The Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MD MEP) is offering a new series of free, weekly, virtual programs designed to help Maryland small businesses advance their cybersecurity knowledge and capabilities. Each session of the Defense Cybersecurity Assistance Program (DCAP) Cyber Series will feature local cybersecurity providers presenting essential information to protect against cyber threats. DCAP is a Maryland Department of Commerce initiative, coordinated by MD MEP and funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), to assist Maryland defense contractors with meeting new federal regulations for cybersecurity.
Learn more about cybersecurity and the new federal regulations for defense contractors:
This series is free to any Maryland business concerned about cybersecurity but will be especially beneficial to local manufacturers holding contracts with the DoD who are required to address cybersecurity. Attendees will receive guidance on the current requirements dictated by the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012 and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Publication 800-171. Sessions will also provide regular updates on the rollout of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), a new unified standard in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).
The Maryland Defense Cybersecurity Assistance Program (DCAP) offers funding and support for local businesses to improve cybersecurity:
In addition to the DCAP Cyber Series, the Maryland Defense Cybersecurity Assistance Program (DCAP) provides funding and assistance to help Maryland defense contractors comply with these new standards. Since 2018, DCAP has educated more than 150 local businesses on cybersecurity and is estimated to provide more than $750,000 of direct funding and technical assistance to small businesses by the end of 2020.
Register for the DCAP Cyber Series:
The DCAP Cyber Series begins on October 29, 2020 and will be offered weekly through February 2021. Dates, topics, and registration for each session are available online at www.mdmep.org/dcap-cyber-series/. Questions and topic requests may be sent to Sara Keith at skeith@mdmep.org.
