IT security

IT security breaches on the rise, new research shows businesses aren't doing everything they can to keep their customers' personal information safe.
A study by Experian Data Breach Resolution and the Ponemon Institute found that only half of the surveyed businesses feel their organization makes the best possible effort to protect customer and consumer information.
Specifically, 60 percent of the businesses reported that customer data – including credit card information and social security numbers – that had been lost or stolen was not encrypted.
Not all breached data is the result of a malicious attack by cybercriminals, however. The research shows that breaches most often are the result of a negligent insider or the result of outsourcing data to a third party.

"The responsibility of keeping clients' information secure cannot lie solely on the shoulders of IT; rather, every executive in the organization should be aware, since the reverberation of a breach will be felt by everyone," said OzzieFonseca, senior director at Experiential Data Breach Resolution.
After experiencing the damage that can be done from a security breach, estimated at $214.00 per record, 61 %of businesses increased their security budget and 28 percent hired additional IT security professionals.
To avoid the repercussions of a breach, Experiential Data Breach Resolution offers several pieces of advice, including:

•    Educate. Since negligent employees or contractors make organizations the most vulnerable to future breaches, conducting training and awareness programs and enforcing security policies should be a priority for organizations.
• Support. With increased privacy and data protection comes the need for larger security budgets. It doesn't just take time; it takes monetary support, as well.
• Hire. The top three actions believed to reduce the negative consequences of a data breach are: hiring legal counsel, assessing the harm to victims and employing forensic experts.
• Learn. Lessons to be taken away from a data breach include: limiting the amount of personal data collected, limiting sharing with third parties and limiting the amount of personal data stored.

The study was based on surveys of more than 500 IT person who have experienced a data breach at their company.
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It isn’t what you know in business, it is who yuo know. When you are looking for work this is definitely true or even if you are just wanting to expand your business.
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You need to start with a little time to readjust your attitude to networking and prepare yourself to have a feel for where you need to be and who you need to see. Good networking is an investment in your future. Imagine a situation where you needed to find someone with a particular skill in a very short time. If you are well networked just a couple of phone calls could turn up the person you need. If you do not have an adequate network you will have to go the more traditional route of recruiting, sorting resumes and trying to find the right person the long way.
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Networking is about making connections. It is about finding people that can fill a need at a later date and making others aware of your skills and talents because you may one day fill a need for them. It is always more comfortable asking someone you know for help or advice and networking is how you get to know other business people who may one day be in a position to help you. Do not worry that you will feel awkward the first few times you try to network. These feelings are natural for most people and will fade the more you get out there.