ESET: 49% of UK SMBs hit by cyber incidents in the past year

ESET's 2026 SMB Cyber Risk Report found that 49% of 500 surveyed UK small and medium businesses experienced a cyber incident in the past year, with 13% facing more than one. Phishing, unpatched vulnerabilities, weak passwords and lack of monitoring were the main causes; 55% plan to raise cybersecurity budgets.

• 49% of UK SMBs had an incident in the past year, 13% more than one
• Top causes: phishing, unpatched flaws, weak passwords, no monitoring
• AI-powered malware is the top security concern
• 55% of SMBs plan to increase cybersecurity budgets