Ransomware-Ready Playbook
A minimal cyber baseline that fits a small-business budget
Build an SMB-appropriate ransomware readiness plan: reduce likelihood with training, MFA, and patching; reduce blast radius with least privilege; and recover fast with tested backups and a step-by-step runbook.
INGREDIENTS
PROMPT
Create a ransomware readiness playbook for my small business. Ask for: number of users, key systems (email, accounting, POS), remote work, and current backups. Provide: - a prioritized checklist of controls (most impact first), - a simple employee training plan (phishing, passwords, MFA), - a step-by-step incident response plan (isolate, contact, restore, report), - a backup/restore test schedule. Keep recommendations practical for small budgets/time.
How It Works
SMBs are disproportionately targeted by ransomware because attackers know defenses are
thin. This byte builds a 10-control baseline checklist prioritized by impact, a phishing
training micro-plan, a step-by-step incident response runbook, and a quarterly backup
restore test schedule.
What You Get
- A 10-control baseline checklist (MFA, backups, patching, training) prioritized by impact
- A phishing and password training micro-plan
- A step-by-step incident response runbook (isolate, contact, restore, report)
- A quarterly backup restore test schedule
Setup Steps
- List your devices, key apps (email, accounting, POS), and who has admin access
- Know your current backup method (if any) and remote work setup
- Run the byte and work through the checklist in priority order
- Schedule the quarterly restore test on your calendar
Tips
- MFA on email and accounting is the single highest-impact control for most SMBs
- A backup you've never tested is not a backup — the quarterly restore test is non-negotiable
- The incident response runbook should be printed and stored offline (you can't access it if your systems are encrypted)
- Keep recommendations practical for small budgets and limited IT time