From the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia:
The recent cybersecurity attack on the Colonial Pipeline has prompted a joint warning from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI to businesses and critical infrastructure-related industries warning them to thoroughly review their own cybersecurity practices as soon as possible.
BBB Cybersecurity is a business education resource created to provide small and midsize businesses (SMBs) with valuable tools, tips, and content to help them manage cyber risks and learn about cybersecurity best practices in the modern business environment.
“The recent blackmail hacking of the Colonial Pipeline, that’s impacted nearly a third of the nation, not to mention the City of Tulsa’s ransomware attack this past weekend against its entire city services that forced their shutdown, cyberattacks are gaining traction as a weapon of choice for digital criminals and their organizations,” said Barry N. Moore, President & CEO of BBB serving Central Virginia. “There’s no organization of any size, but especially larger ones, that are safe from a cyberattack. It’s critical cybersecurity plans remain constantly current; industry and government just cannot lag behind,” Moore added.
Importance of Cybersecurity
Today’s cybercriminals pose more significant threats to the economy than ever before. New safeguards are needed in order to protect businesses both small and large.
Businesses are better able to manage cyber-attacks and learn from industry best practices by:
- Exploring the real and perceived risks of cyber-attacks
- Offering education and awareness – cybersecurity is a complex topic for the business community
- Building public trust in businesses’ cybersecurity standards
Impact
Cybersecurity is not only about adding layers of security technology. It starts with understanding about managing cybersecurity risks. The Better Business Cybersecurity 5-Step Approach helps business owners do just that. This model helps business owners:
- Understand how best to identify and protect vital data and technology assets
- Learn to detect and respond to cybersecurity threats
- Recover from a cybersecurity incident
Resources
Setting out to create a culture of cybersecurity is a rigorous process. Here is a list of useful resources that can help you get started:
For Your Business: View great resources from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and leading technology companies e.g., Google, Facebook and Microsoft.
For Your Home: Protecting your home has never been more critical. Use these resources to safeguard your key asset.
For Cyber Crime Victims
Reporting: Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). IC3’s mission is to serve as a vehicle to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding the rapidly expanding arena of cybercrime.
Recovery: ID Theft Victims of identity theft can look here to find resources.
About BBB: BBB serving Central Virginia serves Richmond, the Tri-Cities, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg, as well as 42 surrounding counties from Fauquier to Mecklenburg and Northumberland to Amherst. The nonprofit organization was established in 1954 to advance responsible, honest, and ethical business practices and to promote customer confidence through self-regulation of business. Core services of BBB include business profiles, dispute resolution, truth-in advertising, scam warnings, consumer and business education, and charity review.
