Events

Every business, no matter the size, is a target in today’s connected economy. From phishing scams to ransomware, cyber threats can shut down operations overnight. 

This session breaks down the fundamentals of cybersecurity in plain language — what every owner, manager, and employee needs to know to prevent attacks, protect data, and keep business running smoothly. No jargon, no overwhelm — just practical steps you can put into action today.

What Small Business Owners Need to Know About Generative AI and Cyber Risks

Technology has changed — but human nature hasn’t.

Centuries ago, Aesop taught us how curiosity, greed, and misplaced trust could lead to trouble. Today, those same instincts drive the risks behind generative AI — and small businesses are the new targets. Generative AI can help businesses grow faster and work smarter, but it also opens new doors to data theft, misinformation, and digital manipulation.

This free 1-hour cybersecurity webinar connects timeless lessons in human behavior to the realities of modern technology. You’ll learn how AI, data privacy, and everyday decision-making intersect — and what every small business owner needs to know to use AI wisely, protect customer trust, and keep their digital assets safe.

In Just One Hour, You’ll Learn:

• What happens to your data when you use AI tools — and why you need to know how it can be reused, resold, or exposed

• How to recognize when an AI platform is quietly mining your business information — and what that means for privacy and liability

• How AI-generated messages, videos, and fake profiles are fueling new scams that target small businesses

• Practical ways to reduce data and privacy risks without expensive tools or technical expertise

• Why every business needs clear AI-use and data-protection guidelines — and simple steps to start

• Timeless cybersecurity habits that still work in an age of algorithms and automation

Who Should Attend:

Small business owners, entrepreneurs, consultants, and anyone using AI tools or managing sensitive data in a digital business environment.

Ransomware is a persistent risk to organizations of all sizes and sectors, and addressing this risk requires collaboration across the public and private sectors to develop practical resources for organizations to reduce their ransomware risks.

Speakers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Center for Internet Security (CIS), and the Institute for Security and Technology (IST) will provide an overview of available ransomware risk management resources that help organizations get started with ransomware risk management by establishing foundational safeguards and building from there. Two resources that will be featured include: 

• NIST Ransomware Risk Management CSF 2.0 Community Profile—published as an Initial Public Draft on January 13, 2025, reflects changes made to the Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) from CSF 1.1 to CSF 2.0 which identifies security objectives that support managing, detecting, responding to, and recovering from ransomware events. The publication can be used to gauge an organization’s readiness to counter ransomware threats, mitigate potential consequences of a ransomware event, and to develop a ransomware countermeasure playbook.
• The IST and the Ransomware Task Force Blueprint for Ransomware Defense—which provides small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with an actionable framework to defend against the most common attacks. It is comprised of a subset of Implementation Group 1 (IG1) Safeguards from the CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls) v8 and aligned with NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, to help SMEs understand where they can get started with establishing a ransomware risk management strategy.

Speakers will provide an overview of the resources above, including how they were developed collaboratively, and will also discuss current and future efforts to address ransomware risk management.  Ample time will be saved audience questions, ideas, and discussion.