Oct. 10, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by Dakota State University.

October is cybersecurity awareness month, and many organizations are providing resources and information to drive home the importance of being cyber safe.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, has a video that explains simple steps to secure our world. Using a cute cartoon character called Joan the Phone, it lays out four simple steps to stay safe online:

• Install updates.
• Make better passwords.
• Think before clicking on suspicious links.
• Use multifactor authentication.

There is also a video of the behind-the-scenes work to produce that video.

The videos are entertaining, but cyber breaches are no laughing matter. According to a U.S. Small Business of America survey, 88 percent of small-business owners felt their business was vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many can’t afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity or don’t know where to begin.

The SBA is working to address this through a grant program, and this is good news for South Dakota small businesses.

CISA director Jen Easterly visited Dakota State University’s DakotaCon earlier this year.

For the second time in three years, Dakota State University’s Paulson Center for Cyber and Economic Development has received a grant through the SBA’s Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program. These grants provide assistance to help small businesses advance their cybersecurity infrastructure and mitigate cyber threats.

DSU was part of the inaugural cohort in 2022 and is the only university in the nation to receive this grant twice.

“This recognition from the SBA for a second time highlights our commitment to ensuring that cybersecurity is accessible and prioritized for small businesses across the state,” said Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, vice president for research and economic development at DSU.

Each year Dakota State receives the grant, it is able to assist hundreds of small businesses through comprehensive training and education, empowering them to better understand and address their cybersecurity needs, Podhradsky said.

“Additionally, we can provide 50 to 75 small businesses with detailed risk assessments and penetration tests to identify vulnerabilities,” she stated.

Businesses interested in participating in the program can contact CyberSafeSD@dsu.edu.

“Given that 43 percent of cyberattacks target small businesses, understanding your current technology infrastructure, how you protect it and where your vulnerabilities lie is critical to improving security measures. By taking proactive steps, such as regular assessments and penetration testing, businesses can reduce their risk of being compromised and protect their operations from costly disruptions,” Podhradsky said. “The Paulson Center is proud to continue to lead the way in securing assistance for South Dakota’s small businesses.”

In addition, DSU is newly designated as a Google Cybersecurity Clinic, meaning that the Paulson Center is able to provide critical training, resources and tools to help South Dakota’s small businesses safeguard their operations and customers.

“With cybersecurity threats on the rise, small businesses need to do everything they can to protect their digital assets from malicious actors,” said Matt Paulson, founder and CEO of MarketBeat. He is also a DSU alumnus. “This grant will be a great resource to help South Dakota small businesses thrive in the digital world.”

“Fortifying our nation’s digital economy is important to our small businesses’ success, given the growing threat of cyberattacks,” added Bryson Patterson, district director of SBA South Dakota’s district office.

“SBA’s Cybersecurity Pilot Program grant is a tool to help small businesses get cyber ready, and Dakota State University’s Paulson Center continues to be a great partner in this effort.”

Eastern Washington University and the University of Texas at San Antonio also received grants. The three institutions will split $3 million in funding through the program for fiscal 2024 through 2026.

The SBA will host a Small Business Cyber Summit on Oct. 16 and 23. For information, click here.