LARAMIE — As Wyoming residents adopt personal hygiene practices to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, they should also observe increased cyber hygiene to protect businesses and private information.

Laura Baker, executive director and cofounder of CyberWyoming, said the coronavirus threat is changing how businesses operate as they encourage workers to telecommute from home. CyberWyoming is a nonprofit providing cybersecurity education, awareness and outreach services to the state.

“Working from home requires individuals to check if their computers and home networks meet security standards that usually are taken care of by information technology departments at the office,” Baker said. “Businesses need to make sure their employees have the necessary security tools, like virtual private networks, to work from home.”

Businesses, nonprofits and professionals are encouraged to enter the free 2020 Wyoming Cybersecurity Competition for Small Businesses as a means to review their cybersecurity situation, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop needed cyber hygiene policies.

In its third year, the competition encourages a human-centric approach to cyber leadership in small businesses that don’t have full time technology help.

Any small Wyoming business can enter the competition and receive free basic cybersecurity business counseling services. Cybersecurity business counseling services help establish a cyber leader in the office who may not be technically inclined but is provided the tools and support to be successful in protecting the company.

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