How to resolve AdBlock issue? SARATOGA SPRINGS — One of the biggest issues in modern times impacting consumers, government, and businesses is cyber security. According to a 2013 survey by the National Small Business Association, 44 percent of small businesses reported being the victim of a cyber attack, with an average cost of approximately $9,000 per attack. Small businesses have valuable information cybercriminals seek, including employee and customer data, bank account information, access to business finances, and intellectual property. Small business employers also provide access to larger networks such as supply chains.
With that in mind, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce hosted a cyber security breakfast panel with experts from the University at Albany, Saratoga Hospital, and Arrow Corporation. They shared tips and strategies to help defend businesses from these critical threats. Sponsored by Whiteman Osterman and Hanna, the breakfast was attended by about 60 participants and held on Thursday, December 8, at Saratoga National Golf Club.
“For the Chamber, our interest in hosting this workshop is to help our members to understand the threats they face with a seemingly endless number of cyber attacks coming from near and far,” said Chamber President Todd L. Shimkus, CCE. “I think every organization could be a victim. It may be hard to protect yourself from every attack but we’re all better off staying apprised of the things we can do to minimize the threat. We really appreciate the work of Whiteman Osterman and Hanna to help us organize this presentation on a topic that is both timely and relevant to our members. The panelists are all experts in this field and the best practices they shared offered practical advice everyone who attended could use.”
The panel was moderated by Chris Meyer, attorney at Whiteman Osterman and Hanna, and included: Dr. Sanjay Goel, Director of Research for NYS Center for Information Forensics and Assurance and Professor and Chair of Information Technology Management at UAlbany; Kathleen Kelleher, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Saratoga National Bank; and Gary Moon, Senior Security Analyst at Saratoga Hospital.
“I think it was very well received,” said Meyer. “The single most significant message that the panelists shared was that the human element is extremely important in cyber security. It is vital to make sure employees are knowledgeable and appropriately trained."
Meyer said the panelists made the observation that the greatest cyber risk many organizations face in Saratoga County is from employees being tricked into clicking on links in fraudulent emails. Ransomware is unfortunately common, and the office of the Attorney General and law enforcement is very active in this area. The primary enforcer on the federal level is the Federal Trade Commission, in concert with the Federal Bureau of Investigations and other law enforcement to track down criminals.
The panel also used examples from the recent Presidential campaign to highlight causes of leaks of sensitive company information to social media. They panel recommended employers ensure trust and loyalty in staff, and the need for confidentiality agreements and other strong internal security measures. Meyer said there was a general recognition by attendees that there are many things businesses can do to control their risk, and with proper planning, they can have a leg up on prevention, as well as have an ability to recover quickly if struck by an incident.
“We could have talked all day,” said Meyer. “People need to regularly monitor their credit reports and take action as soon as they see something unusual. It’s safe to say that just about everyone at some point has had his or her personal information compromised. Often, people assume that it was stolen from a particular place and it turns out not to be true. It’s not always the case that where you think it happened is where it happened. If you are using your social security number or buying online or even using your debit card at a doctor’s office, your information may have been comprised. It’s a risk we all have to take for the convenience of these transactions. It’s both an aspect of people taking responsibility for their own affairs and then being prepared to deal with the event should it, unfortunately, occur.”
The U.S. Small Business Administration unveiled a new cyber security webpage for small businesses at www.sba.gov/cybersecurity in October. The SBA cyber security webpage is a resource for small business owners to discover online courses, training opportunities, blogs and webinars, as well as learn cyber security information tips, including how to: protect against viruses, spyware and other malicious code; educate employees about cyber threats; safeguard Internet connections by using a firewall and encrypting information; and use best practices on payment cards, including shifting to more secure credit card payment technology known as “EMV.”
