B Corps and other purpose-driven organizations are increasingly targeted by cyber attacks, making data protection essential to safeguarding both their mission and the communities they serve. In this episode of Beyond the B, host Ryan Honeyman sits down with Steve Sharer and Garrett Miller, co-founders of RipRap Security, to explore how B Corps and nonprofits can strengthen cybersecurity without compromising their social impact.
Steve, a former NSA analyst, and Garrett, a “hacker for good,” founded RipRap to help mission-driven organizations stay secure amid growing ideological and government-based threats. They share why smaller, values-driven teams are especially vulnerable, and how practical measures like multi-factor authentication, password managers, and routine data hygiene can prevent most attacks before they happen.
The conversation also highlights the human side of cybersecurity: building a culture of awareness, asking hard questions of third-party vendors, and treating security as an act of care for staff and communities. Tune in to learn the five areas where most B Corps are more exposed than they realize, along with how strengthening your organization’s digital defenses can help protect its mission for the long term.
What You’ll Learn:
- Learn why B Corps and other mission-driven organizations are prime targets for cyber attacks.
- Discover simple, low-cost security measures that reduce risk and prevent most breaches.
- Explore practical steps like threat modeling, data hygiene, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and password management.
- Find out how to balance usability and protection in small, lean teams.
- Learn how a culture of security awareness empowers teams and reduces risk.
- Hear how small, consistent actions can build lasting security foundations in just a few weeks without overwhelming your staff.
Quotations:
“The main reason to care [about cyber security] is that most purpose-driven organizations are working with sensitive communities. Whether it's a sensitive immigrant community, LGBTQ+ community, or even a local community that you're serving just more generally.” — Steve Sharer [0:07:12]
“Data that you don't have can't be stolen.” — Garrett Miller [0:15:16]
“[Multi-factor authentication] is the number one, cheapest way to protect your organization, and we just wish more people would take advantage of it.” — Steve Sharer [0:20:11]
“Building that blame-free culture around security, and just getting people talking about it and thinking about it, goes a long way in keeping your organization safe.” — Garrett Miller [0:48:25]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
- Steve Sharer – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesharer/
- Garrett Miller – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-m-a98a4a1a2/
- RipRap Security: https://www.riprapsecurity.com/
- RipRap Newsletter: https://www.riprapsecurity.com/newsletter
- RipRap Security Foundations Course: https://www.riprapsecurity.com/cyber-security-foundations-bootcamp
- DeleteMe: https://joindeleteme.com/
- Signal: https://signal.org/download/
We Want to Hear from You
We want to hear from you! Email us at beyond@lifteconomy.com with requests for content, suggestions for future guests, and feedback about our episodes.
Unlock Your Free B Corp Values Assessment
Our 200 point B Corp assessment tool helps you measure how well your organization embodies B Corp values. Get it for free today! https://go.lifteconomy.com/b-corp-newsletter
B Corp Consultant
Interested in certifying, recertifying, or maximizing the value of your B Corp certification? Learn more about our B Corp consulting services at LIFT Economy: https://www.lifteconomy.com/secrets-of-b-corp-consulting
Gratitude
Thank you to Corey Lien, Nozomii Torii, and Kirsten G. Bryant for being our monthly contributors at Beyond the B!
