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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11AI can make phishing and impersonation more convincing, and AI services can introduce data-exposure and system-security risks of their own. Small businesses can reduce risk by tightening core protections—multifactor authentication, software updates, backups, access controls and staff training—while setting clear rules for which information employees may share with AI tools.
This guidance draws on U.S. federal resources from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It offers general cybersecurity practices, not a determination of legal duties for a particular business or jurisdiction. The sources describe possible threats and recommended safeguards; they do not establish how likely a small business is to be attacked.
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What changes when attackers use AI?
AI does not make every attack new. It can make familiar tactics easier to scale or more persuasive, while AI systems and services can also create risks involving data, access and unreliable outputs.
More convincing phishing and impersonation
AI can help produce realistic-looking messages and synthetic audio or video. NIST warns that it can be used to craft increasingly convincing phishing attacks. That means grammar errors, awkward wording or visual oddities are not reliable tests of whether a request is genuine. A message that appears to come from a colleague, supplier or familiar company is not proof of identity.
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Phishing commonly uses a familiar-looking sender, a request for credentials or financial details, and pressure to act quickly. Make it easy for staff to report suspicious messages. For requests involving payments, passwords, customer information or other sensitive data, verify through a separate channel using contact details already known to the business—not details supplied in the message.
Exposure of business data through AI tools
Employees may paste customer records, internal documents, credentials or other sensitive material into an AI service while trying to complete routine work. Decide which tools are approved and what kinds of information may be entered. Before adopting a service, establish how the vendor may use, share, retain and delete business data, and include appropriate security expectations in the contract.
Risks within AI systems and their supply chains
NIST identifies risks such as prompt injection, which can manipulate an AI system through its inputs, and data poisoning, which can corrupt data used to train or operate a system. AI services can also bring unauthorized-use, supply-chain and unexpected-output concerns. These risks do not apply equally to every business or tool; evaluate them in the context of how your business uses the service.
NIST’s March 27, 2026 presentation discusses AI cybersecurity-profile work that was still in development. Treat it as developing work, not a finalized standard. For a third-party AI service, ask what information it receives, who can access it, how long it is retained, whether it may be reused for other purposes, and how your business can revoke access.
Which safeguards should a small business put in place first?
Start with controls that protect accounts, devices and information regardless of whether an incident involves AI. The FTC recommends a combination of technical protections, staff training and incident preparation.
- Secure accounts. Use a different strong password for each account and enable multifactor authentication (MFA). A hardware security key is one possible MFA method, but check that the accounts you rely on support it and keep a workable account-recovery method.
- Keep software current and maintain backups. Turn on updates where practical. Back up important files regularly and make sure someone knows how to restore them.
- Limit access and protect sensitive data. Give employees and vendors only the access they need. Encrypt sensitive information and devices where practical.
- Train staff to report and verify. Teach employees how to report suspicious requests and to confirm high-impact instructions through a known, independent channel. Do not make spotting typos the main defense against phishing.
- Set AI and vendor rules. Keep an inventory of approved AI tools, define what data may be entered, and document the security and data-handling expectations for each vendor.
- Prepare to respond and recover. Write down who takes charge, how affected systems or accounts will be isolated, how backups will be restored, and how customers or relevant authorities will be notified if required.
How should a business assess an AI vendor?
Use the same basic vendor discipline you would apply to another service with access to sensitive information. Get clear answers before staff begin sharing business or customer data.
- Data in scope: What information does the service receive, and can you configure or limit what is sent?
- Access: Which vendor personnel or subcontractors can access the information, and under what circumstances?
- Use and sharing: Can the vendor use your data for other purposes or share it with other parties?
- Retention and deletion: How long is data kept, and what happens to it when the service ends or access is revoked?
- Security and accountability: What security requirements, incident procedures and support commitments are documented in the agreement?
Apply these questions to other tools that handle sensitive business information, not just products labeled as AI.
How can a small business organize its cybersecurity work?
NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 Small Business Quick-Start Guide (SP 1300), published February 26, 2024, is designed to help smaller organizations with modest or no existing cybersecurity plans begin managing risk. It organizes the work into six functions:
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- Govern: Set responsibility and expectations for managing cybersecurity risk.
- Identify: Understand the business, its assets and the risks that matter.
- Protect: Put safeguards in place for accounts, systems and information.
- Detect: Look for signs that a security event may be occurring.
- Respond: Coordinate action when an incident happens.
- Recover: Restore operations and learn from the event.
The framework is a way to organize the work, not a claim that a business can eliminate risk. The FTC’s Cybersecurity for Small Business resources offer practical guidance on safeguards, vendors and incident response. CISA also maintains resources for small and medium-sized businesses.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What tools or services may help?
Tools can support a security program, but their usefulness depends on the accounts, devices and recovery processes a business actually uses. FTC guidance identifies hardware tokens as one MFA option, and CISA’s small-business resources include password-manager guidance. A password manager can help staff maintain unique passwords; check its access controls, recovery process and fit with the business’s devices and accounts.
Cyber insurance is another possible consideration, not a substitute for security controls. The FTC distinguishes first-party and third-party coverage. Before deciding whether a policy fits, review covered events, exclusions, limits, response support and policy obligations. Coverage and terms vary.
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How should a business respond to a suspected AI-enabled scam or breach?
Use the same incident process you would for another suspected cyber incident; the presence of AI does not change the need to contain the problem and protect accounts and data.
- Report and verify. Have the recipient alert the designated responder. Confirm suspicious instructions with the supposed sender through a known, separate channel.
- Contain affected access. Follow the business’s procedure to secure compromised accounts or isolate affected devices and systems.
- Restore carefully. Use known-good backups and the documented recovery process to restore important files or services.
- Assess notification needs. Determine whether customers, partners or relevant authorities need to be notified, based on the circumstances and applicable obligations.
- Review what failed. Update access, training, vendor rules or response steps to address the cause of the incident.
Document who is responsible for each action before an incident occurs. The FTC’s small-business guidance recommends having an incident response plan; the exact legal notification duties depend on the business, the data involved and the applicable jurisdiction.
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