Cyberattacks targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in India increased sharply during the first half of 2026, highlighting growing cybersecurity challenges for smaller enterprises. According to findings attributed to global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, 4.52 lakh attack incidents were registered against small and medium businesses between January and June 2026, marking a 52% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
During those six months, computers belonging to Indian small and medium enterprises reportedly faced 37.38 lakh attack attempts. This equates to an average of nearly 20,650 attempts per day, underscoring the scale of the threat facing businesses that rely on digital systems to manage operations, customer information and commercial records.
Backdoor Attacks Pose Risks to Business Data
A significant share of the reported activity involved backdoor attacks. These attacks seek to establish covert access to computer systems, potentially allowing cybercriminals to obtain sensitive business information, access corporate files or introduce malicious software.
For smaller businesses, an intrusion can affect more than individual computers. If attackers reach shared systems or important data repositories, the consequences may extend to customer records, internal operations and essential business services.
Smaller enterprises may also face difficulties identifying suspicious activity before it spreads across their networks. This makes access controls, monitoring and timely security updates important elements of day-to-day business management.
Financial Losses and Operational Disruption
The impact of cyberattacks extends beyond technical damage. The report cites an international survey covering 18 countries in which 86% of surveyed business operators experienced at least one cyberattack over the preceding year.
According to the same findings, 22% of surveyed businesses experienced direct financial distress following an attack. Nearly one in five reported either the theft of critical customer information or the suspension of their websites and online sales channels.
The reported consequences also included lasting damage to business resources:
16% of surveyed enterprises said some company data had been permanently lost.
13% reported irreparable damage to valuable business assets.
These findings illustrate how a cybersecurity incident can affect revenue, service availability and a company's ability to recover essential information. For smaller enterprises, disruption to an online store or customer-facing website can also interfere with routine transactions and customer relationships.
Remote Access Can Increase Exposure
Exposed remote-access systems are another concern identified in the report. Remote administration tools can help employees and IT teams manage computers from different locations, but poorly secured connections may create opportunities for unauthorised access.
Cybersecurity guidance recommends disabling remote-access features when they are not needed. Where remote management is essential, businesses should avoid exposing administrative systems directly to the public internet and instead use controlled, secure access pathways.
Restricting remote connections can reduce the number of entry points available to attackers. Businesses should also review which employees and service providers have administrative privileges and remove access that is no longer required.
Multi-Factor Authentication Adds Protection
Strong authentication is another important layer of defence. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires users to provide an additional verification step beyond a password, making it harder for attackers to access systems using compromised credentials alone.
Businesses should prioritise MFA for email accounts, remote-access tools, administrative accounts and other systems containing sensitive commercial information.
Access permissions should also be limited according to employees' responsibilities. Restricting unnecessary privileges can help reduce the damage if an account is compromised.
For organisations reviewing their internal processes, internal audit services can be relevant to assessing controls, documenting risks and identifying weaknesses in business procedures.
Regular Software Updates Remain Essential
Outdated operating systems and third-party applications can leave known security weaknesses unresolved. Regular updates help address vulnerabilities that attackers may otherwise exploit.
Businesses should establish a routine for applying security patches, checking that endpoint protection is functioning and maintaining secure backups of important data. Backups should be protected from unauthorised access and tested periodically to ensure that recovery is possible when required.
Staff awareness is equally important. Employees should be trained to recognise suspicious messages, unexpected login requests and unusual software installation prompts.
Cybersecurity Is a Business Continuity Priority
The reported rise in cyberattacks highlights the importance of treating cybersecurity as part of business continuity rather than solely as an IT responsibility.
For India's small and medium-sized enterprises, a combination of secure remote access, multi-factor authentication, timely software updates, restricted permissions and reliable backups can help reduce exposure and improve recovery preparedness.
As businesses become increasingly dependent on digital platforms, maintaining these safeguards is essential to protecting customer information, limiting operational disruption and sustaining commercial activity.