"We're too small to be a target."
I hear this all the time.
Small businesses think hackers only go after Fortune 500 companies.
They're wrong.
43% of cyberattacks target small businesses. Why? Because they're easier.
Here's what a breach actually costs:
Average for a small business: $120K-$150K
Breakdown:
→ Incident response: $15K-$30K (forensics, containment, recovery) → Legal fees: $20K-$40K (lawyers, compliance advisors) → Customer notification: $5K-$10K (required by law in most states) → Regulatory fines: $10K-$50K (depends on industry, data type) → Lost business: $30K-$100K (customers leave, deals fall through) → Reputation recovery: $10K-$50K (PR, marketing, rebuilding trust)
And here's the stat that should terrify you:
60% of small businesses close within 6 months of a major breach.
Not because of the immediate costs. Because of the long-term damage.
Customers don't trust you anymore. Partners walk away. Deals evaporate.
Now let's talk prevention.
A comprehensive security audit costs $3K-$5K.
At ScopeForged, it's built into our 19-category audit before every project.
We check:
→ Authentication and authorization → Data encryption → SQL injection vulnerabilities → XSS protection → Third-party dependencies → Access controls
The math writes itself:
$5K for an audit vs. $150K for a breach.
You're not too small to be a target. You're too valuable to leave exposed.
When was the last time you had a security audit?
→ scopeforged.com
Philip Rehberger Founder, ScopeForged scopeforged.com
#Cybersecurity #SmallBusiness #DataBreach #SecurityAudit #RiskManagement
