Cybersecurity Best Practices Guide
for Small Businesses

In today’s digital landscape, cybersecurity is no longer optional—it’s a business imperative. This cybersecurity best practices guide equips small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with actionable strategies to address growing risks. While large corporations often make headlines, SMBs are now a top target for cybercriminals. In fact, 43% of cyberattacks are directed at SMBs, many of which are underprepared to defend against them. The consequences of a breach—financial loss, operational downtime, and reputational damage—can be devastating.

This cybersecurity best practices guide from GO Technology Group is designed to help business leaders navigate cybersecurity with clarity and confidence. As a CompTIA Partner with the Cybersecurity Trustmark and a provider of CMMC compliance consulting, we bring nationally recognized standards to every engagement. Based in Chicago, our team helps SMBs across industries simplify risk, meet compliance requirements, and implement real-world security strategies that protect what matters most—whether you're in the Midwest or managing operations elsewhere.

Why It Matters

Cybersecurity threats aren’t just a problem for big businesses anymore. In fact, nearly half of all attacks target small organizations—often because attackers know SMBs have fewer resources to defend themselves. The good news? With a few practical changes, you can dramatically improve your protection.

Common Threats

Getting Started

To begin, conduct a basic internal security audit. Ensure you have:

This section outlines core recommendations from our cybersecurity best practices guide, designed to help you create a resilient foundation that scales with your business.

Core Security Practices

Start with proven, foundational protections:

Create a Security Culture

A business’s cybersecurity strength isn’t only about its tools—it’s about its people. Therefore, foster a workplace culture where security is everyone’s responsibility. Leadership should champion this mindset and encourage staff to stay alert and speak up when something looks suspicious.

Key Measures

To enhance network protection:

Why It Matters

Even trusted vendors can be your weakest link. Many cyberattacks happen through partners with less rigorous security practices. As a result, it’s essential to treat third-party risk management as part of your internal security program.

How to Reduce Risk

Common Objections and How to Address Them

Human Error is the #1 Risk

More than 80% of data breaches involve a mistake made by someone inside the company. However, this doesn’t mean your team isn’t trustworthy—it means they need support, training, and tools to help them recognize and prevent threats.

Training Best Practices to Build an Aware Team:

Most cyber incidents stem from everyday human mistakes—not technology failures. Empowering your employees with practical, ongoing training is one of the most effective cybersecurity investments you can make.

As part of this cybersecurity best practices guide, policy creation plays a vital role in long-term risk management and organizational clarity.

Why It Matters

Policies provide a clear, shared understanding of security expectations across your business. As a result, they help ensure consistency, reduce risk, and guide response when things go wrong.

Essential Policies to Implement

Why You Need a Response Plan

Even strong security doesn’t guarantee safety. If a cyberattack happens, having a tested plan can limit damage and get you back online faster. In addition, a plan helps you respond with clarity, rather than panic.

Types of Cyberattacks

What to Include

Modern Work, Modern Risks

Remote work has expanded the cybersecurity playing field. Devices are now used on home networks, public Wi-Fi, and personal routers—all outside your office firewall. Therefore, these environments must be secured too.

Best Practices

Why It Matters

When you collect and store customer data, you take on the responsibility of protecting it. Failing to do so can result in lawsuits, fines, and permanent damage to your reputation. Furthermore, today’s customers expect their data to be handled securely.

Best Practices

Future-proofing is a key component of this cybersecurity best practices guide, especially for organizations looking to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Stay Proactive

The cybersecurity landscape shifts constantly. Staying protected means staying informed—and preparing for what’s next. For example, adopting Zero Trust architecture and using AI-powered monitoring can dramatically reduce exposure to threats.

How to Stay Ahead

Cybersecurity is a continuous journey—not a one-time project. By taking practical steps now, small and medium-sized businesses can greatly reduce their exposure to threats. This cybersecurity best practices guide is designed to help you build a stronger, safer organization—starting today.

GO Technology Group proudly serves the Chicago business community and beyond, offering personalized cybersecurity consulting, implementation, and ongoing support to help organizations stay secure and compliant.

If you're a Chicago-based business looking to take the next step toward stronger, more resilient IT security, GO Technology Group is here to help. Our team brings decades of hands-on experience helping local organizations:

We don’t just offer solutions—we partner with you to build sustainable protection.

See why our clients trust us to handle their most critical IT needs.

Ready to simplify your IT?  To begin, give us a quick call to schedule your technology assessment.  From there, we'll explore your needs and explain how our managed IT services can help. So, get started now and see how easy it is to work with us!

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