First Small Businesses Certified “Cyber Ready” in SecureTheVillage Program to Improve Cybersecurity of Smaller Organizations
SecureTheVillage’s innovative LA Cybersecure™ Program Provides Education, Tools, and Coaching to Empower Small Businesses and Nonprofits to Protect Themselves in a way that, until now, only Big Businesses have Been Able to Achieve.
By: SecureTheVillage
LOS ANGELES – September 16, 2024 SecureTheVillage is proud to announce that the first three participants in its innovative LA Cybersecure™ Program have been Certified Cyber Ready by the prestigious Cyber Readiness Institute.
Los Angeles nonprofit SecureTheVillage announced the LA Cybersecure™ Program in October, 2023 in this press release. The program, partially funded by the Center for Internet Security’s Alan Paller Laureate Program, aims to enhance cybersecurity practices among smaller businesses and nonprofits, equipping them to better defend against cybercrime.
The program officially kicked off in January with its first Cohort of five companies, including a law firm, an accounting firm, two technology companies, and a nonprofit. Cohort participants completed Sightline Security’s Kickstart Program in April as we described here.
Three of the participants have now completed the Cyber Readiness Institute’s Cyber Readiness Program and have been Certified Cyber Ready.
Robert Bakva, President of ProCAT, one of the companies Certified Cyber Ready, had this to say about the program.
I recently participated in the Secure the Village cyber security program, and I must say, it exceeded all my expectations. The program is incredibly well-structured, providing a comprehensive understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.
What impressed me the most was the expertise of the instructors, both Dr. Stahl and Dr. Kelley Misata of Sightline. They are not only knowledgeable but also very approachable, making complex topics understandable even for those new to cyber security.
The program’s focus on community and collaboration also sets it apart. The emphasis on building a network of professionals dedicated to enhancing security at all levels was truly inspiring. The program fosters a sense of shared responsibility, which is crucial in today’s interconnected world.
Overall, the Secure the Village program is an invaluable resource for a smaller business or nonprofit looking to manage the risk of a breach or other cybersecurity incident. Whether you’re taking your first steps in cybersecurity or have years of experience, I highly recommend it!
Ric Merrifield of One Item, another Certified Cyber Ready had this to say: “Before this program, we’d had a couple of incidents and we kind of thought we had done what we needed to do to minimize our risks of loss of critical financial information, but we were going off our gut instinct. Now that we have our Cyber Ready certificate, we feel our whole team has been properly trained on how to prevent and recover from future attacks. We really like that the Cyber Readiness Institute playbook that we personalized for our own use serves as a living document.
Dr. Stan Stahl, PhD, founder and President of SecureTheVillage said “I am incredibly proud of these companies who were the first to be Certified Cyber Ready. They worked hard and had to wrap their heads around things they’d not thought about before. And I’m grateful to the Cyber Readiness Institute for working with us to bring their excellent program to our Cohort participants. As we expected, the program is an incredible success, not just for what works but also for showing us what we need to modify.”
The Program Project Team
SecureTheVillage is a nonprofit making Los Angeles the cyber-safest metropolitan region in the United States for smaller businesses, nonprofits, families and individuals. Founded in 2015 by cybersecurity pioneer Dr. Stan Stahl, SecureTheVillage was recognized for its cybersecurity leadership by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2018.
Sightline Security: Based in Boston, MA, Sightline Security, a distinguished 501(c)3 nonprofit, envisions a world where nonprofits are fortified with the tools and knowledge to confidently champion cybersecurity. Dedicated to reshaping the narrative, Sightline’s KickStart program, based on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, promotes a culture where cybersecurity best practices are integrated into daily operations.
The Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI) provides free, easy-to-use tools and resources to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) around the world become more secure and resilient. Their mission is to advance the cyber readiness of SMBs to improve the security of global supply chains. CRI emphasizes human behavior and employee education and awareness to create a culture of cyber readiness throughout an organization.
The Center for Internet Security (CIS®) is a community-driven nonprofit making the connected world a safer place by harnessing the power of the global IT community to safeguard public and private organizations against cyber threats.
About the Center for Internet Security Alan Paller Laureate Program
From the Center for Internet Security: The Center for Internet Security launched the Alan Paller Laureate Program in memory of Alan Paller, an innovative leader and trailblazer in the field of cybersecurity. The program will empower U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and individuals who are focused on improving cybersecurity by making cybersecurity controls demonstrably more effective, simpler, and more automated; developing and equipping highly skilled cyber experts; and improving the teaching of cyber defense at every level.
Contact
SecureTheVillage
info@securethevillage.org
