Cyberattacks on small businesses have increased dramatically over the past three years. Houston companies are not immune — in fact, SMBs are often targeted precisely because they lack enterprise-level defenses. Here’s what every Houston business owner should know.
The Threat Landscape for Houston SMBs
The most common threats facing Houston small businesses today are phishing emails, ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), and credential theft. You don’t need to be a bank to be a target — attackers cast wide nets and hit whoever isn’t protected.
The Cyber Hygiene Basics
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Enable MFA on every business account — Microsoft 365, email, banking, and remote access. This single step blocks over 99% of automated account attacks.
- Patch everything regularly: Unpatched software is the leading entry point for ransomware. Windows updates, third-party apps, and firmware should be on a regular schedule.
- Endpoint protection: Modern antivirus (EDR/XDR) does far more than traditional AV. If your business is still on a free antivirus, you’re underprotected.
- Email filtering: A good email security layer blocks most phishing before it reaches your inbox.
- Backups — tested ones: Backups that haven’t been tested aren’t backups. Ransomware recovery depends entirely on having clean, recent, restorable backups offline.
Employee Training Is Non-Negotiable
Most breaches start with a human mistake — clicking a bad link, using a weak password, or responding to a spoofed email. Security awareness training doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming, but it needs to happen.
What Compliance Means for You
If your Houston business handles health data (HIPAA), payment cards (PCI-DSS), or works with federal contracts (CMMC), cybersecurity isn’t optional — it’s a legal requirement with real penalties.
H-Town IT provides cybersecurity assessments, managed security services, and compliance support for Houston businesses of all sizes. Learn more about our cybersecurity services or contact us today.