NIST releases cybersecurity guide for solopreneurs

The National Institute of Standards and Technology released a cybersecurity guide for solopreneurs on Monday 02 November 2026. Small Business Cybersecurity: Non-Employer Firms is NIST Cybersecurity White Paper 50.

More than 28 million small businesses in the U.S. fall into the solopreneur category. The guide offers cybersecurity basics for anyone who is a business’s sole paid employee and describes a small-business cybersecurity program.

The publication updates Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals, previously designated NISTIR 7621. The earlier publication addressed small businesses of varying sizes and information security. The revision has a narrower scope and focuses on protecting digital systems from malicious attack.

NIST’s Daniel Eliot, one of the publication’s authors, said the resource was designed for solopreneurs who may not have cybersecurity expertise. He said they can implement many of the actions on their own with limited technical knowledge or with minimal financial investment. The publication assumes no familiarity with cybersecurity or the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

The guide highlights practices including regular data backups and maintaining updated software. One recommended action is changing default passwords assigned by manufacturers to devices such as Wi-Fi routers and other networked items. Solopreneurs can review security settings and create unique, strong passwords for their devices.

The publication includes worksheets for inventorying at-risk assets and tracking actions taken by a business. It also includes three use cases featuring a lawyer, an artisan and a business consultant. Eliot said the guidelines can help solopreneurs develop a strong foundation in cybersecurity and provide a starting point for solo business owners.