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Cybersecurity Degree Programs, Cybersecurity Masters Degree, Degree in Cyber Security, Online Security, Internet Security

Interested in Internet Security? Get a Cybersecurity Masters Degree!

Cybersecurity Degree Programs, Cybersecurity Masters Degree, Degree in Cyber Security, Online Security, Internet Security

No one can forget the infamous Sony Pictures security breach of 2014, where confidential information was released courtesy of computer hackers who called themselves the “Guardians of Peace.”

Cybersecurity attacks are becoming more frequent, and the demand for jobs is reaching a fever pitch. A new report out from Cybersecurity Ventures estimates there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021, up from 1 million openings last year.

Employment figures from the U.S. and India highlight the cybersecurity labor crisis.

In 2017, the U.S. employed nearly 780,000 people in cybersecurity positions, with approximately 350,000 current cybersecurity openings, according to CyberSeek, a project supported by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Most IT security jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in a computer related field however many colleges are expanding to have cybersecurity master’s degree programs, and here are some of them…

 

American Military University Logo_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

American Military University (Charles Town, W.Va.) – The Master of Science in Cybersecurity Studies program takes a broad, multidisciplinary approach to preventing and responding to large-scale cyber threats and cyber attacks. The first half of the online, two-year program provides a foundation in network security, information assurance, cyber crime and digital forensics. The second half focuses on the issues, policies, practices and perspectives of various sectors, critical infrastructures, agencies and disciplines, such as national security, intelligence, criminal justice and emergency management.

 

Carnegie Mellon University_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh)—In 16 or 20 months, the Master of Science in Information Security enhances a technical education in computer systems and security with research/development opportunities and the option to take additional courses in areas complementary to security. Graduates may pursue doctoral degrees or positions as security experts equipped to manage the growing complexities associated with securing data, networks and systems. This graduate degree program meets the criteria for the NSF-funded CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program (SFS). U.S. citizens who are accepted may be eligible for a full scholarship and stipend from the federal government.

 

Fordham University_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Program

Fordham University’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies (Bronx, N.Y.)—Fordham’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity program is a combination of weekend, online and hybrid courses is designed for completion in 12 months over three semesters. Students learn how to identify solutions to global cyber threats while mastering legal, ethical and policy issues using methods in computing and informational science, engineering and social science. Program highlights include small classes taught by academia and industry experts, intensive lab experience in a dedicated cybersecurity research lab, and networking opportunities and career support.

 

George Washington University_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

George Washington University (Washington, D.C.)—The Master of Science in Cybersecurity in Computer Science program was created to respond to the large and fast-growing need for technical cybersecurity experts nationally and internationally. Students acquire up-to-date knowledge and skills in cybersecurity and get a firm grounding in requisite core knowledge in computer science, as well as the ability to take courses in related disciplines. GWU also offers the Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity Policy and Compliance (online).

 

Indiana University_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

Indiana University (Bloomington, Ind.)—The Master of Science in Secure Computing offers an interdisciplinary focus that combines coursework in mathematics, protocol analysis, and system and network security, with business and economics, social engineering, human-computer interaction, and other disciplines. The Master of Science in Cybersecurity Risk Management program will bring together cybersecurity courses from law, business and computer science. The degree offers integrated coursework from the School of Informatics and Computing, the IU Maurer School of Law, and the IU Kelley School of Business.

 

Northeastern University_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

Northeastern University (Boston)—The Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity program enables students to gain the broad knowledge needed to make strategic decisions to combat information security threats, including identity theft, computer malware, electronic fraud and cyber attacks. The program explores key issues in information security and how technology can help resolve them. It combines an understanding of IT with relevant knowledge from law, the social sciences, criminology and management.

 

University of Southern California_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

The University of Southern California (Los Angeles)—USC Viterbi’s Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering program focuses on the fundamentals of developing, engineering and operating secure information systems. Curriculum fosters understanding in developing a security policy and how policy drives technology decisions. Students solve challenges and problems of secure operating systems, secure applications, secure networking, use of cryptography and key management. This program is also available online to professional engineers through the Distance Education Network.

