Cyber Security Awareness Month

Why Cybersecurity Is a Shared Responsibility for Small Businesses Across the Auburn Area

For small businesses in Auburn and the surrounding area, cybersecurity is about more than protecting computers. It is about keeping doors open, employees productive, payments moving, and customer information secure. A compromised login, back-office router, point-of-sale system, or connected device can quickly disrupt daily operations and affect the customers, suppliers, and community partners that local businesses depend on.

That interconnectedness makes cybersecurity especially relevant to Auburn Area Chamber members. Washington’s highly digital economy includes technology, aerospace, healthcare, and manufacturing, and businesses face cybersecurity challenges connected to operational continuity, regulatory compliance, and reputation. For organizations of every size, cybersecurity is no longer solely an IT responsibility. It is a shared business responsibility.

Comcast Business’s newly released 2026 Cybersecurity Threat Report reinforces the importance of that responsibility for small businesses throughout the Auburn area. The report analyzed 79.3 billion cybersecurity events over the past year, which is roughly 2,514 per second. In Small Business Month 2026 (May) alone, Comcast Business blocked threats targeting small businesses at an average rate of more than 230 per second.

Cybercriminals are moving away from breaking into accounts, devices and networks, and instead using legitimate logins or taking over everyday devices that are not immediately thought of as a cyber risk. Building devices like security cameras outside a storefront, routers in the back office, TVs providing entertainment for customers and point-of-sale (POS) systems are often unprotected and are becoming low-lift tools for hackers to exploit in attacks.

Phishing emails and drive-by compromise attacks are some of the most common routes for attackers to gain entry, with 25.4 billion and 21.9 billion attempts over the past year, respectively. The report also found 5.8 million attempts to gain control of employee browsers, underscoring that the cyberattack surface has grown to include everyday tools and devices.

Fortunately, there are simple ways that small businesses can protect themselves without the budget or IT team of a large enterprise. Practical steps, including securing every device, implementing stronger password mandates, and training employees to spot attacks like phishing, can keep small businesses from becoming victims. Additionally, choosing a network provider that offers built-in protection against threats and consistent monitoring ensures business owners can stay on top of their security.

It’s more important than ever for small businesses in Auburn to use this Cybersecurity Awareness Month as a reminder that cybersecurity is a shared, year-round responsibility. Through protective measures and a trusted connectivity partner, small business owners can stay focused on running their business.

For more information, visit https://business.comcast.com/resources/enterprise/reports/2026-comcast-business-cybersecurity-threat-report, or reach out to your local Comcast Business Manager, Mykayla Smith at (253) 278-9584 or Mykayla_Smith@cable.comcast.com