data protection Archives

STEAK AND SECURITY: Make Sure That Security Is Always “Well Done”

Whatever you happen to be doing, it is usually a good idea to be doing it right. That involves following the basic steps needed to successfully get from the starting line to success – steps that have usually been discovered and developed by the legions who have gone before you who have tried things out, learned from their mistakes, tried again and succeeded. Take cooking a steak as an example. There are some things you always do, and some things you definitely don’t do – say, put frosting on it, or let the dog play with it. And there are some things you MAY do – if you really know what you’re doing. The things you MAY do usually don’t take much extra effort or time, just a little more knowledge – but usually, it’s those discretionary steps that make the difference between “pretty good” and “fantastic.” So how do ...

Robert Tessanne2023-02-16T16:01:51+00:00

SPRING CLEANING FOR IT – Everyone needs to do it. Might as well get some help.

Ah, spring cleaning: Just about everybody needs to do it, and almost nobody looks forward to it. Whether it’s tackling winter’s ravages in the yard, clearing out the garage, or de-cluttering the closet, it’s one of those tasks that often inspires undue dread beforehand, even when you love the results afterwards. The same holds true for IT pros – perhaps even more so than everyone else. IT “cleanup” can honestly be a daunting task. Mistakes – either of omission or commission – can have far-reaching results, and the changing nature of the technology environment means that “garbage” in the form of gear, applications and data accumulates more quickly than ever before. At the same time, it is critical to get rid of the stuff you don’t want, use, or need – because chances are, that’s where the inefficiencies, security holes, and bugs are hiding. In the run-up to Red Level’s ...

Edward Aube2023-02-16T16:01:52+00:00

Cybersecurity in the Industrial Heartland

Report from the 2016 Cybersecurity Conference If you asked an average businessperson to think for a moment about efforts to stop hacking and increase digital security, their immediate thoughts would probably turn to labs in Silicon Valley or bureaus in Washington, D.C.—and they’d be right. Despite our state’s strong information technology industry, digital security still isn’t a top-of-mind concern for too many executives. Efforts to improve cybersecurity have historically been focused in the areas of highest capability and greatest perceived need – even if that may not be where the greatest security vulnerabilities are. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Detroit Regional Chamber hosted their 2016 Cybersecurity Conference in Detroit for some very good reasons. Despite the higher profile that digital security has gotten in recent years, companies and government bodies still don’t take security as seriously as they need to. That creates windows of vulnerability that hackers are ...

Red Level2023-02-16T16:01:54+00:00

THE TECH 248 MESSAGE: TAKE SECURITY SERIOUSLY

There’s an unfortunate tendency I see all too often in some businesses: An inclination towards thinking that when it comes to data security, “good enough” is good enough. It really isn’t. The reasoning is understandable: Companies think that they’re too small or too obscure to be noticed by hackers. Or they think that bought-and-paid-for security measures they took a year ago remain airtight. Or they reckon that threats are overstated, and are largely a means of selling security products or services they don’t really need. All of these arguments are great ways to put off investing in up-to-date security measures. Unfortunately, none of these arguments are true. Tech 248, Oakland County’s program to support the growth of the technology industry in the region, understands that, and they take security seriously. Yesterday’s Tech 248-sponsored Sans Institute training session underscored the point that security threats are real, regardless of company size, and that organizations that take a ...

Robert Tessanne2023-02-16T16:01:55+00:00

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