Officials at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report entitled, "Influenza Pandemic: Key Securities Market Participants are Making Progress, but Agencies Could Do More to Address Potential Internet Congestion and Encourage Readiness". (Read this Report) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to this report by stating, "An expectation of unlimited Internet access during a pandemic is not realistic -- any more so than an expectation that traffic congestion on hurricane evacuation routes can be completly avoided. All users which rely on the … [Read more...]
Security Policy — Components of a Good Policy
By: Lisa DuBrock, CPA, CBC Whether you are tasked with writing your organization’s Information Security Policies or updating an existing security policy or security policies, knowing what is in a well crafted policy is important. Below are details of many of the areas you should include: Security Definition – All security policies should include a well-defined security vision for the organization. The security vision should be clear and concise and convey to readers the intent of the policy. Also included in this section should be details of what if any security standards your … [Read more...]
"Red Flag Rules": Exemption Ruling Announced
By an overwhelming vote of 400-0, the U.S. House approved legislation on October 20, 2009, that exempt certain businesses from the Federal Trade Commission's Red Flag Rules. As part of that legislation, the FTC is also required to issue new regulation setting out the exemption processes that allow any business to apply for an exemption. With November 1, 2009 as an announced Red Flag Rule compliance deadline, it is very likely that this new ruling will cause the FTC to at least consider the announcement of another delay for this compliance deadline. Under the current ruling, health care, … [Read more...]
Supply Chain Risk Leadership Council – What Is It and Why Should I Know About It?
The Supply Chain Risk Leadership Council is a group of companies that meet four times a year to discuss how to incorporate standardized best practices into their supply chain. Some of the companies that sit on the council are industry heavyweights, such as CISCO, GE, Boeing, Coca-Cola, Merck and FedEx. The Supply Chain Risk Leadership Council (SCRLC) was established in 2006. Over this time period, supply chain risk has increased in visibility and importance among supply chain practitioners, business leaders, industry analysts and the media. This council anticipated the rise of supply chain … [Read more...]
Standards Announced for PS-Prep by DHS
On October 15, 2009, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified three standards to be included in the PS-Prep; Private Sector Preparedness Program. The PS-Prep program was created under Title IX of Public Law 110-53: Recommendations from the 9/11 Commission and is a partnership between DHS and the private sector that enables private entities - including businesses, non-profit organizations and universities - to receive emergency preparedness certification from a DHS accreditation system created in coordination with the private sector. The three … [Read more...]
5 Trends in Cyber Security that Will Describe the Rest of 2018
Security and personal privacy on the Internet are hot topics. The world has experienced everything, from hacked elections to robotic systems taking over social media accounts. Companies, many that you might expect to have the most rigid security safeguards, proved to be vulnerable to hackers. Cyber criminals never sleep. Therefore, keeping up with the trends in cyber security is critical. The idea of identity theft pales in comparison to an entire company or government being hijacked by a cyber assault. The year of 2018 will certainly produce new trends in cyber security … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Your New Automated Notification System
Communicating with clients, customers, employees and business contacts is a vital part of your company's success. Customers appreciate feeling important. Therefore, keeping them notified of things that appeal to them builds their trust. There are internal communications with employees and staff where notifications and alerts are essential. Notifications can be emails, voice messages, texts or various types of ad campaigns. You may want to keep customers up-to-date on product changes or new opportunities. To handle these assorted notifications, it can be beneficial to use … [Read more...]
All You Need To Know About Recovery Time Objective
Any experienced entrepreneur can attest to the importance of having a contingency plan in the event of unexpected setbacks. For this reason, understanding the recovery time objective (RTO) is imperative for effectively remedying such situations. The following will describe what an RTO is as well as whose job it is to understand and utilize it. Additionally, the essentials for creating it will also be provided. Lastly, a series of helpful tips will offer guidance in the event of a severe organizational setback. What Is Recovery Time Objective? Recovery time … [Read more...]
Cloud Disaster Recovery – What Is It and How to Take Advantage of It?
Technology has truly taken over virtually every aspect of our lives. Nowhere has the digital age had a bigger effect than in the world of business. The majority of companies now store almost everything digitally. This change obviously provides a number of important advantages. The ability for employees to instantly share files across the globe and to collaborate and communicate online has definitely increased productivity. On the other hand, digital storage also presents new challenges and especially in terms of data security. For companies that rely on their own servers or store all of … [Read more...]
This Is How You Can Defend Your System Against Zero Day Vulnerability
Zero day vulnerability is something that affects millions of businesses around the world every day. It is a problem that can be hard to understand, even if you have hired a high-quality IT department. However, failing to manage your zero day vulnerability issues can put you in a dangerous position. Such a problem can make it more difficult for you to handle serious risks. Even worse, it can put your business in place to get hacked by hazardous professionals. As a result, it is essential to understand the nature of zero day vulnerability and how you can manage these risks for your … [Read more...]
Incident Management Checklist – Five Key Elements You Should Consider
An incident management checklist is one of the essential elements of a high-quality business. They help to make sure that your employees and managers take care of dangerous or frightening situations in a constructive way. Just as importantly, an incident management checklist ensures that this information is taken down and stored in a way that is legally appropriate and easy to understand if any law enforcement officials check into it. In this article, you are going to learn about the nature of an incident management checklist, how to utilize them in your business, and get tips on … [Read more...]
Five Canny Negotiation Tactics to Secure Your Business Success
One of the most critical aspects of a successful business is mastering high-quality negotiation tactics. You just cannot succeed if you aren't willing to tackle difficult negotiations with your business partners and rivals. Strong negotiation tactics are also vital if you are trying to get involved with new partners or expand your business to include new concepts and services. As a result, it is crucial to fully understand the kind of canny negotiation tactics that will help your business succeed. This article will discuss the general nature of business negotiation tactics. We will also … [Read more...]
Five Issues in Risk Management You Should Prepare Yourself for
Risk management is one of the most critical elements of running a great business. Unfortunately, too few companies take issues in risk management seriously. They either believe that they are invulnerable to these risks or think that their risk management is flawless. However, there are way too many issues in risk management to consider. Those who don't take that step are doing their business a great disservice. That's why we are going to explore some of the most common issues in risk management that are plaguing the business world today. We will start by defining risk management, … [Read more...]
What Is TOGAF? Definition and Types of Architecture It Develops
If you have ever heard of TOGAF, you have probably wondered just what is TOGAF and how it can benefit you? That question is understandable because it is possible to get a varied range of information on what is TOGAF, information that can be confusing to understand. That's why we've created this simple article to help streamline your understanding. Anyone who has ever asked “what is TOGAF?” and found the answer confusing should read this article. We will discuss the elements of this system, who can use it, what type of architecture it helps design, and even offer tips on its use. … [Read more...]
What Is ITIL? A Basic Approach to IT Service Management
If you have ever had to deal with IT problems or other technological concerns, you've probably asked yourself “what is ITIL?” and wondered how it could benefit you. Many people have pondered what is ITIL in the past and have been confused by the answers. That's probably because the online source is filled with contradicting guides. That's why we've created this simple and comprehensive guide. We'll answer "what is ITIL?" for you and will give you a head start on implementing it in your business. You will get an insider's guide into who should use this process, what companies have … [Read more...]