecurity seriously. Contact us today for a free and no-obligation consultation and discover how we can safeguard your business with trusted IT support and proactive cyber defense across Canada.
