13:19Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
49% of UK Small Businesses Have Experienced a Cybersecurity Incident
According to ESET’s 2026 study, cyber threats against small businesses are increasing in the United Kingdom. In the country, 49% of small and medium-sized businesses experienced at least 1 security incident in the past 1 year. Some 13% of companies encountered such incidents more than 1 time. A total of 500 companies participated in the survey.
Companies are most concerned about malware enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI). The main causes of attacks include phishing, meaning the theft of information through fraudulent messages, outdated software, and weak passwords. Inadequate monitoring of systems also makes it difficult to detect attacks in a timely manner. Small businesses struggle to keep track of new cyber threats and adapt to rapidly developing technologies such as AI. The risk increases further when security vulnerabilities in software are not patched promptly. Another major problem is the shortage of cybersecurity specialists. Because budgets and staff numbers are limited, security measures sometimes take a back seat.
Small and medium-sized businesses account for more than half of the United Kingdom’s private-sector revenue. The combined revenue of these companies is estimated at approximately £2.8 trillion (approximately 6.3 trillion manats). Their large financial turnover and the sensitive data they store make them one of the main targets for cybercriminals. Among the companies that participated in the survey, 55% plan to increase their cybersecurity budgets over the next 12 months. The money will primarily be allocated to employee training, raising awareness of threats, and protecting cloud systems. AI can accelerate attacks, but criminals still rely more heavily on phishing and software vulnerabilities. Using strong passwords and updating software promptly remain the main defense methods for small businesses.
Companies are most concerned about malware enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI). The main causes of attacks include phishing, meaning the theft of information through fraudulent messages, outdated software, and weak passwords. Inadequate monitoring of systems also makes it difficult to detect attacks in a timely manner. Small businesses struggle to keep track of new cyber threats and adapt to rapidly developing technologies such as AI. The risk increases further when security vulnerabilities in software are not patched promptly. Another major problem is the shortage of cybersecurity specialists. Because budgets and staff numbers are limited, security measures sometimes take a back seat. Small and medium-sized businesses account for more than half of the United Kingdom’s private-sector revenue. The combined revenue of these companies is estimated at approximately £2.8 trillion (approximately 6.3 trillion manats). Their large financial turnover and the sensitive data they store make them one of the main targets for cybercriminals. Among the companies that participated in the survey, 55% plan to increase their cybersecurity budgets over the next 12 months. The money will primarily be allocated to employee training, raising awareness of threats, and protecting cloud systems. AI can accelerate attacks, but criminals still rely more heavily on phishing and software vulnerabilities. Using strong passwords and updating software promptly remain the main defense methods for small businesses.