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sandy ingram

How a Pas5woRd Can Sink Your Company - NYTimes.com - 0 views

boss.blogs.nytimes.com/...pas5word-can-sink-your-company

Privacy Security password Best Practice

shared by sandy ingram on 28 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • Back in the 1990s fellow science and technology journalist Charles Mann and I wrote a book uncovering the true story of how a lone, young, cognitively impaired hacker with relatively few computer skills managed to perpetrate what was then the most extensive and scariest series of computer break-ins ever — government weapons labs, dam control systems and ATM networks were among the hundreds of networks compromised. At the end of the book, we predicted that no matter how much effort was poured into making the Internet safer, hackers would always be able to have a field day, partly for technical reasons but also because companies and individuals would never get it together to take simple precautions critical to safe computing.
  • Sadly, Mann and I called it right. Viruses, trojans and spyware are bigger problems than ever. Employees unwittingly but routinely hand over their passwords to hackers who break into corporate databases to steal credit card and other information of thousands of customers. Private e-mail is rifled through and made public, and companies have their computers incapacitated by “denial of service” attacks. You need to ask yourself: Could your company survive an encounter with a hacker?
  • Don’t count on even the best security software or services to protect you —
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • they’re always one step behind the latest hacking twist sweeping through networks. Even if you could afford to get a computer-security genius to come in and watch your company’s back 24 hours a day, he or she couldn’t fully protect you if you or any one of your employees were to slip up.
  • Everyone knows by now, I would think, that you shouldn’t use a password that’s easy to guess.  Hackers use automated programs that can find any password if it’s a word in the dictionary or a proper name, even if it’s spelled backwards.
  • But here’s the problem even tricky password users run into: Because we all need passwords for so many Web sites and accounts these days, people end up using the same password for many of them — or else write their passwords down somewhere. Both of these practices are disasters waiting to happen.
  • If you use the same password for many sites, all a hacker has to do is get your password at any one site — and some site out there somewhere is doing a lousy job of protecting your password — and he’s got it for all of your sites and accounts. So if a hacker or malicious employee at the place you buy shoelaces online lifts your password, he can get into your bank account and your company’s computers.
  • Here’s a better solution: Come up with a simple formula for generating passwords in your head that’s based on the name of the site or organization you’re signing up with. For example, you might take the name of the site (tractortires.com), drop everything but the first six characters to the left of the “dot” (tracto), reverse the first three letters (artcto), add the number “5″ after the third character and a capital “Z” at the end (art5ctoZ). By this formula, “plan9movie.net” gets the password “alp5n9mZ,” and “cellphone.org” yields “lec5lphZ.”
  • Make up your own formula, and don’t share it with anyone. It may sound a bit complicated, but after doing it a few times you’ll be able to do it in your sleep, and you’ll have a unique, impossible-to-guess password for every one of your accounts and sites without having to write anything down.
  • Every single one of your employees has to get with the program on this. If they’re writing passwords down, or using the same password everywhere, then they’re not just risking getting hacked at other sites, they’re also inviting hackers into any of your company’s computers or accounts to which they have password access.
  • So you might want to teach everyone in your company how to come up with his or her own in-your-head password-generating formula.
  • sandy ingram on 28 Nov 10
     
    "Back in the 1990s fellow science and technology journalist Charles Mann and I wrote a book uncovering the true story of how a lone, young, cognitively impaired hacker with relatively few computer skills managed to perpetrate what was then the most extensive and scariest series of computer break-ins ever - government weapons labs, dam control systems and ATM networks were among the hundreds of networks compromised. At the end of the book, we predicted that no matter how much effort was poured into making the Internet safer, hackers would always be able to have a field day, partly for technical reasons but also because companies and individuals would never get it together to take simple precautions critical to safe computing."
sandy ingram