 

University of South Florida_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

The University of South Florida (Tampa, Fla.)—The Master of Science in Cybersecurity interdisciplinary program has four concentrations. The Cyber Intelligence concentration prepares graduates for entry-level or advanced positions as cyber intelligence or threat intelligence analysts. The Digital Forensics concentration helps students gain the skills needed to investigate computer, cyber and electronic crimes; analyze networks that have been attacked or used for illicit purposes; and properly identify, collect, secure and present digital evidence. The Information Assurance concentration provides a core foundation of knowledge and applied expertise in information security controls, the regulatory environment, and information risk management and incident response. The Computer Security Fundamentals concentration provides a core foundation of technical knowledge necessary to design and build secure computing systems, detect unauthorized use, and protect systems, resources and data that they store or access. All courses are fully online.

 

University of Washington_Cybersecurity Masters Degree Programs

The University of Washington (Bothell, Wash.)—The Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering prepares students to protect cyber systems with the necessary technical and leadership skills. Students gain expertise and confidence in making difficult security trade-offs and carrying out essential changes to keep and maintain secure systems. They gain hands-on experience in a myriad of research areas, such as penetration testing, emerging technologies, vulnerability analysis, network security, human-computer interaction, wireless security and cryptography. The degree is designed to meet the needs of working professionals. Enrollment is either part-time or full-time, with courses meeting in the evening two or three times a week. Most students complete the program in just over two years.

 


Digital Content Security, Mobile Security, Encryption Algorithms, Encryption Apps, Secure Mobile Applications

Security Applications & Tips to Keep Your Mobile Device Secure

Mobile security threats are on the rise, and criminals are using top level domains (TLDs) for phishing sites. It started with a trend towards the generic use of (i.e., non-geographic) TLDs such as .support and .cloud to create URLs that appear to be authentic. For example: review-helpteam.support, contact-us.site, summary-account.review

Now, instead of using these gTLDs so simulate authenticity, threat actors have identified a new way to create believable URLs, and it’s focused exclusively on the mobile market. Instead of trying to create legitimate looking URLs, threat actors have started including real, legitimate domains within a larger URL, and padding it with hyphens to obscure the real destination.

While the best defense is to become familiar with these threats and the cyber criminals tactics, there are a few apps such as Mobile Security & Antivirus, Avast Mobile Security, and Trend Micro that help detect malware for mobile users.
-Intro by Lindsey Havens, Senior Marketing Manager at PhishLabs

Digital Content Security Apps

We spoke with Tonia Baldwin of A1 Connect and got two of her favorite apps for online security. The first is Dashlane, a secure password keeper, followed by Folder Lock, an app that locks specific folders and files.

Password Manager App: Dashlane

Dashlane Logo_Mobile Device Security

A strong password is often the difference between your documents staying safe and a catastrophic data breach. Password vault apps like Dashlane are essential if you have lots of accounts on various sites and apps and want to use a different strong password for each one. It also calculates your overall security score and gives you suggestions on how to improve it. Dashlane even generates unique strong passwords for you, so you don’t even need to think of them yourself. 

Using the same password for every site is a way to beckon disaster should one account be hacked into. With password managers, the only password you need to remember is the one to get into the app, so make sure it’s a strong one.

Password Manager App: Folder Lock

Folder Lock Logo_Mobile Device Security

If someone manages to steal your mobile, then there’s not much stopping them from hooking the phone up to their laptop and accessing all of the files they want to. Folder Lock is basically an encryption app that will let you password protect specific folders and files. It’s the melding of physical and virtual security that makes this app a winner.

It also offers other features like cloud-based backup storage and the ability to lock down your apps to keep any personal information in them secure.

7 Tips To Stay Secure on Mobile Devices

Now that you have mobile apps for logging in and keeping your files secure, we wanted to provide tips on how to keep your business and personal networks secure. For that we got in touch with Robert Siciliano, Cyber Security expert with Hotspot Shield, and came up with 7 tips that will keep you and your boss happy!

1- Don’t Buy Apps from Third-Party Sources

Apps are quite popular, and there are many that can help to boost productivity in a business setting. However, Apple devices that are “jailbroken” or Android devices that are “rooted” are outside of the walled garden of their respective stores and susceptible to malicious viruses. Make sure your employees know that they should never buy an app from a third-party source. Only use the official Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

2- Always Protect Devices

It’s also important that you advise your employees to keep their devices protected with a password. These devices are easy to steal since they are so small. If there is no password, there is nothing stopping a bad guy from getting into them and accessing all of the accounts that are currently logged into the device.

