~*The Dangers of Geo Location Apps*~

As a parent, this one made me think twice…

ISACA today weighed in on how geolocation apps are catching on with mobile device users. The respected global IT professionals association also outlined how location-based services are posing new threats to businesses and consumers. Some 28% of U.S. adults use location-based mobile apps from Facebook, Groupon, Google and others and that number is expected to grow significantly, according to ISACA’s new white paper, “Geolocation: Risk, Issues and Strategies.”

Geolocation apps that pinpoint a user’s physical location have opened up numerous new business models. But they also introduce unprecedented new risks, says Ernst & Young partner Marios Damianides, a past ISACA international president. When a user’s gender, race, occupation and financial history are combined with geolocation tags, the data can be used by criminals to identify an individual’s present or future location. This raises the potential of threats ranging from burglary and theft to stalking and kidnapping.

“As the number of geolocation users grows and the proliferation of mobile devices continues, the prospect of individual or enterprise information becoming available to hackers or other unauthorized users is a significant concern,” says Damianides.

ISACA believes its recommendations are timely since regulators are moving to enact rules regarding how companies can use geolocation data from mobile devices. The organization points out that current U.S. legislation proposed by Sens. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., would restrict whether companies can store individual location data obtained from mobile devices, and a proposed amendment from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) addresses the collection of geolocation data from children under age 13.

“We need policies that will establish ‘privacy by design’ to instill trust across the enterprise and guard against malicious use of location information,”says Damianides.

 ISACA unveiled a five-step best practices list under the acronym ROUTE:

• Read mobile app agreements to see what information you are sharing.
• Only enable geolocation when the benefits outweigh the risks.
• Understand that others can track your current and past locations.
• Think before posting tagged photos to social-media sites.
• Embrace the technology, and educate yourself and others.

“As with all technologies, individuals and enterprises must consider their risk tolerance level,” says CA Technologies’ Robert Stroud, past international vice president of ISACA. “The fundamental issue at play is that many consumers are unaware of the risks. They need to educate themselves in order to make informed decisions.”

~*Email Encryption..Is It For You?*~

Email is the Predominant Business Communication Tool, Twitter is growing rapidly among business users, and millions of business users communicate on Facebook. Text messaging has become the default mode for personal communication for younger workers. Yet, despite these trends, email continues to be the dominant communications and file transport mechanism used in business today.

The Importance of Email Encryption

Email security is a huge challenge for businesses. Email is exposed at various points along its transmission, via backups, by IT staff members, or during firewall inspection. And not just the text: attachments account for around 96 percent of the total volume of content sent through email systems. The challenge is to protect the integrity of the attachments, as well as the text.

Unencrypted email messages and files are sent in clear text, allowing them to be intercepted, either by accident or with malicious intent. Just the email auto-fill feature used to complete a co-worker’s name accounts for many errors. We forward emails which contain long threads, and may not even realize who is copied, or who may receive a forgotten attachment.

It happens all the time. For example, in May 2009 a staffer at the Office of the State Superintendant of Education in Washington, D.C., emailed personal information about 2,400 applicants to 1,000 of these applicants, by mistakenly attaching a spreadsheet.

Hackers or others with malicious intent can intercept these messages and read them. Consider an online bookstore called Interloc. To increase marketing results, Interloc offered its clients email services, and then copied all the emails sent to Amazon.com without the permission of the affected parties.

How Should Content Be Encrypted?

There are numerous ways to use email encryption, all with advantages and disadvantages.

• Transport Layer Security: Provides gateway-to-gateway encryption over TCP/IP connections. Both parties must support TLS to encrypt automatically, but the business must purchase an infrastructure certificate, does not provide notifications, and can be slow.
• Manual Encryption Methods: Some email security software allows users to manually encrypt messages by adding a certain prefix, which requires the receiver to go through a series of processes to read the email. This offers the user the flexibility to choose which messages to encrypt, but it also requires extra steps, training, and an additional user interface for the security software.
• OpenPGP: An encryption standard for any kind of content and attachment, OpenPGP uses asymmetric encryption keys that are discoverable via open source and global directories. This enables messages to be sent to multiple recipients, each using their private key for decryption. However, this protocol is not built into many systems, and uses keys and software to use OpenPGP.

