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Protect your small business by making urgent requests independently verifiable, requiring multifactor authentication on important accounts, closing software vulnerabilities, and keeping tested backups that ransomware cannot reach. AI can make impersonation and phishing more convincing, but it does not create the underlying risks: criminals used phishing, account takeovers, and ransomware before generative AI.
What AI changes—and what it does not
AI can help fraudsters create convincing messages that imitate familiar people or businesses, making it harder to distinguish a malicious email from a legitimate one. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s guidance on ransomware threat actors notes that AI can complicate that distinction. The practical response is not to guess whether a message was written by a person or a tool; it is to verify consequential requests through a channel the message cannot control.
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center’s 2025 IC3 Annual Report records more than $632 million in reported losses for complaints with an AI nexus, including more than $30 million in reported losses to AI-involved business email compromise scams. These are losses reported in complaints, not a count of all incidents or their full economic impact. They are not limited to small businesses, and an AI nexus does not establish that AI caused every reported loss. The figures show a documented risk, not the odds that a particular business will be targeted.
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How should you verify urgent payment and information requests?
Adopt a written rule: no urgent message, familiar sender name, or apparent voice request is enough by itself to authorize a transfer, change account details, disclose credentials, or share sensitive data. The Federal Trade Commission recommends internal verification procedures for requests such as wire transfers in its Cybersecurity for Small Business guidance.
#1 Best Overall
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
Set a separate-channel rule
Before acting on a request to change vendor bank details, alter payroll, send a wire, buy gift cards, provide a password or one-time code, or share confidential information, contact the requester through a known, independently obtained number or a separate channel already on file. Do not use a phone number, reply address, link, or alternative contact supplied in the suspicious request. If you cannot independently confirm the request, pause it and escalate it to the person responsible for approving the transaction.
Make verification usable for staff
- Document who can approve payments and account changes, and require a second approver for high-impact transactions where practical.
- Give employees a simple way to report suspicious messages or calls without fear of blame.
- Tell staff never to share passwords or one-time sign-in codes in response to a request. Legitimate urgency does not override the verification rule.
- Apply the same process to requests that appear to come from an owner, executive, supplier, or IT support contact.
Which accounts should get stronger sign-in protection?
Require multifactor authentication (MFA) for business email, remote access, file storage, and every administrator or privileged account. Email deserves particular attention because someone who controls it may be able to reset other accounts. CISA’s MFA guidance for small and medium-sized businesses states: “Strong passwords help, but they are no longer enough to keep accounts and systems safe when used alone.”
Rank #2
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key NFC via USB-A and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
Choose the strongest method the service supports
- Physical security key: CISA identifies physical security keys as its strongest listed MFA option. Use one where the service supports it, and plan how authorized users can recover access if a key is lost.
- Authenticator app: Number-matching prompts and authenticator codes are alternatives described by CISA. Follow the service’s setup and account-recovery instructions.
- Text or email code: These are weaker than the other listed alternatives. If a service offers no stronger option, using an available second factor is still preferable to relying on a password alone.
Before deploying security keys, confirm that the accounts and devices your staff use support them and decide how to manage enrollment and recovery. Keep administrator access limited to people who need it, and protect the accounts used to administer your security settings with MFA too.
How can you close common technical openings?
Use CISA’s small and medium-sized business resources and ransomware guidance to make updates, MFA, and vulnerability mitigation part of ordinary operations—not tasks reserved for after an attack.
Rank #3
- FIDO2 & Passkey Ready: Business-ready and FIDO2 L1 certified. This key is supported by major management suites and is ideal for both individual and enterprise deployment. Works seamlessly with Gmail, Facebook, GitHub, Dropbox, Coinbase, and more.
- Dedicated Manager App: Use the Thetis Manager App for the initial hardware PIN setup. Setting the PIN on the device first ensures a smooth registration process. Once the PIN is configured, you can begin registering the key across your favorite FIDO2-compatible online services.
- Universal Connectivity (USB-C, USB-A, & NFC): Designed for PCs, Macs, iPhones, and Android. For mobile use, simply unfold the key, align it with your phone’s NFC antenna, and hold for a few seconds to authenticate.
- Enhanced MFA (FIDO2 & TOTP/HOTP): Strengthen your security with flexible options. Use the Manager App to access TOTP/HOTP features for accounts that do not yet support FIDO2.
- Check FIDO2 compatibility before purchase - Known limitations: ID Austria is not supported (requires FIDO2 Level 2). Windows Hello login only works with Windows Enterprise editions that support Entra ID. NFC is supported only through mobile authentication, Not MacOS/windows.
Patch software and prioritize known exploited flaws
Turn on automatic updates where practical for operating systems, business applications, browsers, and network equipment. For systems that need manual updates, assign someone to check and apply them on a schedule. Prioritize vulnerabilities known to be exploited, especially on internet-facing systems; CISA and its partners highlight this approach in the Play ransomware advisory, updated June 4, 2025.