RESEARCH SHOWS MORE THAN HALF OF SMBs OPERATE WITHOUT STAFF IT SECURITY GUIDELINES | Ec... - 0 views

econsultancy.com/...t-staff-it-security-guidelines

Privacy Security compliance SMB survey

shared by sandy ingram on 27 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • AVG's research shows that: * 83% agree that having the right level of IT security protection is critical to their business * 77% say that a security threat could have a significant negative impact on their business * 55% feel they can make IT security decisions without 3rd party influence * However, only 48% have a clear IT security policy in place for their staff, leaving most at the mercy of what employees decide to download or access online * As a result, perhaps not surprisingly, 1 in 4 have experienced a security breach * Most worryingly, 1 in 7 have no security software or systems in place at all AVG also asked small businesses whether they expect to see growth in the next five years - 61% of UK and 74% of US small businesses say that they do.
  • sandy ingram on 27 Nov 10
     
    "Research released today by Internet Security company AVG (http://www.avg.com) shows that although most small businesses understand the need to protect their IT systems, fewer are willing to put it into practice. Out of 2000 SMBs surveyed in the US and UK for the "SMB Landscape Report", more than half (52%) have no IT security guidelines for their staff, while 1 in 7 have no Internet security software or solutions in place at all. "
sandy ingram

The collaborative web in action - CEO Forum Group - 0 views

www.ceoforum.com.au/article-detail.cfm

ceo collaborative web2.0 workplace

shared by sandy ingram on 20 Nov 08 - Cached
  • it is a sad fact that too few CEOs make the connection this current wave of the Internet and any change in the way business works. This I believe is a pity and it could cost businesses money.
  • For many CEOs, I would suggest, this trend is one which they understand only tangentially – perhaps when they see their home telecommunications bill if they have children – or when they meet one of their generation Y employees, who cheekily ‘demands’ instant messaging or an iPhone as part of their salary package.
  • it is the platform of networked based colllaboration tools, created on the public Internet but increasingly being adopted in the workplace, which will set apart the successful businesses of the first two decades of the 21st century.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • When a business works out how to use collaboration tools properly, it can open up an entirely new way of improving resource allocation, driving innovation, getting closer to customers and partners, taking costs out of the business and reducing time-to-market. Collaboration, based on the network as the platform, is even able to help reduce the impact of business on the environment.
  • sandy ingram on 20 Nov 08
     
    "...it is the platform of networked based colllaboration tools, created on the public Internet but increasingly being adopted in the workplace, which will set apart the successful businesses of the first two decades of the 21st century."
sandy ingram

Is Internet Explorer 9 Now the Safest Web Browser? - 0 views

www.securitynewsdaily.com/orer-9-safest-web-browser-0730

ie9 safe brower chrome privacy security internet Best Practice

shared by sandy ingram on 06 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • sandy ingram on 06 Oct 11
     
    With criminals migrating to Chrome, Bott says Chrome's filters, and its entire approach to protecting users, isn't as airtight as IE9's - or even as secure as its advocates believe.
sandy ingram

Security awareness: Helping employees really 'get' company policy - CSO Online - Securi... - 0 views

www.csoonline.com/...yees-really-get-company-policy

security awareness Privacy Best Practice employees training

shared by sandy ingram on 30 Nov 10 - Cached
  • Employee awareness of their companies' security policies is high—if you ask the employees. In a survey of 2,000 office workers, software security company Clearswift found almost three quarters, 74 percent, felt 'confident' that they understand their employers' Internet security policies. That is, policy designed to safeguard data and IT security, as well as maintain productivity.
  • But the confidence is misplaced, Clearswift suggests in their summary of the findings, because a third of those surveyed have not received any training on IT security since joining their firm. And more than two thirds of those who have not had recent training joined their organization more than five years ago—a 'technological lifetime,' notes Clearswift.
  • "When security is kept in the shadows and not discussed openly, and only referred to when things go wrong, it is all too easy for office 'folk-law' to become perceived as official policy very quickly. If employees are not aware of when they have broken policies—in some cases because the policy is not even enforced—it can lead to a false sense of security or a belief that what they are doing is actually in line with the corporate policy."
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • The research raises a question that is frequently discussed, but very rarely measured, among organizations: What kind of awareness training is effective? Is it regular and incremental? Is it most effective when done through courses, formal sessions or informal discussions? And how does an organization gauge its effectiveness?
  • sandy ingram on 30 Nov 10
     
