By Rae D. DeShong.
North Carolina has launched a free chatbot to help small businesses strengthen their cybersecurity by helping them identify vulnerabilities, prevent cyber attacks and respond to security incidents.Named CyberCoach NC, the chatbot is intended to serve more than 1 million small businesses, according to the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT). The state hosts the chatbot on its website, where businesses can sign in and ask questions using their business accounts. Unveiled last month, it provides around-the-clock cybersecurity information, making recommendations more accessible.“Many of the 1 million small businesses in North Carolina don’t have a dedicated cybersecurity team, and now they have 24×7 support when they need it,” said Jennifer Fix, the state’s deputy CISO, in an announcement.The project grew from a partnership that includes NCDIT, the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, North Carolina State University and Cisco. It started with discussions between university faculty and Cisco, and then 10 university students developed the chatbot in a cybersecurity practicum course with Cisco engineers as mentors. They tested an early version of the tool with small businesses to assess accuracy and usability, according to the university.NCDIT then worked with them to prepare the chatbot for deployment on the state website, with support from the secretary of state’s office.
Laura Rodgers, director of cybersecurity practice at North Carolina State’s Secure Computing Institute, said the tool was designed to address the challenges businesses face when implementing cybersecurity protections without having specialized expertise.“Even non-technical people can put basic cybersecurity programs in place, as long as they have clear guidance,” she said in a statement.This isn’t the state IT shop’s first time teaming up with North Carolina’s college-aged students. NCDIT has a seasoned internship program that draws college students from across the state, which has a rich higher education ecosystem.
Rae D. DeShong is a Texas-based staff writer for Government Technology and a former staff writer for Industry Insider — Texas. She has worked at The Dallas Morning News and as a community college administrator.
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