Securing the Homeland and Businesses: Andrew Howell, Vice President, Homeland Security

Andrew Howell, the U.S. Chamber's vice president for homeland security, has a message for small business owners: "Small businesses are prime targets for cyberterrorists, computer hackers, and thieves."

Howell warns: "If you consider that virtually every small business today retains customer lists, customer credit card information, employee records, supplier contacts, and even tax information on their computers, the opportunity for online fraud, identity theft, and other security breeches is great."

The Chamber recommends that small businesses not open e-mails from unknown senders, change computer passwords regularly, use anti-virus programs, install firewalls to keep out would-be system invaders, and close Internet connections when users are away from their computers. "All this can be done simply and at little or no expense," says Howell.

Further, the Chamber's Homeland Security Department works to ensure that government security measures for airports, seaports, and border crossings do not unduly interfere with the flow of commerce or with immigrant workers, who are important to small businesses. The department also works with the military to improve the deployment process for national guardsmen and reservists, many of whom are employed by small businesses. The goals of this process are a less disruptive system for call-ups and greater predictability for length of active duty.

"September 11 dramatically changed the business environment in this country," Howell says. "And the Chamber is on the front line to make certain that the nation's continuing response to the attacks of that day do not threaten our free enterprise system."