Customer Loyalty Sweepstakes: The winner engages the customer securely

The 2016 Nielsen report addressing customer loyalty,  “Allegiant Alignment: What Faithful Followers of Retail Loyalty Programs Want” based on the 2016 Nielsen Global Survey of Loyalty Sentiment polled more than 30,000 online consumers in 63 countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East/Africa and North America. They found loyalty programs continue to hook and keep hooked individual consumers. Nielsen …

When do you introduce Security Awareness training?

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output]A new employee shows up on day one and walks through his ID card briefing, compensation and benefits brief, and security brief, meets his new team and manager, and tries to retain all the information rushing out at him via the orientation fire hose. All boxes checked, the employee is good to go, and the security team notes that …

IT Security Teams Enable Business – IBM Midsize Insider – December 2013

Writing for IBM Midsize Insider, Christopher Burgess discusses how IT security teams enable business.   Having an IT security team is an imperative for all companies, not just those in the enterprise space. This dedicated set of eyes is essential for small- to medium-size businesses (SMBs). It is imperative that security team members have a clear understanding of their role …

Data Breach – Horizon Blue Cross – two data breaches in five years

Looking for information about the 2016 mis-mailing of EOB’s to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) members?  Read-> Data Breaches Again at Horizon BCBSNJ Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey – Two data breaches in five years. [Updated 18 December 2013*] Earlier this week 839,711 members of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New …

Industrial Espionage in Small/Medium Enterprises – ThomasNet

  On 17 October 2013, ThomasNet ran a piece on industrial espionage (“Industrial Espionage Threats to SMEs Originate from Within“), and interviewed Prevendra’s CEO, Christopher Burgess on some of the fundamental issues and distinguishing the difference between ethical data collection and espionage.    [custom_blockquote style=”blue”] Christopher Burgess, CEO of Prevendra Inc., a security, privacy and intelligence firm based in Washington, told IMT that …

Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost

Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost, Preventing Intellectual Property Theft and Economic Espionage in the 21st Century (Syngress 2008 –  by Christopher Burgess and Richard Power) The threats of economic espionage and intellectual property (IP) theft are global, stealthy, insidious, and increasingly common. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, IP theft is estimated to top $250 billion annually and also costs the …

Prevendra: U.S. National Industrial Security – NISPOM Training Requirement

For U.S. Defense Contractors, the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) is the bible of process, procedure and how things are accomplished for every contractor.  Additionally, every cleared employee must be provided security training.  And you the contractor or the contractor’s security representative are responsible for its creation and presentation.  Your cleared personnel are also individually responsible, as noted …

Security – Who is responsible?

Do you view your security posture in the office as more or less important in comparison to your residence? And how does that compare to the personal security profile that you exercise for you and your family? Who should be shouldering the security responsibility?  I posit — you are responsible. And I would add that you also need to hold …

Secure the Data! Big Data Analytics Can Help, IDG Connect, November 2012

“Secure the data!” That’s the claxon call that every chief security officer (CSO) or chief information security officer (CISO) hears 24/7/365 coming from their CEO, their customers and their partners. In the 12th century AD, the methodology of choice to protect one’s data was to place it within the castle-keep behind high walls designed to withstand the attack from catapults …

Bringing the Social Media #Revolution to Health Care (Mayo Clinic)

On the 18th of October, the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media announced the publication of “Bringing the Social Media #Revolution to Health Care” (Mayo Clinic) – for those involved in the health care vertical and with social media responsibilities you owe it to yourself to get this book.  More than 20 individual contributors made this book possible, with the …

Encrypt or not to encrypt, that is the question

17 October 2011 (#NCSAM – National Cyber Security Awareness Month) Encryption: To encrypt or not encrypt, that is the question (a hat tip to the Bard of Avon). In this day and age of digital data thefts, careless loss of hardware and infusion of crimeware / malware, in my opinion it pays to encrypt.  When and what should be encrypted? …

Wi-Fi: Three steps to stay safe when connecting via wireless

Those who have followed my writing on the subject of Wi-Fi security know my passion for taking seemingly basic steps to keep one’s wireless activity safe and secure. In a recent survey conducted by the Wi-Fi Alliance 86% of all respondents had taken the appropriate steps to secure their routers, but only 56% had taken the step to create a “hard” password, thus making themselves vulnerable to dictionary attacks or the like.
So take three basic steps to keep yourself Wi-Fi secure:

SMISH smash, don’t let your accounts take a Phish bath

What’s SMISH? SMISH is Short Message Service (SMS) Phish or in the lexicon of the day, Text Message Phishing. What’s phishing? Phishing is a criminal action where you are engaged by a third-party with the specific goal of you providing private and sensitive information for nefarious purposes. The difference between SMISH (SMS Phish) and Email Phish (Phish) is only the avenue by which you are engaged by the criminal.
How does it work?

Mobile – Daily risks mitigated

If you don’t maintain the health of your device then you should expect that your device will at some point in the future become compromised in some way, shape or form.
What type of compromises may occur? How often? What can you do?
Let’s answer these in order…

Game On! Eight tips to stay safe while playing online games

Do you or your children participate in online gaming, using your PC, smart phone or game box? Then you need to make sure you understand what’s going on, especially behind the curtain, when you configure your “game” settings. Here are eight online security tips to keep you safe and secure.

Location, Location, Location

Location based services are here to stay, have great viability and absolutely increase the interaction between individuals and merchants, as well as serve to identify individuals with similar interest. Know that well intentioned services have a positive side, but also may also be used to your detriment. If you are satisfied with the answers to the questions in today’s post, then make your decision to share or not to share.

Cyber Security Awareness: Are you?

Today marks the start of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the United States. If you’re reading this piece you are on a social network and have a modicum of interest in your online security. Throughout the month (as I have for the past few years) I will be publishing snack size tips that you may wish to share (family, friends, colleagues, or whomever) so that all have a leg-up on keeping their online activities enjoyable, but also safe and secure.

Online Safety: Neighborhood Watch Programs – WiFi

In my research, I found it interesting that, with the ubiquitous nature of wireless connectivity within our homes and businesses, I was unable to find an example of where a Neighborhood Watch had integrated the identification of insecure wireless access points within their neighborhoods. I advocate including a wireless scan capability into Neighborhood Watch programs. Most people who have a wireless access point do nothing more than simply pull it out of the box, and plug it into the wall and their broadband service provider. Neighbors can help neighbors stay safe by letting them know when their wireless access point is in an open or insecure state.

Stop Bullycide - save a life

Bullying: The 34 we lost in 2010 to Bullycide

Bully Bullying Cyberbullying Bullycide – These four words continue to appear with ever greater frequency in the lexicon of the modern American family. We hear these words on the evening news, in our newspapers, and online in all forums. We live in 2011, but to see how we treat one and other from afar, you’d think perhaps the calendar had rolled back a few centuries. You see – individuals be they young or not-so-young are bullied both at school and at work. The tragedy is, our youth of today, by and large are not prepared for today’s always-on world, even though they live it 24/7. The fact that in 2010 we lost 34 children where bullying was a principal issue in their decision to end their lives speaks volumes. There were 33 who committed suicide. Then there was one young man who was killed while trying to extricate his sibling from two bullies who were pummeling his sibling, he was shot and killed. Each of them has a story, I share these…

Do You Know Where Your Data Is?

The following appeared in the Canadian online magazine Security Matters:  Location Based Services: Do you know where your data is? Do you know where your data is? By Christopher Burgess  Everywhere you look, retailers and other entities are offering to collect your data using one of the many location-based services available to collate your whereabouts and analyze your behavior.  Are …