NIST Publishes Cybersecurity Guide for Businesses Too Small to Have IT Staff
Help Net Security, Thursday, November 5th, 2026
NIST releases a plain-language cybersecurity guide, based on CSF 2.0, for solo owners, freelancers and contractors with no IT staff.
NIST has published Small Business Cybersecurity: Non-Employer Firms, guidance for businesses with no paid employees besides their owners, such as freelancers, sole proprietors and independent contractors.
These make up about 82% of the 34.8 million US small businesses.
Built on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, the guide assumes no cybersecurity background and explains how security fits into a business plan.
It helps owners secure accounts, protect data, prepare for attacks and recover, with many actions they can take themselves with limited technical knowledge or money.