Key Takeaways
- According to IBM, 74% of CISOs now identify human error as the top cybersecurity risk, making employee behavior the most critical factor in organizational safety.
- Because they don’t have a lot of resources and use old security standards, cybercriminals are going after SMBs more and more.
- Through AI-driven training, phishing scenarios, and real-time coaching, our security awareness training tool partner usecure’s uLearn platform gives companies the tools they need to build a strong security culture.
- Putting money into cybersecurity awareness training not only lowers the chance of a breach, but it also boosts compliance, reputation, and the ability to keep operations running.
Being aware of cybersecurity is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must. It’s more important than ever for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). SMBs are more and more likely to be targeted by online threats as they get smarter and more common. Still, a lot of people don’t think about the most important weakness in their protection strategy: people.
It’s time to change the story for Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Let’s look at how small and medium-sized businesses can use human risk management strategies and tools like our security awareness training tool partner usecure’s uLearn platform to turn their employees from a liability into a strong line of defense.
The Rising Risk of Cybercrime for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Cyberattacks are no longer just for big businesses. SMBs are now great targets because they often don’t have strong security systems or IT departments that work only on them. Our partner usecure’s 2025 SMB Partner Acceleration findings say the following:
- 29% more attacks that get around standard Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) than the previous year.
- In 2024, the average debt that people paid was $115,000.
- It took an average of 258 days to find and stop a breach.
- 30% of breaches were caused by third-party sellers, which is twice as many as the year before.
You can download the full report here.
There is a scary truth behind these numbers: hacking is the biggest risk for businesses. And what is most often broken? Errors made by people.
The people involved: The Weakest Link or the Best Asset?
Over 60% of cybersecurity breaches happen because someone clicked on a phishing link, fell for a social engineering scam, or handled private data incorrectly. Even so, a lot of businesses still only use antivirus software and defenses, ignoring the importance of people when it comes to security.
This is why training in cybersecurity awareness training is so important. To recognize and deal with threats successfully, employees need to be trained, given the tools they need, and motivated.
The usecure Way to Build a Culture of Security
Our security awareness training tool partner usecure’s uLearn Platform is designed to address this exact challenge. It’s more than just a teaching tool; it’s a complete human risk management system that turns your employees into proactive security assets.
Key Features of uLearn:
- Security Awareness & Compliance Training: Employees are taught about new threats through customized courses in security awareness and compliance training.
- Phishing Simulations: Realistic, up-to-date phishing tests to assess and improve user vigilance.
- AI Defense Agents (AIDA): Using threat data from the past 15 years to provide smart teaching in real time.
- Crowdsourced Anti-Phishing: Using everyone’s knowledge to find and stop threats more quickly.
- Cloud Email Security Integration: This is an important extra layer of security on top of regular SEGs.
By making security a part of everyday tasks, uLearn helps companies create a long-lasting security mindset where being safe is normal.
Why small and medium-sized businesses can’t wait
A lot of small and medium-sized businesses still think they’re “too small to be targeted.” This false belief is not only out of date, but also harmful. Cybercriminals often view SMBs as low-hanging fruit, knowing they typically lack the resources of larger enterprises.
Common Objections—and How to Overcome Them:
- “We’re not important enough to be a target.”
- Reality: SMBs are increasingly targeted due to weaker defenses.
- Response: Share real-world breach examples and offer a personalized risk assessment.
- “We don’t have the budget.”
- Reality: The cost of a breach far outweighs the investment in training.
- Response: Use ROI calculators and breach cost comparisons to demonstrate value.
- “We already have antivirus/firewall protection.”
- Reality: These tools don’t address human error.
- Response: Explain how uLearn complements existing defenses by focusing on the human layer.
- “Our employees are already aware of security risks.”
- Reality: Awareness doesn’t always translate to behavior.
- Response: Offer a free phishing test and benchmark results against industry standards.
Security Culture Maturity Model
usecure – our security awareness training tool partner – outlines a five-level model for developing a mature security culture:
- Basic Compliance
- Security Awareness Foundation
- Programmatic Security Awareness & Behavior
- Security Behavior Management
- Sustainable Security Culture
As organizations progress through these stages, the likelihood of human-related breaches decreases, and the cost of remediation drops significantly.
Industry Relevance and Ideal Customer Profiles
uLearn is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s designed to scale across industries including:
- Financial Services
- Healthcare
- Education
- Retail
- Technology
- Legal & Insurance
Who Gets the Most Out of Human Risk Management?
Every part of your company is affected by cybersecurity issues, whether you’re in charge of IT, operations, or compliance. Here are some ways that smarter, people-focused leadership can help different types of leaders:
- When you work in IT or security, you may have to deal with phishing emails that get through filters, pressure to lower click rates on models, and the need to show that your security stack is worth the money. uLearn gives you real-time information and tools to make your users, who are your last line of defense, stronger.
- If you work in Finance or Operations, your main goals are to reduce risk, protect the company’s image, and keep the business running. uLearn helps keep companies in line with industry standards and lessens the financial impact of security breaches.
- You’re worried about outgoing data leaks, legal requirements, and the unknown risks that lurk in your workforce if you work in Compliance, HR, or Executive Leadership. From the top down, uLearn gives you the training and visibility you need to create a mindset of security.
Competitive Differentiators of uLearn
What sets our security awareness training tool partner usecure apart in the crowded SMB cybersecurity market?
- Depth of Content: Constantly updated training and phishing simulations.
- Ease of Use: Automated provisioning, multi-language support, and robust reporting.
- AI-Powered Defense: AIDA agents trained on over a decade of threat data.
- People-Centric Focus: Designed to empower users, not just monitor them.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month Call-to-Action
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT concern—it’s a business-critical priority. For SMBs, where resources are often stretched and threats are growing, the most effective defense starts with your people.
This October, during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take action that goes beyond raising awareness. Equip your team with the knowledge and tools to recognize and respond to threats confidently.
With platforms like our security awareness training partner usecure’s uLearn, you can build a proactive, security-conscious workforce that strengthens your organization from the inside out.
Watch the first session in our quarterly IT Disaster Recovery Plan webinar series.
Empower your people. Reduce your risk. Lead with confidence.
Looking for more details? Be sure to check our Webinar & Events page for full coverage of the ISSA Infosec Nashville Conference and our IT Disaster Recovery Plan Sessions—key touchpoints in this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign.
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