This is the final article in our five-part cybersecurity series. If you’ve stuck with us this far, you deserve a coffee and a cybersecurity merit badge.
Let’s bring it home. We’ve covered a lot of ground so far — from building a cybersecurity program to establishing a risk management framework, choosing the right allies, and strengthening cyber resilience. Throughout, we’ve mostly focused on large enterprises. But what about the small and mid-sized businesses, who often don’t have a full cast of security specialists on staff?
This final chapter focuses squarely on the mid-market. We’ll explore what makes these organizations prime targets, identify low-hanging fruit that can help improve security posture quickly, and offer solutions that help Canadian businesses get enterprise-grade protection without the enterprise-sized complexity.
What’s Happening Out There?
Let’s be clear, this isn’t fearmongering. These stats come from credible sources and point to real, solvable challenges.
According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025, ransomware breaches cost an average of $5.08 million USD. Overall data breaches cost $4.4 million USD. The growing presence of AI has introduced new exposure points: 63% of organizations without AI governance were more vulnerable to security incidents.
Ransomware still accounts for 44% of breaches, and the two leading methods of infiltration are:
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Stolen credentials (22%)
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Exploited vulnerabilities (20%)
The Verizon DBIR report notes that SMBs are 4x more likely to be targeted than large enterprises — a staggering disparity.
And according to the Sophos State of Ransomware 2025, the number one cause of ransomware infections is exploited vulnerabilities — a result of skill shortages and missing controls. The silver lining? 53% of affected organizations were able to recover within a week, showing that resilience is improving.
Meanwhile, Europe paints a slightly different picture. The ENISA Threat Landscape Report (2023–2024) identifies availability attacks — especially DDoS — as the top threat, followed by ransomware. The rise in hacktivism and geopolitical tensions has contributed to the sharp increase in volume.
We covered this in our recent piece on retail breaches — when cyber hits, it doesn’t stay in the IT lane. It’s the entire business that gets knocked off course.
The Weak Links
When you step back, the threats are familiar — and that’s not a bad thing. It means they’re not unbeatable.
These common weak points continue to fuel security breaches:
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Phishing and social engineering (especially credential theft)
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Stolen or compromised passwords
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Unpatched vulnerabilities in edge devices and internet-facing systems
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Cloud misconfigurations and lack of governance
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Insider or third-party errors (a reminder from Part 3: you need allies you can trust)
Think of it like this: many mid-sized businesses already have their Watsons — the folks who manage the day-to-day. But to spot patterns and anticipate threats, you need a bit of Holmes. A trained eye. A trusted ally.
Practical Fixes That Actually Work
Assuming you’ve followed along in Parts 1 through 4 and built the right foundations, now it’s time to apply the right controls — the ones that truly move the needle.
Start with the Center for Internet Security Critical Security Controls. They’re not theoretical. They’re designed to tackle real-world problems.
Here’s where to focus first:
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Identity security: Deploy phishing-resistant MFA — and go passwordless where possible.
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Vulnerability and patch management: Keep edge systems and internet-facing infrastructure up to date. Automate it where you can. After all, some unplanned consequences of a path that was untested is probably still less impactful than a full-on data breach
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EDR/XDR/MDR: Modern endpoint protection extends well beyond antivirus. These tools provide visibility, response, and resilience. But they must be actively managed.
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Centralized logging and telemetry: If you’re not using SIEM/SOAR tools, make sure your MSSP is. Telemetry without oversight is like Holmes without his notebook.
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Security awareness training: Human error is still a top cause of incidents. Tools are great, but people need to be part of the defense strategy.
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Backup and recovery: Covered in Part 4 — but worth repeating. Test your backups. Run tabletop exercises. Know what you’ll do if (or when) the worst happens.
What Can You Realistically Do in 30, 60, or 90 Days?
There’s plenty that can be done quickly, even without a big in-house team.
Within 30 Days:
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Enable MFA across the board
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Patch internet-facing systems
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Deploy EDR on all endpoints
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Review your backup immutability
Within 60–90 Days:
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Deploy or contract an MDR/SOC-as-a-Service solution
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Conduct a ransomware tabletop exercise
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Run a BEC (Business Email Compromise) response drill
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Close top-priority gaps like admin MFA, asset inventories, and logging
Bringing It Home
We know it’s a lot to digest — and we’re not here to suggest you do it all alone.
As Canada's largest privately owned IT service provider, Compugen delivers enterprise-grade cybersecurity designed for real mid-sized business challenges. From consulting and assessments to hands-on SOC services and managed infrastructure solutions, we tailor the right approach for your environment, risk profile, and budget.
Cybersecurity may feel overwhelming, but you don’t need to become Sherlock to get it right. Just find a Technology Ally who knows how to investigate threats, deploy the right defenses, and stay two steps ahead.
Looking to start your own cybersecurity program or tighten the one you’ve got?
Book a discovery call with our experts today and explore how Compugen can help your organization stay secure — with confidence.
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