Cybersecurity: Key Aspects to Get Started
Cybersecurity is essential for organizations of all sizes. Small and medium-sized businesses are frequent targets of cyberattacks, facing risks such as phishing, ransomware, and data theft. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF 2.0) provides a practical roadmap with six key functions—Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. Simple measures like enabling multi-factor authentication, training employees, updating systems, and preparing a response plan help strengthen resilience, protect trust, and ensure continuity.
Nadia Enciso
8/27/20252 min read
Today, even the smallest businesses rely on technology: email, social media, online banking, e-commerce platforms, or internal systems. This reliance also exposes them to growing cyber risks such as phishing, ransomware, data theft, identity fraud, or service disruptions. Although it is often assumed that cyberattacks mainly target large corporations, the truth is that small businesses are also highly attractive targets, precisely because they are perceived as more vulnerable.
Why does cybersecurity matter?
A cyberattack can lead to loss of customer data, reputational damage, sales interruptions, high financial costs, and legal penalties. Customer and employee trust depends on keeping information secure. Preparing for threats is not optional—it is an investment in the continuity and growth of the organization.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework
To support businesses in their first steps, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF 2.0) provides a practical and flexible guide to start implementing cybersecurity. It is organized into six essential functions that serve as a roadmap:
Govern: Define responsibilities, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and establish a clear risk management strategy.
Identify: Maintain an inventory of assets (hardware, software, services, and data) and evaluate which ones are critical to the business.
Protect: Implement safeguards such as strong passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA), backups, patches, and employee training.
Detect: Use antivirus software, monitor networks, and recognize attack indicators, such as unusual access or repeated failed login attempts.
Respond: Establish an action plan for incidents, identifying responsible parties, key contacts, and communication protocols both internally and externally.
Recover: Restore operations, validate the integrity of backups, and document lessons learned.
Initial recommendations
Train employees to detect suspicious emails, fraudulent links, and scam calls.
Apply MFA to all critical accounts (email, banking, e-commerce).
Perform regular backups and verify that they can be restored successfully.
Keep software and systems updated with the latest patches.
Define a basic response plan, with clear responsibilities and contact information.
Evaluate third-party risks, including providers, cloud services, and external applications.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is not a luxury reserved for large corporations—it is an essential requirement for the survival of any organization. Adopting a recognized framework such as NIST’s is the first step to structuring a cybersecurity strategy, regardless of business size. Starting today, even with simple measures, can make the difference between recovering quickly or being pushed out of the market after an attack.