“Cyber Tax” Warning as Two-Fifths of SMBs Raise Prices After Breach

The ITRC 2025 Business Impact Report, based on interviews with 662 US small-business leaders, finds that 81% experienced a security or data breach in the past year, with many attributing incidents to AI-powered attacks and subsequently raising prices; the report warns that AI enables more convincing phishing, deepfakes, adaptive malware and automated reconnaissance, notes declining MFA and security investment among small businesses, and recommends updated training, strict verification policies, and modern AI-aware defenses.