Small Business is a Big Priority: NIST Expands Outreach to the Small Business Community

Did
you
know
that
99.9%
of
businesses
in
America
are
small
businesses?[1]
Small
businesses
are
a
major
source
of
innovation
for
our
country—but
they’re
often
faced
with
limited
resources
and
budgets.
Many
of
them
need
cybersecurity
solutions,
guidance,
and
training
so
they
can
cost-effectively
address
and
manage
their
cybersecurity
risks.
Hmmm…where
can
you
find
guidance
like
this
all
in
one
place?

Voila!



The
Small
Business
Cybersecurity
Corner!

This
website



was
created
by
NIST


in
2019
in
response
to



the
NIST
Small
Business
Cybersecurity
Act,
which
directed
us
to
“disseminate
clear
and
concise
resources
to
help
small
business
concerns
identify,
assess,
manage,
and
reduce
their
cybersecurity
risks.”


This
resource
repository
has
grown
over
the
years
and
offers
videos,
planning
guides,
case
studies,
topical
guidance
(e.g.,
ransomware,
phishing,
and
teleworking),
and
important
information
that
small
businesses
can
put
into
action.
We
didn’t
stop
there.

Introducing
the
Small
Business
Community
of
Interest
(COI)

On
March
6,
2023,


NIST
launched
a
new
small
business
initiative


that
will
create
more
opportunities
for
the
exchange
of
information,
resources,
and
ideas
between
NIST
and
the
nation’s
small
business
community
via
the
creation
of
a
new
Small
Business
Community
of
Interest.
The
COI
will
bring
together
the
small
business
community,
companies,
trade
associations,
and
others
who
can
share
business
insights,
expertise,
challenges,
and
perspectives
to
guide
our
work.

By
forming
a
COI
dedicated
specifically
to
small
businesses,
we
hope
to
help
create
a
more
engaging
way
for
smaller
companies
to
communicate
their
cybersecurity
needs,
share
challenges,
and
discuss
pressing
issues.
Over
1,000
small
businesses
have
already
joined
this
COI
since
it
was
launched
last
month.
Interested?
We’d
love
for
you
to
‪join
as
well!

NIST
is
currently
building
the
COI
and
plans
to
begin
hosting
regular
meetings
in
the
coming
months.

Upcoming
SMB
Events
in
2023:

NIST’s
National
Cybersecurity
Center
of
Excellence
(NCCoE)
will
be
hosting
two
events
during


National
Small
Business
Week

(April
30-May
6,
2023)
as
part
of
its
NCCoE
Learning
Series
and
to
begin
engaging
the
new
COI.
A
third
virtual
event
will
be
hosted
in
June—and
all
three
webinars
will
feature
new
and
existing
NIST
small
business
resources
(and
will
give
attendees
the
opportunity
to
share
ideas,
ask
questions,
and
engage
with
NIST
subject
matter
experts).
Here
are
the
details:

More
events
are
planned
for
the
year.
By


joining
the
COI,
you’ll
be
the
first
to
hear
when
new
events
are
on
our
lineup.

Knowledge
sharing,
transparency,
and
collaboration
are
at
the
heart
of
NIST’s
work.
We
are
committed
to
helping
the
small
business
community
manage
its
cybersecurity
risks
with
actionable,
easy-to-understand
information
that
is
grounded
in
NIST’s
foundational
guidance…but
we
can’t
do
it
alone.
We
will
rely
on
your
input
and
guidance
to
inform
what
will
be
most
impactful. 

Have
a
question,
comment,
or
idea?
Reach
out
to
the
NIST
small
business
team:


smallbizsecurity
[at]

nist.gov

()!

About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

See author's posts