Small Business Cybersecurity Resilience in Maryland

BENEFITS

Program participants will benefit from the following services:

• Security scans of existing cybersecurity systems, performed by contracted service providers.
• Complete cybersecurity hygiene training for all employees. Training includes: password creation, data backups, physical security, phishing scams, and incident response, as well as a more intensive curriculum designed for specific industries.
• Selected employees, as identified by the security scan, will complete more extensive training regarding cybersecurity fundamentals, tailored to their level of knowledge. Additionally, these selected employees will complete industry-specific training regarding issues of particular concern to their business.
• Mitigation services contractors will supply and install the highest priority hardware and software, as identified on the security scan, up to $10,000 per business.

To provide the maximum benefit to program participants, we will use selection criteria to target small businesses demonstrating the most critical need for cybersecurity. Eligility requirements include:

• Companies with 50 employees or fewer.
• In the following industries: Retail, restaurants, finance, healthcare, or manufacturing.
• Stage of business: Require companies to have reached an operating stage with revenues from products or services; hence, pre-revenue businesses will not be eligible for this program.
• Businesses must be in operation for less than three years to be eligible for this program, per recent SBA guidance.
• Knowledge level: The program will be a requirement that all employees of the business complete training on this essential topic, and they will also be required to demonstrate a basic level of knowledge by passing a test on the topic.