Small and medium-sized companies are vulnerable from not strengthening their IT security systems. However, Mexico faces multiple difficulties.

Businesses are prepared to welcome the year in a challenging cyberthreat landscape. However, investing in cybersecurity could bring them a less risky future, according to a report from Kaspersky.

According to the firm, 40% of Mexican SMEs have difficulties in conducting investments that allow them to improve their cybersecurity and 53% of small and medium-sized Mexican companies said that the financial difficulties of the last 12 months will probably become permanent. Faced with this scenario, company owners and entrepreneurs face the challenge of deciding where to invest money in this accelerated digital transformation.

“In the attempt to save on this issue, companies could face economic and reputational losses that can reach $155,000,” explains Claudio Martinelli, General Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Kaspersky. According to the expert, reducing investment in cybersecurity can solve the economic problem in the short term, but in the long term, it can negatively impact the company’s growth.

This scenario requires companies to be prepared with smart investments. A study by the International System Security Certification Consortium of Information predicts that there will be a shortage of four million cybersecurity professionals by 2022 worldwide.

“It is essential that entrepreneurs evaluate the option of making an investment, especially now that e-commerce is vital for any company. One way to do this is by automating certain processes, as this allows staff to focus their efforts on the projects that drive business growth,” adds Martinelli. It is important to emphasize this because, according to the expert, in the search for savings, some companies also use pirated software, an action that threatens their security.