Barriers to Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

A lack of time, knowledge, skills, cost issues, and the complexity of computer tools are among the barriers preventing small businesses from better securing themselves, according to François Blanchecotte, a member of the national council of the Union of Local Businesses (U2P).

Conference on Cybersecurity Challenges

These challenges were discussed during a conference titled Bercy of Cyber, organized on Thursday, October 29, at the Ministry of Economy. The event aimed to bring together business leaders and representatives from the cybersecurity industry to raise awareness and identify solutions to face cyber threats.

Prevalence of Cybersecurity Incidents

According to a recent survey conducted by the Centre de recherche pour l'étude et l'observation des conditions de vie (Crédoc) for the Direction générale des entreprises, 39% of small businesses and SMEs have experienced at least one cybersecurity incident in the past 12 months. These are primarily phishing attacks (18%) and viruses or malicious software (8%).

Lack of Understanding and Resources

François Blanchecotte, speaking during a panel discussion on hygiene measures and concrete solutions, lamented a lack of understanding of the threat among small businesses. This poor assessment is compounded by a lack of skills on which the business owner could rely. Budget constraints also pose a challenge, as a cyber crisis can be very costly for a company.

Need for Simplified and Affordable Tools

Blanchecotte advocated for the simplification of proposed solutions while helping business leaders become aware of the essential nature of these tools. "Not all business leaders necessarily have a background in computing or risk management, so it is necessary to try to find simple tools and make this security affordable," he noted, suggesting labeled solutions as an example.

Prioritizing Essential Security Measures

Also speaking during the panel discussion, Florence Puybareau, director of Clusif, an association of cybersecurity professionals, cited the first security measures to be prioritized by a business leader. Two-factor authentication was highlighted as allowing "a minimum level of protection." Action plans were also discussed, emphasizing the importance of data backups and a preliminary work of sorting through the files of a company to determine what information is essential to protect, for how long, and where.

Importance of Strategic Planning

This "preliminary reflection" raises awareness among business leaders and leads them toward an action plan, allowing them to "prioritize their key actions and the resources they need." Blanchecotte emphasized that "he will not be able to do everything at the same time," and hopes to make cybersecurity a "professional reflex" rather than "a constraint."

Current Cybersecurity Tools in Use

According to the Crédoc study cited above, small businesses and SMEs are relatively well equipped with antivirus software, at 80%. However, only 67% have data backups outside their premises and only 39% have implemented multi-factor authentication.