WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Oct. 16, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) hosted the first of two sessions of its third annual Small Business Cyber Summit. The cybersecurity series provides small business owners with free educational webinars, tools, tips, and resources from the federal government and subject matter experts to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure. Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses.
This year's summit is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's renewed commitment to unlocking digital tools to help our economy and small businesses grow while strengthening the nation’s cybersecurity apparatus.
"The rapidly evolving and interconnected world continues to present new challenges for small-business owners, and it is our objective to empower them with timely and turnkey tools they can integrate now. Through SBA’s two-week Cyber Summit, the goal is to bolster the confidence and the know-how of our resilient small businesses dealing with these cyber challenges head-on," said Acting Associate Administrator Aditi Dussault of SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development.
Register for the second half of this event, held on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Sign up at https://bit.ly/SBACyberSummit2024 and follow the summit on social media with the hashtag #SBACyberSummit.
The list of keynote and panel speakers for today and next week includes:
- SBA Administrator, Isabella Casillas Guzman (keynote address)
- SBA Deputy Administrator, Dilawar Syed
- Jen Easterly, CISA
- Chris Sacca, “Shark Tank” and Lower Case Capital
- Erik Day, Dell
- Dr. Tyrone Grandison, Microsoft
- Daniel Eliot, NIST
- Ola Sage, Cyber RX
- Derrick Davis, Department of Defense
- Karen Evans, Cyber Readiness Institute
- Alfred Ortiz, CSD Cyber
- Aditi Dussault, SBA
- Aikta Marcoulier, SBA
- Beto Yarce, SBA
- Bruce Purdy, SBA
- Jack Bienko, SBA
- Jacob Blacksten, Delaware Small Business Development Center
- Scott Taber, Michigan Small Business Development Center
- Ashely Podhradsky, Dakota State University
- Troy Richardson, University of Texas at San Antonio
- Paul Johnson, University of Wyoming
- Stu Steiner, Eastern Washington University
- Dr. Thierry WANDJI K., CybastianTech
- Horacio Maysonet, Cyber Security Solutions Inc.
- Deron T. McElroy, CISA
- David Mayer, USPTO
- Additional small business owners and experts participating in interactive sessions
To learn more about how to secure your small business, visit https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/strengthen-your-cybersecurity.
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About the SBA’s Third Annual Small Business Cyber Summit
Comprised of digestible and compactable segments, attendees will have the opportunity to network and access practical tips, problem-solving strategies, industry trends, threat avoidance, and small business testimonials to learn how to help small business owners defend themselves against cyberattacks.
Cyberattacks are a growing threat to small businesses and the U.S. economy. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrimes against the small business community reached $4.57 billion in 2023—a 38% increase from the previous year.
Surveys have shown that many small business owners feel their businesses are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many businesses cannot afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or do not know where to begin. The third annual SBA Cyber Summit will address these formidable challenges with turnkey solutions.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.