Protect your money from cyber scams this holiday season

PULLMAN, Wash.—The Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is presenting a three-hour cybersecurity workshop at the Pullman Parks and Recreation Center on Nov. 20 to help small business owners protect their business and their assets from scammers this holiday season.

Kayla Miller, coordinator of the Washington SBDC cyber security training programs, said participants will learn how to protect their customer data, their online presence, their business reputation, and their money.

“A lot of money is going to change hands this holiday season,” Miller said. “In this workshop, participants will gain valuable information to make sure their money does not end up in the hands of bad actors or hackers.”

Presenters will include Nick Stafford, chief information security officer for Idaho Central Credit Union, who will demonstrate how to set up banking alerts and restrictions to prevent unauthorized transactions, and has other tips to secure your bank accounts and email communications.

Zachary Werle, president of WSU’s Cyber Security Group, will discuss recent developments in cyber scams.

Miller, the SBDC cyber security training coordinator, will provide examples of current phishing or scam attempts, with an emphasis on holiday sale scams.

She will also discuss cybersecurity policies for small businesses and introduce

participants to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model, a program created by the U.S. Department of Defense to help federal contractors and subcontractors meet the DOD cybersecurity requirements for protection of unclassified information.

The Port of Whitman and Idaho Central Credit Union are both providing in-kind support for this workshop.

The workshop is being held from 9 a.m. to noon, Nov. 20 at the Pullman Parks and Recreation Center, 190 SE Crestview St., Building B, in Pullman. To register for this event, go to https://wsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/99272589.

Washington State University has been the statewide host of the Washington SBDC network since its inception in 1980. The program is sustained through a cooperative agreement between WSU and the U.S. Small Business Administration. About half of SBDC funding is provided by the SBA and the other half comes from state and local agencies and organizations, including the Washington State Department of Commerce, Washington State University and other institutions of higher education, economic development agencies and municipalities and business organizations. 

For more information about the Washington SBDC, go to wsbdc.org.