skip to main content
Travelers Logo
  • About
  • Careers
  • Agents
  • Investors
  • Sustainability
  • Contact Us
  • For Individuals
    • Overview
    • Products
      • Car
      • Home
      • Renters
      • Condo
      • Landlord
      • Boat & Yacht
      • Flood
      • Motorcycle
      • Travel
      • Pet
      • Weddings
      • Umbrella
      • All Products
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • Insurance 101
      • Home Central
      • Travelers Garage
      • Managing Through COVID-19
    • Affinity Group Discount
    • Online Service
    • Pay Your Bill
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • File a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • For Business
    • Overview
    • Products & Solutions
      • Overview
      • Boiler & Machinery
      • Commercial Auto & Trucking
      • Cyber
      • Environmental Liability
      • Excess Casualty & Umbrella
      • General Liability
      • Global Insurance
      • Inland Marine
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • Ocean Marine
      • Property
      • Business Owner's Policy
      • Surety Bonds
      • Workers Compensation
        • Find an Agent
        • File a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Industries
      • Overview
      • Agribusiness
      • Architects, Engineers & Surveyors
      • Auto & Truck Dealers
      • Business & Professional Services
      • Construction
      • Education
      • Energy & Renewable
      • Equipment Dealers
      • Financial Institutions
      • Food Services
      • Health & Related Services
      • Hospitality & Recreation
      • Manufacturing
      • Marine Industries
      • Museums & Fine Art
      • Non-Profit
      • Oil & Gas
      • Public Entities
      • Real Estate
      • Retail
      • Technology
      • Transportation
      • Wholesale & Distribution
        • Find an Agent
        • File a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Services
      • Overview
      • Risk Control
      • Claim
      • Premium Audit
      • Online Customer Tools
      • Risk Management Information Services
      • Travelers Client Advantage
        • Find an Agent
        • File a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Small Business
      • Overview
      • Automobile Insurance
      • Business Owner's Policy
      • Data Breach
      • Employment Practices Liability
      • Professional Insurance
      • Umbrella Insurance
      • Workers Compensation Inurance
        • Find an Agent
        • File a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Large Business
      • Overview
      • Casualty
      • Cyber
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • Property
        • Find an Agent
        • File a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Multinational Business
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • By Topic
      • By Industry
      • Navigating Your Business Through COVID-19
        • Find an Agent
        • File a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
      • Find an Agent
      • File a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Claim Center
    • Claim Center
    • Should I File a Claim?
    • File a Claim
    • Upload a File
    • Roadside Assistance
    • Find a Service Provider
    • Check Your Claim Status
    • Manage Your Claim Experience
      • Understanding the Claim Process
      • Workers Compensation Resources
    • Claim Capabilities
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • File a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Prepare & Prevent
    • For Individuals
    • Home Central
      • Buying & Selling
      • Home Maintenance
      • Home Renovation
      • Home Safety
      • Moving
      • Smart Home
    • Travelers Garage
      • Buying & Selling
      • Car Maintenance
      • Distracted Driving
      • Safe Driving
      • Teen Driving
      • Boating
    • Insurance 101
    • Weather
    • For Business
    • Industries
      • Construction
      • Manufacturing
      • Nonprofit
      • Small Business
      • Technology
    • Topics
      • Business Continuity
      • Cyber
      • Driver and Fleet Safety
      • Facilities Management
      • Internet of Things
      • Product and Services Liability
      • Supply Chain Management
      • Workplace Safety
    • Travelers Risk Index
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • File a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • About Travelers
    • Overview
      • Awards & Recognition
      • Careers
      • Community
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Sustainability
      • History
      • Investors
      • Media Resources
      • News
      • Travelers Championship
      • Travelers Institute
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • File a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
    • Get a Quote
    • Find an Agent
    • File a Claim
    • Pay Your Bill
Main Navigation
  • For Individuals
      • Insurance for Individuals
      • Products
        • Car
        • Home
        • Renters
        • Condo
        • Landlord
        • Boat & Yacht
        • Flood
        • Motorcycle
        • Travel
        • Pet
        • Weddings & Events
        • Umbrella
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
        • Insurance 101
        • Home Central
        • Travelers Garage
      • Affinity Group Discount
      • Online Service
      • Pay Your Bill
    • Get a home quote now

      It's easy to get a free quote for home insurance from Travelers in just a few minutes.

