DALLAS, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Entrust President and CEO Bill Conner spoke yesterday at the Southern Oregon Cybersecurity Workshop in Bend, Ore. Entrust, Inc., a global leader in securing online identities and information, was invited by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) to discuss how small and mid-sized businesses can protect networks against cyberthreats. Rep. Walden is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

"A small to medium-sized business may think it is not at risk because of its size; however, these organizations are a favorite target of hackers as many do not have the proper tools, policies or knowledge to defend against cyberattacks," said Conner. "Today's cybercriminals are no longer just trying to prove a point, but aiming to do legitimate damage through the theft of money and intellectual capital, or disrupting networks."

Host Rep. Walden discussed what the government is doing to help small businesses combat cyberthreats. There will be an additional workshop today at 9 a.m. PST at the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center (Presentation Hall, Rm. 132, 101 South Bartlett, Medford, Ore.).

"As a small business owner in Oregon since 1986, I know the security challenges they face," said Rep. Walden. "When a business's checking account is wiped out due to a malicious virus, it may be the difference between being able to keep its doors open and being forced to shut down. As the chairman of the House panel that oversees technology and related issues, I've worked to combat the growing threat of cybertheft and attacks. This workshop is intended to provide Oregonians with the tools they need to keep personal information and assets safe and secure."

Led by cybersecurity expert Bill Conner, the two workshops outline the threats businesses may encounter and what tools companies of all sizes need to protect against a cybersecurity attack.

"Every day, 150,000 to 300,000 new malware variants are created," said Conner. "Relying solely on anti-virus software and other perimeter security tools for protection is not enough. Criminals will search for any weakness to use to their advantage by way of bank accounts, email or VPN networks. Small businesses need to ensure preventative measures are in place so that normal business operations can continue while combating any risks."

With more than 25 years of experience, Conner is among the most qualified security and infrastructure executives worldwide. In February, he spoke in front of the U.S. Subcommittee on Communications and Technology on threats to the nation's digital online commerce channels and communications networks. Additionally, Conner co-chaired the Corporate Governance Task Force of the National Cyber Security Partnership, which released its report "Information Security Governance: A Call to Action." He was recognized with the Federal 100 award, which the government bestows to the top 100 individuals and organizations impacting the U.S. government.

Entrust has long been a trusted provider of security solutions for the U.S. government, including the GSA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and NASA, as well as the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Defense and Homeland Security.

Entrust enables organizations and government agencies to easily and effectively manage security across a range of users and applications. The company offers an array of authentication and credentialing capabilities that cover physical, logical and mobile access. Entrust's layered, identity-based security solutions are specifically tailored to protect the identities of employees and customers.

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About Entrust

A trusted provider of identity-based security solutions, Entrust empowers enterprises, governments, financial institutions, citizens and websites in more than 4,000 organizations spanning 60 countries. Entrust's customer-centric focus is the foundation to delivering organizations an unmatched level of security, trust and value. For strong authentication, credentialing, physical and logical access, mobile security, digital certificates, SSL and PKI, call 888-690-2424, email entrust@entrust.com or visit www.entrust.com. Let's talk.

Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust, Inc. in the United States and certain other countries. In Canada, Entrust is a registered trademark of Entrust Limited. All Entrust product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Entrust, Inc. or Entrust Limited. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Entrust, Inc.