Cyber Security for Businesses

The 2013 Cost of Data Breach Study by the Ponemon Institute found that U.S. companies faced a total cost of $5.4 million due to data breaches, during the period covered in the study. The average number of records exposed or compromised by a data breach was 23,647, and U.S. businesses faced an average cost of $277 per compromised record.

Businesses of all sizes face the possibility of cyber threats, which are constantly evolving with increased intensity and complexity. The risks include malware attacks seeking to steal information that can be sold on the black market; distributed denial-of-service attacks designed to disable large websites; and attempts to penetrate network defenses for the purposes of espionage.

Cyber attacks could disrupt a company's business functions or compromise sensitive customer data and intellectual property.

Cyber Security Resources for Businesses

• The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) offers a list of Cyber Security Questions for CEOs and Cyber Security Guidance for Business, which can help businesses evaluate and enhance their cyber security preparedness.

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) offers a Small Biz Cyber Planner, to help small businesses create customized cyber security plans.

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also offers a specific site for small businesses to go to for resources on cybersecurity and small business scams, including:
  • Protecting Small Businesses
  • A Start with Security: A Guide for Business

• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)offers resources for businesses on Data Security.

• The Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center offers Cyber Security Guides for public and private organizations.

• Businesses can also refer to this sample template to create their own Information Technology Cyber Security Policy.