Why Standard Business Broadband isn’t enough to keep Operations secure.

Your broadband connection is open right now, and so is your exposure to cyberattacks. For most small businesses, Internet access and security are treated as two separate conversations. They shouldn't be. Every connection is a potential entry point, and standard broadband alone doesn't close that door.

Standalone locations and small businesses don't often have the time, resources or technical capabilities to monitor Internet traffic or maintain complex security tools. Because most broadband connections are left unguarded, they can become a pathway for phishing attempts, malware-infected sites and other online activity that impacts everything from point-of-sale platforms to back-office systems.

The best way to protect your business? Find ways to reduce exposure without adding more complexity to operations. Optimum Business Secure Internet solutions are simple, effective and built into the reliable broadband service you already use every day.

With an added layer of protection, you don't have to configure or maintain on your own-you can be confident that operations are running smoothly without being exposed to preventable threats. And there's no extra hardware or high-level technical expertise needed to get started or keep it running.

How cyber incidents become business problems

The numbers tell a direct story: In 2025, 63% of businesses worldwide experienced a cyberattack (Statista). Among small businesses specifically, the number climbs higher as more than 8 in 10 reported an attack or data breach that year. If it hasn't happened to your business yet, the odds suggest it's not a matter of if.

Otherwise, when threats sneak through, your business can run up against problems like:

• Costly downtime - every hour offline is revenue you can't recover
• Lost transactions - POS outages mean customers walk out the door
• Reputational damage - a breach makes the news long before the fix does
• Loss of sensitive data - customer records, payment info, staff details
• Increased insurance premiums - insurers price in your risk profile
• Regulatory and legal exposure - depending on your industry and the data compromised

In retail and hospitality environments, even a short disruption can impact the customer experience and the bottom line. Once you're dealing with outages, recovery work and negative publicity, these issues suddenly have very real dollar figures attached to them.

That is why it is critical to consider the capabilities of your current broadband service and what it's doing to protect your business and all its locations. The right safeguards go a long way toward preventing these setbacks.

Secure Internet services that come with business broadband

Optimum Business Secure Internet is built into your broadband service from day one—no separate system, no configuration, no ongoing maintenance on your end. Instead of relying on employees to spot and report something suspicious, it automatically filters known malicious domains before they reach your network. You don't have to think about it. It just works. Instead of relying on users to spot and report something suspicious, Secure Internet automatically filters out known malicious domains behind the scenes. Think of it like a checkpoint for web traffic, where DNS-level filtering locks down remote sites.

This built-in protection is included with your business broadband service, so you're ready from Day One to defend against common threats. It's always running in the background to lower risk and keep you online and productive.

For some businesses, this is the right level of safeguard. For others, it's a foundation for adding more controls and better visibility.

Secure Internet Plus tailors protection to your business

For businesses that need more control, there’s another option: Secure Internet Plus puts you in control of how protection is applied. In addition to blocking malicious domains, this cloud-based solution also allows you to customize your network security with features like:

• Block or allow specific sites - so only the right content reaches your network
• Time-based access controls - align permissions with business hours and usage policies
• Real-time threat visibility - see what's targeting your business and respond before it becomes a problem
• Usage monitoring - track what's happening on your network at any time
• Scheduled threat reports - regular summaries so you're always informed
• Custom block pages - replace blocked content with your company's branded messaging

This enhanced level of protection works like an invisible shield around your business, helping you enforce policies, block risky activity, see what's being blocked and align security with how your business runs. It also turns technical controls into measurable business outcomes: time-based restrictions help reduce distractions and improve employee productivity, site controls limit exposure to high-risk content and real-time visibility allows faster response to threats before they disrupt operations.

Reduce cyber risk in practical ways

Lowering cyber risk doesn't have to mean overhauling your entire environment with a complex security program overnight. You can make practical, manageable changes over time to reduce exposure where it matters: your broadband connections.

Take time to evaluate your current broadband setup to determine whether protection is built-in and where simple changes could lower exposure. Even small adjustments can make a big impact when it comes to fighting online risks.

Preguntas frecuentes

Does standard business broadband include built-in security protection?

Most standard business broadband plans provide connectivity only-they don't automatically protect against cyber threats like phishing, malware or malicious domains. Without an additional security layer, every device connected to your network is a potential entry point. Optimum Business Secure Internet addresses this gap by adding DNS-level filtering directly to your broadband service, with no extra hardware or setup required.

What is DNS-level filtering and how does it protect my business?

DNS (Domain Name System) filtering acts as a security checkpoint for your Internet traffic. Every time a device on your network tries to reach a website, it first sends a DNS request. DNS-level filtering intercepts that request and blocks it if the destination is a known malicious domain-stopping threats like malware downloads and phishing pages before they ever reach your network. Optimum Business Secure Internet applies this filtering automatically in the background, 24/7.

What's the difference between Secure Internet and Secure Internet Plus?

Secure Internet provides automatic DNS-level filtering that blocks known malicious domains-it's built into your Optimum Business broadband plan and requires no configuration. Secure Internet Plus includes everything in Secure Internet, plus a cloud-based management layer that lets you block or allow specific websites, set time-based access controls, monitor real-time network activity and receive scheduled threat reports. Secure Internet is ideal for single-location businesses that want passive protection. Secure Internet Plus is best for businesses that need policy enforcement, multi-location visibility or detailed reporting.

Do I need special hardware or IT expertise to get started?

No. Both Secure Internet and Secure Internet Plus are software-based solutions that work with your existing Optimum Business broadband equipment. There is no hardware to purchase, install, or maintain, and no technical expertise required to keep it running. Protection is active from day one as part of your service.

Can I control which websites employees can access?

Yes-with Secure Internet Plus. In addition to blocking malicious domains automatically, Secure Internet Plus lets you create custom allow/block rules for specific websites, set time-based restrictions aligned with business hours or usage policies, and monitor what's being accessed across your network in real time. This gives business owners and managers direct control over how the Internet is used without requiring dedicated IT staff.

What types of cyber threats does Secure Internet protect against?

Secure Internet protects against threats that originate from known malicious domains, including phishing sites designed to steal login credentials or payment information, malware distribution sites, and command-and-control servers used in ransomware attacks. Because protection operates at the DNS level, it blocks threats before any malicious content is delivered to a device on your network-regardless of which employee or device initiates the request.

Is Secure Internet Plus worth it for a small business with just a few employees?

It depends on your risk tolerance and usage policies. If you process payments, store customer data, or operate in a regulated industry (healthcare, financial services, legal), the enhanced visibility and reporting in Secure Internet Plus provides meaningful additional protection and documentation. If you manage remote employees or multiple locations, the policy controls become especially valuable. For a simple single-location business with minimal data risk, Secure Internet's automatic DNS filtering may be sufficient as a starting point.

Cyber risk doesn't require a complicated response—it requires a consistent one. Optimum Business Secure Internet and Secure Internet Plus give you that: protection that runs automatically, scales to your needs, and fits inside the broadband service you already rely on

Ready to see which option fits your business? Explore Optimum Business Secure Internet plans or talk to your account executive to learn how threat automation can secure every edge of your business and deliver safe network outcomes across all your locations.