       

      Get a home quote now
  • For Business
      • Products & Solutions
        • Commercial Auto & Trucking
        • Cyber
        • General Liability
        • Management & Professional Liability
        • Property
        • Business Owner's Policy
        • Surety Bonds
        • Workers Compensation
        • More
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy & Renewable
        • Financial Institutions
        • Healthcare
        • Manufacturing
        • Real Estate
        • Technology
        • Transportation
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
      • Services
        • Risk Control
        • Claim
        • Premium Audit
        • More
      • Pay Your Bill
      • Small Business
      • Large Business
      • Multinational Business
      • For Business Overview
    • Tips for Managing Risks Related to a Remote Workforce

      Tips for Managing Risks Related to a Remote Workforce

      With the current reality of more employees working from home through the pandemic, is your business ready for all the implications?

      Learn more
  • Claim Center
      • Claim Center
      • Should I File a Claim?
      • File a Claim
      • Upload a File
      • Roadside Assistance
      • Find a Service Provider
      • Check Your Claim Status
      • Manage Your Claim Experience
        • Understanding the Claim Process
        • Workers Compensation Resources
      • Claim Capabilities
    • Woman looking at information on her computer while holding a dog on her lap.

      Questions about the claim process?

      Check out our Claim Help Library for more information about our tools and services.

      Learn More
  • Prepare & Prevent
      • For Individuals
      • Home Central
        • Buying & Selling
        • Home Maintenance
        • Home Renovation
        • Home Safety
        • Moving
        • Smart Home
      • Travelers Garage
        • Buying & Selling
        • Car Maintenance
        • Distracted Driving
        • Safe Driving
        • Teen Driving
        • Boating
      • Insurance 101
      • Weather
      • For Business
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy
        • Manufacturing
        • Nonprofit
        • Small Business
        • Technology
      • Topics
        • Business Continuity
        • Cyber
        • Driver and Fleet Safety
        • Facilities Management
        • Internet of Things
        • Product and Services Liability
        • Supply Chain Management
        • Workplace Safety
      • Travelers Risk Index
    • Managing Through COVID-19

      Managing Through COVID-19

      Resources to help you adapt to the realities of COVID-19.

      Learn more
  • Home
  • Prepare & Prevent
  • Business
  • Industries
  • Small Business
  • Prepare Your Small Business Against Cyberattacks

Prepare Your Small Business Against Cyberattacks

A woman working at her laptop. A woman working at her laptop.

Many small businesses – like yours – depend on digital tools to manage their operations. Unfortunately, this can also put their businesses at risk for a cyberattack.

Though there are methods to help reduce the risk of becoming a cyber victim, not enough companies are using them, according to the 2023 Travelers Risk Index.

“Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks because they often lack the resources and expertise to protect themselves,” said Tim Francis, Enterprise Cyber Lead at Travelers.

Cyberattacks can shut down a company for a long period of time or even put it out of business.

– Tim Francis, Enterprise Cyber Lead at Travelers

Are You Prepared to Defend Your Small Business?

Knowing how to prepare your small business to defend against a cyberattack can be challenging, as cyber threats and the risk landscape are constantly evolving. There are several cyber safety best practices that small businesses can put in place to improve their cybersecurity posture.

“It’s never too late. Taking these steps can help businesses avoid a devastating cyber event,” Francis said.

5 Steps to Take to Help Protect Against Cybercrime:

  1. Use Multifactor Authentication (MFA). Multifactor authentication adds a layer of security by requiring the use of two or more authentication factors to verify the legitimacy of account access attempts. A popular form of MFA is having a code sent to a mobile device.
  2. Keep Systems Up to Date. Hackers often target vulnerabilities in outdated software and operating systems. You must keep your systems up to date with the latest security patches and software updates. This helps protect your business from known vulnerabilities.
  3. Use Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). Small businesses should monitor their networks and systems for suspicious activity. One way to accomplish this is to implement EDR, which can help protect and monitor every asset in an enterprise network by identifying and remediating suspicious activity before the rest of the corporate network is exposed to unnecessary risk.
  4. Have an Incident Response (IR) Plan. Small businesses should have an IR plan in place, in case of a cyberattack (or any incident impacting their systems). This plan should outline the steps to take if an incident occurs. Details should include whom to contact, how to isolate affected systems and how to recover data.
  5. Back Up Your Data. Data backups are a critical part of cybersecurity. In the event of a cyberattack or data loss, having recent backups of your data can help lessen the impact on your business. It is important to back up your data to a secure location, such as a cloud-based service or an offsite server.

