What Do You Need Cybersecurity Help With?

NIST’s Small Business Cybersecurity Support Program Finder connects small businesses with nonprofit programs offering cybersecurity assistance. Its October 5 announcement describes support ranging from risk assessments to incident preparedness. You can browse programs by state.

A useful first conversation begins with what you want help understanding. For example: which accounts can approve payments, or whom should we call if our email is compromised? These are illustrative questions, not reports of incidents. They give a prospective provider a specific problem to discuss.

If you cannot yet name that problem, ask for help finding the starting point. NIST’s team-building guidance specifically allows for community support to help identify major risks and areas for improvement, particularly for businesses with limited resources, relatively simple IT, and no significant external cybersecurity requirements.

Then ask what the provider would examine, what your business would receive, and what you would know afterward. In the payment example, would the work identify relevant accounts and approval steps? In the email example, would it produce a contact plan that staff can find and use?

NIST says the finder’s list is not exhaustive and does not endorse or validate the listed programs. Its team-building guidance also recommends defining desired outcomes and documenting service responsibilities. Use the first conversation to establish whether the offered help fits your situation and what work, if any, should follow.