Soon, contractors and subcontractors to the U.S. Department of Defense will be required to have cybersecurity certification at the level needed for the specific work in the contract. The new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) guidelines are thought to be the precursor to certification that eventually will be required across all government contracts. To help businesses prepare, the New Mexico Economic Development Department is hosting a CyberReady workshop May 12-14, 2021.
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Businesses Set Sights on Cybersecurity
Jennifer Kurtz, cybersecurity expert at MEP. Article by Jason Gibbs.
Jennifer Kurtz quickly boils down the reasons small businesses should care about cybersecurity.
You want to keep your business, your reputation, your customers, your money and your people. You don’t like getting sued. And you want to sleep well.
Pretty hard to argue with that.
Kurtz, the Cyber Program Director at Manufacturer’s Edge, a Colorado-based nonprofit that works to boost the competitiveness of Colorado manufacturers through that state’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, shared her expertise with attendees of New Mexico MEP’s Manufacturing Day activities in Albuquerque last October. During the New Mexico MEP Manufacturing Summit, ‘Thinking Machines and Smart Workforce,’ Kurtz addressed the impact of cybersecurity, breaches and data theft.
Kurtz told the New Mexico MEP attendees she uses the phrase “Biz Burglary” when discussing what happens when phishing, ransomware or security breaches result in data being stolen or compromised. And, she says, it has led to financial loss and, in some cases, businesses having to close entirely. Continue reading