Running a company today means juggling sales, payroll, staffing, and security policies for small businesses that keep hackers and fines at bay. Nearly 1 in 2 attacks now hit firms with under 500 employees, but you don’t need a tech degree to protect yours. This plain-language guide covers the ten policies every SMB should have, why they matter, and simple steps to start this week.
Core Security Policies for Small Businesses at a Glance
| # | Policy | What It Does | 2025 Must-Do Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Access Management | Decide who gets the keys—and take them back when they leave. | Phase-in passkeys; retire SMS OTP. |
| 2 | Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery | Keep the lights on (or get them back fast) after a cyber-attack, fire, or storm. | Map Gen-AI dependencies. |
| 3 | Clear Desk • Clear Screen | Don’t leave sensitive info on desks or unlocked screens. | Auto-lock screens ≤ 30 s in shared spaces. |
| 4 | Digital Security Plan | Your “how we handle tech” playbook: updates, backups, vendor checks. | Require INP < 200 ms in dev SLAs. |
| 5 | Generative AI Policy | Set safe, fair, legal rules for ChatGPT-style tools. | Watermark AI output; bias-test models. |
| 6 | Incident Response Plan | Step-by-step “break-glass” guide when things go wrong. | Add dark-web extortion & crypto-ban flow. |
| 7 | Personal-Info Management | Rules for collecting, storing, deleting customer/employee data. | Tie to 13 new U.S. state privacy laws. |
| 8 | Physical Security | Badge doors, cameras, and who can enter secure areas. | Smart-locker returns for hybrid staff. |
| 9 | Privacy Notice | The public promise you make about data—usually on your website. | Auto language selector; WCAG 2.2 layout. |
| 10 | Record Retention & Destruction | How long you keep paperwork/files and how to dispose safely. | Cloud “right-to-delete” API hook. |
1. Access Management: Controlling the Keys
Why it matters
Weak or stolen passwords caused 24 % of breaches last year (Verizon DBIR 2024).
Easy first step
Give every employee their own login. Shared passwords are like master keys—no one can trace who used them.
2025 tip
Test passkeys—phishing-proof fingerprint or face-ID logins now built into Google & Microsoft (Google Security Blog).
2. Business Continuity for Small Businesses: Keeping the Lights On
Why it matters
Gartner pegs an hour offline at $300 K for the average SMB (Gartner Business Continuity Cost Study).
Easy first step
Make a two-column sheet: Critical systems (email, website, POS) and How long you can survive without each. That’s the heart of a BCDR plan.
3. Clear Desk • Clear Screen: The $0 Policy
Why it matters
A USB left in a café or a pay stub on a copier is an instant data leak—no hacker needed.
Easy first step
Post a sticky note on monitors: “Lock before you walk.” Press Windows + L or ⌘ + Control + Q when you step away.
4. Digital Security Plan for Small Businesses
Why it matters
Unpatched software triggered 60 % of ransomware infections in one 2024 study (Sophos State of Ransomware).
2025 tip
Ask your web team if your site scores “good” (< 200 ms) on Google’s new INP metric (web.dev INP guide)—slow sites now drop in search.
5. Generative AI Policy: Cool Tool, Clear Rules
Why it matters
Pasting client info into ChatGPT can break privacy laws.
Easy first step
Email staff one rule: “Never paste private customer data into public AI tools.”
6. Incident Response Plan: When Things Go Sideways
Why it matters
Companies that practice their IRP save an average $1.5 M per breach (IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2024).
Easy first step
Create a wallet card with:
- Who to call (IT, lawyer, insurance)
- Where backups live
- How to shut systems off fast
Run a 30-minute “fire drill” twice a year.
7. Personal Information Management
Why it matters
13 U.S. states now have privacy laws, with fines up to $ 7,500 per record (IAPP US State Privacy Legislation Tracker).
8. Physical Security for Small Businesses
Collect badges and laptop chargers before the exit interview ends—simple, often missed.
9. Privacy Notice
If your public privacy policy doesn’t match reality, the FTC calls that deceptive and fines follow (FTC Enforcement Examples).
Read it out loud; rewrite jargon into everyday language.
10. Record Retention & Safe Destruction
Old data = big liability. In a breach, everything you kept can leak—even files from ten years ago.
Pick one data type (e.g., payroll stubs), decide a keep-time (say, seven years), and schedule a yearly purge.
Rolling Out Security Policies for Small Businesses in 60 Days
| Week | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1 | Download or draft templates for all ten policies. |
| 2 | Customize with your company name, contacts, and any industry rules. |
| 3 | Share the docs; collect e-signatures for “I’ve read it.” |
| 4 | Hold 15-minute micro-trainings. |
| 5 | Run a tabletop test of BCDR and Incident Response plans. |
| 6 | Fix gaps, then calendar quarterly reviews. |
Need support? defend-id’s compliance toolkit—Policy Center, Training Suite, and 24/7 Breach Support—handles templates, reminders, and audit logs so you can focus on running the business.
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