| Abstrakt: |
Pervasive cyber-attacks, data breaches, and ransomware attacks continue to threaten SMBs because cybercriminals interpret small businesses are soft targets. Studies revealed that SMBs are unprepared to combat emerging and persistent cyber threats. SMBs are significant contributors to the U.S. national economy; therefore, the increasing numbers of cyber incidents targeting small and medium-sized firms is a national security concern. Seventy-nine percent of small businesses owners (SBO) are the sole employee while 66% of SBOs are directly responsible for the information security efforts. Resource limitations are impeding the efforts of SMBs, which is preventing these businesses from implementing cybersecurity strategies and hiring information security professionals. These setbacks are increasing the probability of SMBs experiencing a cyber incident in which most small businesses will not recover. Research indicates that 80% of SMBs do not have a codified cybersecurity strategy; thus, illustrating that SMBs are in dire need of support from the government, industry, and academia. Corporations have used communities of practice (CoPs) as a continuum for professional development, for practitioners to exchange ideas, and to solve practice-specific problems. The creation of cybersecurity CoPs, sponsored by public and private entities is an effective approach to educate and prepare SMBs to combat cyber threats. Cybersecurity CoPs can address SMBs specific problems by leveraging knowledge from government, industry, and academia experts. Community participants can employ the lessons learned from previous CoPs to develop objectives that will enhance SMBs' abilities to implement cybersecurity practices. Cybersecurity CoPs are cost-effective platforms to assist SMBs in critical areas and vulnerability management to impede cyber targeting efforts by cybercriminals. SMBs are vital to the economic progress of the U.S.; therefore, cybersecurity CoPs are necessary to prepare small businesses to mitigate persistent and emerging cyber threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
