PROVIDENCE – Polaris Manufacturing Extension Partnership is teaming up with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership to host a training session entitled “Cybersecurity Resiliency for Defense Contractors” on Dec. 17.
The free event is one of 20 being held across the United States for manufacturing companies that perform work for the U.S. Department of Defense, said Mary Johnson, Polaris MEP manager of growth and strategy, in a news release.
“There is a successful cyberattack every 39 seconds. Recovering from a phishing or malware attack can cost companies tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours lost time,” Johnson said. “The stakes are even higher for companies that make components for the U.S. military; a breach could reveal plans and data that compromise the safety of our military personnel.”
Johnson said the goal of the all-day session is to give manufacturing leaders steps they can take to keep their eligibility to do business with the Department of Defense and to help protect national security.
Experts from the NIST MEP will discuss the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and the draft Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. Manufacturers can also expect to hear about how NIST SP 800-171 guidance can help them manage their risk and protect information. Attendees will learn how to adequately protect Covered Defense Information, why cloud computing poses additional risk and how to manage incident reporting.
Sponsors of the training program include the New England MEP Centers with support from the MEP National Network and the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center.
Rhode Island sponsors include the Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance, the Rhode Island Manufacturing Association and the Rhode Island Procurement Technical Assistance Center.
The program will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Providence Marriott, 1 Orms St., in Providence. Although limited to manufacturers with Department of Defense supply-chain contracts, registration is required.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
