Data Privacy Day Underscores Importance of Safeguarding Personal Information Online

US Businesses Must Learn to Prevent Cyber-Attacks

RB Advisory LLC, a cybersecurity advisory firm that assists public and private businesses with IT security and compliance issues, celebrated its five-year anniversary in March. A leader in cybersecurity, RB Advisory has shown that it has delivered sustainable strategies, best practices and a proven methodology to ensure clients have successful outcomes for cyber security protection, risk management and compliance. With a global impact, clients have entrusted RB Advisory to serve as their cybersecurity partner for these specialized services. This minority, woman-owned small business has much to celebrate. Formed in 2016 by Regine Bonneau, CTPRP after she transitioned from years in the risk management and compliance industry, Bonneau focused on cybersecurity as new regulations involved security controls. Her expertise draws upon her background spanning more than two decades with a concentration on people, process, and technology in the healthcare, financial, legal, government and energy sectors ranging from small to large enterprises. "I founded RB Advisory because after years of working in corporate America and being told that I have great ideas, I decided after many struggles and lessons learned to start my own company," says Regine Bonneau, CTPRP, founder and CEO, RB Advisory." She adds, as Amelia Earhart once said, “The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.” Bonneau is an immigrant from Haiti and raised in New York City. She is fluent in four languages – English, Creole, Spanish and French. She is highly educated with a master’s degree in law from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Strayer University and a degree in electrical engineering from Technical Career College. She is a sought-after speaker within the cybersecurity industry and holds leadership roles in several technology industry associations, as well as fellowships. Bonneau has been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, the Orlando Business Journal and other prominent publications and digital media platforms. As a black woman, immigrant turned U.S. citizen, single mother, engineer and business owner in an industry that is only 20% women — and only about 3% are black men and women, Bonneau is sets an example. She is passionate about paving the way for females of all races to have a seat at the table in this industry. She refers to the saying, “success is not achieved alone,” stressing its importance. “I’ve been very fortunate to have many mentors who have helped me along the way, especially as an entrepreneur, so it’s important to find mentors and surround yourself with the right people who can help you reach your goal,” says Bonneau.

