When it comes to cybersecurity, misinformation is everywhere. And for small businesses, believing the wrong thing can be expensive. It’s not that owners or managers don’t care—it’s that they’re often acting on outdated advice, marketing buzzwords, or plain old assumptions.
At Professional Computer Concepts, we see these cybersecurity myths play out every day. Here are seven we hear most often—along with the real facts small businesses need to stay secure.
Myth #1: “We’re too small to be a target.”
This is probably the most dangerous myth out there—and one of the most persistent.
Many small businesses assume hackers are only interested in big companies with millions of dollars or large databases. But cybercriminals often go after small and mid-sized businesses because they expect weaker defenses and slower responses.
In fact, over 40% of cyberattacks target SMBs. These businesses are often low-hanging fruit for attackers using automated tools to scan for vulnerabilities.
Read: Small Business, Big Risk: Do You Think You are Too Small to Be Hacked?
Myth #2: “Antivirus software is enough.”
Antivirus is just one tool—and it only protects against known threats.
Modern attacks use sophisticated methods like phishing, ransomware, and zero-day vulnerabilities that traditional antivirus tools can’t always detect or block. Relying on antivirus alone creates a dangerous false sense of security.
A real defense strategy includes endpoint detection and response (EDR), firewalls, email filtering, patching, and 24/7 monitoring.
Read: Beyond Antivirus: Why Computer Security is a Business Growth Strategy, Not Just an IT Concern
Myth #3: “Cybersecurity is an IT department problem.”
Thinking cybersecurity is “just an IT thing” ignores the biggest risk: human error.
Phishing attacks, weak passwords, oversharing, and accidental clicks are often the entry points for breaches. Employees—not systems—are the most common attack vector.
That’s why security awareness training is just as critical as your software stack. Everyone in your organization plays a role in keeping your systems secure.
Read: Building a Culture of Awareness: Cybersecurity Awareness for Employees
Myth #4: “A strong password is all I need.”
Strong passwords are helpful—but they’re not foolproof.
Cybercriminals use brute force attacks, credential stuffing, and phishing to steal login details. Even the strongest password can be cracked or leaked in a data breach.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is now considered a must-have. Without it, you’re relying on a single point of failure to protect your data.
Read: What Does It Really Mean to Use a Strong Password?
Myth #5: “Cloud storage means my data is safe.”
Many businesses assume that if their data is in the cloud, the provider is responsible for security. That’s not how it works.
Cloud platforms like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace have built-in protections—but you’re still responsible for managing access, setting permissions, and enforcing security policies like MFA and password rotation.
Misconfigured accounts and weak access controls are among the most common causes of cloud-based breaches.
Myth #6: “If something happens, we’ll just restore from backup.”
Backups are important, but they’re not a complete recovery strategy.
Ransomware can corrupt backups if they’re not properly segmented or encrypted. And even if recovery is possible, the downtime, lost productivity, and reputational damage can cost far more than you expect.
A solid business continuity plan includes secure, tested backups, but also incident response protocols and proactive threat prevention.
Myth #7: “Cybersecurity tools slow everything down.”
Some business owners avoid security solutions because they’re worried about performance.
While that may have been true years ago, today’s tools are designed to run quietly and efficiently in the background. If your system is sluggish, it’s likely due to poor configuration—not the security software itself.
In fact, properly deployed tools often improve performance by blocking malicious traffic, spam, and unnecessary resource usage.
Cybersecurity Myths: Final Thoughts
The most dangerous cybersecurity threats aren’t just ransomware or phishing emails—they’re the myths that make businesses believe they’re safe when they’re not.
At Professional Computer Concepts, we help small and mid-sized businesses cut through the confusion, validate their defenses, and implement strategies that actually work. Whether you need to strengthen your protections, educate your staff, or review your backup strategy, we’re ready to help.
Don’t leave your business exposed because of a myth. Let’s talk about how to secure what matters.