Cybersecurity companies combine resources to assist Maryland businesses amidst COVID-19 crisis
The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland Inc (CAMI) has launched their Cyber SWAT Team initiative to provide a coordinated breach response effort to respond to the increase in cybersecurity attacks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses can email cyberSWAT@MDcyber.com directly or visit the CAMI website at https://MDcyber.com/cyber_swat_team.php to submit a hotline request via online form. Businesses will then receive a call from a cybersecurity professional within one hour who will gather additional information and triage their hotline request to the best fit cybersecurity firm based on their size, location, industry and breach needs. There is no cost for this hotline service connecting businesses with information, resources and referrals.
The Cyber SWAT Team initiative is made up of a diverse group CAMI member cybersecurity companies who together offer a full suite of cybersecurity products and services to assist any business with products/services tailored to their needs. Participating Cyber SWAT Team companies have volunteered to give their time to businesses in need of information, resources and referrals to keep their business afloat amidst a cybersecurity crisis. These participating cybersecurity firms are vetted by CAMI staff and Board of Directors and must be in good standing with the State of Maryland and with the Better Business Bureau.
Cyber SWAT Team responders include two groups of professionals: Triage Team and Incident Response Team. The Triage Team is responsible for outreach to the businesses contacting the hotline, gathering additional information and making referrals to the best-fit Incident Response Team. Incident Response Team members are cybersecurity companies with resources to fit their breach response needs.
This initiative was spearheaded by CAMI Executive Board members and sanctioned by the State of Maryland. You can additionally find information on their website, https://govstatus.egov.com/md-coronavirus-business, where any company can send an email requesting help. Governor Larry Hogan’s team spoke directly with CAMI Board Director Chris Sachse, CEO of Baltimore-based cybersecurity firm Think|Stack, and stated that “We have never been more reliant on technology to do business than we are right now, and we’ve never been more vulnerable as a nation to cybersecurity attacks. Hackers are preying on our distraction and they will be increasing their attacks during this crisis. While the state and federal government will be protecting our critical infrastructure, the Cyber SWAT team and hotline allows us to expand our resources and quickly support those businesses who have been breached.”
When asked about the importance of the program for Maryland businesses, CAMI Board Chairman, Gregg Smith, CEO of Columbia-based Attila Security, stated that, “The Cyber SWAT Team initiative meets an extreme need for businesses at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. As businesses transition to remote work and quickly implement new technologies and practices, they are more vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks than ever before. The Cyber SWAT Team hotline provides a direct line to a cybersecurity professional to provide quick response in the event of a breach.”
For more information on CAMI, including its online directory of more than 500 Maryland cybersecurity companies and the Maryland cybersecurity jobs portal, visit CAMI’s website, www.MDcyber.com.
About the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc.
CAMI is a nationally-unique non-profit organization formed in 2015 to identify Maryland’s cybersecurity providers and connect them with businesses, organizations and government entities that need cybersecurity solutions. CAMI operates a searchable online directory of over 500 of the state’s cybersecurity product and service companies at www.MDcyber.com/listings and hosts a variety of programs throughout the year to provide face- to-face connection opportunities. CAMI hosts a skills-based cybersecurity jobs platform (https://mdcyber.com/md_cyber_jobs.php) that connects job seekers with Maryland cybersecurity career opportunities and training entities that can provide the skills, certifications and experience needed for jobs of interest.
