SMEs have been told waiting for a cyber-attack is not a strategy and it is vital that they get proactive.

UK managed services provider Espira said while cyberthreats are powered by AI, and capable of launching automated, precision-targeted attacks that bypass traditional security measures, SMEs are still relying on outdated cybersecurity approaches to keep them safe.

As such, “this naivety” is now putting them increasingly in the crosshairs of attacks.

Recent industry figures show that UK businesses recovered £200 million from cyber insurers in 2024 alone, highlighting just how widespread and costly attacks have become. The company added SMEs face even greater risk as without an extensive security budget or in-house expertise to respond swiftly, the damage can be even more catastrophic to their operations and continuity.

“Many SMEs still believe that their traditional security methods are enough to keep them secure. Belief that your business’ security can rely purely on antivirus, firewalls and the regular quarterly log reviews is unfortunately, a flawed assumption, and no longer enough for today’s security exploits,” comments Brian Sibley, Virtual CTO at Espria. “The cybercriminals of today are already utilising AI-driven, automated attacks in huge quantities, which can bypass these legacy defences – with ease! The threat landscape has drastically changed from even that of only years before. Whilst bigger targets can have lucrative payouts, SMEs are prime targets for attack, not because they are higher-value but because they are often lower-hanging fruit – under-resourced and under-protected.

“Waiting for a security alert is not a strategy; it is simply accepting your fate before the worst has even occurred. By the time a breach is detected via traditional security methods, the damage is most likely already done. We have seen attacks compromise entire business networks in hours – not days, hours – and without immediate containment, the consequences can be devastating; financial, operational and reputational.”

Sibley added that Managed Detection and Response (MDR) offers a fundamentally different approach to security needed to combat modern cyberthreats.

“This is not just an issue of technology. It is about having the right experts behind it, and a tool that is able to proactively hunt for threats 24/7. By providing continuous monitoring, proactive threat hunting and expert-led responses, MDR offers a solution that many SMEs simply cannot achieve with their own technology, cybersecurity stacks, and in-house expertise.

“In combining advanced AI driven tools with human expertise to detect and contain threats in real time, organisations utilising MDR can dramatically reduce incident response and resolution times from months to minutes. Indeed, in some cases threats have been contained in under 30 minutes – a level of speed and precision that is critical against the clock.”

Sibley continued: “Additionally, insurers are increasingly rewarding businesses that adopt MDR, with lower premiums and broader coverage. Earlier this year, UK cyber insurance rates dropped by up to 11-12%, in the third quarter of 2025 for organisations able to demonstrate proactive threat management. It is not just about protecting your business but also enhancing your insurability and peace of mind, which is a clear, and growing financial incentive.”

He concluded, “Proactive protection is no longer just a nice-to-have tool, but the new baseline for business security.

“Cybersecurity must move from reactive to proactive resilience. In today’s security landscape, staying stagnant and refusing to act can quickly snowball into even bigger security risks.”