VULNERABILITIES IN THE CYBERSPACE AND THEIR IMPACT ON SMES

This article is intended to provide a brief theoretical overview of the cyber vulnerabilities that affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as the subsequent economic impacts. The main objective is to analyze the most common vulnerabilities in cybersecurity systems, and as a result, to formulate recommendations for improving digital protection. The approach includes an analysis of secondary sources, a thematic review of the available literature, and a risk assessment using a simplified economic model. By default, SMEs that do not implement basic cybersecurity measures are vulnerable to all types of emerging threats. Small and medium-sized enterprises often do not treat cybersecurity as a priority, which differentiates them from larger organizations that have substantial budgets and specialized teams.