Small Business Cyber Security Improvements Act of 2016

Small Business Cyber Security Improvements Act of 2016

This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a Small Business Development Center Cyber Strategy after the Government Accountability Office submits a report that reviews the cybersecurity resources of federal agencies aimed at assisting small businesses. The strategy must include:

• plans for incorporating small business development centers (SBDCs) into cyber programs to assist small businesses;
• counsel and assistance to improve small businesses' cyber security infrastructure, threat awareness, and training programs for employees, including agreements with Information Sharing and Analysis Centers to gain awareness of actionable threat information that may be beneficial to small businesses; and
• an analysis of how SBDCs can leverage federal agency programs and develop partnerships to improve cyber support services to small businesses.

The Small Business Act is amended to authorize the SBA to make SBDC grants in furtherance of such strategy. SBDCs shall provide access to external cyber security specialists to counsel small businesses.

DHS and other federal agencies coordinating with DHS may assist SBDCs, through the dissemination of cyber security risk information and other homeland security information, to help small businesses in developing such cyber security infrastructure, threat awareness, and employee training programs.