In addition, employees are a “human firewall” and one of the greatest potential assets to your cybersecurity program. Human error, such as clicking on a malicious link or using weak passwords, exposes your business to hacking. It is crucial to train employees on cybersecurity best practices. These include recognizing phishing attempts and having strong passwords that are unique for each account. These can be seen as basic steps but are an essential part of any business’s cybersecurity.

Take Advantage of These U.S. Government Resources:

  • U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Strengthen your cybersecurity. Learn about cybersecurity threats and how to protect yourself. The SBA provides resources for small businesses to help improve their cybersecurity posture. These resources include articles on best practices for cybersecurity, webinars and training courses.
  • Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): Cyber Guidance for Small Businesses. Take advantage of free cybersecurity services and tools. These include services provided by CISA, popular open-source tools and free services offered by private and public sector organizations across the cybersecurity community.
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). IC3 allows businesses to report cybercrimes and receive help from the FBI. The FBI also has an InfraGard program, which provides information and training on cybersecurity.

Learn More About Small Business Insurance

Many insurance carriers offer an endorsement to a business owner’s policy (BOP). Travelers CyberRisk coverage is offered as a stand-alone coverage to better tailor to your business’s needs.

Recovering from a cyberattack can be costly. Do you have cyber insurance? Contact your Travelers representative or local independent agent to review your small business insurance policy.

This material does not amend, or otherwise affect, the provisions or coverages of any insurance policy or bond issued by Travelers. It is not a representation that coverage does or does not exist for any particular claim or loss under any such policy or bond. Coverage depends on the facts and circumstances involved in the claim or loss, all applicable policy or bond provisions, and any applicable law. Availability of coverage referenced in this document can depend on underwriting qualifications and state regulations.

Learn More About Small Business Insurance

More Prepare & Prevent

cyber risks and your business

Cyber Risks and Your Business [Video]

Take a look inside how a data breach can affect a business, and what a business can do to help protect against cyber risks.

Person checking laptop for ransomware

What Is the Current Ransomware Landscape? [Video & Infographic]

Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat, targeting users of all types. View this infographic to learn more.

Image of person holding their phone to a retail payment device. Accpepting Mobile Payments for Your Small Business

Accepting Mobile Payments for Your Small Business

Mobile payment options are convenient but include risk. Learn more to help protect your small business.

Top Stories
cyber risk pressure test

Is Your Data Secured?

Help protect your data from cyber attacks. Find gaps with The Cyber Risk Pressure Test.

  • Take the test

Related Content

  • 11 Steps to Help Protect Your Business from Cyber Extortion
  • 5 New Cyber Threats: Prepare to Defend Your Business
  • 5 Ways to Help Protect Your Company’s Data

Find an Agent

Need an Agent?

Get the personal service and attention that an agent provides.

Find a local agent in your area:


Related Products & Services

Small Business Data Breach

Cyber insurance can’t stop data breaches from happening. But it can help you prepare for and respond when a data breach occurs.


Small Business Retail Insurance

From florists to hardware stores, we provide solutions designed to meet your retail store needs.


See All Small Business Content


Travelers logo

Travelers and The Travelers Umbrella are registered trademarks of The Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries.
© 2023 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved.

  • Travelers on Facebook
  • Travelers on YouTube
  • Travelers on Twitter
  • Travelers on LinkedIn
  • Travelers on Instagram

Products & Services

  • For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • Claim Services
  • Prepare & Prevent

Our Company

  • About Travelers
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Sustainability
  • Travelers Institute

Connect

  • Customer Support
  • MyTravelers®
  • For Agents
  • Find an Agent

Legal & Compliance

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy & Security
  • Cookie Settings
  • Accessibility
  • Producer Compensation Disclosure