Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Small- and medium-sized businesses are in denial about the threat posed by cyberattacks, security software firm McAfee concluded in a study published this week.
While most small- and medium-sized companies believe that they operate under cybercriminals’ radar, the study found that one-in-five firms have been attacked. The survey — which polled 500 companies with 1,000 employees or less — found that for every eight firms, only ten employees were dedicated to managing the businesses’ information-technology systems. A vast majority of the firms, more than 90 percent, stated that online access is very important to running their business.
"What came out of this (report) was, not only are they are target, but that a lot of the cybercriminals would prefer to go after the small- and medium-sized businesses," said Darrell Rodenbaugh, senior vice president for McAfee’s mid-market sector. He added: "And one-in-three have said that if they had a serious attack, it would put them out of business."
While large companies have dedicated staff and invest in security technology, their networks continue to be successfully attacked. In 2007, the number of publicly reported data leaks reached a record high while the amount of malicious code detected by software giant Microsoft jumped 40 percent. In December, a survey of privacy and security professionals found that 85 percent believed that a reportable breach had occurred in their company in the past year.
The most recent study adds more fodder to corporate IT concerns. The average company had a single person spending one hour per week on information-security issues, the study found. McAfee’s Rodenbaugh sees that as a challenge for security companies that want to target the small- and medium-sized business market.
"The last thing they should have to worry about is security, and this tells us that, in fact, that is the last thing they are worrying about," he said. "That means that we need to provide these companies with security technology that allows them to only spend an hour a week and still be secure."
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Posted in Information Security | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008
The high cost of fuel is forcing many businesses to review their procedures to find more efficient methods for operations, business continuity planning and more. Fuel prices have increased dramatically over the past year, putting a huge dent in many corporate budgets. Both small and large organizations are feeling the effects. According to survey by the Institute for Corporate Productivity, 66 percent of organizations report that soaring fuel costs are having a negative effect on their business operations.
Businesses are fighting back by adjusting routines, procedures and processes. Many of the changes affect business continuity planners. A few things to consider, include:
Increase in Telecommuting, IT Options
Many organizations are offering telecommuting and flextime as energy-saving options. The ICP survey reports that 51 percent of larger corporations and 27 percent of smaller organizations allow this flexibility for their employees. The benefits include less fuel consumption and less energy use in the office. Business continuity planners must consider the higher risk for data loss and IT failures. Plans must be modified to include methods for protecting software, hardware and data that is located offsite. Demands on the IT department for technical assistance are also increasing. Many companies are exploring virtualization as another cost saving measure. In addition, the use of virtual meetings is on the rise as companies cut down on travel costs. Business continuity plans should be updated to include the added risks of these options.
Transportation Concerns
For companies in the transportation industry, the fuel costs are an obvious concern. Cost-saving measures being implemented include cutting back on long-distance deliveries, tighter scheduling of routes, better load balance on vehicles and adding fuel surcharges. In the airline industry, many flights are being cancelled as airlines struggle to streamline their costs. For contingency planners, a concern is maintaining reliable supply chains. As organizations fold in this tough economy, it is essential to have an accurate gauge on your suppliers. Research alternatives and maintain current contact lists. Companies should also plan for fuel strikes. A fuel strike is where transporters organize and refuse to deliver goods in a protest of higher gas prices. A small fuel strike was held earlier this year, and had little effect on most organizations. However, experts warn that a larger strike could have widespread impact.
Fuel costs will not be falling anytime soon. Take time to review what your organization is doing to slash costs, and make sure your BC plans are updated to handle the changes.
Posted in Business Continuity Management, Disaster Recovery | No Comments »
Friday, July 25th, 2008
Summer Brings Many Hazards
Summer has arrived with a fury in much of the nation. It seems like everyday there is a new Disaster, problem or concern affecting businesses and their employees.
Workplace Violence
As I sat to determine what to write for this issue, one topic kept rising to the top of the list. Since I live in Missouri, not far from the city of Kirkwood, where, in February 2008, a resident fired shots during a city council meeting, the topic of workplace violence kept surfacing. The aftermath of this tragic Event was six deaths, including the gunman, and one critically injured.
