Building Security Culture: Taking Cybersecurity to Main Street

Building a culture of cybersecurity is key to making sure your entire business is protected against threats -- not just the IT department. Today's cybersecurity professionals need effective strategies to encourage everyone in their organization to recognize and embrace their own role in maintaining cybersecurity safety. 

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That's what Ann Westerheim's session at MSSP Alert Live, October 14-16, 2024, in Austin, Texas, is all about -- and you don't want to miss it.

Small Business, Big Impact

Cyberattacks on SMBs often have a more significant impact because they may not have the backup and mitigation resources the larger players have in their arsenals. 

The most recent Acronis Cyberthreats Report showed that SMBs face an existential threat from cyberattacks, including ransomware and email threats, which surged 293% year-over-year, according to the report. Ransomware continues to be a major threat to SMBs, and ransomware groups have abused vulnerable drivers to get a foothold in systems and disable security tools, the Acronis research found.

Attackers target SMBs because they often use free cybersecurity tools designed to protect consumers instead of businesses. This leaves them vulnerable to a number of attacks that may be caught by larger organizations with more robust cybersecurity infrastructure. That's why it's imperative to get everyone in your organization on board and thinking strategically about security, Westerheim explains. Her session at MSSP Alert Live will further explore how to bring cybersecurity to 'main street' and encourage everyone at an organization to play a role in keeping the business secure.

A Call to Action

This session is more than just a discussion; it's a call to action for cybersecurity leaders to drive change and create a resilient, aware and proactive digital environment for all. This is especially critical for SMBs, who are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks.

"Too many small businesses think they’re under the radar for cybersecurity attacks when, in reality, half of cyber incidents are hitting small businesses," Westerheim said. "Big businesses make the headlines and they also have the financial resources to recover from an event while, sadly, many small businesses won’t be able to recover. As technology advisors, we may often get frustrated that small businesses don’t seem to “get it” and listen to our advice. How can we present, smart and affordable cybersecurity solutions in a way that actually impacts making change?"