Today we launched the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business. We wanted to deliver something that would bring cybersecurity in a meaningful way to businesses: an actionable, operational set of solutions at the right price (i.e., free). And we did it! We used the guidance provided by the leading cybersecurity agencies: The Center for Internet Security, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, and the Australian Cyber Security Centre, as the basis for constructing the toolkit. We researched and vetted, with a panel of cybersecurity experts, all of the tools in the toolkit. Criteria for inclusion in the toolkit was strict: the tools had to do what they claimed, be relatively easy for a non-technical person to use, and be free for small businesses. This was no small undertaking and involved many partnerships. We ran the toolkit through a beta test and asked our partners for feedback. Take a look at what some of them have to say:
“The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) supports the efforts of the Global Cyber Alliance to strengthen the resilience of the business community in this expanding global digital economy.”
Simon Barrett, Director SNH (Smarter Not Harder), UK: “I’m delighted we have partnered with the Global Cyber Alliance, to help us support UK Charities. We’ve been working closely with the GCA to provide monthly SmartWorking/Cyber workshops helping their employees be more productive, whilst enabling them to fight the systemic causes of cybercrime and fraud on the internet. This toolkit is key for businesses like us and provides a great way to put cyber at the heart of a discussion.”
Dr. Lyndel Bates Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer Griffith University Criminology Institute, Brisbane, Australia: “Cyber criminals are able to easily attack small businesses around the world, yet SME’s are often unable to efficiently defend themselves. We are pleased to see the Global Cyber Alliance launching a free service to tackle this issue head on.”
Adnan Baykal, Global Technical Advisor, Global Cyber Alliance: “Small businesses are the heart and soul of the global economy and helping protect them against growing cyber threats is critical. This toolkit enables small businesses to implement existing cybersecurity hygiene practices, thereby strengthening their defenses and reducing overall risk. Our goal is to make cybersecurity accessible for everyone, and this toolkit does exactly that.”
Mark Bushman, Managing Director, datb, UK: “Cyber security is absolutely essential to businesses whatever their size but the cyber industry too often focuses on mega-scale businesses, often to the detriment of the many smaller organisations that make up their supply chain. datb joined GCA as a partner in 2017 and we are so pleased that GCA has listened to the needs of, and produced an answer for, businesses like ours.”
dmarcian, US: “Since 2012, dmarcian has been supplying products and expert service that focuses on processing complex DMARC reports and identifying what steps need to be taken to help people become DMARC compliant. We also connect with the people who are doing the work of making the world of email better for everyone. We are pleased to have our solution included in the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business. Let’s make email better together by eliminating phishing and domain abuse.”
Kevin Duffey, Chief Executive, Cyber Rescue, UK: “European small business owners can feel powerless against cyber crime, because effective protection seems too complex and expensive. The Toolkit is just what they need, and Cyber Rescue will work hard to promote it.”
Barry Gooch, Prevention of Fraud in Travel (PROFIT) and GCA Ambassador, UK: “The GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit is a magnificent achievement and offers a comprehensive set of effective tools that will reduce the risk of cyber crime and data losses. Well done, Global Cyber Alliance.”
Bob Gourley, Co-Founder, OODA LLC. Former CTO Defense Intelligence Agency, US: “The GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business is what we have all been waiting for. Easy to understand guidance and actionable tips to reduce risk. Small businesses can make it harder on the bad guys and reduce their risk by following the easy to understand guidance in the GCA toolkit.”
Joseph Lorenzo Hall, Chief Technologist and Director of the Internet Architecture project at the Center for Democracy & Technology, US: “Wow. Wow. Wow. As someone with an eye for design, that is a beautiful site full of great resources. Bravo for an amazingly well-done campaign page and effort!!”
Jamil N. Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Scalia Law School: “Small businesses are the heart of the U.S. economy, employing nearly half the U.S. workforce and, in particular, they are at the leading edge of technology innovation. Startups are generating massive economic growth opportunities everyday. Unfortunately, small business are also often the most at risk–with limited capital available to for long-term investments in security and significant vulnerability to IP theft that is at the core of their innovative growth–these businesses need help, and they need it fast. Today’s announcement by the Global Cyber Alliance of a cybersecurity toolkit for small business is a huge step in the right direction, giving small businesses not just a recipe for success, but the tools to defend themselves as well. GCA is to be applauded for its work in this area and we look forward to helping get the word out about this important toolkit.”
Mary Kavaney, Chief Operating Officer, Global Cyber Alliance: “GCA is proud to be releasing the cybersecurity toolkit for small businesses. SMEs globally are on the losing end of cyber-attacks and need vetted tools that all business owners can understand and implement. The toolkit for small businesses was a collective effort with GCA partners worldwide.”
Rob Knake, Senior Fellow, the Council on Foreign Relations, and former Director for Cybersecurity Policy, the White House: “The GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit is a key step forward in making it possible for small businesses to take action to be more secure. Guidance is wonderful, but providing understandable guidance aligned with free tools can make a much greater difference. I look forward to small businesses using this resource, and governments and the private sector supporting this and other efforts to provide cybersecurity across the many who need it.”
Olaf Kolkman, Chief Internet Technology Officer, Internet Society, US: “The Internet Society’s Online Trust Alliance has a long history of promoting the technologies and best practices that foster confidence in the Internet, build organizational reputation, and protect both consumers and organizations. We’re thrilled to help launch the Global Cyber Alliance’s Cybersecurity Toolkit, a one-stop-shop for valuable tools to help small businesses ensure their businesses and, in turn, their customers are protected from cyber threats. Together, we look forward to making the Internet safer for everyone.”