    "Research finds while most employees believe they understand their company's security policies, a large number have never received any formal policy education or training. How can an organization really ensure people understand risk?"
sandy ingram

Organizational Accountability is Key to Protecting Users' Privacy - Microsoft Privacy &... - 0 views

blogs.technet.com/...-protecting-users-privacy.aspx

Security Privacy compliance policy Best Practice

shared by sandy ingram on 18 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • The conference has commenced this morning in Jerusalem, a city of both ancient traditions and thoroughly modern influences, and I was reminded of how that same dynamic is true of privacy in the Internet age.  Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data.  These privacy guidelines have served as the basis for numerous privacy laws in place across the globe.  Yet, even these privacy principles need to keep pace with the changing information environment.  In my remarks today at a panel discussion titled “Notice and Consent:  Illusion or Reality?”, I suggested that individual participation through mediums such as notice and consent remains important to safeguarding users’ privacy, but by itself does not afford enough protection.  This is particularly true given the explosion of information collection and use that is the fuel of today’s Internet economy. The same is true of the various legal frameworks that govern data collection, usage, and sharing.  Both are important, but neither is sufficient on its own.
  • Alongside individual participation and regulatory oversight, another vital aspect of privacy protection is often overlooked: the role and responsibility of the organization in maintaining and protecting personal data.
  • Microsoft’s view, as outlined in a new white paper released today at the conference, is that organizations’ privacy policies and data management practices most directly influence whether users’ personal information is kept safe or exposed to risk. Therefore, we believe that organizations—including Microsoft—must hold themselves accountable for acting to protect users’ interests and taking appropriate measures to safeguard privacy and personal data, even in the absence of specific regulatory mandates.
  • sandy ingram on 18 Nov 10
     
    "This week, more than 400 policymakers, privacy advocates and industry representatives will be converging in Israel for the 32nd International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners. "
sandy ingram

CERT's Podcast Series - 0 views

www.cert.org/...20090120pethia.html

Cert podcast

shared by sandy ingram on 12 Feb 09 - Cached
sandy ingram liked it
  • sandy ingram on 12 Feb 09
     
    CERT'S PODCASTS: SECURITY FOR BUSINESS LEADERS: SHOW NOTES Tackling Tough Challenges: Insights from CERT's Director Rich Pethia Key Message: Rich Pethia reflects on CERT's 20-year history and discusses how he is positioning the program to tackle future IT and security challenges. Executive Summary CERT's vision is a securely connected world. CERT's mission is to enable informed trust and confidence in the use of information technology. To achieve this vision and mission, CERT has broadened its perspective to include the full system/software engineering and operations life cycle and is reaching out to thought leaders in the global IT and security community. In this podcast, Rich Pethia, director of the CERT Program at Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute, discusses the past, current, and future state of Internet security and CERT's role in tackling future challenges as CERT celebrates its 20th anniversary. PART 1: LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY CERT's Vantage Point CERT's vision is a securely connected world, supported by CERT's mission of enabling informed trust and confidence in the use of information technology. As the director of CERT, Pethia has unique access to government, commercial, and industry leaders. The Good News Internet use continues to grow, not just in size (number of people, volume of traffic) but also in utility, for example: * the increasing amount of real government and business operations * the introduction of new applications * the growing use of new mobile appliances User awareness of the need to address security is increasing along with increasing attention from service providers (firewalls, virus protection, anti-spyware, data backup). Developers are paying more attention to building security into their products. Vendors have more mature processes for providing cost-effective, timely updates for software vulnerabilities. Users are more willing
sandy ingram

