Small Business Corner (SBC)

The Small Business Corner outreach began as a partnership in 2001. The target audience was the 25+ million small businesses in the United States. The small business community uses computers and networks, but, generally has neither the skills nor the resources to protect their business information, computers, and networks. This outreach conducts 4 hour workshops in information security for small business. Over 2000 small businesses have been given basic information security training. The partners are: US Small Business Administration (SBA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The SBA and the FBI identify interested locations, schedule and promote the workshops, and handle attendee registration. NIST provides the facilitator for the workshops.

Small businesses use information technology, but generally do not understand the necessity of securing their information, computers, or networks. They also do not understand how to secure their information or computers or networks. This lack of security makes them prime targets for malicious code, hackers, and other threats to their information assets. Since we operate in a connected world, we cannot afford to neglect this sector of our economy which provides approximately one-half of our GNP and one-half of all jobs in our country.