The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will kick off its Small Business Cyber Summit this week with free educational webinars for small business owners on Wednesday, Oct. 18, Oct. 25, and Nov. 1.
The cybersecurity series supports America’s 33 million small businesses with tools, tips, and resources from the federal government and subject matter experts to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure, in addition to exploring new trends, challenges, and opportunities facing entrepreneurs.
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.
Attendees of the Small Business Cyber Summit 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 cyberattacks.
Surveys show that most 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 SBA Cyber Summit will address these formidable challenges with turnkey solutions, according to the SBA.
Speakers will include SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, SBA Deputy Secretary Dilawar Syed, SBA Associate Administrator Mark Madrid, SBA Resource Partners, Small Business Development Centers, the SBA Small Business Digital Alliance, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the FBI, business chambers, state government partners, experts from the public and private sectors, major technology platforms and award-winning business coaches.
Randal D. Pinkett, CEO of BCT Partners, a consulting, training, technology, and analytics firm headquartered in Newark, will also be speaking at the summit. NTouch-BCT Strategies was recently awarded an SBA contract to help grow the New Jersey Cybersecurity Regional Cluster which is focused on providing cybersecurity assessments and supporting the growth of small businesses building cybersecurity technologies and services across five counties in New Jersey. The cluster is focused on supporting minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses.
To register for the free 2023 SBA Small Business Cyber Summit, go here.