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - WHERE PRIVACY LAW GET'S IT'S QUE - 0 views

www.oecd.org/..._2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

Economics Statistics Research OECD cooperation

shared by sandy ingram on 06 Jan 09 - Cached
  • sandy ingram on 06 Jan 09
     
    The economic downturn will hit the Internet economy hard in 2009, according to the latest available OECD estimates. The IT Outlook 2008 says that the IT industry is likely to have grown by 4% at most in 2008 compared to the previous year. But with the outlook for the global economy worsening and business and consumer confidence plumetting, growth will remain flat or decline in 2009.
sandy ingram

Small Companies Look to #Cloud for Savings in 2011 - WSJ.com - 0 views

online.wsj.com/...3513204576047972349898048.html

Privacy security compliance cloud Best Practice

shared by sandy ingram on 30 Dec 10 - No Cached
  • As of April 2010, only about 7% of small-business owners were using cloud services, but that number is expected to grow to more than 10% by mid-2011, according to a survey by technology-research firm IDC.
  • Half of small firms that use "the cloud" say it has improved their bottom line, according to a survey this fall by Microsoft Corp., which provides cloud services.
  • A number of surveys show that some business owners are hesitant to try cloud computing because they don't want to stray from familiar systems or invest in new ones. Some owners that have made the switch, however, say it has been a boon to their cash-strapped firms.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Garey Willbanks, owner of Boiler Management Ltd. in Houston, says he pays about $600 a month to store information in the cloud. He estimates that is less than a tenth of what he would pay if he hired technology personnel to run an in-house storage server.
  • In June, Michael Tracy, a private law practitioner in Irvine, Calif., decided to try Nextpoint, a cloud-based program for attorneys. He had previously spent $10,000 to $12,000 a year licensing software that would organize materials before a trial. The problem was he needed it just a few times a year. By contrast, Mr. Tracy pays for Nextpoint only when he uses it, and he anticipates spending just $4,000 to $6,000 a year on the service.
  • "If you already have tight control over your company, your expenses may drop 10% to 20%,"
  • Despite the savings, there are risks. Security breaches, for instance, can happen if the cloud provider isn't reliable. "If they make money directly from you, then they will want to secure [your information]," Mr. Enderle says. "If they make it through advertising," they may be more likely to sell the information to advertisers, he says.
  • Others fear that they might lose their information, or have to spend a lot of time transferring data, if they want out.
  • "So make sure it's the right provider and that you're ready to be in it for the long haul."
  • sandy ingram on 30 Dec 10
     
    "A growing number of small-business owners are expected to try cloud computing services next year, hoping to trim costs and stay up and running if disaster strikes. Cloud computing refers to any service that operates over an Internet connection, allowing immediate access from any computer or mobile device with Web access. Business owners can access software or store information-such as customer contacts, accounting data and presentations-and leave the technical maintenance to the cloud provider. "
sandy ingram

Study Finds U.S. Small Businesses Lack Cybersecurity Awareness and Policies | Reuters - 0 views

www.reuters.com/...144244+27-Oct-2009+PRN20091027

privacy security Fraud employees Cybersecurity

shared by sandy ingram on 29 Oct 09 - Cached
  • Small business owners' cybersecurity policies and actions are not adequate enough to ensure the safety of their employees, intellectual property and customer data, according to the 2009 National Small Business Cybersecurity Study. The study, co-sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Symantec [Nasdaq: SYMC], as part of this year's National Cyber Security Awareness Month, surveyed nearly 1,500 small business owners across the United States about their cybersecurity awareness policies and practices.
  • The survey shows discrepancies between needs and actions regarding security policies and employee education on security best practices.
  • The study found that while more than 9 in 10 small businesses said they believe they are safe from malware and viruses based on the security practices they have in place, only 53 percent of firms check their computers on a weekly basis to ensure that anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewalls and operating systems are up-to-date and 11 percent never check them.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • "The 20 million small businesses in the U.S. are a critical part of the nation's economy. While small business owners may understandably be focused on growing their business and the bottom line, it is imperative to understand that a cybersecurity incident can be disruptive and expensive,"
  • small businesses seem out of sync with some Internet security risks. 75 percent of small businesses said that they use the Internet to communicate with customers yet only 6 percent fear the loss of customer data and only 42 percent believe that their customers are concerned about the IT security of their business.
  • Laptops, PDAs and wireless networks are great conveniences to businesses, yet they carry with them an added responsibility to ensure the data is secure. Today, more than 66 percent of employees take computers or PDAs containing sensitive information off-site.
  • Wireless networks are gateways for hackers and cyber criminals and must be secured by complex passwords
  • "Security threats are becoming more complex and employees of small businesses are increasingly the target of attacks that expose their organizations to data loss,"
  • "Security awareness and education, combined with a comprehensive security solution, can empower small businesses and their employees to protect themselves and their information."
  • The demographic makeup of the small business polled
  • sandy ingram on 29 Oct 09
     
