President Donald Trump recently signed into law the NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Act, which requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop and provide resources to protect small businesses’ digital assets from cybersecurity threats.
According to the bill, the resources must be implemented using technologies that are commercial and off-the-shelf, be based on international standards to the extent possible, include case studies of practical applications, and must include elements that promote awareness of simple, basic controls, a workplace cybersecurity culture, and third-party stakeholder relationships.
“Small- and medium-sized businesses face a heightened threat and suffer most from cyber-attacks, which is why Sen. (Brian) Schatz (D-HI) and I worked so hard in a bipartisan fashion to provide Main Street America with usable resources on how to keep themselves secure,” said Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. “I am so glad President Trump signed this legislation into law, allowing small businesses in Idaho and across the nation to better safeguard against cyber threats.”
Small businesses comprise more than half of the jobs in the United States and have become a large target for cyber-attacks.