NH SBDC, NH Tech Alliance launch Cybersecurity Initiative

The New Hampshire Small Business Development Center and the New Hampshire Tech Alliance are teaming up to offer cybersecurity assistance and resources to small businesses in the state.

The Cybersecurity Initiative will provide a web-based training program that guides businesses through cyber planning practices based on five central concepts: identify, protect, detect, respond and recover. Content will be delivered via a monthly webinar series, blog articles and e-courses. Businesses can also access one-on-one confidential advising from SBDC’s team of business advisors. All program offerings are provided free of cost to New Hampshire enterprises.

The initiative will launch at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 13, with a virtual event featuring cybersecurity and technology experts Jeremy Hitchcock, co-founder and CEO of Wi-Fi management and IoT security startup Minim, and Ryan Robinson of Mainstay Technologies.

“As the cybersecurity landscape continues to change rapidly, so must a business’ strategy and operations,” said Liz Gray, NH SBDC state director. “Small businesses can no longer afford to remain unaware of cyber threats or complacent with inadequate technology. They need to take action to enhance their systems and processes to remain resilient in today’s online economy.”

NH SBDC’s Phase 2 Business Resiliency Survey report, released in March, indicates that New Hampshire businesses are growing increasingly more concerned about this topic; 52% of survey respondents said they are very or somewhat concerned about cybersecurity, up from 40% in June of 2020.

Upcoming webinars include Jacob Blacksten with the Delaware SBDC, developer of the Data Assured program, which includes materials to help businesses protect themselves from a cyberattack and to help them recover from a cyberattack. Blacksten’s webinar will be presented on May 6. On May 17, Mainstay Technologies will present a webinar on “Identifying Cybersecurity Risk for Small Businesses.”

In addition, the SBDC will be releasing “Cybersecurity for Small Businesses,” an e-course. The e-course, developed by Khole Gwebu, associate professor of decision sciences at the University of New Hampshire, offers an overview of small business preparedness, including mitigating the risk of an attack, handling incidents and handling remote worker concerns.

“The increased remote workforce of many small businesses has underscored the importance of a business strategy and operating plan that prioritizes cybersecurity, said Julie Demers, executive director of the NH Tech Alliance.

For more information, nhsbdc.org/cybersecurity.