FREE Cyber Security Best Practices Course for MK SMEs By Leading IT Support Specialist

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We are excited to begin the second phase of the SkillsHub:MK campaign with a fresh, new set of FREE courses for local Milton Keynes businesses. The unique initiative that is focused on making digital training free and accessible for all businesses in MK, involves short, educational workshops by some of the leading specialists who have made a significant contribution to supporting and enhancing the local tech and IT business community.

One of the first courses that businesses can make the most of is the Cyber Security Best Practices Course for SMEs, delivered by the founder of one of MK’s innovative IT and tech enterprises – It’s What’s Next IT, Matthew Reynolds.

Matthew has been working in the IT industry for over 25 years and provides IT support to SMEs, including anti-virus, backups, helpdesk, etc. through his company. But there’s a twist – apart from being a leading IT support company, It’s What’s Next IT is also UK’s first IT social enterprise that employs people disadvantaged in the job market, like care leavers, ex-services personnel, etc.

Matthew is on a mission to help SME owners understand how best to make IT a net benefit within the business. His FREE Cyber Security Best Practices course in collaboration with SkillsHub:MK is for delegates who want to understand how to get the best possible cyber security and information security footing for their business. They will be able to learn how to identify the most common cyber security threats to their business, and how to set up defences to protect it from being exploited. The course will also cover how to use the government-backed Cyber Essentials standard as the foundation of a good cyber security strategy. Business owners can expect to learn how to effectively bring about a culture change within their business to make sure everyone from management down is on-board with how to protect the business and its customers.

The FREE workshop will be delivered in two sessions, in the morning and afternoon, respectively, and will include:

Morning Session – Understanding the Threat

  • How SME owners (mis)interpret “cyber hygiene” advice
  • Phishing, spam, and social engineering
  • Ransomware-as-a-service – the latest, biggest threat to your business
  • Understand how two-factor authentication can be compromised
  • The impact of cybercrime on SMEs
  • Password hygiene and the risks inherent in poor passwords

Afternoon Session: Managing the Threat

  • Managing encryption
  • Choosing and deploying endpoint security/antivirus
  • An interactive exercise in developing a “threat model” for the business
  • Implementing and maintaining proper backups
  • Ensuring business continuity in a cloud-first world
  • Understanding the role of cyber security insurance

The workshop will take place on 30th June 2022 between 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM at the Chaffron Centre at MK College. Interested delegates can learn more about the workshop and book their place here.

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