In a report issued today, McAfee research suggests that small to medium size businesses are not taking cyber security as seriously as they should.

I've found it's human nature to avoid spending money on things that your aren't absolutely convinced will make a difference to your bottom line.

McAfee reports... A key misconception revealed by the survey is that many SMBs feel they are too small to be targets for cybercriminals. Key statistics from the research include:

  • Too small to matter: 44 percent think cybercrime is only an issue for larger organizations and believe it does not affect them
  • Not all in a name: 52 percent of businesses
    believe that because they are not well-known so cybercriminals will not specifically target them
  • Undervaluing can be costly: Almost half (45 percent) do not think they are a 'valuable target' for cybercriminals
  • Monetary misconceptions: 46 percent do not think they can be a source of profit for cybercriminals
"For businesses of all sizes, viruses, hacker intrusions, spyware and spam can lead to lost or stolen data, computer downtime, decreased productivity, compliance issues, lost sales and even loss of reputation,"said Darrell Rodenbaugh, senior vice president of the mid-market segment at McAfee. "Just because a business is small does not mean it is immune to security threats."