Cybersecurity Starts Before the Attack
SIIA Hosts Business Cybersecurity Workshop
On June 16, the Staten Island Industrial Alliance (SIIA) welcomed members and local business leaders to the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce for a morning workshop focused on one of today's most pressing business challenges: cybersecurity.
Generously hosted by the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the event featured SIIA Member cybersecurity expert Obi Ibeto, Founder & CEO of ShieldForce Corporation, alongside Ron Klink, Founder & CEO of RK's Disaster Recovery Solutions, who shared practical strategies to help businesses protect their operations before and after a cyber incident.
Cybercriminals Are Getting Smarter
The workshop highlighted how cyberattacks have become increasingly sophisticated, with criminals using AI-assisted phishing emails, fake invoices, business email compromise, and social engineering to target small and mid-sized businesses.
Rather than relying solely on technical hacking, many attacks exploit everyday business processes such as payroll, banking, vendor payments, and employee communications. Presenters explained how attackers research companies, impersonate trusted contacts, and create convincing emails designed to trick employees into sharing sensitive information or authorizing fraudulent transactions.
Attendees learned about common threats including:
Phishing and spear-phishing attacks
Payroll and direct deposit fraud
Business email compromise (BEC)
Ransomware
Fake vendor payment requests
Cloud security risks and compromised passwords
Practical Solutions for Small Businesses
Rather than focusing only on the threats, the session emphasized practical steps every business can take to strengthen its cybersecurity.
Obi Ibeto discussed the importance of employee awareness training, multi-factor authentication, strong password management, secure payroll procedures, and internal approval processes to help prevent attacks before they happen.
Ron Klink complemented the discussion by explaining why business continuity and disaster recovery planning are equally important, helping organizations minimize downtime and recover quickly should an incident occur.
The morning reinforced a simple but powerful message: cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue, it's a business issue.
Thank You to Our Partners
The Staten Island Industrial Alliance extends its sincere appreciation to ShieldForce Corporation and RK's Disaster Recovery Solutions for sharing their expertise, and to the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce for generously hosting this educational event.
By bringing together industry experts and local businesses, SIIA continues to provide valuable educational programming that helps our members stay informed, resilient, and prepared for today's evolving business challenges.
Request Your Complimentary Business Cybersecurity Assessment
Following the workshop, ShieldForce is offering a complimentary Business Cybersecurity Assessment to help organizations identify vulnerabilities, evaluate their current cybersecurity posture, and receive practical recommendations to strengthen their defenses.
Whether you attended the workshop or are looking to improve your organization's cybersecurity, we encourage you to take advantage of this free resource.
Request your complimentary Business Cybersecurity Assessment below!
