Key Takeaways
- Ransomware assaults are on the rise, especially against small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs). In 2025, they went up by 49%.
- Human mistake is still the biggest threat, and the best way to protect yourself is to keep getting security training.
- To avoid paying ransoms and keep downtime to a minimum, you need to back up your data often and not on the network.
- Planning ahead and testing recovery procedures can make the difference between staying in business and shutting down.
Introduction: The Growing Danger of Ransomware
Ransomware is one of the most deadly and expensive cyber dangers in today’s highly connected digital world. It’s not simply a technical problem; it’s a business risk that might bring operations to a halt, ruin reputations, and even put organizations out of business.
Bryan Wilton, President and CEO of LBMC Technology Solutions, states, “Ransomware is no longer a question of if, but when—especially for small and medium-sized businesses.”
When big companies are attacked, they generally make the news. But small and medium-sized businesses are becoming more and more of a target. Why? Because they don’t have the same strong cybersecurity systems as bigger companies, they are easier to attack.
What is Ransomware?
Ransomware is a sort of malware that locks up a victim’s files so they can’t be accessed. The attacker then asks for a ransom, which is usually in cryptocurrency, in exchange for the key to unlock the data.
How It Works:
- How it gets to you: Most ransomware comes in phishing emails. These emails are made to look like they came from someone you know and trust, such coworkers, executives, vendors, or even friends.
- Social Engineering: Attackers use pressure and power to get people to click on bad links or download infected files.
- Execution: After the user clicks on the bad content, the ransomware installs itself, spreads via the network, and encrypts files.
A notice displays asking for payment in order to get access to the data back.
What it means for small and medium-sized businesses
Ransomware isn’t just a pain; it can ruin a business.
Numbers:
- In 2024, 41% of all cybersecurity incidents were caused by ransomware, up from 33% in 2023.
- Compared to the same time in 2024, there were 49% more attacks on small and medium-sized businesses in the first half of 2025.
- Only 3 in 10 SMBs have a best-in-class recovery plan in place, while over half rely on standard plans that may not be sufficient during a ransomware attack.
- Only half of SMBs conducted employee cybersecurity training in the past year, and 51% are not highly satisfied with their current training programs.
Robert Powell, Chief Delivery Officer of Network Engineering at LBMC Technology Solutions, says, “The days of thinking ‘we’re too small to be a target’ are over.”
The financial fallout:
- The amount of money asked for in ransom is usually between $10,000 and $100,000.
- The expenses of downtime and recovery can be two to five times more than the ransom itself.
- Within six months of a ransomware assault, 40% to 60% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) go out of business.
How to Fight Back: Useful, Affordable Ways
SMBs are not helpless, even though the threat is mounting. There are a number of proactive and low-cost ways to greatly lower the chance of a ransomware attack.
- Training on how to be aware of security
- Your workers are your first line of defense.
- Train people on a regular basis so they can spot phishing emails and URLs that look strange.
- Use fake phishing efforts to test what you’ve learned and make it stick.
- Make cybersecurity a part of your company’s culture.
Powell asserts, “Educated users are the firewall that no software can replace.”
LBMC Tech and its partners, such as Huntress, make buyer’s guides and training courses just for small and medium-sized businesses.
- Backups that happen regularly and not on the network
- Backups are your safety net, but only if you do them well.
- Make sure to back up important files on a regular basis, such every day or every week, depending on what your organization needs.
- To keep backups from getting encrypted during an attack, store them off-network or in a secure cloud environment.
- Make sure you can quickly and completely restore your backups by testing them often.
The LBMC ransomware prevention checklist says that mature and established backup processes are the most important part of recovery.
- Make a plan on how to deal with ransomware
- Being ready is important.
- Make a formal plan on what to do if there is an assault.
- Give important team members specific jobs and duties.
- Include rules for how you talk to people, especially when it comes to letting stakeholders and customers know what’s going on.
- Use tabletop exercises or simulations to check the plan.
LBMC Cybersecurity does full lifecycle ransomware readiness evaluations, which include planning for business continuity.
- Put in place technical protections
- People are your first line of defense, but technology is also very important.
- Block phishing attempts with email filtering technologies.
- Make sure that all of your systems and software are always up to date with the newest security updates.
- Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to keep an eye on any strange behavior.
- Make sure that all systems use multi-factor authentication (MFA).
The Cybersecurity Toolkit from LBMC Tech has products from partners like Arctic Wolf and WatchGuard to assist small and medium-sized businesses on how to use them correctly.
What LBMC clients are saying in the real world
LBMC TechCare+ clients say that their networks are much safer, and their IT is much more efficient:
“LBMC Technology Solutions has done an amazing job. It makes me very happy to have such a long-term connection with a partner like LBMC. – Client 4 of FRN
“Matt made it easy for us to switch to Office 365 and upgrade our firewall.” He’s making things easier for me! – Signal Industrial Goods
These reviews show how important managed IT services are for keeping your infrastructure safe and responding rapidly to threats.
AI’s Role in Ransomware: A Friend and an Enemy
- In the world of cybersecurity, AI is a double-edged sword.
- Hackers are employing AI to make phishing emails that look more real and to automate attacks.
- Defenders are utilizing AI to find problems, automate reactions to threats, and make training better for users.
“AI’s rapid emergence is creating new uncertainty, not only in how attackers operate but also in how defenders must respond. At the same time, ransomware remains a persistent and costly threat.” — Dan Schiappa, Arctic Wolf
Advanced threat detection and AI-powered monitoring tools are two of the technical services that LBMC Cybersecurity offers.
Making Your Business Last
In 2025, cybercrime is expected to cost the world between $1.2 trillion and $1.5 trillion. Ransomware is a big part of that number, and it won’t be going away.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) need to change their way of thinking from reactive to proactive. That means:
- Teaching your staff
- Backing up your files
- Getting ready for the worst
- Putting money into fundamental cybersecurity tools
Wilton says, “Not having a ransomware defense strategy today is like leaving your front door wide open.”
Final Thoughts: Working with LBMC Technology Solutions to protect against ransomware
Your defenses need to change as quickly as ransomware does. LBMC Technology Solutions knows that small and medium-sized organizations have their own cybersecurity problems. We don’t just give you tools; we also give you personalized plans, hands-on help, and proactive monitoring to help you stay one step ahead of dangers.
LBMC Technology Solutions can help you with everything from setting up off-network backups to training your staff to recognize phishing attempts to build a thorough ransomware response strategy. We are a trustworthy partner in your fight against ransomware since we work with the best cybersecurity companies and have a lot of experience with managed IT services.
Don’t wait for a breach to happen. Let LBMC Technology Solutions help you develop a strong, safe base for your business to grow and thrive.
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