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January 5, 2026
Indianapolis small businesses face unprecedented cyber threats in 2025. Discover the top 5 risks and proven protection strategies.
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43% of all cyberattacks in 2023 targeted small businesses, and that number isn’t shrinking. Cybercriminals aren’t picking on you because they’re bullies—they’re making calculated business decisions.
The funds they receive from attacking multiple small businesses can easily add up to what they’d receive from a larger enterprise. Since SMBs tend to be easier to breach due to weaker security measures, it takes less time and effort to accomplish an attack. Media attention and law enforcement may also be less aggressive post-attack, making the chance of arrest less likely.
You have what they want: customer data, financial information, and business operations they can disrupt for ransom. But unlike large corporations, you probably don’t have a dedicated IT security team watching for threats 24/7.
The numbers are sobering, and they’re getting worse. Worldwide cybercrime is estimated to cost $12 trillion next year, with small businesses bearing a disproportionate burden. In Indiana alone, the total cost of cybercrime has already surpassed $160 million.
But the financial hit is just the beginning. 60% of small businesses fold within six months of a major breach. Think about that for a moment—more than half of businesses like yours don’t survive a serious cyberattack.
The damage goes beyond immediate costs. Following an attack, 80% of businesses had to spend time rebuilding trust with clients and partners. Your reputation, built over years, can crumble in days. Customer data gets compromised, operations halt, and recovery costs pile up quickly.
Small businesses are generally not financially prepared for an attack, and most lack cyber insurance. For many smaller companies, a successful cyberattack may even put them out of business. The median cost per incident for small businesses is $8,300, but severe breaches can cost millions.
Even worse, 75% of organizations experienced a ransomware attack at least once in the past 12 months, with businesses experiencing 2.1 cyberattacks annually on average. This isn’t a matter of “if” anymore—it’s “when” and “how often.”
Your employees aren’t the problem—they’re just human. And human error is one of the leading causes of security breaches. Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report found 68% of all breaches involved a nonmalicious human element.
Among small business owners’ biggest challenges are their own workers, who are the front line in cyber defense and sometimes the weak link as well. 73% of business owners say getting employees to take cybersecurity seriously is a challenge, and only a quarter are very confident in their ability to educate employees on cybersecurity best practices.
It’s not that your team doesn’t care—they’re busy doing their jobs. But cybercriminals are counting on that. They craft emails that look legitimate, create fake websites that mirror real ones, and use social engineering tactics that would fool anyone having a busy day.
The challenge gets bigger when you consider remote work. Remote work introduces new cybersecurity challenges for small businesses. The attack surface expands significantly as employees access company resources from various locations and devices.
Your accounting manager working from home, your sales rep connecting from a coffee shop, your customer service team using personal devices—each connection is a potential entry point. Without proper training and tools, your helpful, hardworking employees can accidentally open the door to cybercriminals.
The solution isn’t to blame your team—it’s to give them the knowledge and tools they need to be your first line of defense instead of your biggest vulnerability.
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The threat landscape in 2025 is more dangerous and sophisticated than ever. The threat landscape is expected to grow even more complex, with cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated and damaging. Here are the five biggest threats you need to understand and defend against.
These aren’t abstract concepts—they’re real attacks happening to businesses just like yours every day. Understanding how they work is the first step in protecting yourself.
Ransomware attacks are at the forefront of emerging threats, with their frequency and sophistication on the rise. Around 27% of all malware attacks right now involve ransomware, and it’s the most significant contributor to cyberattack costs for small and medium-sized enterprises, accounting for around 51% of the average cost.
Here’s how it works: Criminals encrypt your files and demand payment for the decryption key. Ransomware attacks involve encrypting the victim’s data and demanding payment for decryption keys. These attacks can paralyze critical systems and demand significant financial payouts.
But it’s getting worse. Cybercriminals are employing more advanced techniques, such as double extortion, where they not only encrypt data but also threaten to release sensitive information unless a ransom is paid. They’re not just locking up your files—they’re threatening to publish your customer data, employee information, and business secrets.
Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) allows even novice cybercriminals to launch sophisticated ransomware attacks by renting tools from experienced hackers. This means the barrier to entry for cybercriminals is lower than ever.
In Indianapolis specifically, ransomware attacks have become more sophisticated and frequent, targeting businesses of all sizes. In 2022, Indiana reported a 50% increase in ransomware incidents compared to the previous year, with many attacks focusing on small to medium-sized businesses in the Indianapolis metro area.
The impact is devastating. Operations halt completely. Customer service stops. Sales freeze. Your team can’t access anything they need to work. And even if you pay the ransom—which experts strongly advise against—there’s no guarantee you’ll get your data back or that the criminals won’t strike again.
Phishing isn’t new, but artificial intelligence is making it terrifyingly effective. 95% of businesses agree that phishing attempts have gotten more sophisticated and personalized in the last year. Phishing remains a primary method for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information. In 2025, we expect to see more sophisticated phishing campaigns that use deepfake technology and social engineering tactics to deceive even the most vigilant individuals.
In phishing scams, cybercriminals trick people and businesses into handing over sensitive information like credit card numbers or login details for vital online accounts. But AI is supercharging these attacks in scary ways.
AI-powered malware can adapt its behavior to avoid detection, and attackers use machine learning algorithms to identify vulnerabilities and craft phishing schemes. By analyzing social media activity and other public data, AI tools can generate convincing messages tailored to specific individuals and organizations.
Imagine receiving an email that appears to be from your bank, your software vendor, or even a colleague. The language is perfect, the logo looks right, and it references recent conversations or transactions. Cybercriminals send messages disguised as legitimate communications from major businesses. These messages frequently warn recipients about problems with their accounts, like passwords that need updating or policy changes requiring a login. When victims follow the links, they’re brought to websites that appear genuine but are completely controlled by cybercriminals.
AI is also being used for deepfake videos and audio for impersonation, fraud, and blackmail. Deepfake technology uses AI to create realistic fake videos, images, or audio. The number of deepfakes online surged by 550% from 2019 to 2023, with over 500,000 deepfakes shared on social media in 2023 alone. By 2025, this number is expected to reach 8 million.
The real danger comes from password reuse. The threat of phishing is compounded by the enormous problem that too many individuals and businesses reuse passwords across multiple accounts. Email login credentials successfully stolen in a phishing scam could also provide access to a small business’s financial accounts, payroll services, and even tax info.
The cybersecurity landscape in 2025 is challenging, but it’s not hopeless. These threats can be effectively managed and mitigated with the right security measures and expert support. The key is taking action before you become a victim.
It often makes sense for businesses to seek out support from a trusted partner that can bring the needed cybersecurity expertise and resources. It’s essential to have a solid plan that includes making educating staff on how to spot and avoid threats an ongoing priority. You don’t have to face these threats alone.
For businesses in Indianapolis, Danville, and Terre Haute, we at CTS Computers bring over 30 years of experience helping small and medium-sized businesses stay secure and operational. We understand the unique challenges you face and offer cybersecurity solutions that fit your budget and your business needs.
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