Bring your own device, or BYOD, is the new trend in business and it looks like it is here to stay. BYOD is a term given to the use of mobile devices by employees and this new trend comes with both risks and rewards. As I sit in my local Starbucks working on this post, my attention is grabbed by two women at a nearby table. Their laptops sit on the table, case to case, and it is obvious from their conversation that they are in the midst of working. Discussion involves customers and co-workers, … [Read more...]
President’s Data Security Plan
One of the issues President Obama plans to cover during his State of the Union Address today is cybersecurity – and it may be one of the few issues that both Republicans and Democrats will agree on. The discussion regarding the data security plan seems to concentrate on breach notification. The intention is to make sure consumers are notified in a timely fashion whenever their personally identifiable information was involved in a breach. At this time, most legislation regarding breach … [Read more...]
Are Your Servers Secure?
What do: Ernst & Young Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Pricewaterhouse Coopers KPMG all have in common? They are the big four accounting firms in the United States and each one of them has a presence here in Orange County, CA. Like most big organizations, they work with smaller companies who provide services for them. What many business owners and managers may not realize is that the companies they work with: affiliates vendors satellite offices could pose a threat to the … [Read more...]
HIPAA Penalties for Breaches
An IT friend recently told us about a doctor who had his computer stolen from out of his office. The doctor, the victim of a robbery, ended up having to pay a $50,000 fine for his stolen computer– ouch! First your computer gets stolen and then YOU get fined? What’s up with that? HIPAA, that’s what. The HIPAA penalties for breaches are costly, painful, and…mostly avoidable. HIPAA penalties for breaches occur whenever a data containing device that has consumers’ personal health or other … [Read more...]
Data Security and Schools
School administrators, beware! We know that educators make the welfare and education of students their top priority…and that can take up most of their time, energy and resources. Maintaining a safe environment for students to learn may mean that school administrators haven’t given any thought to other security issues – like data security. But in today’s school environment, administrators would be wise to think about it. Not too long ago we were asked to go to a private school to collect some … [Read more...]
Security Threats in 2015
According to Wired Magazine, there are 6 key areas that will represent security threats in 2015: Nation-State Attacks According to the author of the article, Kim Zetter, national spy agencies that undermine encryption and install backdoors in systems remain the biggest security threat that computer users face in general. It’s hard to imagine that a national spy organization would waste their time with an individual or a small business owner and really pose a threat – but that’s what the … [Read more...]
Get the Laptop You Didn’t Get
Didn’t get the laptop on your holiday wish list this year? If not and you are planning to start the New Year with a new laptop, consider these recommendations from www.cnet.com: Lenovo Y50 Touch Acer Chromebook 13 Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Lenova Yoga 3 Pro These laptop prices range from $330 to $1900, with the Acer Chromebook on the low end range and the Apple MacBook Pro on the upper end. Cnet is a good resource for reviews on all types of … [Read more...]
Electronic Recycling Promotes Goodwill
Many companies, business owners, and purchasing managers like to start the New Year by upgrading employee electronics, like: computers laptops monitors cell phones Replacing outdated electronics with newer models can make employees more efficient and productive – but what is the cost to the community at large for these upgrades? You may be wondering what kind of cost there could possibly be to the community when the company is the one spending the money for new equipment? But … [Read more...]
Out with the Old Technology, In with the New
Need ideas for good technology gifts for the small business owner and entrepreneur in your life? There are so many new gadgets and gizmos out there that finding the right one for that special guy or gal can be a challenge. The folks at www.SmallBusinessComputing.com put together a nice list of 10 ideas that you might find helpful. What I appreciated about these technology gifts is the range in price – from $60 to $1000 – something for every budget. Their technology picks … [Read more...]
Sony Data Security Breach
It’s in the news again – another company had a data security breach. This time it was Sony and this time there was an interesting twist to the story. Most of us were impacted by some of the data security breaches that have affected other companies recently – companies like: Target JP Morgan Chase Home Depot We were told to change our passwords and monitor our credit and bank accounts for suspicious activity because these represented a data security breach related to financial … [Read more...]