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A workshop hosted by local non-profits and JMU promotes cyber-security awareness
On Friday morning, October 30, the Small Business Development Center, the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council, and the JMU Department of Integrated Science and Technology, will host a workshop focused on cyber-security awareness that is targeted at the local business community, and especially small businesses and not-for-profits. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore practical tools and techniques that can help them assess, enhance, and maintain the security of their systems and information.  This joint venture event is supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Patricia Toth, the keynote speaker, is the project leader for the security outreach and integration computer security division of NIST and will guide attendees in an interactive session. During the workshop attendees will connect with local resources and tools that can guide them in evaluating and assessing their cyber security preparedness.  The goal of this workshop is to raise awareness about cyber security and increase the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Nicky Swayne, CEO of the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council, says, “This workshop couldn’t come at a better time.  Cyber security is a shared responsibility and businesses and employees need to take stock of their cyber security health, including the importance of securing information through best cyber security practices, identify their risk and the types of cyber threats, and learn best practices.” Dr. John Guo, an assistant professor of computer information systems and business analytics at JMU is preparing to participate in a panel that will be part of the workshop and said, “We will discuss how businesses can conduct penetration testing to help identify vulnerabilities in their systems.”  Dr. Hossain Heydari, a professor of computer science who is helping plan the workshop emphasized the need for preparedness and said, “A local business recently contacted me and asked for help because their computer systems had been hacked, and so I, along with Dr. Brett Tjaden and the JMU Cyber Defense Club helped them identify when, how, and where they had been hacked, and ultimately, the club provided suggestions on how to clean up their systems.”

Topics:

• How to protect your business from intentional attacks or unintentional damage by well-meaning employees
• How to guard against the embarrassment, legal liability or decreased productivity of security breaches
• How to evaluate security tools and techniques based on your needs

This workshop is a part of NIST's outreach program. It is designed to make NIST resources more accessible to the small business owner, arming small businesses with specific techniques to improve their Information Security practices.  For additional information about NIST and small business community see  http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SMA/sbc/workshops.html

Agenda:

• 7:30-8:00 Arrivals, coffee, and networking
• 8:00 -10:00 Introductions; speaker, Pat Toth
• 10:00-10:15 Break
• 10:30-11:00 JMU resources panel (reps/faculty from several colleges, eg CISE, CoB); 
  incl. information on how to connect with JMU students and faculty
• 11:00-11:30  JMU Cyber Defense Club demonstration, led by Dr. Tjaden
• 11:30-12:00 Top 10 Cyber Security Threats, Dr. M. Mitri
• Noon: Adjourn

Cost: $30