By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Cyber security is a top concern for owners and employees of businesses everywhere.
The Kansas Small Business Development Center at Fort Hays State University will offer its first cybersecurity conference, "Cybersecurity 101 for Any Business" on Tuesday at the Robbins Alumni Center.
Real-life examples from the presenters will help business owners learn more about cybersecurity, said Laurie Pieper, assistant director of the small business center.
"Our goal is to help more businesses through their needs, meeting them where they're at in their journey, not only to start and grow but also to mitigate risk and be sustainable and successful so that the businesses have longevity, keeping jobs, products, and services to keep our community and our economy strong."
Cybersecurity is vital for small businesses, Pieper said, and that's where the interest of the small business development center comes in.
"They are at risk. We want to help them understand what the potential risks are, so they can mitigate those risks, and really protect themselves, their assets, their customers, the vendors that they work with.
"We're all connected. It's important for everybody to be up to speed on this," Pieper said.
About a year ago, FHSU created the Cybersecurity Institute and Technology Incubator.
"It's part of what motivated us, knowing we had this great resource being launched out of Fort Hays State University," she said.
A planning committee has been working on the cybersecurity conference, which also offers distance participation in Goodland, Dodge City and Liberal for businesses and students.
Speakers from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Tree Top Security of Hays and Nex-Tech of Hays, FHSU, the U.S. SBA, and Hays USD 489 will provide information and opportunities to connect with resources
Schools are increasingly susceptible to cyber attacks. It happened to USD 489 in February 2022.
Chris Hipp, assistant superintendent, will talk about the attack's impact and why people should care about cybersecurity.
The morning's keynote speaker is Sam Alva, cybersecurity adviser of Homeland Security. FBI personnel will speak about the cyber threat landscape in the afternoon.
The conference will kick off with a short discussion of the language of cybersecurity and how to talk to your IT person by Jason Zeller, interim director of the FHSU Cybersecurity Institute.
How to prepare, respond, and recover from a cyber attack on your business or entity will be addressed by Michael Aumack, economic development specialist with the national SBA.
Following other presentations and a panel discussion, Dallas Haselhorst, owner of Tree Top Security of Hays, will specifically offer actionable steps attendees should take at their businesses.
"The purpose of this is not to be scared but to be prepared and do the things you need to do confidently so that you can protect your business," Pieper said.
"This is not training for IT specialists. It's information for typical business owners and employees," she said.
Cybersecurity is not just about firewalls and passwords. It requires a daily commitment to safeguarding your data from constantly evolving threats. To learn more about best practices, please attend cybersecurity 101 KSBDC enabling an understanding of the importance of risk mitigation and actionable steps.
“One of our goals for this conference is to help small businesses be informed and confident in taking proactive steps to protect their digital environments,” Pieper said. “We are very excited about the partners that have come together to provide training and resources to support our business communities in Western and North Central Kansas.”
Speakers from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Tree Top Security, Nex-Tech, FHSU, the U.S. SBA, and USD 489 will provide valuable information and opportunities to connect with resources.
“I’m excited about the upcoming Cybersecurity 101 For Any Business Conference in Hays this year,” said Mark Griffin, assistant vice president and chief information officer for FHSU’s technology services. “Cybersecurity has a far-reaching impact, especially on small businesses. Providing this opportunity for our local small businesses to enhance their cybersecurity knowledge is invaluable. In today’s digital landscape, a single major cybersecurity incident can be catastrophic for a small business.
“This conference has the potential to educate and significantly reduce the vulnerability of our small businesses.”