The coronavirus pandemic forced many businesses in Maryland to rapidly transition all or most of their workforces to working from home. But it's likely they didn't all have the experience or tools necessary to ensure an entire office could telework without exposing the company to new cyber threats.
A volunteer group of local cybersecurity experts has launched an emergency response initiative to help these companies keep their critical data safe amid the pandemic. A new program, called the Cyber SWAT Team, will allow small and mid-size companies in Maryland to share information on the kinds of cyber threats they are facing now, and consult with the experts on how to respond to a hack.
Cybersecurity Association of Maryland Inc. (CAMI) has been developing this initiative for a while and had planned to softly launch it this summer, said Sam Conklin, CAMI's director of operations. But the coronavirus outbreak and the rapid increase in demand for emergency cyber assistance accelerated the timeline, she said.
Conklin said most small businesses are likely operating with limited cybersecurity capabilities, and wouldn't know who to call or where to start in the event of a hack. That's where the "SWAT Team" of experts comes in.
"This has really become an emergency response effort," Conklin said. "We really want to help people who are buying new equipment, trying out new technology and trying to make the remote office thing work."
Here's how the program works:
- Any company that experiences a cyber breach and would like some expert help can send an inquiry to the new Cyber SWAT Team "hotline" describing the problem they are facing via email or through a link on CAMI's website.
- Within an hour, a member of the Cyber SWAT triage team will call to get more detailed information on the company seeking help, including its size, location and industry, as well as the kind of cyber issue they are experiencing.
- That detailed information is then passed along to a second group, an incident response team made up of CAMI-vetted local experts hailing from a variety of Maryland cyber firms.
- Those experts will asses the breach together and offer suggestions on some products and services that may help the company experiencing the breach, based on its specific needs.
"Participating Cyber SWAT Team companies have volunteered to give their time to businesses in need of information, resources and referrals to keep their business afloat amidst a cybersecurity crisis," CAMI said in a statement. The volunteers include several of CAMI's 500 member companies.
There is no cost for a company to use the hotline service. There may be costs associated with the services and tools suggested for addressing a breach.
In addition to the SWAT Team initiative, CAMI has been providing additional webinars and tips through its members, to help local companies that may be seeking some extra guidance on what their employees should or shouldn't be doing while working from home.
Conklin said CAMI wants to continue to provide easy access to as many resources as possible to help companies successfully navigate through this "crazy time." New coronavirus-related information sheets and webinars are accessible through CAMI's website.