Just because small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) are not as high-profile as large enterprises, it doesn’t mean they’re safe from cybercriminals.

Threat actors go after any vulnerable organization where financial gain or valuable data can be found, and these organizations are consistently a top target.

However, SMBs are aware of these mounting threats. According to a recent Arctic Wolf® survey of 146 SMB leaders, 82% of SMBs have management buy-in when it comes to their cybersecurity operations, and 62% of all respondents say their organization’s cybersecurity budget or spending will increase in the next 12 months. So, what’s standing in the way of achieving cybersecurity goals? SMBs lack cybersecurity resources, don’t feel confident in their current cybersecurity posture and in-house expertise, and are focused on growing their businesses, not reinforcing their cyber defenses.

SMBs need outside help to progress along their security journey and reduce risk. From understanding security frameworks to following compliance guidelines to hardening the attack surface through software, tools, and user training, SMBs can’t do it alone.

In this guide, we lay out eight steps an SMB, no matter their maturity level, can take to start improving their security posture and put themselves in a position to be more resilient to threats. As SMBs increase their cybersecurity budgets and turn their focus toward risk reduction, our hope is these actionable steps will help SMBs understand their own security goals and make tangible improvements that can grow with their business.