Want to make a cybercriminal’s day? Just follow these five all-too-common cyber security mistakes that businesses still make. With just a few simple mistakes, you can practically hand over the keys to your business and save hackers the trouble of breaking in.
Of course, that’s not what we really want you to do. This blog takes a reverse-psychology look at the most common security risks for businesses, so you can avoid getting hacked and keep your organisation safe.
Why Simple Mistakes Lead to Serious Breaches
Most cyber-attacks don’t come from complex, movie-style hacking. Instead, they succeed because businesses overlook the basics. Weak passwords, missed updates, and poor employee awareness are some of the common security risks that make life easy for cybercriminals.
In fact, recent research from 2025 revealed that 43% of businesses have experienced a cyber-attack in the last 12 months. This shows the continued prevalence of threats – and why it’s so important to not overlook any possible vulnerabilities.
- Share Your Passwords Freely
Want to make things simple for hackers? Keep your passwords short, predictable, and identical across multiple accounts. Better yet, write them down somewhere obvious so anyone can find them.
The reality is that weak or recycled passwords are one of the easiest ways attackers gain access to sensitive information. Once they have one password, it can open the door to multiple systems, giving them access to emails, files, and even financial accounts.
Password-cracking tools can break through simple credentials in seconds, meaning it doesn’t take much effort for criminals to get inside your network.
- Forget to Train Your Employees
Think your staff would never click on a suspicious link? That’s exactly what cybercriminals are hoping you’ll believe. Phishing emails, fake login pages, and infected attachments are all designed to exploit a lack of awareness.
Without regular training, employees can unknowingly hand over critical data, making them a favourite target for hackers. A single click on a malicious link could install malware, expose login credentials, or trigger a ransomware attack.
- Skip the Updates and Patches
Software updates exist for a reason: to close security gaps before attackers exploit them. By ignoring updates, you’re effectively leaving the back door unlocked and hoping no one notices.
Cybercriminals actively scan the internet for outdated systems because they know it’s one of the easiest ways in. Even a minor delay in patching can leave you vulnerable. Failing to update increases your risk of data theft, downtime, and financial loss.
- Assume Your Data Doesn’t Need Backups
If you don’t back up your data, a cyber-attack, hardware failure, or even human error could wipe it out permanently. Hackers in particular count on businesses skipping backups to make ransomware attacks more effective, since they know victims are more likely to pay.
With no safety net, you risk losing vital information such as client records, financial data, or project files. Downtime caused by data loss can halt operations, damage customer trust, and result in significant financial penalties – especially if compliance regulations are breached.
- Treat Cyber Security as a ‘One-Off’ Project
Buying antivirus software once and considering the job done might seem like enough, but cyber threats evolve constantly. Static defences quickly become outdated, leaving blind spots in your protection.
Treating cyber security as a one-time task leaves your systems vulnerable to the very latest attacks. A “set and forget” approach doesn’t account for new risks, changes in your business operations, or evolving regulatory requirements, all of which demand ongoing attention and strategy.
How Jera IT Helps Businesses Stay Secure
At Jera IT, we understand that businesses need peace of mind. That’s why we provide a comprehensive suite of cyber security and IT support designed to reduce risk, improve resilience, and keep you one step ahead of cybercriminals.
Our offerings include:
- Cyber security assessments to uncover hidden vulnerabilities in your systems.
- Proactive monitoring and patch management to stop attacks before they start.
- Backup and disaster recovery planning to keep your operations running, no matter what.
- Employee training programmes to transform your team into a cyber-aware workforce.
- Managed IT support tailored to your organisation, ensuring your tech is always aligned with your business goals.
Book a Cyber Security Check-Up with Us
We’ve had a bit of fun highlighting the top tips to get hacked, but the reality is these common mistakes – weak passwords, untrained employees, skipped updates, no backups, and treating security as a one-off task – are still costing businesses dearly.
By flipping these bad habits into proactive practices, you can dramatically reduce your risk. And with Jera IT by your side, you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to help businesses like yours stay secure against evolving threats.
Want to avoid these mistakes? Schedule a cyber security check-up with Jera today and protect your business.