    "Small business owners' cybersecurity policies and actions are not adequate enough to ensure the safety of their employees, intellectual property and customer data, according to the 2009 National Small Business Cybersecurity Study. The study, co-sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Symantec [Nasdaq: SYMC], as part of this year's National Cyber Security Awareness Month, surveyed nearly 1,500 small business owners across the United States about their cybersecurity awareness policies and practices."
sandy ingram

DoD, DHS to align cybersecurity capabilities - 0 views

www.scmagazineus.com/...180992

dod dhs cybersecurity Security Privacy compliance

shared by sandy ingram on 14 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • The new partnership appears to be part of an effort to move past previous agency turf wars. Last March, for example, Rod Beckstrom resigned from his position as director of the DHS' National Cyber Security Center, citing insufficient funding and support. In his letter of resignation to Napolitano, Beckstrom said the DHS's cybersecurity efforts are "controlled" by the NSA. Meanwhile, it is not uncommon for government departments and agencies to enter into formal agreements to work together on certain issues and to “swap” employees to improve synchronization, Marcus Sachs, director of the SANS Internet Storm Center, told SCMagazineUS.com on Thursday. This agreement is particularly important because the DoD and DHS have a joint mission to protect the United States in cyberspace, he said.
  • sandy ingram on 14 Oct 10
     
    The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans Tuesday to streamline their cybersecurity capabilities to better protect the nation's networks. Late last month, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates signed an agreement that formalizes processes for the two agencies to work together to protect U.S. networks and critical infrastructure. The agreement outlines a framework whereby the agencies will provide cybersecurity support to one another, and was intended to improve collaboration as the two departments carry out their respective cybersecurity missions.
sandy ingram

Cloud Computing Guide For Small Business - 0 views

smallbiztrends.com/...cloud-computing-solutions.html

cloud guide small business compliance gartner

shared by sandy ingram on 09 Dec 10 - No Cached
  • 1. The growth of cloud computing is astounding. It is estimated that the worldwide cloud computing market is $8 billion with the U.S. market accounting for approximately 40% of that: $3.2 billion.  According to Gartner’s 2011 predictions, number one on their list of Top Strategic Technologies is Cloud Computing. Gartner also predicts that the SaaS market will hit $14 billion in 2013.
  • 2. Cloud Computing Software Solutions VS Desktop Applications The most common reason why small businesses choose cloud computing solutions over desktop applications is this: It is less expensive because you pay a small monthly amount instead of a one-time fee as it works now with traditional desktop software. On a cash-flow basis, it is less costly because your cloud based apps are often slightly less costly than an annual purchase or upgrade for common programs.  However, you have to look closely at the pricing plans and details for each application.
  • 3. Cloud Computing Solutions are available all the time – no matter where you are. For some business users that operate virtual offices or operate remotely on different machines depending on location and they need the application to be accessible from a web browser. That is one of the biggest advantages of cloud computing– it is available wherever you have access to a computer and browser.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • When most small business owners or new software companies talk about cloud computing, they usually mean an application that runs from the web and not directly from your not-connected-to-the-Internet desktop (software as a service or SaaS).
  • Cloud computing software solutions, for our purposes here, mean software that has a low monthly fee rather than a one-time capital expenditure. Just about any business function you can think of has a cloud based solution, from phone services to marketing to operations to finance.
  • You may already be relying on cloud computing without even realizing it. Think about your email provider: Are they offering some sort of anti-spam protection? Or what about your anti-virus program? Are they constantly updating and securing your desktop application? They are delivering service from the cloud, without on-premise hardware and software.  This is a great example of how SaaS has infiltrated our work and software installations without us thinking about it.
  • sandy ingram on 09 Dec 10
     