When Regine Bonneau, CTPRP, walks into a room, she commands attention. With her signature Fuchsia stilettos and accessories, she’s makes a statement with her poise and confidence. What sets Bonneau apart is that she’s a leading industry expert in the cybersecurity industry – a field mostly dominated by men, where only 20% are women. Hailing from Haiti, Bonneau emigrated to the United States when she was ten years old, escaping the coup d'état at that time along with her family’s desire to create a better life filled with more opportunities. Her family settled in New York City, where she was driven by her natural curiosity and zeal for learning. It was in junior high that she first became interested in robotics and coding in a computer programming class that was led by an inspiring female teacher. “That was where I first learned how to code and what sparked my interest in robotics and cyber technology. I found it so fascinating that I was able to create mechanical objects and then program them to complete different tasks and movements. After that, nothing electronic was safe. I fixed everything from the television to the radio to old printers laying around my house. Luckily my mom was supportive every step of the way,” says Regine Bonneau, founder and CEO of RB Advisory LLC. Taking advantage of the opportunities she was afforded as an American, Bonneau pursued three degrees, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration and finance, as well as a master’s degree in law with a concentration in financial services. Adding to this impressive list, she also is fluent in four languages: English, Creole, Spanish and French. What led Bonneau to pursue the path of an entrepreneur was the freedom to innovate. After more than 20 years leading financial services, including risk management and compliance services for employers in the health care, financial and energy sectors, Bonneau applied her knowledge and expertise to form RB Advisory adding cybersecurity services. This leads full circle to the impact Bonneau has on women in technology, especially black women. Over the last five years since the formation of her company, Bonneau has risen to prominence on a national scale, based on her expertise and outgoing style. Of the 20% of women being represented in cybersecurity, only 3% are black including, men and women. Bonneau represents the model of success that comes with hard work combined with a passion to succeed. While underrepresented, women, especially women of color, are part of the technology sector and they’re here to stay – for that Bonneau is unapologetic. “While we have come a long way in the last five years or so, there is still work to be done to ensure the industry is more welcoming for women. We cannot settle for a handful of women in a room of 1,000 technology experts,” says Bonneau. In her signature style, Bonneau is reinforcing the hashtag #unapologetic. She says it stems from a conversation with a mentor who once urged her to stop describing the technology industry as “male dominated” because it implies women don’t belong. Instead, she said, women in technology must be audacious and unapologetic because they do belong; those who are already here are here to stay. And that is precisely what Bonneau intends to do. With five years under her belt and a growth rate last year of more than 30%, she is on a trajectory toward continued success. In March, she announced that the company has been authorized to represent the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Accreditation Body (CMMC-AB) as a Registered Provider Organization (RPO). RPO status ensures that RB Advisory has agreed to the CMMC-AB code of professional conduct, can deliver non-certified CMMC consulting services, and is listed on the CMMC-AB Marketplace. As part of the ecosystem support to secure the nation’s supply chain, RB Advisory will help government contractors working with the United States Department of Defense (DOD) determine the required CMMC maturity level, become audit ready, and maintain compliance post certification. CMMC compliance services include Risk Assessment, GAP analysis, technical solutions, and documentation development. Since October 2020, RB Advisory has already been working with several companies in the Florida High Tech Corridor’s robust aerospace and modeling, simulation and training industries to ensure compliance. As a community leader, Bonneau believes in giving back and leading by example. She serves on many advisory boards and is a member of several business organizations. She is a frequently sought-after industry thought leader and subject matter expert. She represents diversity and inclusion, and she mentors all who seek her support. Her energy is contagious, and her spark lights up a room. Bonneau underscores the importance of mentoring as a factor that impacts success. “We are all aware of the power of mentorship — if you are a woman in technology and aren’t already giving back as a mentor, I encourage you to do so. We also need to change the conversation with parents of young women. I grew up with a mother who constantly asked when I would become a doctor, so I know what it feels like to be influenced to pursue a certain career path. We need parents to understand the diverse career opportunities available in technology that are just as fulfilling and well compensated. This field is not just for their sons,” says Bonneau. To inspire and encourage other entrepreneurs, especially women, Bonneau says, “Be passionate and don’t be afraid to show it. This is important for everyone, but especially for women. If you do not show up to meetings with enthusiasm and the desire to learn then why are you there? Be passionate and excited about what you do, then people will admire that in you and be more interested in the ideas you bring to the table.” With a winning attitude and approachable demeanor, it’s no wonder Bonneau has been awarded by the community as a “Deeva in Tech” by Women on the Rise, 40 Under 40 by the Orlando Business Journal and more recently its award program, Women Who Mean Business. Bonneau has been named by The National Business Journals as one of the Top 100 Influencers in the Nation: Rising Stars in 2019, she was also featured as one of the Top 12 most influential Black Leaders in Cybersecurity by rThreat and her company was recognized by the African American Chamber of Central Florida as the “Emerging Company of the Year” also in 2019. She hosts a cybersecurity column in the Sanford Herald , recognized as “Regine the Cyber Queen.” Bonneau holds leadership roles in several technology industry associations, is a New America Cybersecurity Fellow, and member of the International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP). Bonneau is active in the community and is currently involved in several charitable organizations. She served on the Advisory Board for Arnold Palmer Medical Center (Champion’s Circle) and as a Board Member for NAWBO Orlando, Howard Phillips Center (Champion’s Circle), and Boys Scout Council of Central Florida. She is a member of Women in Defense and the National Defense Industrial Association and currently serves on the advisory boards for Florida Polytechnic University, University of South Florida MUMA College of Business and ECPI University. To learn more about Regine Bonneau, CTPRP, please visit her biography on our team page.

Designation Enables Company to Provide Cybersecurity Consulting Services to Organizations Seeking Department of Defense CMMC Certification

Since the start of Covid-19, many companies have switched to remote work-from-home operations. The increase in remote working has contributed to a rapid growth of cyber security incidents and vulnerabilities for companies. Companies can strengthen their cybersecurity systems by taking these five steps: 1. Evaluate the effectiveness of your company’s current security measures. 2. Invest in a scalable, high-bandwidth network infrastructure. 3. Upgrade security protocol. 4. Organize a phishing training course. 5. Conduct phishing simulations within your company. Cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility. Make sure to stay current with cybersecurity changes so that your company does not fall victim to a cyber attack. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation!

