New FTC Website to help Small Businesses protect themselves

Last month, the FTC launched a great new website called “Protecting Small Businesses”. In addition to sharing information about how to avoid scams, the website packs some great information on small business cybersecurity and incident response.

As threats like ransomware, worms, viruses, phishing, email compromise, and social engineering continues to expand and become ever-more sophisticated, the risk of fraud, data breach, online extortion, and disruption in business operations is greater than ever before. In 2016, ransomware alone cost businesses well in excess of 1 billion dollars per year in the US, and growing exponentially!

It is more critical than ever for business owners to be mindful of security in their day-to-day operations. While resources like this provide some great places to start in thinking about how to improve your security, as the website notes these are only the basics, and the guides are designed for business owners with just a few employees. But what if you’re a company with more than a few employees, if you are storing or handling sensitive information, or if you simply want to do more than just the basics?

Our Practical Security Program is the ideal solution for small businesses wanting to identify and mitigate security risks in their business without breaking the bank. The Practical Security Program provides a top-down assessment of your business’ Cybersecurity, Operational Security, and Business Continuity and delivers to you a concise report listing the identified risks and vulnerabilities, as well as practical suggestions on how to most easily mitigate those risks. NorthSky Technology can also support you in the remediation efforts, doing the work for you or helping you migrate to more secure technology.

Check out the FTC’s new Small Business website at https://www.ftc.gov/SmallBusiness For more information about the Practical Security Program, contact us today!