Reduce exposure and limit damage
- Remove public-facing services and remote-access tools the business no longer needs.
- Restrict remote access to authorized users and require MFA for it.
- Use strong, unique passwords for each account; a password manager can help staff avoid reusing them.
- Give users only the permissions they need for their work. Avoid using administrator accounts for routine tasks.
- Know which software and online services hold business data, and who can administer them.
These controls reduce opportunities for compromise and limit what an intruder can do. They are valuable whether an attacker uses AI, conventional phishing, stolen credentials, or another method.
Rank #4
- FIDO2 & Passkey Ready: Business-ready and FIDO2 L1 certified. This key is supported by major management suites and is ideal for both individual and enterprise deployment. Works seamlessly with Gmail, Facebook, GitHub, Dropbox, Coinbase, and more.
- Dedicated Manager App: Use the Thetis Manager App for the initial hardware PIN setup. Setting the PIN on the device first ensures a smooth registration process. Once the PIN is configured, you can begin registering the key across your favorite FIDO2-compatible online services.
- USB TYPE C Connectivity & DONGLE Design: Designed for PCs, Macs, laptops, iPhones, and Android devices that utilize a USB-C port. Plug and stay, or carry it on a keychain. (Item Size: 0.73 x 0.60 x 0.30 inches)
- Enhanced MFA (FIDO2 & TOTP/HOTP): Strengthen your security with flexible options. Use the Manager App to access TOTP/HOTP features for accounts that do not yet support FIDO2.
- Check FIDO2 compatibility before purchase - Known limitations: ID Austria is not supported (requires FIDO2 Level 2). Windows Hello login only works with Windows Enterprise editions that support Entra ID. NFC functionality is not supported.
How do you make backups useful against ransomware?
Keep encrypted backups of critical business data, including at least one copy offline or otherwise isolated from the systems being backed up. A connected external drive may be reachable by ransomware. CISA’s Play ransomware advisory warns that ransomware can access and damage connected external storage; its #StopRansomware Guide also supports keeping offline backups.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Choose a backup approach by asking whether it is isolated from the network, encrypted appropriately, large enough for the data you need, and fast enough to restore within your business’s needs. For a removable drive, disconnect it between backup sessions. Most importantly, test restoring files and systems on a regular schedule: a backup that has never been restored is an unproven recovery option. Record who can access the backups and the steps needed to restore them.
Best Value
- FIDO2 & Passkey Ready: Business-ready and FIDO2 L2 certified. This key is supported by major management suites and is ideal for both individual and enterprise deployment. Works seamlessly with Gmail, Facebook, GitHub, Dropbox, Coinbase, and more.
- Dedicated Manager App: Use the Thetis Manager App for the initial hardware PIN setup. Setting the PIN on the device first ensures a smooth registration process. Once the PIN is configured, you can begin registering the key across your favorite FIDO2-compatible online services.
- Universal Connectivity (USB-C, USB-A, & NFC): Designed for PCs, Macs, iPhones, and Android. For mobile use, simply unfold the key, align it with your phone’s NFC antenna, and hold for a few seconds to authenticate.
- Enhanced MFA (FIDO2 & TOTP/HOTP): Strengthen your security with flexible options. Use the Manager App to access TOTP/HOTP features for accounts that do not yet support FIDO2.
- Fully compatible with ID Austria, this hardware key meets the mandatory FIDO2 Level 2 (L2) security standard. Check FIDO2 compatibility before purchase - Known limitations: Windows Hello login only works with Windows Enterprise editions that support Entra ID. NFC is supported only through mobile authentication, Not MacOS/windows.
What should your business do if it suspects an incident?
Write down a response plan before one is needed. It does not need to be elaborate; it needs to make the first actions clear when staff are under pressure. The FTC’s small-business cybersecurity guidance recommends disconnecting an infected device from the network, getting experienced IT help, notifying affected customers when appropriate, and reporting incidents to relevant authorities.
Prepare these contacts and decisions in advance
- Who can disconnect or isolate a device, and who is authorized to make that call?
- How will staff reach your IT support or a qualified cybersecurity provider if email is unavailable?
- Who administers business email, file storage, remote access, and backups?
- Who contacts the bank if a payment or account may be compromised?
- Who decides whether affected customers or other parties should be notified, and who reports the incident to relevant authorities?
For a suspected compromise, stop using the affected device for normal work and isolate it from the network if you can do so safely. Contact experienced IT support or a qualified cybersecurity company to investigate; avoid improvising changes that could destroy useful evidence. If funds may have been diverted, contact the bank promptly through a verified number. The FTC says law enforcement does not recommend paying ransom, and paying does not guarantee that files will be recovered.
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