If you regularly assess the networks of small and medium-sized businesses, you see the same vulnerabilities over and over again. Not because the IT is bad, but because day-to-day business takes priority.
Here are the 10 most common vulnerabilities that show up during security scans of Swiss SME networks — and what you can do about them.
1. Outdated Software Without Security Updates
The single most common problem. Windows Server 2012, PHP 7.4, Exchange 2013 — systems that no longer receive patches. They often keep running reliably, but they are wide open to known attacks.
What to do: Create an inventory of all systems, check end-of-life dates, plan migrations.
2. RDP Ports Exposed to the Internet
Remote Desktop Protocol (port 3389) directly reachable from the internet — one of the most popular entry points for ransomware attacks.
What to do: Make RDP accessible only through VPN. If that is not possible, at a minimum enable Network Level Authentication (NLA) and enforce strong passwords.
3. Missing or Misconfigured SSL/TLS Certificates
Expired certificates, outdated TLS versions (TLS 1.0, 1.1), weak cipher suites. Often a valid certificate is in place, but the server configuration behind it is insecure.
What to do: Configure all externally reachable services for TLS 1.2 or higher. Disable TLS 1.0 and 1.1. Set up automatic certificate renewal (Let’s Encrypt).
4. Default Passwords on Network Devices
Routers, switches, printers, NAS devices — many are shipped with default passwords and never reconfigured. admin/admin, admin/password or root/root are surprisingly common.
What to do: Inventory all network devices, change default passwords, set up centralised authentication (RADIUS/LDAP) where possible.
5. SNMP with Default Community Strings
Simple Network Management Protocol with the community string “public” or “private” gives attackers detailed information about your entire network infrastructure.
What to do: Use SNMP v3 with authentication. If SNMP v1/v2c is necessary, at least change the community string.
6. Missing Email Security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
Without these DNS records, anyone can send emails on your behalf. This makes phishing attacks against your customers and employees much easier.
What to do: Set up an SPF record, configure DKIM, define a DMARC policy. Most hosting providers offer guides for this.
7. Open SMB Shares on the Internal Network
Windows file shares with no access restrictions. They often contain sensitive data — salary lists, contracts, credentials — visible to anyone on the network.
What to do: Review access permissions on all shares. Remove “Everyone” as a permission. Audit regularly.
8. Outdated WordPress Installations and Plugins
WordPress is the most widely used CMS in Switzerland. Outdated plugins are one of the most common causes of website compromises.
What to do: Enable automatic updates. Delete unused plugins (do not just deactivate them). Check regularly for known vulnerabilities.
9. Missing HTTP Security Headers
Many web servers do not send security headers like Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options or Strict-Transport-Security. This makes cross-site scripting (XSS) and clickjacking attacks easier.
What to do: Set security headers in your web server configuration. Tools like securityheaders.com help with verification.
10. No Regular Vulnerability Scans
The most fundamental vulnerability of all: nobody ever checks systematically. Many SMEs rely on their IT provider or their firewall and assume everything is fine.
What to do: Set up regular automated scans. Monthly at minimum, weekly ideally.
Conclusion
None of these vulnerabilities is exotic. And none is hard to fix. The problem is almost always the same: nobody looked.
An automated vulnerability scan finds these issues in minutes. No specialist knowledge needed, no expensive consultant, no major effort.
ExposIQ automatically checks your systems for all the vulnerabilities listed above and over 64’000 additional CVEs. Hosted in Switzerland, reports in your language. Try it free for 14 days.
