You've probably seen the headlines about the US-Iran conflict. But here's the part that didn't make the nightly news: that conflict is creating real cybersecurity risks for small businesses right here in the United States.
This isn't about politics. It's about the fact that when nations go at it, cyberattacks ramp up across the board. And a lot of those attacks don't care whether you're a government agency or a 15-person company in Georgia. At NGT Technology, we've been keeping a close eye on this, and we want to make sure our clients and other local business owners know what's going on and what to do about it.
What's Actually Happening
Here's the short version: following the escalation of the US-Iran conflict in 2025, multiple US government agencies sounded the alarm on cyber threats.
In June 2025, CISA and the FBI released a joint advisory warning about Iranian state-sponsored threat actors targeting US organizations. The Department of Homeland Security followed up with a formal National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin on June 22, 2025, specifically calling out the risk of "disruptive cyberattacks" from Iranian hacktivists and state-affiliated groups.
The numbers back it up. Radware recorded a 700% spike in cyberattacks against Israel in the two days following the June 12, 2025 strikes. Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 has been tracking around 60 active hacktivist groups aligned with Iran. As of March 2026, Unit 42 identified over 7,381 phishing URLs tied to these operations.
These aren't just targeting governments and defense contractors. They're going after businesses of all sizes.
Why Small Businesses Are in the Crosshairs
You might be thinking, "Why would a state-sponsored hacking group care about my business?" Fair question. Here's the answer: they probably don't know or care that it's your business specifically. And that's exactly the problem.
These groups use automated scanning tools that sweep across thousands of networks looking for easy entry points. Unpatched software, weak passwords, no multi-factor authentication -- if you've got any of those, you're on the list. According to Guardz's 2025 SMB Cybersecurity Report, 43% of US small businesses experienced at least one cyberattack in the past five years. Attacks on SMBs nearly doubled in the first half of 2025 alone.
What's also changed is that Iranian state actors are now partnering with criminal ransomware groups like NoEscape and ALPHV/BlackCat. That means the sophisticated tools and tactics that used to be reserved for espionage are now being used to extort money from everyday businesses.
If you want more context on the types of threats targeting businesses in our area, check out our post on cybersecurity threats facing small businesses in Gwinnett County.
The Threats Worth Watching
Here are the specific threats that are ramping up right now:
Phishing campaigns. Iranian groups are running massive, coordinated phishing operations. Some are now using AI-enhanced social engineering to make their emails more convincing. If your team isn't trained on how to spot these, they're going to get caught. We've written about the different types of phishing attacks and the SLAM method for spotting them if you want a refresher.
Ransomware. With state actors teaming up with criminal ransomware gangs, the volume and sophistication of ransomware attacks is increasing. These attacks encrypt your files and demand payment, and the groups behind them are well-funded and organized.
Supply chain attacks. This is the sneaky one. Instead of attacking your business directly, they compromise a vendor or software provider you use, and get in through the back door. If one of your software tools gets breached, you're exposed whether you did everything right or not.
DDoS attacks. While DDoS attacks mostly target larger organizations, they can take down cloud services, payment processors, and other platforms your business depends on. The ripple effects hit small businesses too.
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The good news is that the defenses against these threats are straightforward and affordable. Here's what CISA recommends, translated into plain English:
- Turn on MFA everywhere. Multi-factor authentication is the single most effective thing you can do. If someone steals a password, MFA stops them from actually getting in. Enable it on email, cloud apps, financial systems -- everything. We've written a full guide on why MFA is non-negotiable in 2026.
- Patch your systems this week. Every "update available" notification you've been putting off? Those often contain security fixes for vulnerabilities that Iranian groups are actively exploiting. CISA specifically called out unpatched VPNs, firewalls, and email servers.
- Test your backups. Having backups isn't enough. When was the last time you actually tested restoring from one? If the answer is "never" or "I don't know," that's a problem. Try restoring a file or a mailbox this week.
- Segment your network. Keep different systems on separate network segments. That way, if one device gets compromised, the attacker can't just hop across to everything else. Your security cameras, employee workstations, and servers should not all be on the same network.
- Train your team on phishing. People are always the weakest link. Run a quick training session on how to spot suspicious emails, texts, and links. Even 30 minutes makes a difference. Check out our guide to the SLAM method for a simple framework anyone can use.
- Review who has access to what. Do a quick audit of user accounts and permissions. Does everyone still need the access they have? Are there former employees with active accounts? Clean it up.
- Have an incident response plan. If something does happen, do you know who to call? What steps to take? Having a basic plan in writing before you need it can be the difference between a bad day and a catastrophe.
How to Stay Informed Without Losing Sleep
You don't need to become a cybersecurity expert. But it helps to know where to look when things heat up.
CISA's Shields Up campaign is a great starting point. They publish alerts and guidance specifically for businesses during periods of heightened cyber risk. It's free, and it's written in plain language.
And honestly, this is one of the biggest benefits of working with a managed security provider. Someone is watching the threat landscape, tracking advisories, and adjusting your defenses so you don't have to. That's what we do at NGT Technology for our clients.
The Bottom Line
The goal of this post isn't to scare you. It's to make sure you're informed and prepared. The threats from the US-Iran conflict are real, but the defenses are straightforward. MFA, patching, backups, training -- none of this is expensive or complicated. It just needs to actually be in place.
If you're reading this and wondering where your business stands, we're happy to help. We offer a free discovery call where we'll walk through your setup and show you exactly what needs attention. No sales pitch, no pressure -- just a clear picture of your risk. Give us a call at (404) 990-4540 or book a discovery call online.
