Small Business

Enterprise-Grade Protection, Simplified

Small businesses face the same cyber threats as large enterprises, but with fewer resources. WatchGuard delivers unified, enterprise-grade cybersecurity without the complexity, for powerful protection that’s easy to manage, whether in-house or through a trusted security provider.

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Powerful, Unified Cybersecurity Solutions for Small Businesses

Whether you deploy solutions yourself or partner with a managed security provider, our approach is designed specifically for organizations that need enterprise-level protection without enterprise-level complexity. WatchGuard keeps your small business secure.

52%

52% of small businesses entrust critical security functions to untrained staff or business owners

87%

87% of experts identify AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk

26%

26% of small businesses fail to carry out regular security assessments or pen tests

Why We Build Small Business Security Solutions

Phishing, ransomware, employee mistakes, deepfakes, and AI attacks—small businesses are facing a perfect storm of cybersecurity challenges that require immediate solutions. The average cost of a data breach is now $4.4m, but beyond direct financial losses, the true price of cyberattacks includes damage to customer trust, disrupted operations, and regulatory penalties.

  1. The Knowledge and Resource Gap

    Small business owners try to do it all, but most don't have cybersecurity specialists on staff. The ongoing cybersecurity skills gap means only 14% of organizations manage to find and retain qualified professionals. Research shows that in one-third of cases, alerts and incident resolution are managed by the business owner, a time-intensive task outside their comfort zone. What’s more, nearly 45% of small businesses point to employee carelessness as their top cybersecurity worry.

  2. Rise of Sophisticated AI-Driven Threats

    AI-powered attacks are now an everyday reality. Attackers use AI tools to scan, identify, and exploit vulnerabilities across your attack surface at speeds far beyond the capacity that small IT teams can handle manually. Meanwhile, enterprise organizations protect themselves with larger budgets and dedicated security teams, making small businesses attractive targets for threat actors seeking easier pickings. Around 43% of U.S. small businesses have suffered a cyberattack, with 27% falling victim in the past year alone.

  3. Reactive Instead of Proactive Defense

    The difference between surviving and shutting down is preparation. But many small businesses operate in a reactive mode – responding to incidents after they occur rather than proactively reducing their attack surface. While 80% of small businesses are able to prevent major damage if they have incident response plans in place before an attack, 66% of small business owners lack these professional cybersecurity strategies.

3 Reasons Why Small Businesses Choose WatchGuard

Simplified Setup and Management

Start safeguarding your business in hours, not weeks. Our small business security solutions are intuitive from purchase and deployment to monitoring and reporting. Turn security services on or off with a click, and manage everything through a single cloud-based console. No expensive infrastructure required.

Easy Licensing
and Renewal

Solutions are sized to meet your specific needs, so you don't pay for enterprise features you'll never use. Our flexible licensing scales with your business, and renewals are straightforward so you're always protected without budget surprises.

Unified Security for Your Business

Stop juggling disconnected tools that create blind spots. WatchGuard’s Unified Security Platform combines network, endpoint, identity, and threat protection. Optional Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provides 24/7 expert monitoring.

Bearded man in an office
The breadth and depth of the WatchGuard portfolio gives us confidence and has helped us to win new business, including the implementation of WatchGuard Managed Detection & Response, which enables us to deliver 24/7 protection to our customers.

Craig Jones,

Service Delivery Director, Central IT Solutions

Read the Story

WatchGuard Cybersecurity Solutions for Small Business

A complete portfolio designed for organizations that need powerful protection without complexity.

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Cutting-Edge Network Security

WatchGuard Firebox appliances blend performance and low total cost of ownership, with elegant simplicity. From entry-level T Series tabletop units for small offices to rackmount M Series for high-demand environments, each model provides AI-powered intelligent EDR, APT blocking with sandboxing, and comprehensive security services. The Unified Security Platform architecture simplifies administration by unifying network, identity, and endpoint security into a single management system.

Explore the Firebox Portfolio

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Protect Every Credential

Password reuse, dark web marketplaces, and social engineering mean attackers don't need to hack your systems, they simply log in. Compromised credentials remain the primary entry point for breaches. AuthPoint MFA harnesses unique mobile device characteristics to verify the authorized user's phone before granting access to systems and applications. Cloud-managed with no expensive infrastructure costs upfront, AuthPoint is designed to be easy for business owners and end users alike. Miercom tested and endorsed WatchGuard's AuthPoint as a top-performing MFA solution.

Verify Every Identity

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Efficient Wi-Fi for Small Environments

No modern business can survive without the Internet. But every connection expands your attack surface – and if your business allows free Wi-Fi for guests, that’s yet another opportunity for hackers. WatchGuard offers Wi-Fi 6 access points with secure WPA3 encryption, centralized cloud management, and intelligent reporting. The platform detects and classifies unknown access points, including shadowware devices, evil twins, and rogue APs, allowing for easy segmentation of corporate and guest networks.

Get Secure and Scalable Wi-Fi

workers in a dark SOC room

Detection Isn’t Enough, Response Matters

Let WatchGuard be your 24/7 security team. WatchGuard MDR combines round-the-clock AI-driven automation and human expertise to detect, investigate, and respond to threats across endpoint, network, identity, and cloud. A global SOC investigates alerts, validates genuine threats, and reacts within minutes – with less than 1 false positive per month and 6-minute mean time to first response on critical alerts. Choose from Core MDR for endpoint-focused defense, Total MDR for full WatchGuard stack coverage, or Open MDR to extend protection to third-party tools.

Get 24/7 Security

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