Free Cyber Readiness Program Offers SMBs A Path to Improved Cybersecurity
If you’re not worried about cybersecurity, you should be. Cyber attacks are on the rise – last year there were 53,000 cyber incidents, according to Verizon’s latest Data Breach Investigation Report. This news is tough for all companies, and particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). According to the Ponemon Institute’s 2017 State of Cybersecurity in Small & Medium-Sized Businesses report, the percentage of small businesses that have experienced a cyber attack in the past 12 months is up from 55% in 2016 to 61% in 2017.
The good news
Preventing a cyber attack or knowing exactly what steps to take in case of an attack doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. The Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI) offers a unique opportunity free of charge that will help SMBs get prepared and be cyber-ready.
The CRI’s Cyber Readiness Program was developed by a team of cyber experts and business leaders expressly for small and medium-sized businesses. The Program equips organizations with practical tools to create a resilient organizational culture with cyber readiness embedded in how people do their jobs. Its unique approach is designed to enable organizations to reduce cyber risk in practical ways, in line with the nature and mission of your organization and without the reliance on expensive third-party products. The Cyber Readiness Program is self-guiding, with an internal Cyber Leader driving execution.
The CRI has identified four key areas through which hackers and malware gain access to small business networks, and through which software vulnerabilities cause security compromises.
- Authentication: A weak password is an easy access point to your most sensitive information and system.
- Patching: Patches are updates to your software and systems that contain important security remedies.
- Phishing: Phishing is an email-borne attack that attempts to use your email account to do something malicious.
- USBs: USBs and removable media devices are easy gateways for malware to infect your computers.
The Cyber Readiness Program provides practical tools and resources to address each of these threats individually and improve your overall cyber readiness. You’ll be guided through the five stages of the Program, where you will gain knowledge and get tips from experts. The CRI Program takes the mystery out of what to do and when to do it. The online platform makes it easy to track your progress and go at your own pace. When you finish the Program, you’ll be eligible for a Certificate of Completion from the Cyber Readiness Institute.
Is this Cyber Readiness Program right for me?
Whether there are 5 or 500 people in your organization, the Cyber Readiness Program will help improve your cybersecurity. It’s easy to get started. All you have to do is create a free account to gain access to the Program and resources online – sign up at https://www.cyberreadinessinstitute.org/.