Archives for June 2016

According to Ponemon Institute and IBM, only 37% of companies have implemented security intelligence solutions. That’s not a very high number, which statistically means your company is more likely to need it than to have it.

Here are the top 5 solutions, according to Ponemon and IBM, that companies have implemented as of 2015 and why you should have them for your business:

1. Expanded use of encryption: One of the best defenses against hacking is encryption. We’ve come to expect encryption in certain circumstances, such as sending PHI (personal health information) electronically or using mobile media such as USB drives and tablets. But “at rest” data can be overlooked. Businesses that expand their encryption to include this information, residing in databases or cloud servers, are better protected.

2. Training and awareness programs: Don’t hope that your employees will know how to avoid spear phishing email attacks or stay away from mistakenly downloading malware to your network. Train them. Teach them about security, ID theft prevention, regulatory compliance and more.

3. Endpoint security solutions: Do you have policies defining what devices can and can’t connect to your network as well as what credentials they receive? PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones and even IoT devices are endpoints that must meet certain security requirements (such as the most up-to-date browser, current antivirus software or approved operating systems) in order to gain access to your network and data. And this security solution supports more BYOD and work-from-anywhere demands from employees.

4. Additional manual procedures and controls: As you define possible risks and threats, you may need to add procedures or controls. For example, what does your system administrator do with an inactive account? For a current employer who hasn’t used a specific login, do you leave the account open and password current? For 30 days? 60? Set the rules and put them in writing.

5. Identity and access management (IAM) solutions: From Wikipedia, IAM “enables the right individuals to access the right resources at the right time for the right reasons.” Implementing this well requires business skills and understanding along with technological expertise.

At Oram, we have developed enterprise security solutions to help protect your business and its sensitive data! You can even start by downloading our free Enterprise Security Toolkit for Small Businesses. Monitor and protect your critical assets right away!

The third wave of the internet.

This is how Goldman Sachs described the Internet of Things. And they expect it to be the biggest yet, with the potential to connect 28 billion “things” to the internet by 2020! Here are 6 areas where IoT is reinventing industries:

Retail: When you go shopping, connected devices in stores can improve your experience. From POS to cameras to readers and beacons, an “aware” store can deliver the the Millennial customer demands.

Home: Is your house smarter than you? Maybe not yet, but perhaps soon! The market is jam packed with smart home products: lighting, garage door openers, thermostats and security systems.

City: Are you ready for smart cities? According to Forbes, Cisco and IBM have partnered with universities and civic planners to “develop data-driven systems for transport, waste management, law enforcement, and energy use.”

Healthcare: The IoT market here is expected to hit $117 billion by 2020! Some of the benefits include operational efficiency and improved patient care.

Automotive: Buckle up for the IoC: Internet of Cars. More than self-driving cars, this category includes connecting with your phone, over-the-air software updates and traffic updates.

Enterprise: There are use cases galore for how businesses have tapped into the IoT to improve their enterprise, such as UPS, which uses sensors to monitor the mileage, speed and engine health of its fleets.

The use cases for the Internet of Things are incredible. One in particular that is in the news this year is Disney World’s use of MagicBands. Have you heard of these yet? It’s IoT in the entertainment industry, and it provides park visitors with a VIP-like experience while also giving Disney a ton of data to sift through and analyze. Did you book a dinner at one of the onsite restaurants? When you arrive, you’ll be greeted by name, thanks to your MagicBand. Sit at whatever table you pick and your food will find you. As one of the Disney designers said about it, “This is about the experiential Internet. The guest doesn’t need to know how it happened. It’s about the magic of the food arriving.” So next time you visit the park, just flash your wristband for everything from making a purchase to getting your fast pass, or even to catch a shuttle from the airport before you’ve even entered the park.