Affordable security programs for SMBs

· Category: Frameworks

When you hear the words “cybersecurity programme,” you might picture an expensive, enterprise‑grade system with a team of consultants and endless complexity. In reality, an effective programme can be approachable and cost‑conscious. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework is designed to help businesses of all sizes better understand, manage and reduce their cybersecurity risk. The framework is voluntary and gives your organisation a clear set of best practices to focus your time and money.

Start with the five functions

NIST distils security into five high‑level functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. Think of these as the foundation blocks for your security programme.

  • Identify: Create an inventory of your equipment, software and data. Understand who owns and has access to each asset and document roles and responsibilities.
  • Protect: Control who can log on to your systems, use security software, encrypt sensitive data and keep backups. Formalise processes for disposing of old hardware and train everyone in your organisation about cybersecurity.
  • Detect: Monitor your network for unusual activity, unauthorised devices and software so you can spot incidents early.
  • Respond: Plan ahead for notifying affected individuals, keeping operations running and reporting incidents to authorities. Test your plan regularly.
  • Recover: After an incident, repair and restore systems and keep your community informed.

Building on a budget

Focusing on these five functions doesn’t mean you have to invest in the most expensive tools. Start by documenting what you already have and where your biggest gaps lie. Simple actions like enabling automatic updates, training employees on phishing awareness and enforcing strong passwords can dramatically reduce your exposure. As your organisation grows, you can layer on additional controls such as multi‑factor authentication or outsourced monitoring.

Next steps

Download the NIST Cybersecurity Framework resources for small businesses or reach out to our team for a personalised roadmap. In upcoming posts we’ll explore how to prioritise controls and measure improvement over time.