Cybersecurity Resources for Non-Profits

Do you work for a charity or other non-profit? If so, you know that your organization collects all sorts of private information, including details about people you serve and financial information related to donors. Your own personal information, too, is probably in your organization’s employee records. Cyber criminals would love to get their hands on that data. You can help protect your organization using the information at FTC.gov/Cybersecurity.

At FTC.gov/Cybersecurity you’ll find resources on 12 different topics including cyber scams like ransomware and phishing, key considerations like physical security and vendor security, and more technical guidance on things like email authentication. The guidance in these new materials is based on the FTC’s expertise in the area of data security, privacy protection, and scam prevention. The materials are designed for small businesses, but the same tips and information apply to charities and other non-profits.  If you collect information about people, you need to protect it.

Imagine if your donors’ credit cards are exposed because of a phishing scheme, or if your network gets blocked by a ransomware attack. That can be devastating — not just for the organization and employees like you, but also for the communities that rely on your services. To help protect your organization’s network and data, make cybersecurity part of your business routine.

You can start with these basic cybersecurity tips:
•    Use security software and set it to update automatically
•    Back up important files offline, on an external drive or in the cloud
•    Encourage your organization to have policies covering basic cybersecurity and to train employees on those policies
•    Visit FTC.gov/Cybersecurity and share the fact sheet, quizzes and videos with your colleagues.