Aging laptops, growing security risks: What small businesses should know during Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and that means it’s the perfect time for small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners to take a step back and review their company’s security posture. A Mastercard survey of 5,000+ small and medium-sized business owners across four continents showed everyone just how vulnerable SMBs are: 46% experienced a cyberattack, and nearly one in five affected businesses later closed or filed for bankruptcy.

So, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a chance to see what’s changed across the cybersecurity landscape, including the latest vulnerabilities, emerging threats, and best practices for staying protected.

The Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 are great examples of how laptops can be protected at a hardware level before Windows loads up for users. Thanks to features like the TPM 2.0 chip and quantum-resistant features like Dell-unique BIOS verification, Dell’s latest devices are designed to improve your security.

In addition, the ControlVault 3+ chip, found on the Dell Pro 5, stores important data like fingerprints, meaning software like Windows 11 can’t access it.

TL;DR

• The Dell Pro 3 and 5 laptops offer several improvements perfect for upgrading devices with security in mind, with features like quantum-resistant BIOS verification and more
• The Dell Pro 5 has a ControlVault 3+ chip, which stores any sensitive passwords on one chip, helping to isolate them from the operating system
• Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 both come packed with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) chip, which performs AI tasks separate from the CPU, keeping it free for more tasks and helping boost battery life
• Dell offers several services that make the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 laptops more accessible and affordable, such as its APEX PC as a Service (PCaaS) subscription offer

What’s the cost of aging laptops?

As a business owner or leader, you’ve likely come across a situation where an employee’s (or even your own) old laptop is closing in on the end of its support window. Critical updates slow down or stop altogether, increasing the risk of security vulnerabilities and software incompatibilities across the business. Eventually, that laptop becomes an easy target. For SMBs lacking a significant IT department to keep watch, the risk often goes unnoticed until it’s too late.

Why does aging hardware become a security liability?

Aging hardware becomes a security liability because it stops receiving important updates that can protect it, leaving known vulnerabilities exposed to potential attackers. In the age of AI, the margin for error has closed. According to Palo Alto’s Global Incident Response Report 2026, with the help of AI, attackers now scan for newly disclosed vulnerabilities within 15 minutes of common vulnerabilities and exposures—or “CVEs”— being reported.

It’s why steps should be taken to ensure that every business device is updated with the latest security patches, as well as having the budget to upgrade these to ones that are designed to stay secure from evolving threats, such as the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5.

How can newer hardware protect against modern security risks?

Modern threats are sophisticated. As organizations shored up defenses at the OS layer, bad actors turned to the PC, an attack surface that’s largely invisible to software-only security approaches. Dell commercial PCs are designed to stay resilient to “below the OS” attacks.

Both the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 include hardware- and firmware-level protections such as TPM 2.0, quantum-resistant BIOS verification, and a physical camera shutter.

For added supply chain assurance, customers can opt for Secured Component Verification, which confirms a laptop hasn’t been tampered with before it reaches an employee.

The Dell Pro 5 also features the optional ControlVault3+ (CV3+), a unique built-in security chip that stores important biometric information like fingerprint and facial data away from the main processor. For businesses with remote employees carrying important documents and files on their laptop, the Dell Pro 5’s hardware-level features give businesses valuable built-in protection, on top of whatever security their IT team sets up at the software level.

What solutions do the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 offer SMB security?

Because the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 offer security benefits at the hardware level, these can be appealing to many SMBs—but it also depends on the needs of the business and how much budget there is. The Dell Pro 3, for example, features the integrated NPU chip for Copilot+ use, which is great for growing businesses. When you also consider its 20-hour battery*, 512GB SSD of storage, and the option to upgrade the laptop to a touch-screen, the Dell Pro 3 represents a great device to update to if your current laptop fleet is approaching the end of its lifecycle.

The Dell Pro 5 elevates this further by packing another integrated chip, the CV3+, which stores important biometric data. It’s also spill-resistant to handle up to 100 ml of liquids**, and features a wedged-shape lock slot for extra security.

How can I refresh my laptops without breaking my budget?

Swapping out old hardware doesn’t mean you have to write it off. Dell’s Asset Recovery service can turn retired laptops into cash that can be reinvested straight back into your small business, while every device is securely wiped in line with Dell’s Data Security Policy, so nothing sensitive walks out the door with your old kit.

There’s also Dell APEX PC as a Service, a monthly subscription that can include hardware, accessories, software and services, under one predictable monthly payment, rather than one big hit to cash flow. That way, businesses can increase or decrease the number of devices they need (depending on employee demand), and know exactly what they’re going to pay.

Growing businesses need visibility and control without heavy tools. The Dell Management Portal provides cloud-based visibility into all your Dell PCs and assigned users. And it integrates with Microsoft Intune to simplify BIOS policy control, driver and firmware updates, and device monitoring from the cloud.

Together, these options mean security upgrades don’t make a huge dent in your bottom line, making devices like the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 attractive options for small business owners looking to grow while staying secure.

Choosing the Dell Pro 3 or Dell Pro 5 might be the best security step an SMB takes

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is always a stark reminder of how vulnerabilities can affect any kind of business—from global enterprises to small start-ups. It’s why cybersecurity should be treated as a high priority, not an afterthought or a conversation to be pushed back to when your business grows to a certain size. And it’s why laptops like the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5, complete with their on-device AI features, can play a key role in protecting sensitive data against potential attacks and keeping your business resilient for the long term.

If you think Dell Pro laptops are the right call for your business, find out more on the Dell website. US readers click here.

FAQs

Why does an aging laptop pose such a big security risk?

Once a laptop passes its support window, it stops receiving critical updates, leaving known vulnerabilities exposed. With attackers now scanning for newly disclosed vulnerabilities within 15 minutes of a CVE being announced, that gap can become a real liability, real fast.

What makes the Dell Pro 3 and Dell Pro 5 different from software-only security?

Both ship with hardware-level protection built in, including a TPM 2.0 chip, quantum-resistant BIOS verification, and a physical camera shutter, so devices are protected from the moment they're switched on, not just once security software is installed.

Can SMBs afford to upgrade their laptop fleet?

Yes. Services like Dell Asset Recovery and Dell APEX PC as a Service help spread or offset the cost, turning old devices into cash and splitting new ones into predictable monthly payments rather than one big upfront cost.