Let’s start with the reality a lot of people overlook: most cyber incidents don’t happen because of some ultra-sophisticated hacker team in a secret lair. They happen because of simple, fixable weaknesses in the very foundations of your IT environment.
We’re talking about gaps that seem small, until they aren’t. A missed software update here, a reused password there, and suddenly a minor oversight becomes a full-blown incident. And while it might sound like a headache best left to your IT team, the truth is these issues often sit on your desk too. If you’re running a business, you need to know what’s at stake.
Here’s the good news, most of these risks are entirely avoidable. But first, we have to shine a light on what they are. These are the six most common network vulnerabilities putting businesses at risk, and how the right support behind the scenes can quietly take them off your plate.
1. Outdated Software and Firmware
Every piece of connected technology, from laptops and servers to switches and routers, runs on software. That software needs regular updates to fix security flaws. When those updates don’t happen, the known vulnerabilities become open doors for attackers.
The problem? These updates often get forgotten or delayed. Staff disable those annoying prompts. Devices get set up and then ignored. And once something is out of sight, it’s out of mind.
Public exploits (ways hackers attack known vulnerabilities) are readily available online. By skipping a security patch, you’re quietly rolling out the red carpet.
A good managed service provider (MSP) can minimise the risk by handling patch management for you. That means updates get checked, tested, and applied in the background, with zero disruption to the people doing the work.
2. Weak or Default Passwords
Passwords are still the first line of defence between your data and a would-be attacker. And yet, weak, reused, or default passwords remain one of the easiest ways into a business network.
The issue isn’t just obvious ones like “admin123”. It’s more systemic than that. Maybe the Wi-Fi router still has its factory login. Maybe users are using the same password for email, CRM and Dropbox. Or maybe a work device was used to create an account on a sketchy website that later had a breach.
Passwords leak all the time. And once criminals get hold of them, they test them against everything, banking portals, remote desktops, Microsoft 365.
What helps? A mix of strong password policies, company-wide education, and things like multi-factor authentication (MFA), which prompts users to verify their identity with a text message or app when logging in from new locations. These are things MSPs often implement as part of security best practice.
3. Poorly Configured Firewalls
Think of your firewall as your network’s bouncer. It decides who can come in, who can leave, and what data makes it through the door. But like any bouncer without proper instructions, a badly configured firewall might end up letting in the wrong people.
This is especially true for businesses that set it and forget it, never updating firewall rules or reviewing access logs. Over time, that creates gaps. Unused ports might be left wide open. Traffic from unknown sources may be allowed. Internal systems could be more exposed than they should be.
The fix isn’t complicated, but it does require someone watching. With many businesses stretched thin, it’s something that often falls into that “we’ll deal with it later” category. MSPs can step in here too, creating firewall configurations tailored to your business, maintaining those rules, and giving you peace of mind that nobody’s slipping through the cracks.
4. Unsecured Remote Access
Remote working has become the norm, and rightly so, but all that flexibility creates a new category of risks.
The big one? Remote access to company resources that’s poorly protected.
Maybe someone’s logging in over an old RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) session from their personal laptop. Maybe a third-party contractor still has access from a project that ended eight months ago. Or maybe the VPN is configured in ‘full access’ mode, letting users (and anyone piggybacking) roam wherever they want in the network.
Remote access is essential, but without tight controls, it’s one of the easiest ways to exploit a network. Secure authentication, expiring permissions, and a “least privilege” model (users only get access to the stuff they need) are all important.
An MSP can help ensure remote access is fully secured, monitored, and aligned with your current work patterns, not last year’s.
5. Unmonitored IoT and Shadow IT
Not every device connected to your network is a laptop or phone anymore. There are printers, security cameras, smart TVs, coffee machines, even connected thermostats or fridges in bigger office setups.
Every one of those devices is a potential vulnerability. Most of them aren’t built with strong security in mind. They have basic firmware, default passwords, and little visibility. And if they’re on the same network as everything else, they create a crack in what might otherwise be a solid wall.
Then there’s shadow IT, the unapproved tech employees bring into the business. Maybe someone installs a file-sharing app or uses their personal Dropbox to make life easier. Those tools might not follow security policies, but they’re still circled into your business activity, often without IT’s knowledge.
This is where visibility matters. You can’t secure what you don’t know exists. Many MSPs offer tools and services that map out your network, identify unverified devices, and isolate them before they become a bigger problem.
6. No Network Segmentation
Here’s a useful metaphor: Imagine your network is an office building. Now imagine every staff member has a master key that unlocks every room, from accounting to HR to the server room. Doesn’t sound like the wisest set-up, does it?
The same applies to networks. If everything is on the same segment, or ‘flat’, then once someone gets into one device (say, a hacked laptop), they typically get access to everything else.
That approach might have been passable for a 10-person office in 2005. But today? With hybrid work, cloud systems, and mobile devices everywhere? It’s a liability.
Network segmentation is the process of dividing your network into smaller, isolated zones based on function or user group. It means that a sales user can’t accidentally (or maliciously) access HR files. If malware hits the marketing department’s shared drive, it doesn’t spread to finance. It’s about reducing the blast radius.
Technically speaking, it’s not hard to set up, but lots of small businesses aren’t doing it. Often it’s because they don’t have someone guiding them through the architecture. That’s another area where MSPs quietly build stronger foundations.
You Don’t Need to Solve All This Alone
If you’ve recognised some of these issues in your business, you’re not alone. Most vulnerabilities, especially in SMBs, aren’t caused by neglect. They happen because business leaders are busy, under-resourced, or simply don’t have the technical visibility into the network.
The real risk isn’t the gaps themselves, it’s letting them go unchecked.
Working with a managed service provider means many routine vulnerabilities get identified and tackled before they even appear on your radar. Updates happen quietly. Passwords are enforced. Firewall rules are reviewed. Networks are designed with resilience in mind. It’s a layer of always-on protection that lets you focus on running the business instead of chasing down technical alerts.