Think your business data is secure? This 15-minute self-assessment will show you exactly where your most sensitive information is vulnerable—and you might be surprised by what you find.

Why This Audit Matters

Most SMBs operate under a dangerous assumption: that basic security measures provide adequate protection. Password managers, cloud storage, and antivirus software create a sense of security that often exceeds the actual protection they provide.

This audit focuses on the most common vulnerabilities in SMB environments—not exotic cyber attacks, but everyday exposures that lead to the majority of data incidents. By the end of these 15 minutes, you’ll have a clear picture of your actual security posture and specific actions to improve it.

Section 1: Email Security (3 minutes)

Email remains the primary vector for both inbound threats and outbound data leaks. Answer these questions honestly:

Question 1: In the last month, how many times have you sent sensitive information (pricing, client details, financial data) via unencrypted email?

  • Never (3 points)
  • 1-5 times (2 points)
  • 6-15 times (1 point)
  • More than 15 times (0 points)

Question 2: Do you have automated systems to detect when sensitive information is being sent externally?

  • Yes, comprehensive detection (3 points)
  • Yes, basic detection (2 points)
  • Manual review only (1 point)
  • No systematic detection (0 points)

Question 3: When employees leave the company, how quickly do you revoke their email access?

  • Immediately/same day (3 points)
  • Within 24 hours (2 points)
  • Within a week (1 point)
  • No standard process (0 points)

Question 4: Have you experienced any email-related security incidents in the past year (wrong recipients, accidental forwards, etc.)?

  • No incidents (3 points)
  • 1-2 minor incidents (2 points)
  • 3-5 incidents (1 point)
  • More than 5 incidents (0 points)

Email Security Score: ___/12

Section 2: Cloud Storage & File Sharing (4 minutes)

Cloud storage has revolutionized collaboration but created new exposure risks.

Question 5: What’s your default setting for sharing sensitive documents?

  • Specific individuals only (3 points)
  • Anyone in organization (2 points)
  • Anyone with link (1 point)
  • Public/open sharing (0 points)

Question 6: Do you regularly audit who has access to your most sensitive files?

  • Monthly audits (3 points)
  • Quarterly audits (2 points)
  • Annual audits (1 point)
  • No regular audits (0 points)

Question 7: How do you handle file access for contractors and temporary workers?

  • Specific project folders only (3 points)
  • Limited company access (2 points)
  • Same access as employees (1 point)
  • No specific controls (0 points)

Question 8: Do you know which of your files are currently shared externally?

  • Complete visibility (3 points)
  • Most files tracked (2 points)
  • Some visibility (1 point)
  • No tracking (0 points)

Question 9: How quickly can you revoke a former employee’s access to all shared files?

  • Immediately (3 points)
  • Within hours (2 points)
  • Within days (1 point)
  • Don’t know/weeks (0 points)

Cloud Storage Score: ___/15

Section 3: Corporate Confidential Information (4 minutes)

This section addresses information that’s valuable to your business but not covered by traditional security tools.

Question 10: Do you have a clear policy about what information is considered confidential?

  • Written, comprehensive policy (3 points)
  • Informal but clear guidelines (2 points)
  • Basic understanding (1 point)
  • No specific policy (0 points)

Question 11: How often do employees accidentally share corporate confidential information (pricing, strategies, client details)?

  • Never that I know of (3 points)
  • Rarely (2-3 times/year) (2 points)
  • Occasionally (monthly) (1 point)
  • Frequently (weekly or more) (0 points)

Question 12: Do you monitor for corporate confidential information in outbound communications?

  • Automated monitoring (3 points)
  • Manual review process (2 points)
  • Spot checking (1 point)
  • No monitoring (0 points)

Question 13: How do you protect sensitive information in client presentations and proposals?

  • Strict access controls (3 points)
  • Basic protections (2 points)
  • Standard file sharing (1 point)
  • No special protections (0 points)

Question 14: If a competitor gained access to your strategic plans, budget, or client list, what would be the business impact?

