The challenge of keeping valuable secrets confidential is often held in tension with the challenge of being a robust company with opportunity to discover and grow. Some companies lock-down information so tightly it can inhibit workflow, cause unnecessary duplication, and even generate a culture of suspicion. Other businesses may err the other way and lose valuable information that can hurt […]
Protecting Against Insider Threats to Your Organization
How do you guard against employee theft of data without creating an environment of suspicion? By developing and administering an internal security policy, you can keep internal security at a professional level. Here are a few highlights in beginning to consider a plan: Understanding Your Data Monitoring Network Activity Utilizing Data Protection Tools for Various […]
10 Ways to Improve Network Security
The New York Times reported recently on a Computer Security Institute survey of 443 companies and government agencies. They found that 64 percent reported malware infections and the “financial loss from security breaches was $234,000 on average for each organization.” Here are ten ways to improve network security based on the New York Times article. […]
Plugging BYOD Security Holes
Sophos released a disturbing report that indicates 42% of lost mobile devices in the UK had no security measures in place.[1] Surveying of 1008 consumers in Great Britian, Sophos asked about security measures by mobile device users aged between 16 and 64. According to James Lyne, director of technology strategy at Sophos, “The widespread lack […]
Extending Your Data Center into the Cloud
Computerworld ran a thoughtful article about several organizations that have moved some and/or most of their applications into the cloud.[1] These groups have enjoyed tremendous savings, reduced internal workloads, and enjoyed faster deployments. As any company considers expanding to the web, it is important to process the opportunities and challenges associated with such a move. […]
Underestimating the Consequences of a Data Breach
According to a report from the Ponemon Institute, many small to medium businesses (SMBs) fail to prepare for data breach.[1] In the “State of SMB Cyber Security Readiness: US Study,” Ponemon reports that organizations that had suffered a breach had different expectations from organizations that had not suffered a breach. As a result, many SMBs […]
Cyber Attackers Gain Ground Every Day
In the last few years, government and business cybersecurity experts continue doing better and better, while attackers also continue to do better and better. Steven Chabinsky, former chief of the FBI’s Cyber Intelligence Section, challenges the business and government sectors to adapt, adjust, rethink their approach to cybersecurity or slide backwards. Dennis Fisher over at […]
Protecting Against SQL Attacks
Businesses have two primary options when building a defense against SQL attacks: prevention and detection. Code can be developed in a way that defeats SQL injection, and developers should take steps when writing code to avoid SQL injection flaws. At the same time, companies use a wide range of 3rd party applications. Avoiding SQL injection […]
10 Strategic Management Tools
Gartner has identified 10 technologies that are becoming strategic management tools for companies. We’ve discussed many of these technologies and trends in past columns, but it will be helpful for businesses to keep these on the radar when considering strategic planning for future development. “We are already seeing the adoption of ‘big data’ within the […]
BYOD Policy Essentials
Over the past several years, many companies, educational facilities, healthcare organizations and others have opened their doors to a wide-range of personal devices. BYOD or Bring Your Own Device represents a shift in IT perception that asks “How can we support personal devices?” rather than, “How can we block all all personal devices?” This shift […]