7 Cybersecurity Mistakes Made in 2026

“It won’t happen to me.” This is the myth many small businesses believe, often with costly consequences. The reality is that small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly targeted as attackers know many SMEs have limited protection in place.

43% of UK businesses experienced a cybersecurity breach or attack in the last 12 months. (UK Government Cyber Security Breaches Survey, 2026) Sadly, most cyber attacks succeed because of avoidable mistakes, not sophisticated hacking.

Here are seven avoidable cybersecurity mistakes businesses are making in 2026, and what can be done to reduce the risk.

1. Relying on Passwords Alone

Passwords are no longer enough to protect business accounts.

Weak, reused, or stolen passwords remain one of the most common causes of data breaches. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre strongly recommends using multi-factor authentication (MFA), which adds an extra layer of protection when logging in. (NCSC)

MFA can stop attackers from gaining access to email accounts, Microsoft 365, banking systems and cloud platforms, even if your password is stolen.

2. Ignoring Software Updates

There never seems to be a good time to install a software update! However, keeping systems updated remains one of the simplest and most effective security measures available, as they often include security fixes. Outdated systems are targeted because cybercriminals know that vulnerabilities are often left unpatched for months. This includes:

• laptops and desktops
• mobile devices
• routers
• business applications
• cloud platforms

3. Inadequate Team Training

Most cyber attacks still begin with human error. Around 39% of UK SMEs fail to provide any cybersecurity training, leaving staff vulnerable to sophisticated phishing and AI-impersonation emails. (BT) Regular staff awareness training can dramatically reduce the likelihood of someone accidentally opening a suspicious email and/or link.

4. Inefficient Data Backup

A proper backup strategy should include:

• automatic backups
• secure cloud storage
• multiple backup copies
• regular testing

Reliable backups are a key part of business continuity. Without them, businesses experiencing ransomware or hardware failure can face major disruption, financial losses and reputational damage.

5. Giving Colleagues Too Much Access

A common mistake is granting staff broad permissions “just in case”. This means that if an employee account is compromised, attackers can access far more information than they would otherwise.

System access should be linked to what individuals need to fulfil their role. This approach can significantly reduce the impact of cyber incidents.

6. Using Personal Devices

Hybrid and remote working are now standard ways of working for many businesses. However, allowing staff to use personal laptops or phones for work without proper controls creates serious risks.

Personal devices may:

• lack security software
• use weak passwords
• share files insecurely
• connect to unsafe Wi-Fi networks

Businesses should have clear policies covering remote working and device security to help protect sensitive information.

7. Lack of Cyber Incident Plan

No business can eliminate cyber risk entirely. What matters is how quickly a business can respond when something happens. It’s essential to protect business continuity. An incident response plan should cover:

• who to contact
• how systems are isolated
• how customers are informed
• backup recovery steps
• reporting requirements

A Holistic Approach, Not IT in Isolation

Cyber attacks can lead to operational downtime, financial losses and reputational damage. They can also result in legal and compliance issues and loss of customer trust. With these possible outcomes in mind, cybersecurity is a business issue, not just a technical one.

‘Business owners and leadership teams need to view cybersecurity as part of overall business risk management,’ explains Eric Hughes, founder of EMH Technology. ‘Unfortunately, many organisations invest in cybersecurity only after experiencing an attack. Planning how your organisation will react to cybersecurity issues ahead of any incidents saves time, stress and cost. Reactive security is far more stressful than proactive prevention.’

Is your organisation proactive about cybersecurity?

Are you confident in the cybersecurity measures your business has in place?

Talk to the experts at EMH Technology without obligation, cost or IT jargon. We can reassure you about the steps you’ve taken and/or make proactive suggestions to tighten your cybersecurity. Why risk exposure to cyber criminals?