We get it. As a small business owner, you’re spinning an awful lot of plates. There are tasks on the backburner that never quite make it to the top of the to do list. But here’s the thing. If updating your IT systems is one of those, listen up.

You may well spend a considerable amount of time fighting fires in your business. But by ensuring that your IT systems are robust and resilient, you can prevent these so-called fires from starting in the first place.

Small businesses like yours have a 50:50 chance of cyber attack. It’s a scary statistic. But you can reduce the risk of it being your business by assessing your IT’s resilience and increasing your defences.
• 50% of businesses report having had some sort of security breach in the last 12 months
• For 84% of businesses, that breach was a phishing attack
• Approximately 7.78 million cyber crimes have been experienced by UK businesses in the last 12 months.

[source: UK government Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024].

Why you should act now to protect your business

With so many demands on your time and budget, it can be hard to know where to start. Here, we’ll share the key aspects to focus on and where to invest resources to reduce risk. These actions will put you in the best position to protect and futureproof your business.

Time is ticking. There are some major changes happening in the next 18 months that will impact your business.

October 2025

Windows 10 will no longer be supported from 14th October 2025. However, most desktop users still rely on Windows 10 rather than newer versions (source: Statscounter). At the start of 2024, 68% of users had Windows 10 and only 28% were on Windows 11.

Are you one of those businesses? Chat to us about upgrading your Microsoft apps.

December 2025

BT will switch off the legacy copper network – the public switched telephone network (PTSN). At that point, telephony will be exclusively digital. In the meantime, there will be less and less support for these legacy systems.

This will impact SMEs in more ways that just phone calls. Alarms, CCTV and card payments are just some of the systems that will be affected by this.

According to BT Open Reach, there are 14 million lines and channels yet to upgrade across the UK. Is yours one of them? Mirus can help you to find your best alternative solution.

Late 2025 may sound ages away, but we highly recommend you take action now. You’ll avoid huge disruption, last minute panics and you’ll ensure that your business can operate smoothly before it’s too late.

What else as an SME you can do to protect your business?

Modernise your IT infrastructure
Many SMEs rely on outdated technology and software. These systems are often less secure, lack critical updates and patches. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by cyber criminals.

Older systems may not be compatible with newer security technologies, making it difficult to implement modern protective measures. Once out of date, software companies stop supporting those legacy products. That means you can’t turn to them if there’s a system failure or security breach.

Improve your cyber resilience

When you have multiple IT systems, you have multiple potential entry points for attackers. Plus, you must secure, monitor, and maintain each of those systems which adds to your overall risk. This lack of unified security and the use of disparate systems creates weaknesses for attackers to exploit. Look into ways to streamline and unify systems to reduce your risks and improve efficiency.

Protect your data

Older, legacy systems without adequate security can be vulnerable to data breaches. These breaches compromise your valuable and sensitive customer and business data which can have major legal and financial ramifications.

Develop and maintain robust back-up and disaster recovery plans to minimise the impact of potential attacks.

Equip your staff with knowledge and tools

Cyber criminals often try to trick employees into sharing sensitive information through email scams. Train your teams on cyber security best practices and how to recognise and respond to threats.

Develop and maintain robust back-up and disaster recovery plans to minimise the impact of potential attacks.

Many SMEs lack dedicated IT security teams. This makes it difficult to implement and maintain robust security measures, leaving systems vulnerable to attack. Make sure it’s someone’s responsibility or outsourced to an expert team like Mirus.

5 key actions to take asap
• Upgrade and modernise your IT systems
• Update and patch systems and software regularly
• Implement security best practices
• Develop back-up and recovery plans
• Train your team in cyber security

Don’t delay, protect your business today!
By addressing the vulnerabilities of legacy systems and staying vigilant against evolving cyber threats, as an SME you can significantly reduce your risk of cyber attacks. Don’t put off this important task – if you do you’re leaving your business exposed to attack. Reach out to Mirus today for support in assessing and improving your IT systems and reducing your risks. With one in two SMEs predicted to experience a cyber attack within the next 12 month, it’s important to protect your business and fast.

Contact our expert team and get help to improve your IT resilience.