    "In this guide, we suggest 16 things you should consider before deciding whether cloud computing is a good match for your business. Read more about how small businesses use cloud computing."
sandy ingram

Online Social Networking The Employer's Dilemma - 0 views

downloads.messagelabs.com/...alnetwoking_legal_A4_final.PDF

Whitepapers privacy security Social Networking employees employers wss_whitepaper_socialnetwoking_legal_a4_final

shared by sandy ingram on 28 Jan 09 - No Cached
  • sandy ingram on 28 Jan 09
     
    notifying employees of clear rules on what is acceptable and what is not, balancing the need to monitor with the employees' reasonable expectations of privacy and weighing the overall benefits of allowing personal usage against the risks of doing so, are all issues with which managers will be familiar.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • sandy ingram on 28 Jan 09
     
    Social networking sites can be both addictive and time-consuming, damaging employee productivity
  • sandy ingram on 28 Jan 09
     
    A more troublesome concern is the potential for damage to an employer's reputation or brand, if an employee makes derogatory comments about an employer, client or customer. Such comments then become easy to find via an online search and may be available for an unlimited time. Employers are also concerned about the potential loss of confidential information by an unguarded (or malicious) comment by an employee, then causing the company embarrassment, financial damage or possibly leaving them open to security risks such as identity fraud.
  • sandy ingram on 28 Jan 09
     
    For employers, the temptation to utilise sites such as Facebook and MySpace may also lead them into trouble. Some employers view the scanning of such sites for information on prospective employees as legitimate; others view it as distasteful and intrusive (the equivalent of rummaging through a candidate's personal items). Whatever the view, employers adopting this approach would do well to heed the warning of the TUC's guidance on online social networking. This guidance reminds employers that only a minority of potential staff will have a public profile on a social network, so using information from this source can give either an unfair advantage or disadvantage to certain candidates, as well as leaving the employer open to the accusation of discrimination.
  • sandy ingram on 28 Jan 09
     
    Employers have had to grapple with the issues raised by employee use of the Internet for some years and the rise of online social networking presents another challenge. There is no obvious conclusion here; employers will have to do what they consider to be correct in the light of their business concerns, their employee relations and their business culture. The dilemma posed by the heightened risks surrounding online social networking, whether to trust or restrict employees, does not lead to one "right" answer, but there is certainly a "wrong" answer. Given the ever-growing popularity of such sites and the potential consequences for employers of employee misuse, simply ignoring the issue can only lead to problems for the unwary employer.
sandy ingram

Carnegie Mellon - MySecureCyberspace: Setting Up a Secure Network in the Office #smb #grc - 0 views

www.mysecurecyberspace.com/...ure-network-in-the-office.html

Privacy security Best Practice

shared by sandy ingram on 28 Dec 10 - No Cached
  • Staying Wired When possible and convenient, use a wired network. Wired networks, whose signals are contained within wires, are much safer than wireless networks, whose signals are broadcast into the air. One can be safe from a number of malicious attacks by connecting a computer to the router (a device that connects networks, in this case, your local network to the Internet) via an ethernet cable, instead of connecting via wireless. Appropriate network settings, of course, must be entered into the computers.
  • Taking the Office Wireless
  • Securing Each Network Node
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • If a wireless network is desired, use the following recommendations.
  • Next, security must be implemented on the computers that will connect to the network, known as the "network nodes."
  • sandy ingram on 28 Dec 10
     
    "A secure office network is the first step towards secure computing. Following are a few suggestions to secure networking at work."
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