Small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) face a daunting cybersecurity landscape. With 29% of businesses with fewer than 25 employees and nearly one in five midsize SMBs (19%) having experienced ransomware attacks in 2025, the threat is no longer theoretical; it’s a statistical inevitability. And as the holiday season approaches, these challenges intensify dramatically. Cyberattacks traditionally spike during this time, creating a perfect storm of vulnerability when businesses can least afford disruption.
The security challenges facing SMBs are compounded by inherent resource constraints. Unlike enterprise organizations with dedicated security teams and substantial budgets, SMBs operate with limited IT resources and minimal cybersecurity expertise. Resource-strapped SMBs often have unpatched operating systems with known vulnerabilities that provide entry points for data theft and frequently suffer from weak endpoint management, which creates pathways into company databases. These gaps leave them exposed to sophisticated attacks, and, even worse, some of them can bypass traditional defenses. Firmware-level attacks, for instance, can evade standard antivirus protections.
The October 14 end of support for Windows 10 has added urgency to these concerns. Many existing devices lack the hardware requirements for Windows 11, forcing SMBs to confront both security and compliance risks. However, this transition presents more than just a challenge. With the right approach, this transition offers a strategic opportunity to fundamentally strengthen security posture through intelligent hardware decisions.
The strategic security opportunity
To protect themselves from attack, SMBs need to implement a layered security strategy that integrates protection across three critical levels: silicon, the operating system, and endpoints. This defense-in-depth strategy ensures that even if attackers breach one layer, business operations and data will remain protected.
Silicon-level security provides the first line of defense. Devices equipped with AMD Ryzen AI Pro 300 Series, Secure Boot and Memory Guard can deliver enterprise-grade hardware protection at an SMB price point. These features establish security from the moment a device powers on, preventing malicious code from executing during the boot process.
The operating system layer represents the second critical defense tier. Business-grade devices featuring trusted platform module (TPM) 2.0 and virtualization-based security provide the same sophisticated security controls that Fortune 500 companies deploy — but without the enterprise price tag. These technologies create isolated, hardware-backed security environments that protect credentials and sensitive operations from compromise.
The endpoint layer completes the security stack. Devices with dual BIOS configurations, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) compliance, biometric authentication, chassis intrusion protection, self-encrypting drives, and automatic firmware updates create multiple barriers against attack. This comprehensive approach ensures business continuity even under assault.
ASUS Expert Series devices exemplify this layered security philosophy in practice. By integrating all three protection levels — from silicon through the operating system to endpoints — these business-grade computers provide SMBs with a comprehensive, affordable defense against evolving cyberthreats.
As SMBs navigate the transition from Windows 10 during this critical holiday period, the message is clear: Replacement devices should be evaluated not merely as productivity tools but as foundational security infrastructure. By selecting hardware with integrated, layered security capabilities, SMBs can transform a necessary upgrade into a strategic advantage that protects their operations, customers, and future growth in an increasingly hostile threat landscape.
To learn more about how ASUS can help your company implement defense-in-depth against attacks, visit us here.