  • Minimal impact (3 points)
  • Some competitive disadvantage (2 points)
  • Significant damage (1 point)
  • Potentially catastrophic (0 points)

Corporate Confidential Score: ___/15

Section 4: Incident Response & Recovery (2 minutes)

How prepared are you to handle security incidents when they occur?

Question 15: Do you have a written incident response plan?

  • Comprehensive, tested plan (3 points)
  • Basic plan documented (2 points)
  • Informal process (1 point)
  • No plan (0 points)

Question 16: How quickly could you identify all files accessed by a potentially compromised account?

  • Within hours (3 points)
  • Within a day (2 points)
  • Within a week (1 point)
  • Don’t know/very difficult (0 points)

Question 17: Do you have backups of all critical business data?

  • Automated, tested backups (3 points)
  • Regular backups (2 points)
  • Occasional backups (1 point)
  • No systematic backups (0 points)

Incident Response Score: ___/9

Section 5: Employee Awareness & Training (2 minutes)

Human factors often determine security effectiveness more than technology.

Question 18: How often do you provide security awareness training?

  • Regular, ongoing training (3 points)
  • Annual training (2 points)
  • Initial training only (1 point)
  • No formal training (0 points)

Question 19: Do employees know how to identify and report potential security incidents?

  • Clear process, regular communication (3 points)
  • Basic process communicated (2 points)
  • Informal understanding (1 point)
  • No clear process (0 points)

Question 20: How confident are you that employees follow security policies consistently?

  • Very confident (3 points)
  • Mostly confident (2 points)
  • Somewhat confident (1 point)
  • Not confident (0 points)

Employee Awareness Score: ___/9

Your Security Score Analysis

Total Possible Points: 60

50-60 Points: Strong Security Posture Congratulations! You have comprehensive security practices in place. Focus on maintaining these standards as you grow and ensuring all employees understand their security responsibilities.

Areas for attention:

  • Review any sections where you scored less than 80%
  • Consider advanced monitoring tools for continuous improvement
  • Plan for security scaling as your business grows

35-49 Points: Good Foundation, Some Gaps You have solid security basics but several areas need attention. These gaps could create significant vulnerabilities as your business grows.

Priority actions:

  • Address any section where you scored less than 60%
  • Implement automated monitoring for high-risk areas
  • Develop formal policies for informal processes
  • Consider tools that can fill multiple gaps simultaneously

20-34 Points: Significant Vulnerabilities Your current security posture puts your business at substantial risk. While you may not have experienced incidents yet, statistical probability suggests you will without improvements.

Immediate actions needed:

  • Focus first on email security and cloud storage controls
  • Implement basic monitoring for corporate confidential information
  • Develop incident response procedures
  • Consider comprehensive security tools designed for SMBs

Below 20 Points: Critical Risk Level Your business is operating with minimal security protection. A data incident is likely a matter of when, not if.

Emergency priorities:

  • Audit all current file sharing and access permissions
  • Implement immediate email security measures
  • Create basic incident response procedures
  • Seek professional security assistance or comprehensive tools

What This Audit Reveals

If you scored perfectly on this audit, you’re in the top 5% of SMBs for security preparedness. Most businesses discover significant gaps they weren’t aware of.

The most common discoveries:

  • Email exposure: 78% of SMBs regularly send sensitive information via unencrypted email
  • Cloud over-sharing: 65% have files shared more broadly than necessary
  • Corporate blind spots: 82% have no systematic protection for corporate confidential information
  • Response gaps: 71% lack formal incident response procedures

Taking Action

This audit identifies vulnerabilities, but knowledge without action doesn’t improve security. Priority order for improvements:

  1. Stop the bleeding: Address immediate high-risk exposures
  2. Implement monitoring: You can’t protect what you can’t see
  3. Automate protection: Reduce reliance on human consistency
  4. Plan for incidents: Assume something will eventually go wrong
  5. Scale with growth: Ensure security grows as your business does

The goal isn’t perfect security—it’s adequate security for your risk level and business requirements. Use this audit as a baseline to measure improvement over time.

Remember: Security isn’t a destination, it’s an ongoing practice. Reassess quarterly as your business grows and the threat landscape evolves.