The holiday season is here, and we can expect to see online traffic sore as shoppers stay home and search for gifts from the comfort and safety of their homes. Unfortunately, this can leave consumers vulnerable to identity thieves and fraudsters that are ready to take advantage of the accelerated e-commerce boom. Thankfully, we are here to give you some cybersecurity tips that consumers can use to help protect their data and information for a merry holiday season. 1. Keep An Eye Out For Phishy Behavior — Watch what comes into your inbox. Phishing is a social engineering attack that tricks users to steal their data, including login credentials and credit card numbers. It occurs when an attacker, masquerading as a trusted entity, dupes a victim into opening an email, instant message, or text message. Remember to review all emails closely, don't put any of your credit information in an email, and do not open any attachments or click embedded links. 2. Use Alternative Payments — When it comes to cybersecurity, think about using an alternate payment method such as a credit card or a third-party online payment system like PayPal or Venmo instead of a debit card. Thanks to the Fair Credit Billing Act, consumers are liable only up to $50 in fraudulent charges. Completing purchases using PayPal and Venmo are also good alternatives to debit cards as the store never directly receives your financial information through these third parties. 3. Diversify Your Passwords — The more diversified passwords you have, the more difficult it will be for your accounts to be hacked! 4. Spot A Shady Website — There are several signs that you may not be on a reputable site. Check to see if "https" appears in the URL. The extra "S" ensures that the website is secured by an SSL (secure socket layer) certificate, making the connection secure and safeguarding the sensitive data that passes from you, the customer, to the retailer. Overall, make sure to review the site for misspellings, grammar mistakes and even low-quality images. It is important to be aware of the risks associated with online shopping, and with these easy to follow cyber tips we hope you are able to stay cybersafe while still making sure the stockings are stuffed! Read the original article here .

Hello friends, it's me, Elyh! Today I am sharing the last part of my three-part series review on the Center for Cyber Safety and Education’s comic books ‘Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures’! So far Garfield and his friends have shown us how to keep our private information secure online and how to safely post on social media. Now for the last topic.... Cyberbullying! You may have heard of cyberbullying before but if not, that’s okay! Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. Even if YOU may think something is funny, it can hurt someone else's feelings. Garfield and friends run into this dilemma when they realize Nermal is taking part in cyberbullying when he jokingly posts an embarrassing picture of his friend. A good rule to follow when tagging or posting pictures of your friends online is to ask them beforehand if they are comfortable with you making the post. It is important to be kind to each other online and not do something you wouldn’t want done to you! If you see cyberbullying happening or it is happening to you, politely ask for the post to be taken down immediately and report it to an adult you trust. We need to all stick up from one another and stay cyber smart! Well friends, I hope you enjoyed my three-part review on the Center for Cyber Safety and Education’s comic book series ‘Garfield's Cyber Safety Adventures’! If you would like to get your own comic books from Garfield or are interested in more cyber safety tips visit: https://iamcybersafe.org/s/ To watch my video review of Garfield's cyberbullying comic, go here . Preview this lesson on the Center for Cyber Safety and Education’s YouTube Channel . Read more articles from Elyh in the Sanford Herald !

Hi everyone, it’s me Elyh! We are going to talk about cybersecurity on the Internet. What is cybersecurity? Cybersecurity is protecting your personal information from being hacked or taken by the “bad guys”. I’ll give you some tips on staying safe when you go on the internet: Number 1: Don’t give out personal information such as your full name, address, phone number, family names, and date of birth. Number 2: Don’t accept any invite for personal chat rooms from anyone even if you know them. Tell your parent first and they will need to accept it. Number 3: Don’t trust anyone or any links sent to you Number 4: Don’t accept face to face meetings with anyone Number 5: Don’t download any applications or games without your parent’s permission Until next time, stay healthy and be cyber safe! Read more articles from Elyh in the Sanford Herald !