Cyber Risk in Small-Medium Entities 2 CPE

Cyber threats have become one of the top-rated risks for all businesses in today’s world. Studies show that the smaller businesses and not-for-profit entities often do not pay as close attention to the concept because they feel their operations are not at risk. However, this belief is far from reality.

Advancements in technology have raised the level of acknowledgement of threats in the cyber age. The vast majority of entities that exist today utilize some form of technology whether that be something as simple as a smart device, or more complicated like servers and cloud storage.  Threats to the internet of things (IoT)  touch the entire business world including the purview of the not-for-profit, governmental and small entity.  Information technology is no longer a process area that can just be outsourced without full comprehension of the risks and threats. 

Companies must now acknowledge that whether the threats are internal or external, they are very real and can and will cause harm to many organizations in many ways.  As a result, it is imperative that professionals across not-for-profit, governmental, and small companies understand and be prepared to deal with the multitude of ever-growing cyber threats.   

Prerequisites

No advanced preparation or prerequisites are required for this course. However, it is recommended to take the other courses in the series prior to completing this one.

Learning Objective

• Explore the history of the internet.
• Identify unique risks specific to Not-for-Profit (NFP), governmental or small entities. 
• Explore cyber threats to NFP, governmental or small entities.
• Explore how physical security risks are connected to cyber security risks.
• Identify high-level actions NFP, governmental or small entities can take to establish a response to cyber incidents.
• Identify a cyber framework adaptable to NFP, governmental and small entities.

Last updated/reviewed: July 22, 2025