The Maryland Department of Commerce has been awarded a $930,155 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration to launch a pilot program aimed at assisting small businesses in Maryland with targeted cybersecurity training and knowledge.
The Small Business Cybersecurity Resilience in Maryland program will provide assistance to up to 40 businesses to help them mitigate cyberattacks through training of their employees as well as installing advanced hardware and software up to $10,000 per business.
The SCRIM program will give all employees of selected businesses basic cybersecurity training, including password creation, data backups, physical security, phishing scams, and incident response, as well as a more intensive curriculum designed for specific industries. Eligible businesses include those in the retail, restaurant, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing industries that have been in business for no more than three years with 50 or fewer employees.
Maryland Commerce worked closely with several local partners, including the Maryland Small Business Development Center and the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland to develop this program.