TIMES REPORT
ISLAMABAD : Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are facing an increasingly serious cyber threat, with a new global survey by Kaspersky revealing that 86% of respondents experienced at least one cyber incident during the past year.
The most damaging threats reported included phishing attacks, software and web-application exploits, mass malware, ransomware, external remote-access attacks and attacks exploiting artificial intelligence (AI) vulnerabilities.
Financial loss was among the leading consequences of the most harmful incidents, reported by 22% of respondents. Other major impacts included theft of customer data, disruption to websites and online stores, loss of control over IT infrastructure and wider disruption to business operations.
Cybercriminals are also increasingly targeting valuable business information. Customer data was targeted in 32% of the most harmful incidents, followed by sensitive internal information such as financial credentials and legal documents at 28%. Employees’ credentials were targeted in 25% of incidents, while 23% involved attempts to obtain an organization’s business strategy.
IT departments remained the primary targets, with 50% of the most harmful attacks directed at IT teams and 46% at IT security departments. Accounting and finance departments were targeted in 24% of cases.
On average, three departments were compromised simultaneously during the most severe incidents. SMBs also reported a higher incidence of attacks through customer service channels at 21%, compared with 15% among mid-market companies and 17% among large enterprises.
The growing number of cyber incidents has prompted businesses to strengthen their security measures. IT security monitoring solutions were the top priority at 24%, followed by stronger third-party compliance requirements and improved credential management practices, both at 23%.
Meanwhile, 22% of organizations focused on deploying security software across employee devices and providing specialized training to strengthen IT staff expertise.
“Cyber incidents often inflict far more devastating consequences on small and medium-sized companies than high-profile breaches do on large corporations. Sometimes, it can threaten the very survival of these resource-constrained businesses,” said Ilya Markelov, Head of Unified Platform Product Line at Kaspersky.
He said SMBs facing diverse threats and operational constraints urgently need scalable and purpose-built protection. Kaspersky Next Optimum is designed to provide flexible security for growing businesses, while customizable Security Modules allow users to expand protection as their needs evolve.
Cyber governance expert Asad Ur Rehman said cybersecurity was no longer an issue limited to large enterprises.
“Small and medium-sized businesses in Pakistan are increasingly exposed because they often handle valuable customer and financial data while operating with limited security resources,” he said.
He added that Pakistani SMBs should view cybersecurity not simply as an IT expense but as a critical business-resilience measure to protect customer trust, operational continuity and long-term growth.
Kaspersky recommends that SMBs adopt cybersecurity solutions suited to their budget, size and industry requirements. Kaspersky Small Office Security Premium provides endpoint protection against advanced threats, including malware and ransomware, while also offering security-awareness training for employees.
For businesses requiring more advanced capabilities, Kaspersky Next Optimum offers protection designed to prevent evolving attacks, detect threats early, investigate incidents and respond before they escalate.
Kaspersky also recommends its Automated Security Awareness Platform, which provides interactive online courses and simulated phishing campaigns to help employees develop stronger cybersecurity habits.
The findings underline the growing need for SMBs in Pakistan to treat cybersecurity as a core business priority. As attacks become more sophisticated and increasingly focus on valuable data, strong digital protection will be essential for safeguarding operations, customer confidence and sustainable business growth.
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