Cybersecurity planning is no longer nice-to-have. In today’s digital climate, it’s the key to staying ahead of bad actors who are constantly developing new ways to access your most critical systems. Just one malicious link or unpatched software vulnerability is all it takes for a cyberattack to unfold.
With the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. reaching a record high of $10.22 million,1 businesses can’t afford to put IT security on the back burner. A Mastercard survey of over 5,000 small business owners found that 46% of them had experienced a cyberattack in 2025. Nearly 1 in 5 of those businesses had to file for bankruptcy or close permanently. 2, 2
As a locally owned managed service provider with over 40 years of experience, the True IT team is proud to work alongside local organizations to help keep them protected. Our Annual Cyber Threat Report lists the top cybersecurity risks for Sonoma County businesses today based on what we’re seeing firsthand.
Below, we explain what those risks are, why they matter, and how local organizations can reduce exposure and strengthen their security defenses.
2026 Top Cybersecurity Risks:
1. AI Cybersecurity Risks
According to a 2025 McKinsey survey, 88% of organizations reported regularly using artificial intelligence (AI) in at least one business function.3 As AI adoption continues to grow, so do the risks. Sonoma County businesses must stay vigilant against increasingly sophisticated AI cybersecurity threats.
Below are some of the most notable AI cybersecurity risks and how to combat them:
AI Scams and Phishing Attacks
AI scams are at an all-time high. In a 2025 data breach report, IBM found that 1 in 6 breaches involved AI. The most common attacks involved phishing and deepfake impersonations.1,1
Phishing is the most frequent attack method businesses face.1 This is where cybercriminals send deceptive messages through email or text to trick people into revealing sensitive data, clicking on malicious links, or downloading corrupted attachments.
AI makes it easier for attackers to generate personalized emails and impersonate trusted contacts. Bad actors can use AI-generated audio, images, and text to create hyper-realistic digital impersonations known as deepfakes. This makes it more challenging than ever to identify fraudulent messages.
How to Protect Your Business
Reducing the risk of AI scams and phishing attacks involves a combination of advanced email spam filtering with consistent employee training.
Modern email security tools analyze sender behavior and message intent to provide stronger protection from things like phishing attempts. Regular cybersecurity training and simulations can also help teach employees how to identify phishing emails and other common tactics.
Uncontrolled AI Access and Data Exposure
AI tools are now a part of everyday business workflows, helping employees draft emails, analyze data, write code, and much more. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 1 in 5 U.S. employees use AI to complete some of their work.4
However, sharing sensitive data with unvetted AI tools creates significant risks for businesses. Employees can unknowingly input confidential information, allowing AI platforms to store, use, or even expose that data.
Without clear controls, these AI tools can quickly turn routine work tasks into major security vulnerabilities and compliance breaches.
How to Protect Your Business
In 2025, 97% of companies that reported an AI-related security incident didn’t have proper access controls.1 A simple solution is to assume all data shared with AI tools will be seen by someone outside of your organization.
It’s also important to establish rules for which AI tools and platforms can be used, and what data should never be shared with them.
2. Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that encrypts business data and systems until a ransom is paid to the attackers. The average cost of ransomware extortion is $5.08 million.1
Ransomware attacks are increasingly targeting entire operational systems rather than just data storage alone. Attackers want to disrupt scheduling, billing, production, and other key operations to increase pressure to pay, creating a domino effect of problems.
For any Sonoma County business owners who believe they are too small to be targeted, unfortunately, the data shows this is not the case. Ransomware is a massive threat to organizations of all sizes, with a high percentage of attacks targeting small businesses specifically.
In fact, according to Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), 88% of data breaches at SMBs involved ransomware, compared to just 39% at larger enterprises.5
How to Protect Your Business
The most effective defense against ransomware combines a reliable data backup and recovery strategy with endpoint detection and response tools.
Backups should be isolated from the main network and tested regularly. A managed service provider can also facilitate 24x7x365 monitoring to detect encryption activity before it spreads.
3. Compromised Credentials
Compromised credentials remain one of the easiest ways for attackers to gain access to business systems. Just one breached password is often all it takes for hackers to break into entire systems, especially if it’s weak or used for more than one account. In fact, in a 2025 report, Cybernews found that 94% of the over 19 billion compromised passwords the analysied were reused.6
Poor password practices can put your Sonoma County business at risk for attacks like credential stuffing and brute force attacks.
Credential Stuffing
Credential stuffing is when criminals use credentials from one data breach to break into a completely separate system. For example, they may use a list of passwords obtained from a bank to try to log into the systems of a hospital. Without unique credentials, your business is at a higher risk.
Brute Force Attacks
Brute force attacks rely on trial-and-error to guess passwords, encryption keys, or credentials at scale. Bad actors often use automated tools to systematically guess every possible combination until one works.
With AI, these tools are faster and more effective than ever—and weak credentials are at a higher risk of being compromised.
How to Protect Your Business
Going back to the basics and strengthening digital hygiene habits can have a substantial impact on your organization’s overall security. This includes implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), password audits, and regular cybersecurity training to keep employees up to date with best practices.
4. Insider Threats and Human Error
Insider threats can be a major risk for Sonoma County businesses. These threats typically involve employees or contractors who harm an organization either unintentionally or maliciously through data theft, sabotage, or negligence.
Some examples of insider threats include:
- Unintentional (human error): accidental mistakes like emailing sensitive data to the wrong person, falling for a phishing scam, or using unsecured devices that create security vulnerabilities
- Malicious: intentional harm to a business, such as a former employee leaking or selling sensitive data, login credentials, intellectual property, or trade secrets
According to a report by SpyCloud, 56% of surveyed organizations experienced an insider threat incident in 2025.7
How to Protect Your Business
According to IBM, 26% of breaches in 2025 were caused by human error.1 Insider threats can have devastating consequences for Sonoma County businesses, but they’re also preventable with the right strategies.
Consider implementing strict access control policies, reviewing permissions regularly, and conducting ongoing security awareness training to safeguard your organization.
5. Supply Chain Attacks
In the U.S., supply chain compromise was the second most prevalent cyberattack method in 2025, impacting 15% of businesses surveyed by IBM.1 This trend is only expected to continue.
A supply chain compromise happens when attackers infiltrate a business indirectly by targeting a trusted third-party vendor. Vendors in your supply chain can include any software, hardware, or service provider you use. Instead of attacking your business directly, cybercriminals target the companies and tools you rely on, then use that trusted relationship to gain access to your systems.
How to Protect Your Businesses
Outdated software is one of the easiest ways attackers get in. In fact, the 2025 State of Ransomware Report by SOPHOS found that 32% of cyberattacks started with an unpatched software vulnerability.8
Protecting your business from supply chain attacks involves strict software update practices, thoroughly vetting all vendors, and establishing clear security requirements in contracts to minimize the risk of a breach.
Safeguard Your Sonoma County Business with True IT
Many familiar and emerging cyber threats are more advanced than ever. With the rise of AI, cybercriminals are attacking more quickly, more accurately, and on a larger scale. Having a strong IT security posture is no longer optional, but necessary for Sonoma County businesses, big and small.
True IT is here to help. We have over 40 years of experience helping Sonoma County businesses stay protected with tailored cybersecurity strategies and managed IT services.
Don’t wait for threats to compromise your business. Contact us today for a FREE consultation and learn how a managed service provider can benefit your organization.
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