Imagine spending your young life building a company from nothing — then losing everything at the click of a mouse.
Small businesses from across the Baton Rouge area discussed the possibilities Tuesday at the Rural Life Museum’s Burden Conference Center during a cyber-security training seminar to learn how to beef up their Internet security.
The event, which was sponsored by the Baton Rouge Better Business Bureau in conjunction with the Louisiana Business and Technology Center and CA Technology, hosted several cyber security experts to speak about topics ranging from office computer security to how to improve revenue and keep hackers out of servers.
Businesses present included Gulf South Technology Solutions, Crimestoppers, Wright & Percy Insurance, Total Care Injury and Pain Center, Point Coupee Electric and Datakeepers.
“The purpose of this session is to help small-business owners understand and identify the various Internet crimes that are committed against them,” said BBB President Jim Stalls. “We also want to help them identify resources, whether it be for information technology, help or reporting victims, which may be their clients.”
Since the early 2000s, businesses have dealt with a rise in attacks on personal identity theft and computer viruses from hackers, as the Internet grew more popular. Now the hackers have moved on to poorly defensed small business since bigger companies took action to safeguard their clients, according to Will Hatcher, FBI special agent.
Attorney General Buddy Caldwell was slated to speak but was not able to attend the seminar, so Forensic Lab Manager Corey Bourgeois and Director of Criminal Prosecution Kurt Wall stood in his place.
Bourgeois covered the dirty work in cyber security, telling businesses about cases he has encountered — about 75 white-collar crimes per week — and advising them to strengthen their security habits.
“Be vigilant,” Bourgeois said. “Don’t trust anyone or anything.”
Hatcher challenged the small businesses to make it difficult for hackers to break into their networks, and warned them that the threat is an international one.
He noted that while 80 percent of Americans regularly access the Internet, the percentages of usage are rapidly rising in Asia, Eastern Europe and other parts of the world.
“If your business gets hacked here in Baton Rouge, it is not just a local problem. It can be international,” Hatcher said. “Our warrants and subpoenas are useless in other countries. It’s a treaty and relationship basis on how well we get along.”
The small-business representatives then got the scoop on cyber security from a former hacker himself. Bill Leach, CEO of Tekton Executive IT Group, a former Navy officer who was trained to be an “ethical hacker,” presented the businesses with techniques designed to increase revenue while protecting the digital perimeter.
“At the end of the day, the question you have to ask yourself is this — how can I increase my bottom line?” Leach said.
 
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Contact Trey Nwankwo at [email protected]