Who Made Mother Nature So Angry?
Its only the middle of June, and the question has to be, Who made Mother Nature so angry?
Building an Enterprise-wide BC/DR Program
It all started in the data center. Once computers became part of the business landscape, even before the introduction of personal computers on individual desks, it became pretty clear we could not return to our manual processes if our computers failed. The business model changed.
Shifting the Emphasis: Disaster Recovery as a Service
One of todays most frequently referenced IT improvement paradigms is the shift to a services-oriented architecture (SOA). Wikipedia explains SOA as a design for linking business and computational resources on demand to achieve the desired results for service consumers.
Implementing a Disaster Recovery Strategy Thats Not an IT Disaster
Disaster recovery has been a fundamental offering from most storage software and hardware vendors over the last decade. However, a deeper look reveals that not all disaster recovery solutions are created equal.
Implementing a Disaster Recovery Strategy Thats Not an IT Disaster
Scott Ream is president of Virtual Corporation. Since 1994, Virtual Corporation is a business continuity consulting and software company that assists organizations with all aspects of their business continuity (BC) programs.
An Interview with Scott Ream of Virtual Corporation
Scott Ream is president of Virtual Corporation. Since 1994, Virtual Corporation is a business continuity consulting and software company that assists organizations with all aspects of their business continuity (BC) programs.
Simulating Distance Effects in the Lab
Scott Ream is president of Virtual Corporation. Since 1994, Virtual Corporation is a business continuity consulting and software company that assists organizations with all aspects of their business continuity (BC) programs.
Partnerships Add Value
If we have learned nothing more from catastrophic events, we know that partnerships have played an important role. Disaster response and recovery are not individual efforts. They are more like a symphony than a solo performance.
Crisis Communications and the CEOs Role
New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, Johnson & Johnson Chairman James Burke and President Ronald Reagan are lauded as examples of leaders who inspired, comforted and led with confidence and distinction during crises.
Delivering Urgent Notifications Through Telephony Ports
With recent catastrophic world events generating a growing number of business continuity and disaster recovery plans, the demand for reliable and efficient notification systems has grown.
Common Sense Measures to Safeguard your Community
In order to improve coordination and communication among all levels of government and the public in the fight against terrorism, the president signed Homeland Security Presidential Directive 3 on March 12, 2002, creating the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS).
The Need To Be Green: Data Center Strategies Becoming More Eco-Friendly
As Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore stated recently, It is a mistake to think of the climate crisis as one in a list of issues, it is the issue.
Moving Mainframe Tape Outside The Data Center
For years, enterprise IT has been faced with a variety of challenges that are almost mutually exclusive: support and enable business growth while reducing costs; increase data protection while improving global data access; meet shorter recovery objectives while managing growing amounts of data, to name a few.
The Real Impact of Power Outages on your Bottom Line
Temperatures are rising, summer storms are brewing, and your network may soon be crashing. During this season of uncertain weather and certain power outages, businesses suddenly become quite vulnerable.
Debating Distance and Disasters
It’s a frequent topic on DRJ’s Internet forum. It’s discussed on other business continuity and related lists.
Stepping It Up: Advancing Your Recovery Strategy by Integrating Virtualization and Replication
Imagine ABC Company recently completed an extensive server virtualization project to reduce their data center footprint, save costs associated with hardware purchasing and maintenance, and enhance their ability to recover from a disaster.
Action-Oriented Plan Set to Guide South Carolina Community in Times of Disaster
Most governmental entities have plans in place to mobilize critical emergency relief resources during a disaster. Yet few have similar plans in place to drive the disaster recovery process.
What Is Organizational Certification?
There has been a great deal of difficulty in determining the effectiveness and quality of an organizations business continuity process and where to turn for the best guidance regarding how to build an effective program.
Beaufort County Hosts National Guards Largest Ever Disaster Response Event
As part of Vigilant Guard 2008, the South Carolina National Guard put on one of the largest disaster response training exercises in the history of the National Guard.
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