Most Houston small businesses we talk to aren't negligent — they're busy. Between serving clients in the Energy Corridor, staffing clinics near the Texas Medical Center, and keeping operations running through hurricane season, cybersecurity falls to "we'll get to it."
When we run a free consultation, we usually find the same five gaps. None of them require enterprise budgets. All of them align with CISA's guidance for small businesses.
1. MFA is enabled — but not for everyone
Many Houston firms turned on multi-factor authentication for the owner and maybe one admin account. Remote workers, new hires, and shared mailboxes still sign in with password only.
CISA recommends MFA for all users, starting with privileged and remote access accounts. In practice, that means verifying enrollment monthly — not assuming everyone completed setup.
Fix this week: Export a list of users without MFA from Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace admin. Require enrollment before the next payroll cycle.
2. Backups exist — but nobody tested a restore
Houston businesses understand hurricane risk. Many have cloud sync or a backup appliance. Fewer have a dated log showing someone restored a real file and opened it successfully.
CISA's Cyber Essentials calls out automated backups and verified recovery. Ransomware and accidental deletion don't wait for perfect weather.
Fix this week: Restore one critical file from yesterday's backup to a new folder. Write down pass/fail and how long it took.
3. Offboarding is informal
When someone leaves a 25-person Houston firm, disabling access often depends on whoever remembers. Shared passwords, personal phones with company email, and active VPN sessions are common findings.
Fix this week: Document a 10-step offboarding checklist. Assign one person to own it — usually office manager plus IT support.
4. Admin accounts used for daily email
Using the same account for QuickBooks, vendor email, and global admin in Microsoft 365 creates a single point of failure. One phished password can change security settings, not just read mail.
Fix this week: Create a dedicated admin account (no daily email). Use it only for configuration changes.
5. Security awareness is a one-time event
A lunch-and-learn from 2022 doesn't protect against today's AI-generated phishing. Employees in logistics, healthcare, and professional services need short, recurring reminders — what to report, not just what to fear.
Fix this month: Schedule 10-minute quarterly check-ins. Cover one topic: phishing, MFA approval scams, or invoice fraud.
Houston context matters
Attackers target Houston SMBs because of payment flows in construction and energy services, patient data in healthcare, and the reality that many firms lack a dedicated IT security role. You're not "too small" — you're exactly the profile CISA identifies as commonly targeted.
Implementing these fixes takes time most owners don't have. That's what we're here for.
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We'll review MFA status, backup testing, and offboarding — no pressure, no fear tactics.
For step-by-step tutorials, visit our educational site Secure SMB Tech.
Educational content only — not legal, insurance, or compliance advice. Consult qualified professionals for regulated industries.