{"id":221591,"date":"2026-05-28T06:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/28\/the-ai-powered-cybersecurity-threat-small-businesses-cant-ignore\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T06:05:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:05:15","slug":"the-ai-powered-cybersecurity-threat-small-businesses-cant-ignore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/28\/the-ai-powered-cybersecurity-threat-small-businesses-cant-ignore\/","title":{"rendered":"The AI-powered cybersecurity threat small businesses can’t ignore"},"content":{"rendered":"

The AI-powered cybersecurity threat small businesses can’t ignore<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.asbn.com\/small-business-shows\/business-trends\/the-ai-powered-cybersecurity-threat\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-05-28 06:01:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: www.asbn.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: <\/a><\/p>\n

Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
\nIf you think your small business is too small to be attacked by cybercriminals, think again. Hackers now run automated, AI-powered cybersecurity attacks that scan the internet for vulnerable systems regardless of company size. Without proper protection in place, you could find your entire business shut down or important data seized by a criminal demanding a ransom.
\nOn this episode of Business Trends Today, we\u2019re joined by Alan Silberberg, CEO of Digijaks Group. Silberberg is also a former White House staffer and cybersecurity expert to the Small Business Administration (SBA), where he helped rewrite the agency\u2019s cybersecurity training program.
\nSilberberg says small businesses face many of the same cyber risks as large enterprises, but often don\u2019t have the same security in place to protect themselves.
\nSmall businesses, big targets
\nMany small business owners assume hackers have their sights set on bigger targets, but Silberberg says that thinking is outdated and dangerous.<\/p>\n

“It’s a numbers game and all they care about is dollars.”<\/p>\n

Small businesses run many of the same cloud platforms and digital tools as large corporations. That shared infrastructure is exactly what attackers are looking for, he says.
\n\u201cMost of these companies are using the same sets of tools as the big companies. Maybe they\u2019re configured in different ways, but basically we\u2019re all unfortunately relying on most of the same infrastructure,\u201d Silberberg said.
\nWhen hackers scan the internet for vulnerabilities, they don\u2019t filter by company size. A mom-and-pop hardware store using the same software as a Fortune 500 company is just as exposed.
\nSmall businesses also lack the security operations centers that large companies use to catch attacks early. By the time a small company realizes something is wrong it\u2019s often too late.
\nThe AI impact
\nThe cyber threat to small businesses has grown more serious as artificial intelligence gives hackers tools to attack faster and at a larger scale.
\nWhere a hacker might have targeted one or two companies a day in the past, AI-powered automation now allows them to go after hundreds. The way hackers get in is becoming more complex as well. AI tools allow them to fake voices or even create videos to obtain sensitive information, such as logins and passwords.
\nThe dark web has made hiring a hacker cheaper than most business owners realize. Malware is bought and sold online, and some criminal operations even offer customer support.
\n\u201cSome of these crime syndicates actually have help desks now for their malware. You could pay for malware, insert it, and if you\u2019re trying to hack a bank or whatever, they\u2019ll actually get on the phone with you and help you because they\u2019re making a cut of the profits,\u201d Silberberg said.
\nThe real-world cost of an attack
\nWhen a hacker hits a small business, the damage goes beyond the initial attack. Silberberg says operational, financial and reputational costs can add up fast.
\nAttacks can shut a business down immediately. Hackers may wipe entire systems, deface websites or lock owners out until a ransom is paid. Law firms and medical practices face even higher exposure because their data is more valuable.
\n\u201cThe average cyber attack last year in America cost businesses almost five million dollars to rectify and mitigate, between legal costs, accounting costs, new data, new computers and flushing out the bad guys. And that\u2019s not including ransom costs,\u201d Silberberg said.
\nMost small businesses make the problem worse by having no response plan in place. Without one, owners are left scrambling for lawyers, IT teams and guidance that larger companies already have on call.
\nCompliance risks most SMBs overlook
\nCybersecurity isn\u2019t just about protecting data. For many businesses, it\u2019s also a legal obligation.
\nHIPAA, state privacy laws, credit card rules and banking regulations can all apply to smaller companies. Silberberg says many business owners don\u2019t realize they fall under these rules until something goes wrong.
\n\u201cThey think that they\u2019re compliant because they\u2019ve put one piece of it, but they haven\u2019t put the whole architecture in place,\u201d Silberberg said.
\nSmall businesses don\u2019t have to navigate compliance alone. Virtual security operations centers, AI-driven SOC 2 scans and compliance services designed specifically for smaller companies are widely available. Silberberg says a simple internet search can find compliance solutions tailored to businesses of any size.
\nWhat business owners need to do now
\nIf there was one thing businesses could do to fight cybercriminals, Silberberg says it\u2019s setting up two-factor authentication.
\n\u201cI always start with two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication. If you are locking down every single device and every single software or account that you ever log into for your business, and you\u2019re making all your employees do the same thing, you already have eliminated a big chunk of the problem,\u201d Silberberg said.
\nBeyond that, he recommends encrypting data at rest. That means any data stored on a device is protected even when the device is not in use.
\nKeeping software updated is also important. Most updates contain security patches issued in response to newly discovered vulnerabilities.
\nThe biggest mistake, Silberberg says, is waiting to take action. The threat is already here, and it\u2019s not a matter of if, but when your business will be attacked. The key is being prepared before it happens.
\n\u201cUnless you actually do live in a cave, you are going to be affected in one way or another,\u201d Silberberg said.
\nFor small business owners, the cost of preparation is far lower than the cost of recovery.
\nSilberberg\u2019s company, Digijaks Group, works with small and midsize businesses on cybersecurity strategy and protection. Visit digijaks.com to learn more.<\/p>\n

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