New Year’s Resolutions for Cybercriminals: Why Cybersecurity for Small Business Matters in 2026

Somewhere right now, a cybercriminal is setting New Year’s resolutions too.

They’re not building a vision board or promising to drink more water. They’re reviewing what worked in 2025 and planning how to steal more from small businesses in 2026.

And yes, your business is on their list.

Not because you’re careless. Because you’re busy.

For businesses across Northwest Arkansas, The Greater River Valley and the Tulsa Metro in Oklahoma, that combination makes January one of the most dangerous months of the year for cybersecurity.

Here’s what cybercriminals are planning and how proper cybersecurity for small business shuts them down before they succeed.

Why Cybersecurity for Small Business Is a Top Target in 2026

Cybercriminals used to chase big companies. That’s changed.

Large enterprises have security teams, layered defenses, and strict controls. Small businesses don’t and attackers know it.

Today’s attackers prefer:

• Smaller teams

• Fewer security controls

• Faster payouts

• Less public exposure

  
  

Instead of one difficult $5 million breach, criminals now run dozens of smaller attacks, each worth $25,000–$100,000.

That’s why cybersecurity for small business is no longer optional it’s a baseline requirement for staying operational.

Resolution #1: “Send Phishing Emails That Look Legitimate”

The days of obvious scam emails are over.

AI now helps attackers create phishing messages that:

• Use your real vendor names

• Match your company’s writing style

• Arrive at believable times

• Avoid spelling and grammar mistakes

A modern phishing email might look like this:

“Hi [your name],I tried sending the updated invoice, but it bounced back. Can you confirm this is still the right email for accounting? Here’s the revised version. [Actual vendor name]”

No urgency. No threats. Just familiarity.

How small businesses stop this

• Train employees to verify requests involving money or credentials

• Use email security tools that detect impersonation attempts

• Reward employees who double-check instead of rushing

Verification is not paranoia it’s protection.

Resolution #2: “Impersonate Vendors and Executives”

Vendor impersonation scams are one of the fastest-growing threats for small businesses in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Attackers send:

• Fake vendor “bank update” emails

• Texts pretending to be the owner or CEO

• Voice calls using deepfake audio cloned from public recordings

If your bookkeeper gets a message that sounds like you saying, “Wire this now,” they may not hesitate.

How to block these attacks

• Require callback verification for any payment or bank change

• Never accept financial changes via email alone

• Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) on all financial and admin accounts

Even a stolen password is useless with MFA in place.

Resolution #3: “Target Small Businesses Harder Than Ever”

Cybercriminals know:

• Small businesses handle valuable data

• Downtime hurts more

• Internal IT resources are limited

And the biggest vulnerability?

“We’re probably too small to be a target.”

That assumption is exactly what attackers count on.

The reality

If your business has:

• Client data

• Payment systems

• Payroll access

• Email accounts

…then you are absolutely a target.

How to stop being low-hanging fruit

• Keep systems patched and updated

• Use tested, recoverable backups

• Limit user access to only what’s necessary

• Work with a professional IT partner monitoring your environment

  
  

Attackers almost always move on when a business is harder to breach than the one next door.

Resolution #4: “Exploit New Hires and Tax Season Chaos”

January brings:

• New employees

• Payroll changes

• W-2 processing

• IRS-themed phishing emails

  
  

Attackers love onboarding periods because new hires:

• Want to be helpful

• Don’t know company policies yet

• Are less likely to challenge authority

  
  

One fake request for W-2s can expose every employee’s Social Security number and lead to fraudulent tax filings before your team even submits their returns.

How to prevent it

• Include security training in onboarding

• Create written rules like “W-2s are never emailed”

• Test and reinforce verification procedures regularly

  
  

Prevention Always Beats Recovery

When it comes to cybersecurity for small business, you have two choices:

React after an attack

• Emergency IT costs

• Lost productivity

• Client notifications

• Reputation damage

Or prevent it

• Proper security controls

• Employee awareness

• Ongoing monitoring

• Quiet systems that just work

The second option is far less expensive and far less painful.

How Preferred Office Technologies Helps Protect Small Businesses

For businesses in Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Tulsa, we help remove you from attackers’ “easy target” lists by:

• Monitoring systems 24/7

• Locking down access and credentials

• Training employees on modern scams

• Testing backups and recovery plans

• Closing vulnerabilities before they’re exploited

This is fire prevention, not firefighting.

Take Your Business Off Their 2026 Target List

Cybercriminals are optimistic about the year ahead. They’re counting on businesses being understaffed, distracted, and unprotected.

Let’s disappoint them.

👉 Book your Free Managed IT Risk Assessment https://8918038.hs-sites.com/free-managed-it-risk-assessment

We’ll show you where you’re exposed, what matters most, and how to strengthen your cybersecurity without jargon, fear tactics, or unnecessary complexity.

Because the best New Year’s resolution is making sure your business isn’t on someone else’s list.