Past Events

While the internet has made the process of reaching out to customers increasingly easy for businesses, it has exposed business sensitive data and systems to hackers seeking to exploit loopholes.  

There is a common mindset among small and medium sized businesses that "I really shouldn't worry, I'm such a small target."  This mindset as well as the ease of automation has made it increasingly easy for hackers to target small and medium-sized businesses because of poor security practices.  Hackers consider these businesses as "easy pickings" because they are more easily compromised and are less likely to be discovered.  

Cyber breaches can be devastating in that they can result in financial losses, reputation damage, legal liability, loss of customer and stakeholder trust, productivity losses, and even the potential for going out of business.

This webinar will discuss some of the critical steps that must be taken to safeguard your business' cyber security and the ways to implement these steps.

Register

How would you deal with a breach if and when it occurs? It can happen to anyone and any size business. Learn the signs you've been hacked, what to do, as well as how to safeguard your business operations including yourself, your employees, and your customers. It's time to grasp cybersecurity, and you'll learn the simple, straightforward steps from our experienced, engaging instructor.

This training will focus on cybersecurity awareness for small businesses and will cover:

- What is cybersecurity and information security?

- Understanding and managing business risks

- Safeguarding information (NIST cybersecurity framework)

- Working safely and securely: best practices for business

- Compliance, rules, and regulations overview

Instructions: 

You will receive the link zoom three days before and the day of the event, once you register.

If you are doing work, or plan to do work with Department of Defense you will need be compliant to one of two Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certifications (CMMC) Levels. The CMMC framework is focused on securing your data and management information system. This webinar is the first in a series that will provide you an overview of the actions you need to take to develop a System Security Plan, the foundation for compliance.
This webinar will cover:
· What is the point of Cybersecurity
· What is the threat
· Does the CMMC Framework apply to you
· Types of information –FCI –UCI
· What will be your level in the CMMC Framework
· The role of the Cyber AB · What are the things you can do now
· Conclusion Questions and Answers

This webinar will review the fundamentals of cybersecurity and the threats and the countermeasures you can put in place to protect yourself and your organization. 
We will review common threats such as malware, phishing, and social engineering, explore best practices for securing your data, and discuss web security challenges.

Attendees will learn:

-What is cybersecurity and why it is important to small businesses?
-How to recognize common threats
-Ways to protect your business

Target Audience
Any one interested in securing their data and website.

Sheila Bishop brings a wealth of experience to her role as a business consultant with SBDC. From a long career in corporate IT, she has extensive experience in balancing concurrent projects, interacting with a range of clients, and a wide-ranging technical background. Her most recent position was VP of Monitoring Services Operations at Bank of America where she worked for more than 20 years.  During her tenure she managed enterprise teams to meet critical business needs.  Sheila has a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Temple University.       
 

In an age where digital threats are constantly evolving and targeting entities of all sizes, the need for cybersecurity is more critical than ever. Small businesses, often constrained by time and budget limitations, can feel overwhelmed when it comes to safeguarding their digital assets.

This session covers practical and cost-effective cybersecurity solutions in three key areas: 

1. Access Points: Protecting your Wi-Fi network, preventing unauthorized access, and maintaining separate profiles for administration and employees.
2. Patches: Keep your systems safe by using updated operating systems and browsers, scanning for viruses without costly software, and applying the latest patches (a.k.a. updates).
3. Passwords: Embrace secure password storage, learn to create strong passwords, and implement an affordable password management system.

This webinar will be presented by Josh Lyons, Professor of Aerospace Studies at Wilkes University, who holds a Masters of Science and Technology Intelligence degree with a concentration in cyber intelligence from National Intelligence University, Washington, D.C.

Every time you access your email, join a video conference call or back up the photos on your smartphone, you rely on cloud computing. The cloud delivers computing resources over the Internet, such as storage, software, and services, creating a complex supply chain requiring extensive security protocols. This webinar will provide an overview of cloud service adoption and make you aware of the security and privacy challenges pertinent to public cloud computing. NTIA's Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OICG) is excited to co-host this webinar with NTIA’s Communications Supply Chain Risk Information Partnership (C-SCRIP) program and our partners at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

In an age where digital threats are constantly evolving and targeting entities of all sizes, the need for cybersecurity is more critical than ever. Small businesses, often constrained by time and budget limitations, can feel overwhelmed when it comes to safeguarding their digital assets.

