Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are the backbone of the global economy. And to be successful, they rely on technology. In this blog we explore top technology trends affecting SMBs and how they can survive and thrive in a hyperconnected world in the era of AI.
Top Tech Trends Affecting SMBs
Four key trends are currently affecting SMBs.
First is the ever-growing need in internet bandwidth. Connectivity needs are constantly growing as more devices join the Wi-Fi network, and more services are consumed from the cloud like AI tools, SaaS and cloud.
Second is the need to ensure continuous operations and business uptime. Managing to get customers to your physical or online business only to find out that your internet connection is down is something SMBs try to avoid at all costs.
Third is the threat of cyber attacks. During the first 5 months of 2025, SMB organizations experienced an average of 180 weekly cyber attack attempts (per organization), an increase of 61% compared to the same period in 2024, according to Check Point Research. This increase is significantly higher than in enterprise networks, where the volume of attacks increased by 37%. SMBs have less resources to weather a cyber attack, making stronger security essential.
Fourth is the pervasive use of AI tools. While a neighborhood cafe, hair salon or dentist don’t necessarily use AI, myriad professionals from jewelers to service agencies likely do. The risk of someone divulging sensitive data is non-zero.
Eight Tech Essentials that SMBs can Afford
To survive and thrive, SMBs should watch out for these handy innovations.
Effective Prevention of Threats and Exploits
Better cyber security means smoother operations, and a smaller risk of getting crippled by data breaches and ransomware. By leveraging AI engines and big data analysis, firewalls can minimize the number of threats that ultimately make it into your network. When evaluating network security solutions, make sure to find out how well potential solutions can block malware, phishing and vulnerability exploits.
Dedicated Anti-Ransomware Technology
According to the 2025 Verizon DBIR, 88% of SMB breaches last year were caused by ransomware. Many solutions take the first step of identifying a malicious link and blocking it, at the network or email level, for example. However, a dedicated anti-ransomware solution can be installed as part of endpoint security so that even if a single ransomware strain gets through, the solution can identify and block the ransomware infection before it can access, encrypt, or breach an organization’s sensitive data.
This type of solution constantly monitors for ransomware specific behavior, identifies illicit file encryption (without requiring prior threat intelligence) and quarantines all elements of a ransomware attack. If files are encrypted, they can be automatically restored from snapshots to ensure full business continuity.
Browser-based Security for AI
How can you ensure that an employee doesn’t divulge sensitive data to an LLM? With a simple browser extension, you can see what AI tools are being used in your environment and most importantly, block conversational prompts in real time that include sensitive information like business plans, PII and financial details, all while maintaining user privacy.
All-in-One Network & Security Appliances
Large companies have the resources to manage 4 or 5 different devices, including firewalls, routers, network switches and Wi-Fi access points. Small businesses don’t. Converged solutions solve this by combining all these functionalities into one small appliance that you can easily place on a counter, table or shelf.
Real Time Page Scanning to Prevent Phishing
Phishing tops the chart as the main entry point into networks, but few people realize that a technology called ‘zero-phishing’ can scan every online form on every page you access – in real time as you browse that page – and in seconds determine if that site will send your credentials to a questionable destination. By sending a bit of data in the background and following its tracks, zero phishing can identify a site as fraudulent even if it got published, or got compromised, just a second ago(!).
Latest Connectivity Standards
Businesses are constantly using more online and SaaS services to support their operations. In fact, our estimates show that bandwidth needs for internet traffic have doubled in just two years. To wit, telcos have been offering SMBs increased internet bandwidth, growing from just 1Gbps to 2.5Gbps or even 5Gbps. Accordingly, branch Wi-Fi needs are also affected, as downstream connectivity bandwidth requirements increase rapidly as well (think Microsoft 365, Zoom, Teams, etc.). Last but not least, cellular standards have evolved to require 5G technology. Using Wi-Fi 7 and 5G connectivity can help you futureproof your connectivity.
Redundant Hardware for Maximum Resilience
If one of your internet connections goes down, do you have a backup connection you can fail over to? If you live in a remote area, and your wireless access malfunctions, do you have another cellular connection to keep your business going? Dual ISP support in an SMB firewall can keep your operations online and running smoothly, as can dual SIM card support, in case you’re using a wireless connection. Other features like dual power supply can help ensure your business is failproof.
Autonomous IoT Security
Most cafes and shops don’t fear getting compromised because of a few web cams. But IoT devices are often old, and their software is often outdated and unpatched. According to Check Point Research 12% of SMBs experienced an IoT exploit attempt since the beginning of the year. Rather than allowing a single printer or tablet to become a potential entry point into your network, consider integrating IoT device security into your firewall, ideally with automated features.
Need a Local Partner? We’ve got you covered
Check Point has a network of partners worldwide that can help secure and connect even the smallest of businesses. To learn more, click here to locate a partner near you.