Why SMB Cyber Attacks Could Cripple the U.S. Economy

Event ID: PP1162387

Tue, Mar 17, 2026 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Venue: Salon E (JW Marriott)

View on Official SXSW

Summary

Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) account for 99.9% of U.S. businesses and nearly half of GDP, yet their cybersecurity capabilities lag dangerously behind. Nation-state actors and cybercriminals now target SMBs and the managed service providers (MSPs) that support them because one breach can cascade across thousands of businesses, posing a serious risk to national security and economic stability. As AI supercharges social engineering and ransomware at scale, this overlooked attack surface has become one of the most urgent vulnerabilities in America.

Contributors

Raw Event JSON

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Open JSON payload
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