This session covers practical and cost-effective cybersecurity solutions in three key areas: 

1. Access Points: Protecting your Wi-Fi network, preventing unauthorized access, and maintaining separate profiles for administration and employees.
2. Patches: Keep your systems safe by using updated operating systems and browsers, scanning for viruses without costly software, and applying the latest patches (a.k.a. updates).
3. Passwords: Embrace secure password storage, learn to create strong passwords, and implement an affordable password management system.

This webinar will be presented by Josh Lyons, Professor of Aerospace Studies at Wilkes University, who holds a Masters of Science and Technology Intelligence degree with a concentration in cyber intelligence from National Intelligence University, Washington, D.C.

We are thrilled to announce the fourth and final installment of our webinar series on cybersecurity, specifically tailored for the small and medium-sized business community. As part of our commitment to Cybersecurity Awareness Month, this series is hosted by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in collaboration with the IT Sector Coordinating Council.

In this concluding session, we will delve into CISA’s Cybersecurity Performance Goals and how SMBs can effectively implement them to bolster their cybersecurity posture. Our expert speakers will provide valuable insights, practical strategies, and real-world examples to guide your organization towards a more secure digital environment.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into cybersecurity best practices tailored to SMBs. Our panel of experts is excited to share their knowledge and help you protect your business from cyber threats. We look forward to your active participation and engagement in this critical cybersecurity discussion. Together, we can make our small and medium-sized businesses more resilient against cyber threats!

Key Highlights:

? Understanding CISA’s Cybersecurity Performance Goals

? Tailoring these goals to suit the unique needs of SMBs

? Practical steps for implementing robust cybersecurity measures

Who Should Attend?

• Small and medium-sized business owners and managers

• IT professionals responsible for cybersecurity

• Anyone concerned about enhancing their organization’s cybersecurity resilience

Spread the Word: We encourage you to share this event with your colleagues and fellow business owners who may benefit from this invaluable knowledge. Your commitment to cybersecurity matters, and we are here to support your journey toward a safer digital landscape. Together, we can build a resilient SMB community that stands strong against cyber threats. We look forward to your presence at this transformative webinar.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will host a free, virtual National Cyber Summit October 25 and November 1 from 10 am–3 pm MDT. Registration for the event is open to all!

This second annual cybersecurity forum will help introduce American small businesses to tools, tips, and resources to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure and explore new trends and challenges entrepreneurs are increasingly facing.

"Digital tools represent some of the most exciting revenue growth opportunities for American small businesses – from the $5.2 trillion global e-commerce marketplace to cutting-edge AI and other digital tools," said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. "As small businesses increasingly rely on technology to start and grow their businesses, our SBA Cyber Summit and our work modernizing the SBA will help more entrepreneurs make the digital pivot safely by leveraging SBA resources and private sector solutions to defend their businesses, their customers, and their livelihoods from the ever-evolving threats from cyber criminals."

About the SBA's 2nd Annual Small Business Cyber Summit

The summit will feature various speakers, including SBA Administrator Guzman, SBA Associate Administrator Madrid, SBA Resource Partners, Small Business Development Centers, the SBA Small Business Digital Alliance, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI, business chambers, state government partners, experts from the public/private sectors, major technology platforms, and award-winning business coaches.

Comprised of digestible and compact segments, attendees will have the opportunity to network and access practical tips, problem-solving strategies, industry trends, threat avoidance, and small business testimonials to learn how to help small business owners defend themselves against cyber-attacks.

Cyberattacks are a growing threat to small businesses and the U.S. economy. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrimes against the small business community reached $3.31 billion in 2022.

Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses.

Surveys have shown that a majority of small business owners feel their businesses are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many businesses cannot afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or do not know where to begin. The 2nd Annual SBA Cyber Summit will address these formidable challenges with turnkey solutions.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Most small business owners feel their businesses are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many small businesses can’t afford professional IT solutions. We will discuss common cybersecurity best practices and give access to multiple FREE resources and information including customizable planning book, SCRM toolkit, Cyber resilience review, cyber hygiene vulnerability scanning, CMMC, and facilitated assessments to address and improve your cybersecurity!

Register for our webinar!

Speakers include:

Robert M. DelMastro, Regional Director, MA Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC)

Susan Lourie, Business Opportunity Specialist - U.S. Small Business Administration

Stay tuned for more guest speakers...

Why cybersecurity matters!

According to Inc.com - 60% of Small Businesses will go out of business within six months of a cyber-attack. Small businesses are especially attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals (bad actors, foreign governments, etc.) want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses to adequately protect their digital systems for storing, accessing, and disseminating data and information.