In the first episode of the “Cybersecurity for Small Business” podcast, James from Extreme Networks introduces the audience to the world of cybersecurity for small businesses. He highlights the growing importance of cybersecurity for small businesses due to the increasing aggressiveness of cyber threats. James emphasizes that while cybersecurity is crucial, it doesn’t need to be expensive and complicated, especially for small businesses with limited budgets.
Changing landscape of cyber security
James draws attention to the changing landscape of cybersecurity over the past five to ten years, with cyber threats evolving from internal data breaches and rudimentary viruses to more sophisticated and frequent attacks orchestrated by various actors, including organized crime and nation-states.
He discusses the financial motivations behind cybercrime, such as ransomware attacks, highlighting how groups like North Korea fund their activities by extorting cryptocurrencies from small businesses around the world. (See more of this news here: Crypto theft: North Korea-linked hackers stole $1.7b in 2022 – BBC News)
The podcast addresses the shift in the nature of warfare and influence in the 21st century, where cyberattacks have become a tool to undermine democratic processes and influence international relations. Cybersecurity is no longer an option but a critical part of national security. (See the news about the 2016 US election Clinton email leaks: Russian Who Claims Hillary Clinton, DNC Email Hack Gets 14-Year Sentence (newsweek.com))
James also discusses recent developments in Australia, where the definition of critical infrastructure has been expanded to include businesses that play a vital role in the economy. The government is placing more responsibility on businesses to secure their infrastructure.
Furthermore, he mentions a case of a builder, Pivotal Homes, that went into administration due to a cyber attack, illustrating the real-world impacts of inadequate cybersecurity measures on small businesses. (See more about this news here: Pivotal Homes suffered a “ransomware attack” weeks before liquidation | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site)
Cybersecurity tools
The episode concludes by introducing the “Cybersecurity for Small Business” initiative, which aims to help small business owners understand and improve their cyber resilience. The initiative will provide tools and resources to help businesses reduce the risk of cyber incidents and mitigate their impact.
James emphasizes that the goal is to make cybersecurity more accessible and affordable for small businesses. He invites listeners to visit the “Cybersecurity for Small Business” website for free resources and an “Essential 8 Auditor” tool, which helps assess cybersecurity readiness and provides tailored plans for improvement. (See the Essential 8 Auditor tool here: Essential 8 – Cyber Security for Small Business (cybersecurity4smallbusiness.com))
The episode encourages small business owners to take cybersecurity seriously, stay informed, and take steps to protect their businesses and data from the increasing cyber threats in today’s digital landscape.