Cyber Florida is pleased to announce the launch of Cyber Defense for SMBs, a free resource for small and medium-sized businesses. This beginner’s guide introduces readers to the fundamentals of cybersecurity for business to help SMBs be better prepared to respond to, and recover from, cyberattacks. Cyber Defense for SMBs is available as a free digital download at https://www.cyberflorida.org/SMB.
“Small businesses are targeted by cybercriminals precisely because they are small,” remarked Cyber Florida Director Sri Sridharan. “Criminals know these businesses likely lack the financial resources necessary to employ state-of-the-art cyber defenses. Our goals with this guide are to help Florida’s small businesses avoid becoming victims of this troubling trend and if they are targeted, to help them be better prepared to recover and respond appropriately,” he said.
The 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report stated that 58% of data breach victims in 2017 were categorized as small businesses.
With input from experts in academia, private industry, government, and the military, this guide offers guidance to help SMBs identify the most cost-effective cybersecurity best practices for their business. Detailing some of the most important and urgent factors affecting cybersecurity, Cyber Defense for SMBs reviews the common threats SMBs are likely to encounter and industry-standard best practices for cyberattack prevention and mitigation, crisis management, and post-incident response.
In support of this effort, Cyber Florida has teamed up with the National Cyber Security Alliance to offer free workshops throughout the state of Florida that will provide SMB leaders with hands-on guidance. Workshops are planned for Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee during the first quarter of 2019. For more details and to register for a workshop, please visit https://www.cyberflorida.org/SMB.
Accompanying this initiative is a resource-rich webpage, www.cyberflorida.org/SMB, that offers planning and assessment worksheets and links to other helpful organizations and resources. The webpage will be updated often with tips and articles to help SMB leaders stay abreast of best practices, as cybersecurity is a rapidly changing field.
Cyber Florida Director Sri Sridharan is available for press interviews. To schedule an interview, please contact Kate Whitaker at the email or phone listed above. For all other inquiries or questions, visit the Cyber Florida website at www.cyberflorida.org.
Disclaimer: Cyber Defense for SMBs is made available by the Florida Center for Cybersecurity for general educational purposes only and should not be used in lieu of obtaining competent legal advice from a licensed attorney and/or cybersecurity professional with the sufficient expertise necessary to address your organization’s specific needs. Use of this guide does not create any special or fiduciary relationship between you and the Florida Center for Cybersecurity or the University of South Florida.
About Cyber Florida: The Florida Center for Cybersecurity
The Florida Center for Cybersecurity (Cyber Florida) is a state-funded organization dedicated to positioning Florida as a national leader in cybersecurity through education and workforce development; innovative, interdisciplinary research; and community outreach. Hosted at the University of South Florida, Cyber Florida works with all 12 State University System of Florida (SUS) institutions as well as industry, government and defense to build partnerships and develop programs that grow and strengthen Florida’s cybersecurity industry.