Ilia Kolochenko, Chief Executive Officer, High-Tech Bridge, UK: “Cyber risks and threats are becoming more sophisticated, diverse and convoluted every day. SMEs and NGOs are particularly vulnerable and susceptible to undetectable data breaches, partially because of an overcrowded security market and ensued vendor fatigue. Unbiased, consistent and risk-based cybersecurity guidance – is of an immense value today. Global Cyber Alliance and its cybersecurity programs – is a lifesaver for unprotected entities in the hostile and interconnected world. At High-Tech Bridge, we are very proud to contribute our knowledge to the GCA mission to make the Internet safer for everyone.”
Eileen Mahoney, Consultant, Positive Momentum, UK: “All businesses are digital businesses these days, and need to consider cyber security as integral to their business risk assessment. Yet SMEs and not-for-profits often lack the internal skills and tools to get a handle on complex cyber issues. GCA’s new Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business delivers a simple, effective way to help protect their business, and by extension, their customers, partners and staff.”
Tony Neate, Chief Executive, Get Safe Online, UK: “As a leading resource for cyber and information security advice for SMEs, Get Safe Online applauds Global Cyber Alliance’s unique initiative in making this range of tools available so that businesses can better protect themselves against online threats across their networks and devices.”
Melanie Oldham, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bob’s Business, UK: “We’re very pleased to be involved in the Global Cyber Alliance Cybersecurity Toolkit. It contains some fantastic tools that can help protect small businesses from criminals and provides useful resources to educate those who may lack technical knowledge about the human factor of cyber security.”
Christopher Painter, Former Coordinator for Cyber Issues, US State Department: “The GCA toolkit is vital not only for domestic businesses but for international ones as well. The more we make accessible basic hygiene tools the better off we are are. Cybersecurity best practices know no borders and widespread acceptance of the CIS controls and other measures makes us all safer.”
Lydia Ragoonanan, LORCA Program Director, LORCA (London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement), UK: “While there are targeted added-value products out there for SMEs to maintain their cybersecurity posture, we also know there are smaller organisations and not-for-profits that will struggle to invest. That’s why LORCA’s thrilled to see this free Global Cyber Alliance toolkit available for not-for-profits and others to start their cyber awareness journey.”
Sue Reeves, Founder and Director, Business Biscotti, UK: “As a membership organisation with a network of SME business clubs across the UK, cybersecurity is a major concern to our members. This is a invaluable online resource which demystifies and provides powerful tools to significantly improve SMEs resilience to cyber attack. Well done to the Global Cyber Alliance for developing this much needed toolkit.”
Paul Rosenzweig, Senior Fellow, R Street Institute and Principal, Red Branch Consulting, US: “For small business, cybersecurity is doing the basics right. But even that is hard with the proliferation of products, services, and advice. GCA’s Cybersecurity Toolkit is an ideal answer, bringing together in one place a suite of tools that are well-suited for the small enterprise. It’s good security and it’s also good policy for society generally.”
Mike Steinmetz, State Cybersecurity Officer, State of Rhode Island, US: “Small business is the heart of the U.S. economy and key to Rhode Island’s economic growth. The free small business cybersecurity toolkit from the Global Cyber Alliance provides a ‘one stop shop’ for tools and best practices that will help to keep R.I. small businesses more cybersecure.”
Nicola Staub, Prosecutor, Public Prosecutor Office, Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland and GCA Ambassador: “Great to see the launch of the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Businesses. Small businesses are of the most vulnerable when it comes to cyber attacks, something I see almost on a daily basis, and their budget often restricts an adequate response. It’s good to see that GCA with partners are stepping in, to address this key issue.”
Megan Stifel, Cybersecurity Policy Director, Public Knowledge, US: “Small and medium-sized businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. and global economies. Unfortunately, that also makes them prime targets for actors seeking to undermine these entrepreneurs’ hard work, including through the malicious use of networked technologies. The Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business published today by the Global Cyber Alliance provides trustworthy, cost-free, straightforward resources to help these organizations better protect their interconnected assets and thereby enhance trust in the internet ecosystem.”
Stephen Wall, Co-founder and Head of Marketplace & Content, The Wealth Mosaic, UK: “Across the globe, the wealth management sector is made up of many thousands of small and medium-sized businesses. Putting aside the obvious financial profile of the sector for a moment, historically, technology has not been either widely available or widely adopted for a variety of reasons. Today, however, technology, as both a huge opportunity as well as an ongoing challenge to the businesses, is everywhere and these firms need every free and easy-to-access resource they can find to stay relevant, engaging and, perhaps above all, safe. A resource such as this toolkit provides wealth managers with a much needed mechanism to develop and maintain their cyber awareness, capabilities and protection. Security and reputation is key in this industry. This toolkit can help deliver and enable that for the very many small wealth managers that form the backbone of this sector.”
Lloyd A. Williams, President, Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, NY, US: “The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce is honored to support, participate in and partner with the Global Cyber Alliance and NY County District Attorney, Cyrus Vance. The issue of cybersecurity is of key importance to many of our members, ranging from Fortune 200 companies to small businesses and individual professionals. With that in mind, the launch of the Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business is an essential step in protecting the interests of our members.”
See original blog: https://www.globalcyberalliance.org/statements-in-support-of-the-gca-cybersecurity-toolkit/
