Think data security isn't a small business problem? Think again.
Better Business Bureau Launches National Initiative to Help Small
Businesses Protect Customer and Employee Data

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 27, 2006--The Council of Better
Business Bureaus (CBBB) and Privacy & American Business (P&AB) today
unveiled a new national education initiative geared toward helping
small business owners improve their security and privacy readiness in
a climate of data exposure risks.


"Small businesses aren't quite in step with their larger industry
counterparts in addressing data security," said Steve Cole, president
and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. "They often believe
they're better protected than they really are, because they don't have
in-house experts to advise them on what else they should be doing
beyond locking up their storefronts. It's difficult for them to know
where and how to access support. This makes us all vulnerable, as
small businesses are a strong part of our economy. Business owners of
all sizes need to be vigilant in protecting their customers, their
employees and themselves."

Entitled Security & Privacy - Made Simpler(TM), the BBB's
comprehensive initiative is designed to demystify the complexities of
data security and give small businesses a non-technical roadmap to
securing their customer data. The national program includes free,
easy-to-read security and privacy toolkits, with separate kits focused
on customer and employee data protection. The customer data kit is
being released now, and the employee kit will be released in the fall.
In addition, the program will feature a downloadable 'webinar'
featuring key topic experts, plus ongoing updates about new security
and privacy developments that affect small businesses. The educational
materials are accessible online at: www.bbb.org/securityandprivacy.

The program was developed in partnership with two
nationally-recognized privacy and security experts -- Dr. Alan F.
Westin, founder of Privacy & American Business, consulting with Dr.
Lance Hoffman, Distinguished Research Professor, George Washington
University Department of Engineering and Applied Science. Hoffman also
founded GW's Cyberspace Policy Institute, serving as its director for
seven years.

As a first step, the toolkits will be distributed through the 116
local Better Business Bureaus (BBB) across the country, reaching a
potential audience of 380,000 small businesses and thousands of other
small businesses nationwide. To dramatically extend the reach of the
toolkits to the small business community, the BBB engaged key
corporate sponsors to participate in all levels of the program, and
distribute the toolkit to their own small business customers. To date,
the program is supported by IBM, Visa U.S.A., Equifax, Verizon
Wireless, The Wall Street Journal, eBay and PayPal. Each of these
companies has demonstrated their commitment to working with businesses
of all size to address the growing problem of data security.

The high profile data breaches at major corporations have largely
eclipsed small business vulnerabilities. Yet, a 2005 survey by the
Small Business Technology Institute reports that more than half of all
small businesses in the U.S. experienced a security breach in the last
year. Nearly one-fifth of small businesses do not use virus-scanning
software for e-mail, over 60 percent do not protect their wireless
networks with encryption, according to the study, and two-thirds of
small businesses do not have an information security plan. Small
businesses, overall, make reactive purchase decisions in relation to
information security, and usually purchase products only after
suffering an information security incident.

"Small business owners are focused on running their businesses, but
all it takes is one data breach to damage customer relationships and
impact their bottom line," said Dr. Alan Westin. "Our initiative
encourages small retailers to take ownership of their
responsibilities, to develop a privacy and security policy, and
implement an action plan that makes privacy and data protection an
integral part of their everyday business operations. This will pay off
for them across the board."

Making Cumbersome Issues Manageable

The Security & Privacy - Made Simpler initiative has been specifically
designed for small business owners. "The goal is to make the issue
less intimidating, and point them in the right direction," Cole said.
"We have broken down complex and cumbersome concepts into manageable
action steps."

The information, available at www.bbb.org/securityandprivacy,
emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive security and privacy
plan, and takes both an offline and online security approach by
reminding small business owners that simple steps -- like shredding
documents, spot-checking employees' backgrounds, and not responding to
phishing e-mails -- are just as important as buying new security
software.

Included in the information:

-- Illustrations of low-tech and high-tech data theft, from dumpster
diving and employee theft to phishing and hacking...and steps for
prevention;

-- Checklists for everyday security practices, such as restricting
access to sensitive records, keeping emails free of personal
information, and training employees on new privacy and security
policies;

-- Common sense advice, such as "if you don't absolutely need a piece
of customer information, the best policy is, don't collect it," and
"if you possess customer data you no longer need, discard
it--securely;"

-- Practical guidance on whom to notify in the event of a data breach,
from law enforcement to potentially-exposed customers.

About The Council of Better Business Bureaus

The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization
for 116 Better Business Bureaus (BBB) across the US. Founded in 1912,
the BBB is supported today by more than 380,000 business members -
ranging in size from local enterprises to multinational corporations.
The BBB is dedicated to advancing trust between businesses and
consumers, deepening consumer confidence, and contributing to a
flourishing marketplace. This is accomplished through a range of
programs and mechanisms, designed for the constituencies they serve,
and are modified over time to meet the changing needs of consumers and
businesses.

About Privacy & American Business and Dr. Alan F. Westin

Privacy & American Business is an activity of the Center for Social &
Legal Research, a non-profit, non-partisan public policy think tank
that has been exploring U.S. and global issues of business, consumer
and employee privacy and data protection since its launch in 1993. Dr.
Alan Westin, Professor of Public Law & Government Emeritus, Columbia
University, and President and Publisher of P&AB is recognized globally
as one of the leading authorities on privacy and data security. His
books beginning in 1967 are pioneering studies. Over the past forty
years, Dr. Westin has been a member of federal and state government
privacy commissions; served on the committee that created the first
Privacy Act of 1974; is an expert witness before state and federal
legislative committees and regulatory agencies; the academic advisor
to Louis Harris & Associates (since 1978) for 60 national public
opinion and leadership surveys on privacy, and an advisor to
businesses on the issues of privacy and data protection.