These days, it’s not enough for businesses just to be secure. Now, building cyber resilience – that is, the ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from cyber incidents – is critical. What’s more, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting SMEs, so they need to be on their guard.
Regulators are raising the bar for what constitutes cyber hygiene, taking into account emerging and evolving threats to cybersecurity and customer data. The impending Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, set to be put before Westminster, signals a clear shift: namely, that cyber resilience is now a business imperative rather than merely something that’s nice to have.
This blog provides an up-to-date overview of cyber resilience best practices for SMEs, including a breakdown of the new legislation that will soon become UK law. As such, this guide will help you take the practical steps needed to strengthen your cyber defences and build long-term resilience.
Cyber resilience goes beyond established approaches to cybersecurity. Specifically, cybersecurity focuses on preventing attacks, while cyber resilience is also about keeping your business operational during and after a cyber incident. It’s the ability to detect threats early, respond effectively and recover quickly, with minimal disruption.
For SMEs and startups, the stakes are especially high. A single cyberattack can cause significant financial damage – including potentially severe regulatory penalties – as well as lasting reputational damage, which can be difficult for businesses to shake off. According to the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025, more than four in 10 (43%) businesses said they had experienced some form of cyberattack or security breach over the preceding 12 months, along with 30% of charities. But many organisations still haven’t taken the kind of precautions that would allow them to rebound from such incidents.
Cyber resilience has to be seen as a business priority, not just a technical concern. Threats are becoming more sophisticated and supply chains more interconnected, so SMEs must take proactive steps to defend their data, systems and services – and to be prepared in case things do go wrong.
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, first announced in the 2022 National Cyber Strategy, represents a significant move by the UK Government to modernise the country’s approach to cyber regulation. Details of the measures included in the Bill were published in April 2025; it is expected to be tabled before Parliament in the current (2025-26) legislative session.
Incidents such as last year’s ransomware attack on Synnovis, a partnership between two NHS trusts and SYNLAB, served as a reminder of the need to modernise cybersecurity in the UK to take a proper account of the present-day threat environment. The Bill therefore aims to bolster the UK’s cyber resilience by modernising the country’s cybersecurity framework, enforcing stricter requirements across critical sectors and supply chains.
As the Bill has not yet been put before Parliament, we are still awaiting further detail. However, while key industries and critical national infrastructure – including the NHS – are the primary focus of the legislation, the government’s current emphasis on strengthening resilience throughout supply chains means it is also likely to have knock-on implications for SMEs, especially those who serve as suppliers or contractors to public sector organisations.
To become truly cyber resilient, SMEs should adopt a layered approach, combining technical measures, certifications, policies, monitoring and incident recovery planning. Here are the key areas to prioritise.
1. Certifications
Achieving recognised cybersecurity certifications helps to demonstrate that your business takes cyber resilience, building trust with clients, suppliers and regulators. Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are UK Government-backed certifications ideal for SMEs, designed to establish basic cybersecurity protection, and are often a prerequisite when bidding for government contracts.
Choosing the right certification for your business, however, depends on the size of your organisation, the expectations of its clients and the sector in which it is operating. Nevertheless, having at least one certification in place is a strong step towards strengthened cyber resilience.
2. Policies
Robust policies provide the foundation of a resilient cybersecurity framework. They define roles, responsibilities and procedures, reducing the chances of human error and enabling faster recovery from cybersecurity incidents.
Key policies to implement or review include:
· Information security policy
· Business continuity and disaster recovery policy
· Data protection and privacy policy
· Access control and acceptable use policies
· Incident response plan
Regularly reviewing and updating these policies should ensure that they remain effective as threats evolve.
3. Vulnerability assessments and penetration testing
One of the most effective ways of strengthening your defences is to identify potential weaknesses before attackers do, which requires regular cyber resilience assessments. Vulnerability assessments and penetration testing are essential aspects of this.
Vulnerability assessments are automated scans that identify outdated software, misconfigurations and other known vulnerabilities. Penetration testing, meanwhile, simulates real-life cyberattacks to test how your systems hold up against them.
Both methods are essential for continuous improvement and should be conducted regularly, especially after system updates or changes to your IT infrastructure.
4. Managed threat detection
Investing in managed threat detection is a cornerstone of effective cyber resilience. Even the most robust defences can be breached, so the key is spotting threats early and responding quickly. This is why you should consider:
· Security information and event management (SIEM): Collects and analyses data from across your network to flag suspicious activity.
· Security operations centre (SOC): Provides 24/7 monitoring and rapid incident response, often delivered as a managed service.
Partnering with a trusted IT partner can give your business access to enterprise-grade monitoring without the costs associated with employing your own in-house team.
5. Cyber insurance
Cyber insurance provides valuable protection in the event of a cyber incident, covering costs such as recovery, legal fees, customer notification and reputational damage. However, insurers are becoming more selective and requiring businesses to have certain controls in place before offering cover, such as:
· MFA (multi-factor authentication)
· Regular backups
· Security training
· Incident response plan
· Certification (e.g. Cyber Essentials)
You should review your cyber insurance policy to ensure that your business is meeting all of its requirements – failing to do so can invalidate any claims you might make – and update your controls as required.
6. Additional measures
A few further measures that are simple to implement but often overlooked:
· Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Essential for securing logins and remote access.
· Staff training: Human error remains the single biggest cybersecurity risk, so awareness training and measures such as regular phishing simulations are important.
· Backup and recovery: Ensure backups are made regularly, tested and stored offsite.
These small actions can make a big difference in how far any cyberattack progresses and how quickly your business recovers from it.
Cyber resilience is no longer something that only big businesses have to worry about. As new legislation like the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill begins to reshape the UK’s cybersecurity environment, it’s incumbent upon SMEs to take action to safeguard their digital assets, ensure their businesses are prepared in the event of a cyber incident and meet changing client expectations.
Implementing best-practice measures such as those suggested here can help you to ensure that your business is better prepared for whatever threats might come your way. At a time when new and more sophisticated threats are continually emerging, it’s crucial that your business doesn’t rest on its cybersecurity laurels. Want to know more about how to make your business truly cyber resilient? Book a call with the Cyber Tec Security team today and let’s discuss what we can do for you.