 

Businesses must also consider that encryption will impact other organization technologies, such as virus scanning and email archiving, among others.

Email encryption is critical for a variety of reasons, from battling outsiders’ malicious intent to complying with regulatory obligations. To protect data integrity, businesses must consider a variety of complex solutions. Consider Webroot for award-winning email security software management.

FLDC Contractor Day 2012 ~ Gulf Coast will be there for you!

 

February 14, 2012

The Florida League of Defense Contractors Presents

 

Florida Defense Contractor Day 2012  at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

With Special Guest Luncheon Speaker ~ Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll

You are invited! Florida Defense Contractors, Economic Development Organizations, and professionals involved in Florida’s defense economy:

 

    Join us for Florida Defense Contractor Day 2012 in Tallahassee to meet directly with state leaders and defense contractors from across the state during the 2012 Regular Legislative Session. This once-a-year event is your opportunity to bring issues of importance to Florida’s defense economy straight to legislative decision makers.

    The state plays a significant role in the success of Florida’s defense economy. Join other defense business professionals to affect state policy.

 

Check out our 2012 state legislative priorities (opens new window)

 

    Florida Defense Contractor Day 2012 is open to FLDC Members, Sponsors, Associate Members, non-member Florida defense contractors, economic development groups, and special guests.

    Register and get your ticket online today! Reservations are limited. Look forward to seeing you.

NEW This Year:

FLDC reserved the State Capitol Courtyard to provide you space for exhibition displays. This is a high foot-traffic area which allows you the opportunity to network with other defense business professionals, state lawmakers, and the general public.

Space is limited. Reserve your spot when registering and selecting your tickets.

-in case of inclement weather, exhibits will be displayed in the 22d floor of the Capitol

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Admission to the entire event is FREE for FLDC Members. If you’d like your organization to join FLDC and receive the benefits of membership, call 850-320-8780 or email memberinfo@fl-dc.org.

Florida defense contractors, economic development organizations, and businesses involved with defense industry are eligible for FLDC Membership.

 

Additionally, contact us at 850-320-8780 if your organization is interested sponsoring a portion of the event.

 

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Lodging

FLDC has a block of rooms with:

Holiday Inn Capital Center

1355 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32301 Map

Room rate: $129 for February 13. This includes full hot breakfast buffet, parking and internet.

Please identify yourself as part of the  FL Defense Contractor Day or FDC Group code. You may either call the reservation line at 1-800-315-2621 or go online at www.hicapitoleast.com and type in the group code FDC. The last day to make reservations under this block is Friday, January 27, 2012.

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Itinerary

February 13, 2012

FLDC Organizational Meeting (FLDC Members Only) – 4:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

 

Welcome Reception (All attendees) – 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.

Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (1 1/2 blocks from Capitol)

230 South Adams Street * Tallahassee, FL 32301

 

February 14, 2012

Morning Welcome (All attendees) – 8:30 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.

Exhibition (All attendees) – 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.

Florida Capitol Building Complex

400 South Monroe St. * Tallahassee, FL 32399

 

Luncheon (All attendees) – 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M.

22d Floor Capitol Building

400 South Monroe St. * Tallahassee, FL 32399

 

Wrapup (All attendees) – 1:30 P.M. to 2:00 P.M.

22d Floor Capitol Building

400 South Monroe St. * Tallahassee, FL 32399

 

Further details provided to attendees as the event date approaches.

Call 850-320-8780 if you have any questions.

Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

 

