Small business, big target: Why cybercriminals don’t care about size

BMIT still hears clients uttering this claim from time to time. “We’re a small business on a small island, no one is coming after us.”

But the data tells another story.

A honeypot set up by PwC locally detected over six million attacks in Malta in a couple of months. Other reports from the Malta Security Service (MSS) show that when Malta held high‑profile diplomatic positions, public‑sector staff saw an increase of phishing and DDoS attacks.

Malta is neither too small nor irrelevant to attackers.

Public and private organisations are fair game. Whether it’s phishing, brute force, or vendor compromise, we are a target, and security can’t be left as an afterthought.

A structured approach to security

The problem isn’t just that businesses are being targeted, it’s the approach. Many still treat security as a technical issue, something to leave to IT. Something that gets revisited when an audit looms or a client asks the awkward question.

But the risks they’re facing are business risks. They affect operations, customers, and the future of the business itself. Security must be part of business strategy that builds resilience and trust.

BMIT has built its security services – Threat Management, Virtual CISO, and Managed Detection and Response – not as off-the-shelf products, but as a strategic framework to help businesses build resilience. The goal is to build a structured security posture that aligns with business goals.

A company can install a firewall or invest in a SIEM, but are these security measures aligned with their business model, priorities, and the outcomes that matter when something goes wrong?

Threat management: Know where you’re exposed

Most attackers don’t care what systems a business has listed in its asset inventory. They care about what’s exposed, what’s misconfigured, and what they can quietly exploit. Threat management is understanding what a business really looks like from the outside and where the gaps are likely to show up.

This means mapping real-world attack paths based on how a business operates. Who it relies on and what it outsources. And where someone could get in without being noticed.

BMIT has built this capability to give decision-makers visibility they can act on with actionable reports that show what’s at risk and where to act before it’s too late.

Virtual CISO: Strategic security leadership

Security fails when no one owns it. Or when responsibility is spread so thin that nothing gets done. A virtual Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) gives structure to security. Not just policy and process, but decision-making. Who signs off on changes? Who owns third-party risk? When a control fails, who acts?

The vCISO asks both technical and governance questions. They highlight gaps often missed – from missing policies to outdated processes that weaken company posture. A vCISO becomes an important asset to have until there’s scope to build that team in-house.

Their role is to identify weaknesses, build resilience, ensure accountability, and help make the right decisions at the right level, at the right time.

Managed Detection & Response: Catching the quiet attacks

Breaches don’t always start with loud, obvious signs. Often, they begin with something small such as a dodgy login attempt, a rogue process or suspicious network activity.

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) helps you spot those signals and know when they matter. Many businesses don’t see the value in MDR until they are attacked or breached and need to find out when, why and how. MDR makes sure someone is looking when it matters most.

Why this matters, why now?

If every business is a potential target – and the evidence says they are – then the question isn’t whether they’re protected, it’s whether they’re truly prepared.

Security has to move beyond tools and transactions. It needs to be part of how the business operates, plans, and adapts. That means knowing where a business is exposed, having the right people making decisions, and being able to act before small problems become a forensic nightmare.

It’s a framework that helps businesses get strategic about security. One that fits the way they work and what they want to achieve. One that allows them to take a hit and keep going.

That is exactly what BMIT’s approach to security is designed to do – with all services working together to help businesses stay in control, even when things go wrong.