Do small businesses in Perth really get targeted by hackers?

It is a dangerous and very common myth that hackers only go after big companies. In reality, small businesses are targeted more, proportionally — and the reason is simple: modern attacks are mostly automated.

Why small businesses are attractive targets

Automated tools constantly scan the entire internet for weak passwords, unpatched systems, exposed remote access and staff who will click a phishing link. These bots don't know or care how big you are — they care how easy you are. Small businesses are appealing because they often hold valuable data (customer records, payment details, payroll, client files) but run thinner defences than a large enterprise with a dedicated security team.

The numbers are sobering

• Australian SMBs make up a large share of all reported breaches.
• A serious incident routinely costs tens of thousands of dollars in downtime, recovery and lost work.
• A meaningful proportion of small businesses that suffer a major cyber event struggle to recover from the disruption and cost.

The good news: the fundamentals stop most of it

You do not need an enterprise security budget to be well protected. A handful of fundamentals stops the overwhelming majority of automated attacks, affordably:

• MFA on every account, so stolen passwords are useless.
• Patching of operating systems and applications, closing known holes.
• Tested backups, so ransomware is a recovery job, not a ransom payment.
• Email security to filter out phishing before it reaches staff.
• Staff awareness, so people are a line of defence rather than the way in.

These are exactly the layered controls we put in place for Perth businesses every day. A free security assessment will show you where you stand — call (08) 9325 1196.