In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, Uncle Marv interviews Ann Westerheim from Ekaru at the ASCII EDGE event in Boston. Ann discusses her book "Cybersecurity for Main Street, Cyber Fit in 21 Days," which aims to simplify cybersecurity concepts for small businesses. She emphasizes the importance of basic security measures like multi-factor authentication and explains how her book has led to speaking opportunities.

The conversation examines recent cybersecurity incidents, including the CrowdStrike update issue, and how these events raise awareness among businesses. Ann and Uncle Marv stress the importance of incident response planning and testing, as well as the need for continuous cybersecurity education.

They also discuss the challenges of convincing clients to invest in cybersecurity measures, highlighting the need to frame the conversation in terms of business risk and potential financial impact. The interview concludes with Ann sharing her experiences as an ASCII member and the benefits of attending industry events.

Key Takeaways:

Simple cybersecurity measures can significantly reduce risks for small businesses
Recent incidents highlight the importance of cybersecurity awareness and planning
Framing cybersecurity in terms of business risk helps convince clients to invest
Continuous education and repetition are crucial for cybersecurity awareness
Industry events and memberships provide valuable networking and learning opportunities

Links:

Ann's Company: https://www.ekaru.com/
Ann's Book "Cyberseurity for Main Street": https://amzn.to/3yhxgNq
ASCII Edge: https://events.ascii.com/

=== Show Information

Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
Host: Marvin Bee
Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
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690 Cybersecurity Simplified - Ann Westerheim at ASCII Edge