The online marketplace is the new Main Street in America. The National Broadband Plan estimates that 97% of small businesses use email and 74% have a company website. According to a recent survey, small businesses are more dependent on the Internet for their day-to-day operations than they were a year ago. That should come as no surprise as the proliferation of smart phones, tablets, and apps enables businesses and households to conduct more and more of their daily activities online—from paying bills to shopping to communicating with colleagues, employees, and customers.

Small businesses handle an array of sensitive information (e.g., customer data, financial records, and intellectual property) that warrants protection from bad actors. Unlike larger enterprises, however, many small firms lack cybersecurity policies, including what websites and web services employees can use and whether they can use USB devices—like thumb drives, which can transport malware from a home computer—in the workplace. As larger companies improve their defenses and resilience against cyber threats, small businesses have become the low hanging fruit for cyber criminals.

It is vital, therefore, that small businesses take the necessary steps—generally simple steps—to improve their defenses. Understandably, many of them do not have the resources to hire consultants or dedicated IT personnel to develop and implement a cybersecurity strategy. That’s why the U.S. Chamber partnered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to unveil the FCC’s new Small Biz Cyber Planner, a free online tool to help small businesses protect themselves from cybersecurity threats and make life more difficult for their digital adversaries.

The planner provides several no- or low-cost tips for defending valuable information, digital devices, and networks. Training employees to be wary of clicking on links in an unknown email, installing anti-virus and other security software, and encrypting data on computers are just a few steps small businesses can take to defend themselves.

The Small Biz Cyber Planner enables owners and managers to create a customized plan tailored to their cybersecurity needs by answering a few basic questions: Does your business use credit cards? Does your business have a public website?

The Small Biz Cyber Planner comes a year after the Chamber’s release of Internet Security Essentials for Business, which includes a dozen recommendations to help businesses reduce network weaknesses and avoid preventable frustrations, saving them substantial sums. The Small Biz Cyber Planner, the Chamber’s cybersecurity guide, and additional resources are available at www.uschamber.com/cybersecurity.