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South Texas Collegeโ to Launch โฃCybersecurity Clinic, Offering Free Services to Local Businesses
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A โขnew initiative from South Texas College (STC) will provide โขcrucial cybersecurity support to businesses and organizations across the Rio Grande Valley, bridging a critical โgap in protection against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
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South Texas College is poised to launch a groundbreaking cybersecurity clinic, a first for the Rio โGrande Valley, designed toโ offer free services to localโ businesses,โ non-profit organizations, and boutiques. The clinic will not only benefit the community but also provide invaluable real-world experience for STC students.
Theโฃ impetus for this initiative stems from the growing frequency and impact โof cyberattacksโ on small โฃand medium-sized businesses. Danya โBernardino, โa barista at Nerve coffee shop in the area, recounted a recent incident. “The โsystem that we were using, there have been times where our bosses got hacked, and it wasโฃ pretty devastating,” she explained. The attack caused disruptions to operations,โข including issues with employee clock-ins and account access, necessitating password resets and system updates.
The STC โคclinic aims to proactively address such vulnerabilities. Fifteen students, under the guidance of Computer Science Assistant Professor Nicholas Hinojosa, will โparticipate, applying their classroom learning to practical scenarios. โ”It allows our students, while they’re still โคtaking courses, to โคapply what they’ve learned in โthe โclassroom to real world โฃscenarios, so that way they can increase their experience,” Hinojosa stated.
Funded by a $467,000 grant, the clinic will โoffer a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity services. These include risk assessments toโ identify potential weaknesses, response planningโ to prepare โฃfor incidents, and cybersecurity awareness training for employees. More technically, students will conduct vulnerability โtesting and penetration testing to โฃproactively uncover and address security flaws.
“We’ll also โฃbe doing tabletop exercises,โ which are simulated cyberattacks to help businesses understandโฃ how to respond,” Hinojosa added. The college is โคalready engaging with potential clients, โsignaling strong demand for these services.
While still in the planning stages, the cybersecurity clinic is โคanticipated to begin operations inโฃ spring 2026, promising a notable boost to the region’s cybersecurity posture.
the Rising Tide of Cyber โThreats: Aโ Look at theโ Landscape
Cybersecurity is no longer a concern solely for โlarge corporations. Small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals, often lacking the resources to adequately defend themselves. According to a recent โขreport by verizon, 43% of cyberattacks โtarget small businesses. The cost of a โขdata breach for a small business can be devastating,โข potentially โขleading to financial ruin. This clinic represents a proactive step towards mitigating these risks in the Rio Grandeโฃ Valley.
Trends โindicateโ a growing sophistication in cyberattacks,โข with ransomware, phishing,โ andโ supply chain attacks becomingโข more prevalent. businesses must prioritize cybersecurity awareness training forโ employees and implement robust security measures to protect their data and systems.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cybersecurity for Small Businesses
What is a risk assessmentโ and why is it crucial?
A โคrisk assessmentโฃ identifies potential vulnerabilities in your systems and data. It’s crucial for understanding โyour weaknesses and prioritizing securityโข measures.
What is penetration testing?
Penetration testingโ simulates a real-world cyberattack to identify weaknesses in your security defenses. Itโ helps you understand how a hacker might exploit your systems.