National Cyber Security Alliance Promotes Education and Awareness Among Small Businesses

April 25, 2006; 06:10 AM
WASHINGTON, April 25 - The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), a central clearinghouse for cyber security awareness and education for home users, small businesses and the education community, announced today a new step towards an on-going campaign aimed to educate small businesses about cyber security issues. Ron Teixeira, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, will address the need for cyber security education among small businesses at a Congressional Town Hall discussion hosted by Congressman Todd Acker today from 9:00-11:00 a.m. CT at the Regional Collaboration Center in St. Louis, Mo.

As small businesses continue to rapidly adopt networking, wireless and Internet technologies, the lack of security controls within these organizations becomes more apparent. According to Symantec's 2005 Small Business Information Security Readiness Report, 56 percent of small businesses have experienced at least one security incident in the past year, yet only 30 percent have increased spending on information security solutions.

"The lack of security awareness among small businesses is a growing concern," said Ron Teixeira, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance. "With continued focus on education efforts tailored for the small business community, we hope to increase understanding and provide small businesses with the basic tools necessary to run their organizations securely and productively."

As part of NCSA's small business campaign, and in conjunction with the Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA), the following tips have been developed to help small businesses operate more securely:

     --  Ensure that all employees use effective passwords.  Encourage
         passwords that are comprised of different characters and change them
         every 60 to 70 days, but no longer than 90 days.  For example, use
         C@tandD0g instead of catanddog.  Consider using multi-factor
         authentication as a way to better secure your systems.

     --  Protect your systems.  Install and use anti-virus, anti-spyware and
         anti-adware programs on all computers in your business.  Ensure that
         your computers are protected by a firewall -- firewalls can be
         separate appliances, built into wireless systems or a software
         firewall that comes with many commercial security suites.

     --  Keep all software up-to-date.  Ensure that all computer software is
         up-to-date and contains the most recent patches (i.e., operating
         system, anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-adware, firewall and office
         automation software). Most security and operating systems contain
         automatic updates; make sure that function is turned on and sign up
         for security notifications from the software company. Without
         updates, your systems will not be well protected against new cyber
         threats.

     --  Create backups.  Make regular (weekly) back-up copies of all of your
         important data/information.  Store a secured copy away from your
         office location and use encryption to protect any sensitive
         information about your company and customers.

     --  Be prepared for emergencies.  Create a contingency plan for your
         business so you can recover if you experience an emergency.  Include
         plans to continue business operations at an alternate location when
         necessary.  Test your plan annually.  Make sure to erase all data on
         the hard drive before recycling or throwing away a computer.

     --  Report Internet crime.  Locate and join an organization of your peers
         for information sharing purposes.  If you suspect fraud or criminal
         intent, report it to local law enforcement agencies, local
         Federal Bureau of Investigation, Secret Service or State Attorney
         General's offices.

For more information regarding the National Cyber Security Alliance's small business efforts and cyber security tips, please visit www.staysafeonline.org.

About the National Cyber Security Alliance

A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) is a central clearinghouse for cyber security awareness and education for home users, small businesses, and the education community. A public-private partnership, NCSA sponsors include the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Trade Commission, and many private-sector corporations and organizations. For more information, and to review the top 8 cyber security practices, visit www.staysafeonline.org.