It’s Not If, But When

Why every business—no matter how big or small—must prepare for the inevitable.

In today’s digital-first world, the question facing businesses isn’t if they will experience a cyber-incident, but when. Data breaches, ransomware attacks, and sophisticated intrusions are no longer rare, remote possibilities: they’re everyday realities that cross industries, geographies, and company sizes. At Secure Data Technologies, we believe that embracing this truth is the first step toward creating resilience—so when the crisis inevitably comes, your business is ready.

Why we say “when” rather than “if”
Several trends crystallize the urgency:

• Cyber-crime is growing at an astounding rate: projections suggest that by 2025, global losses from cyber-crime could reach $10.5 trillion. Strobes Security+3VikingCloud+3IT Governance+3
• Publicly disclosed breaches and incidents continue to soar—one tracker found that in June 2025 alone, there were 33 recorded data breaches and cyber-attacks. IT Governance+2CM Alliance+2
• No organization is exempt: healthcare systems, insurers, manufacturers, retailers—all have been targeted. techtarget.com+1

What this means: whether you’re a small facility-management firm, a regional healthcare provider, or a large enterprise with multiple locations, the threat is real. And it’s growing more virulent by the day.

A few high-profile incidents from 2025
It’s easy to feel safe because you’re “not big enough” to be targeted—but the evidence suggests otherwise. Here are some examples:

• AT&T: In June 2025, the telecom giant confirmed a data breach that exposed more than 86 million customer records—including full names, emails, addresses, phone numbers, and over 44 million U.S. Social Security numbers. New York Post+1
• TransUnion: One of the major US credit reporting agencies, disclosed a data breach that took place in July 2025, impacting 4.4 million customers.  The data breach involved a third-party application that stored personal customer data and served its US consumer support operations. It did not include its core credit database or credit reports. Although the data breach was contained within hours, threat actors may have stolen personal information, including at least names, Social Security numbers, and birthdates. TransUnion is sending notifications to affected individuals. 
• Yale New Haven Health System: In April 2025, this major healthcare provider reported a breach impacting approximately 5.5 million individuals. Data stolen included names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, medical record numbers, and Social Security numbers. Strobes Security+1
• Nucor Corporation: In May 2025, the steel-making giant confirmed a “limited” data breach tied to a cyberattack—underlining that even industrial/manufacturing firms are at risk. Cybersecurity Dive
• Marks & Spencer (M&S): Also for April/May 2025, this UK retailer suffered a breach exposing customer order histories, dates of birth, contact info, and more—showing that retail/consumer-facing firms are continually in the cross-hairs. Strobes Security+1

These are just tip-of-the-iceberg cases—but they illustrate a key point: if major brands with deep resources are being hit, so can your organization.

What’s at stake
When a breach or incident occurs, the consequences stretch far beyond immediate disruption:

• Operational downtime: systems locked, access disrupted, revenue stalled.
• Data loss or theft: customer information, employee records, financials—all exposed.
• Brand and reputation damage: trust takes a hit, customers leave.
• Regulatory and compliance risk: obligations to report breaches, potential fines.
• Recovery costs: forensic investigations, legal, notification, and remediation.

According to recent industry data, the average cost of a breach globally reached nearly $4.9 million in 2024—and the trend shows no signs of easing. techtarget.com+1
In short: you can afford not to prepare—but you may not afford the impact when something happens.

Why Secure Data Technologies is your go-to partner
At Secure Data Technologies, we specialize in supporting businesses like yours, whether you’re a managing partner at a large law firm, or an IT Director with a grocery chain, you always need eyes on your network. Here’s how we help you proactively prepare for the “when”:

• Comprehensive cybersecurity services
  • Threat monitoring and proactive defense
  • Employee training and awareness programs (because many breaches start with human error)
  • Incident-response planning and testing
• Robust data backup & recovery
  • Automated, offsite backups (on-premises, cloud or hybrid)
  • Regular testing of restore processes
  • Ensuring your data remains safe, retrievable, and business-continuity ready
• Business continuity & resilience
  • We don’t just defend, we plan, so when an event happens, you can keep going
  • Scenario modeling and disaster-recovery planning tailored for your industry
  • Ensuring your clients, customers, and operations don’t grind to a halt
• Industry-specific awareness and alignment
  • Healthcare: Patient data is highly sensitive, and hospitals, clinics, and health systems are prime targets. Breaches can compromise medical records, billing data, and Social Security numbers—putting both patients and providers at risk.
  • Manufacturing: Industrial systems, supply chains, and proprietary designs are increasingly targeted by ransomware and espionage attacks. Even a temporary operational disruption can halt production and cost millions.
  • Legal: Law firms and legal departments hold confidential client information, contracts, and litigation materials. A breach could expose sensitive legal strategies, client data, and regulatory filings.
  • Construction: Companies managing large projects, multiple job sites, and subcontractors rely on cloud systems for designs, contracts, and project management. A cyber incident can delay projects, jeopardize client trust, and disrupt operations.
• Ongoing partnership—not just a one-off project
  • Cyber-threats evolve constantly. SDT stands beside you with continuous monitoring, review of your landscape, and adaptation of your protective posture.
  • We help you move from reactive mode to proactive readiness.

What can you do?

• Conduct a risk assessment: what are your critical assets, data flows, and third-party exposures?
• Ensure you have tested backups: when was the last time you restored a backup under time pressure?
• Build an incident-response plan: who does what when something goes wrong? How will you communicate internally and externally?
• Train your team: phishing, social-engineering, insider threats—they all start with people.
• Partner with an expert: you don’t need to do it on your own. An experienced MSP like Secure Data Technologies can embed those capabilities into your business.

Final word
In a world where even the largest organizations are being breached, the only safe mindset is this: It’s not if, but when your company may face a cyber-incident. The difference between the businesses that survive and thrive and those that struggle will be how prepared they were before the crisis hit.
When you choose Secure Data Technologies, you’re choosing more than an IT vendor; you’re choosing a partner committed to protecting your data, your operations, your business continuity, and your reputation. Let’s make sure when “when” happens, you’re ready. Contact us today.