MADISON – An upcoming seminar can help business people thwart one of the most pressing threats to the status of their day-to-day operations.

“Cybersecurity 101 Seminar” on Aug. 22 will run from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Madison Chamber of Commerce’s training room at 103 Spenryn Drive, Suite 100.

During the session, participants will evaluate whether or not their business is safe from cyber threats. “In the seminar, you can learn ways to protect your business,” Chamber Executive Director Pam Honeycutt said. “You will discover risks in the workplace and learn how to reduce threats from security breaches, phishing scams, ransomware and more.”

Randall Wilson with TeamLogic IT will be the presenter at the seminar.

Participants will discover the risks of pubic Wi-Fi, the ‘dark web’ with questionable content and the ‘Internet of Things,’ Honeycutt said. As a special offer, all attendees will receive a free dark web scan of their laptop computers.

Several different forms of cyber hazards can place a company’s files and collaterals at risk:

* Malware — Computer code, like viruses and worms, that can steal digital data or even destroy contents of files and folders. Most malware arrives as an attachment to an email message.

* Phishing — A request in email for a user to click a link and type personal information, like a Social Security number. These subtle threats have become more difficult to recognize in recent years.

* Password attacks — Occurs when a third party tries to log on to your computer by deriving your password.

* Denial-of-Service or DoS attacks — A disruption of service on a network.

* “Man in the Middle” or MITM — Interception of transmission of your data by software that impersonates the end user. One example is the connection of a Smartphone to a website.

If paid in advance by Aug. 21, registration fee will be $5 for chamber members and $10 for individuals who are not members. On the day of the event, the fee will be $15.

Madison Chamber of Commerce’s hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 256-325-8317, email Honeycutt at director@madisonalchamber.com or visit madisonalchamber.com.