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NYDFS announces cybersecurity toolkit for small businesses

Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security State Issues State Regulators NYDFS

Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

On November 17, NYDFS announced a partnership with a non-profit company to provide a free cybersecurity toolkit to small businesses, including those in the financial services sector. The toolkit is intended to help small businesses strengthen their cybersecurity and to protect themselves and their customers from growing cyber threats. Operational tools and educational resources covered in the toolkit address “identifying hardware and software, updating defenses against cyber threats, strengthening passwords and multi-factor authentication, backing up and recovering data, and protecting email systems.” NYDFS’ partnership with the company also includes the development of a set of sample policies based on cybersecurity best practices to help small businesses install necessary governance and procedures. The sample policies include, among other things, a risk assessment and a sample third-party service provider policy. NYDFS advises small businesses to “review the tools and sample policies and to adapt them to their specific business risks and operations, including to comply with any applicable state and federal laws.”