Cyber Security

By: Kate Hoy, Washington PTAC Business Analyst

The buzzword of the year! Cybersecurity! What is it and what does it mean to you, the small business owner?

The formal definition of cyber security is “ ….the body of technologies, processes and practices designed to protect networks, computers, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access” . The word cybersecurity is defined my Webster’s as “ measures taken to protect a computer or computer system (as on the Internet) against unauthorized access or attack.” So when you develop a cyber security plan, you are reassuring those outside your organization that their information is safe and secure when they interact with you via the internet.

Examples of who might be interested in your cyber security plan include suppliers, customers, government agencies, banks and other third parties.

Standards are being created and pushed out on a daily basis in an effort to provide small business owners a simple roadmap to creating their security plan. The reality is your plan will ultimately be based on your particular situation.   When thinking of your cyber security plan, it might help to think of what you did when you developed a security plan for your brick and mortar location.  You assessed the situation, identified weaknesses, put proper safeguards in place, and arranged a method of monitoring the situation over time.

This will be a similar process for developing your cyber security plan. You will look at your record keeping processes, make sure your funds are safe and secure, and develop a plan to follow when security is breached.

Many large customers as well as government agencies will require you have a plan in place prior to doing business with them.  Government agencies will require you have a written plan in place by the end of 2017 in order to sell to them.  These requirements have made cyber security the hot topic of the day as well as a high priority for many small business owners.

Start your plan by assessing your situation and documenting your procedures. This will go a long way in making those that do business with you via the internet feel safer and more secure about continuing their business relationship!

Questions on the governments requirements? Contact your local PTAC office or visit www.washingtonptac.org