Safety Tips for Decking the Halls

Haul out the holly, string up the lights, and hang the stockings by the chimney (with care)! The holiday season is finally here, which means it’s time to deck the halls with all kinds of festive decorations.   We want to ensure your holidays are as merry and bright as possible, so before you adorn your mantle with garland and dangle mistletoe over your door, please read these holiday decorating safety tips.   -  Christmas trees: Trimming the tree is the main decorating event in many households, but the tree can become a fire hazard if it’s dried out. Remember to replenish the water in your tree stand on a daily basis, so that your tree remains healthy and hydrated for the duration of the holiday season.   -  Holiday foliage: Poinsettias, holly, Jerusalem cherries, and mistletoe are all toxic if ingested. If you have pets or small children in the house, avoid using these decorations or opt for the artificial versions.   -  Artificial snow: If you’re longing for a white Christmas, spraying windows with artificial snow can give your house a frosty glow – even if you live in a warm climate. However, spray-on snow can irritate your lungs, so make sure to follow the directions carefully and only use the spray in well-ventilated areas.   -  Fireplaces: Adorning the mantle with garlands, stockings, and other decorations is a holiday tradition in many households, but keep these trimmings clear of working fireplaces. You should also be careful when using fire salts, which produce colored flames, since they are highly toxic if ingested.   -  Lights: Before hanging lights indoors or outdoors, check the strings for cracked sockets, broken bulbs, or frayed/bare wires. Also, only use lights that are approved by a national testing lab, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Do not use electric lights on metallic trees because faulty lights can cause branches to become charged and possibly electrocute someone. If you’re using outdoor lights, make sure they are approved for that use and plugged into a ground-fault circuit interrupter device.   -  Candles: Flickering candlelight can give your home a cozy, warm glow, but candles cause more than 11,000 fires every year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you’re using candles to decorate for the holidays, keep a close eye on them when they’re lit, and don’t leave the room without extinguishing the flames. Never put a lit candle on a tree.

Cyber Crimes on the Rise

 

Historically, cyber security threats have been relegated to the IT department. As the 2011 Global Economic Crime Survey shows, cyber security threats are no longer just an IT problem.

In order to properly prepare for cyber security threats, organizations need to integrate cyber security-awareness into the culture, involving all employees and partners. If organizations fail to examine cyber security from every angle, they are leaving themselves exposed.

 

What the PWC Cybercrime survey revealed:

• Ranks among the top 4 economic crimes.
• 34% experienced economic crime in last 12 months (up 4%)
• 40% of respondents identified reputational damage as their biggest fear
• 60% of respondents admit to not monitoring social media sites
• 2 out of 5 respondents had no cyber security training
• 25% acknowledged that there is no regular formal review of cybercrime threats by the CEO and Board of Directors
• 48% of those who experienced economic crime in the last 12 months reported that they perceive the risk of cybercrime to be on the rise

How can you protect your organization against economic crime?

• Be aware of the current and emerging cyber environment
• Know who you are dealing with (staff, suppliers, partners and agents)
• Involve IT, Internal Audit and the Board of Directors in the fight against economic crime
• Implement a response plan for a cyber crisis
• Conduct regular fraud risk assessments
• Instill a cyber risk-aware culture through Cyber-Savvy leadership
• Recruit people with cyber security-relevant skills and experience

 

Unfortunately, some agents and insureds are under the impression that their crime policy will trigger coverage in the event of a cyber theft. The truth is, crime policies do not adequately protect insureds against cyber theft for the following reasons:

• Crime policies typically exclude the theft of information and do not address crimes committed by outsiders (i.e. cyber hacking, stolen laptops, stolen paper files)
• In today’s information-rich environment, organizations of all kinds need to consider the following key coverage components:

  a) Costs to notify clients as required by law
  b) Costs to manage crises and recover reputation
  c) Costs to defend client or vender lawsuit(s)
  d) Costs to respond to regulatory investigations
  e) Costs to pay damages, fines, and penalties

 

Cyber security threats are constantly evolving and becoming more prevalent.  Call us today. We have a program to cover your cyber liability needs.

Happy Thanksgiving to our friends, families and customers :)

 Thanksgiving is the appointed time
for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days,
we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time
paying attention to problems.
We give our energy
to those who cause us trouble
instead of those who bring peace.
Starting now,
let’s be on the lookout
for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who
bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving,
I’m thankful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!

High Value Home? No Problem for Gulf Coast :)

 

Gulf Coast Underwriters has a new high value homeowners insurance program available in Florida! Effective October 31, 2011, we are very proud and excited to announce the release of American Platinum Property & Casualty Insurance Company. American Platinum is an affiliate of Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company and will offer high value homes the HO3 policy form to be insured from 1 million to 5 million on dwelling coverage. APPCIC will also offer to schedule personal belongings to value (max 25K per item with appraisal necessary on items over 5K), endorse sink hole coverage (sink hole inspection required), and screen enclosures.  Contact us today for additional information and a no obligation quote.