10 IT Mistakes to Fix in 2026

The 10 IT mistakes that cost businesses thousands in 2026

The ten most expensive IT mistakes in 2026 are a poorly configured MFA rollout, untested backups, uncontrolled admin access, no IT audit, overspending on Microsoft 365 licences, no monitoring, no security plan, undocumented infrastructure, sloppy management of employee accounts and no strategic IT partner. Every one of them is fixable.

In 2026, most small businesses in Quebec depend entirely on their IT environment without really knowing whether it is secure or properly tuned.

Here are the mistakes we run into most often in the field, each with a concrete fix.

1. MFA that is switched on but poorly configured

Turning MFA on is not enough. A weak configuration still leaves wide gaps that an attacker can walk through.

• Sign-ins nobody is watching
• Coverage that stops short of every account

The fix: build Conditional Access policies in Microsoft Entra.

2. Backups that have never been tested

How to correct this mistake

A backup you have never restored gives you a false sense of security. You only find out it failed on the worst possible day.

• Restores that do not work
• Corrupted data

The fix: test your restores on a schedule and keep a copy off site.

3. Administrator access handed out too freely

How to correct this mistake

Too many admin accounts raise your risk sharply. One compromised account then opens every door.

• Attacks that spread in minutes
• Human error with serious consequences

The fix: apply the principle of least privilege.

4. No IT audit at all

How to correct this mistake

Without an audit, you cannot see your gaps or the money leaking out of your IT budget.

• Risks nobody has measured
• Costs nobody has questioned

The fix: run a full IT audit once a year.

5. Overpaying for Microsoft 365

How to correct this mistake

Plenty of businesses pay for licences nobody uses, month after month.

• Unused licences
• The wrong plan for the job

The fix: match your licences to how people actually work.

6. No monitoring

Incidents get noticed far too late, usually by an employee rather than by a system.

• Extended downtime
• Lost productivity

The fix: monitoring around the clock, with alerts that reach a human.

7. No cybersecurity plan

Small businesses are the primary target, not an afterthought.

• Phishing
• Ransomware

The fix: put a complete security strategy in writing.

8. Undocumented infrastructure

Poor documentation creates risk that only shows up when you are already in trouble.

• Knowledge that walks out the door
• Dependence on one person

The fix: document every system and keep the document current.

9. Employee accounts managed badly

Former employees often keep working access long after their last day.

• Risk of a data leak
• Unauthorized access

The fix: automate onboarding and offboarding.

10. No strategic IT partner

With no strategy behind it, IT turns into a cost centre instead of something that moves the business forward.

• Spending with no return
• Purchases that do not fit

The fix: work with a vCIO.

Frequently asked questions about business IT mistakes

Which mistake should we tackle first on a tight budget?

Work in this order: turn on MFA for every account, confirm your backups run and can actually be restored, then bring every device up to date. Those three actions close the holes attackers use most, and they cost almost nothing if you already have Microsoft 365.

How do I know whether my business is making these mistakes?

A basic IT audit surfaces the gaps quickly. Without one, ask yourself three questions: does every employee have MFA turned on, do I know exactly where my backups live and when they were last tested, and is every device patched? If you are not sure, that uncertainty is usually the answer.

Are these mistakes specific to small businesses, or do larger ones make them too?

Companies of every size make them, but the consequences hit smaller businesses much harder. A large company can absorb a major incident with its reserves. A smaller one often cannot: recovery draws on its cash, its people and its reputation all at once. As for the 60 per cent closure figure that has circulated for years, it never had a source: the organisation it is usually credited to withdrew it publicly in 2022.