Verizon Business is now offering small businesses a new business-grade security package to protect them where they're the most vulnerable. Business Internet Secure provides cybersecurity protection where attacks occur the most; employee devices and the internet.
The internet security is being provisioned by Cisco Umbrella, which uses predictive technology to identify threats and blocks users from accessing malicious websites.
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Business Internet Secure also includes BlackBerry Smart Antivirus, which is antivirus software that taps into artificial intelligence to predict and prevent threats.
Similar to what it offers large business customers, Verizon is providing small businesses tech support to help them navigate onboarding, set-up and end-user support for Business Internet Secure.
“Small businesses are making the same adjustments to remote work as larger enterprises, but with fewer internal technical resources to handle the transition," said Aamir Hussain, senior vice president and chief product officer for Verizon Business, in a statement. "With Business Internet Secure, we provide easy-to-deploy solutions that help small business owners to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats.”
Small and medium-sized (SMBs) have borne the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic as many were forced to close due to shelter-in-place or quarantine policies. With the number of cases and deaths spiking across the U.S. and around the globe, 38% of small businesses have moved to remote work, according to a Verizon Small Business Survey, which makes personal security a higher priority.
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Mom-and-pop" businesses were hit particularly hard by shelter-in-place policies during the onset of Covid-19, with many unable to re-open once they were allowed to. In addition to not being able to have customers in their businesses, small businesses weren't as prepared as larger organizations for implementing virtual strategies.
During last month's third quarter earnings call, Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said it was hard to determine when SMBs would bounce back due to the downturn in the economy, but "we haven't seen a worsening, at least lately," according to a Seeking Alpha transcript.