BERN, Switzerland, April 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) in partnership with ICTswitzerland and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) is launching the Swiss version of the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business. The toolkit provides companies with effective tools free of charge, including instructions for safe use on the Internet and complements the new edition of the Cybersecurity quick check for SME (small to medium-sized enterprises), which is also published today. The internationally proven toolkit has been translated into German and makes an important contribution to the implementation of the National strategy for Switzerland's protection against cyber risks (NCS).

With the support of ICTswitzerland, the umbrella organization of the digital economy and SATW, GCA is today launching the German language version of the internationally proven GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business¹. The toolkit is a platform that provides small businesses with free online tools and practical instruction for working securely online.

The GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business complements the new edition of the Cybersecurity quick check for SME, which is also launched today. Since the end of 2018, the Cybersecurity quick check for SME has provided companies with a tool to better assess their own cyber risk and identify security gaps. Under the direction of SATW, the user-friendliness of the quick check has now been revised, and the test has been better adapted to the needs of SME. As a next step, the Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business now offers practical solutions for companies. By implementing the controls and best practices described in the toolkit, they can protect themselves against more than 85% of the most common attacks. "In combination, the quick check and the toolkit make an important contribution to the implementation of the National strategy for Switzerland's protection against cyber risks (NCS)," says Florian Schütz, the federal Cybersecurity Delegate. "In order to achieve the goal of a cyber-resilient Switzerland, it is crucial that we also adapt internationally proven solutions such as the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Switzerland."

The partnership with ICTswitzerland and SATW is also an important opportunity for GCA to expand its global presence. Klara Jordan, GCA Executive Director for the European Union and Africa, explains, "The launch of the Swiss version of the toolkit marks the first milestone in the partnership between GCA, ICTswitzerland, and SATW and is an important step towards increasing resilience and awareness of cyber risks across the SME sector. The collaboration brings us one step closer to our goal of helping small businesses worldwide protect themselves against the ever-increasing risks from cyberspace." 

Nicola Staub, Public Prosecutor for cybercrime and Ambassador of GCA adds, "As the initiator of the partnership, I am enthusiastic about the constructive cooperation and the quick result. The toolkit makes a significant contribution to the prevention of cybercrime in small businesses."

For more information, contact:
Andreas Kaelin, CEO ICTswitzerland
Tel. +41 31 311 62 45 │ andreas.kaelin@ictswitzerland.ch

Klara Jordan, Executive Director, EU and Africa, Global Cyber Alliance
Tel. +49 15227706493 | kjordan@globalcyberalliance.org

Aimee Larsen Kirkpatrick, Global Communications Officer, Global Cyber Alliance alkirkpatrick@globalcyberalliance.org

Nicole Wettstein, Programm Manager Cybersecurity SATW
Tel. +41 44 226 50 13 | nicole.wettstein@satw.ch

About ICTswitzerland
ICTswitzerland is the umbrella organisation for the digital economy. Founded in 1980, the organisation brings together 32 large and medium enterprises, along with 21 associations. ICTswitzerland represents their interests towards the general public, the authorities and other associations, and aims to promote and develop digital technologies, and the education and further training of ICT specialists. ICTswitzerland is also committed to the identification and prevention of cyber-risks. In Switzerland, a total of about 200,000 ICT specialists are employed throughout all the business sectors and in public administration (2017). With a gross value of CHF 29.7 billion in 2015, the ICT core sector is Switzerland's seventh-largest industry. www.ictswitzerland.ch/en/

About the Global Cyber Alliance
The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) is an international, cross-sector effort dedicated to eradicating cyber risk and improving our connected world. We achieve our mission by uniting global communities, implementing concrete solutions, and measuring the effect. GCA, a non-profit, was founded in 2015 in partnership between the Manhattan District Attorney, the Center for Internet Security, and the City of London Police. www.globalcyberalliance.org

The Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW)
The Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) is the most important network of technology-related experts in Switzerland and maintains contact with the highest scientific, political and industrial bodies in Switzerland. The network comprises selected individual members, member organisations and experts. The SATW operates on behalf of the Swiss Federal Government to identify relevant technological developments and informs politicians and the general public about their significance and consequences. As a specialist organisation with high credibility, it conveys independent, objective and comprehensive information about technology to act as the basis for well-founded opinion-forming. It is politically independent and non-commercial. www.satw.ch

¹ The French version of the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit is available at the following link: gcatoolkit.org/fr/petites-entreprises

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SOURCE Global Cyber Alliance