When most business owners picture a cyber attack, they imagine a skilled hacker breaking through a firewall. The reality for small and medium-sized businesses in Blackpool and across the Fylde Coast is far less dramatic, and far more common.
Most attacks don’t break in. They’re invited in, through a convincing email, a reused password or a laptop that missed last month’s updates.
That’s good news, because it means the majority of risk can be managed with the right protection, the right habits and the right partner looking after your systems.
Look closer and the picture becomes clearer:
- Phishing is the number one threat. 38% of businesses experienced a phishing attack, and of those affected, 69% said it was the most disruptive incident they faced.
- Staff training is still rare.. Only around one in five businesses ran any cyber security training or awareness activity for their team in the past year.
- Many have no plan.. Around four in ten businesses don't have an agreed process for staff to follow when they spot a suspicious email.
- Attackers come back.. Businesses hit by cybercrime typically face repeat incidents, because criminals return to what works.
The message is simple: cyber security isn’t just a technology problem. It’s a people, process and technology problem, and all three need looking after.
Where local businesses get caught out
- A new starter is given the same password format as everyone else
- A former employee still has access to email or cloud files months after leaving
- A laptop or phone hasn't installed updates because nobody's checked
- An old router or firewall is still running default settings from the day it was installed
- Antivirus is in place but it's a basic free version that only recognises known threats
- Backups exist but nobody has tested whether they can actually be restored
Why traditional antivirus isn't enough anymore
Modern threats move quickly. New ransomware variants and phishing links appear daily, often designed specifically to slip past traditional antivirus that relies on recognising something it’s seen before.
That’s why at MY ITS, we protect our clients with Trend Micro’s AI-powered security. Rather than simply checking files against a list of known threats, it uses machine learning to spot suspicious behaviour, such as a program suddenly trying to encrypt hundreds of files, and stops it before the damage is done.
For a small business, that means enterprise-grade protection against ransomware, malicious websites and email-borne threats, without needing an in-house security team.
Our approach: layered protection, managed for you
- AI-powered endpoint protection is given the same password format as everyone else
- Firewall and network security Business-grade firewalls and routers, properly configured and kept up to date, so your network isn't left on factory settings.
- Email security Filtering that catches phishing, spoofed emails and malicious attachments before they reach your team.
- Patch management Operating systems and software kept updated, closing the gaps attackers exploit.
- Access control and multi-factor authentication Making sure the right people have the right access, and that a stolen password alone isn't enough to get in.
- Backup and recovery Secure, tested backups so that if the worst happens, your business can get back up and running quickly.
- Staff awareness Practical guidance that helps your team recognise a suspicious email, because your people are your first line of defence.
Crucially, this isn’t a one-off setup. Threats change, businesses grow and staff come and go. Our team monitors, maintains and reviews your protection continuously, as part of our wider IT support in Blackpool.
Most of the businesses we speak to already have some protection in place. The problem is nobody's checked whether it's still doing its job. That's where we come in.
Local support that makes a difference
Cyber security works best when your provider knows your business. Based at Blackpool Football Club on Seasiders Way, MY ITS has been supporting businesses across the North West for years, offering both remote and on-site support.
That means when something doesn’t look right, you’re not raising a ticket with a faceless call centre. You’re speaking to a local team who understands your systems, and who can be with you in person when it matters.
Bringing it back to your business
- Would your team know what to do if they received a suspicious email today?
- Who has access to your systems and does anyone still have access who shouldn't?
- Is your antivirus actively managed or was it installed and forgotten?
- When did you last test a backup restore? Not just check it ran, but actually restore something?
- Is multi-factor authentication switched on for email and key business accounts?