3- Install a Wipe Function on Company Mobile Devices

You should also require all employees to have a “wipe” function on their phones. Even if they are only doing something simple, like checking their work email on their personal mobile device, it could get into the wrong hands. With the “wipe” function, the entire phone can be cleared remotely. You should also require employees to use the setting that erases the phone after a set number of password attempts.

4- Require Company Mobile Devices to Use Anti-Virus Software

It’s also important, especially in the case of Android devices, that all mobile devices on the network have some type of anti-virus software.

5- Do No Jailbroken Devices on Your Company Network

Jailbroken devices are much more vulnerable to viruses and other malware.  So, never allow an employee with a jailbroken phone to connect to your network.

6- All Employees Should Activate Update Alerts

One of the easiest ways to keep mobile devices safe is to keep them updated. So, make sure that all employees have update alerts enabled, and make sure that they are updating their devices when prompted or automatically.

7- Teach Employees About the Dangers of Public Wi-Fi

Finally, make sure your staff knows the dangers of using public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi connections are not secure, so when connected, your devices are pretty open. That means, if you are doing things that are sensitive, such as logging into a company website or accessing franchise accounting records, a hacker can easily follow. Instead, urge employees to use a VPN


What is SAAS

What is SAAS? How Can SAAS Improve Your Business? Is SAAS Safe?

What is SAAS?

SASS stands for Software as a Service. It is a category of cloud computing. Like all cloud computing categories, with SAAS your information is not stored on a traditional digital hard drive, but digitally over offsite servers. SAAS is unique from other forms of cloud computing because it is a system where you are essentially renting software monthly.

Instead of buying a license for the software and spending the money lump sum you pay on an ongoing basis and the software is updated for you automagically and in most cases support for software is included as well,” said Nadeem Azhar, the owner of PC.Solutions.Net.

How does SAAS benefit businesses?

For some companies the initial cost of software is a barrier to entry. As are the demands of additional staff and infrastructure needed to run a traditional server. SAAS allows such companies to obtain software easily, without costly onsite infrastructure, and with a time saving easy install.

SaaS benefits companies in several ways, said Steven Benson, the founder of Badger Maps. “First, SaaS software tends to be a lot cheaper than it was in the past. You’re usually paying for it on a monthly basis, so you pay exactly for what you need. It also tends to be very easy to deploy compared to old-school software because you don’t need to spin up servers. When I worked at IBM, the customer would need to run servers and integrate the software with a bunch of other devices just to use it. This was a far more complicated process. But with SaaS, the service 
is delivered through the browser and is much easier to try out for the 
customer to see if it’s a good fit. Free trials were very complicated to do 
in the past, but now you can just set up someone’s account in a few 
minutes, and help them make a better buying decision.”

Is SAAS Secure?

Yes, SAAS is considered by technology experts to be more secure than traditional data methods.

Many of today’s SAAS companies run on the most trusted and secured
infrastructure in the world. There are procedures in place to make sure SAAS systems remain secure and safe.

“Standard practices need to be followed when designing a SAAS infrastructure,” said Azhar. “Any and every connection should be encrypted, information while at rest should be encrypted and of course the platform should be hosted at a data center that already has security certifications specific to the industry the software serves.”

What are the SAAS trends for the future?

SAAS continues to be a growing field. As people use more and devices, the need for cloud based systems has grown. So has the interest SAAS systems from investors.

“…Private equity money has become more and more interested in the SaaS space and that is a trend I believe will continue,” said Benson.  “I think over the next 5 to 10 years more private equity will flow into the space to helpcapitalize it better, and provide cash resources for growth.”

Learn more about SAAS and other secure cloud services with DocoServe

DocuServe is a cloud based digital protection service that can keep your business’s documents safe and secure. We also offer training for corporations through our service EServe, so your corporation can be update in the latest cooperate technology trends and services.


Are Passwords Enough? The Argument for Multi-Factor Authentication

Recent Hacks on Global Companies Suggest a Need for New Security Measures

It may seem like a pain. You are only trying to login to pay a bill, order a new toaster, or make an appointment, and they ask for more than a password. Rolling your eyes you have a code texted to you, or emailed, or even called. What a waste of time…right? When given the choice between having to spend an extra two minutes to login or having to cancel your credit card due to identity theft, which would you choose? Are passwords enough?

 These days, it does not seem so.

I know what you’re thinking. At least I’m not one of those guys that make their password: password123, my information is not that vulnerable. Think again. Even the most nonsensical combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols are capable of becoming compromised.

are passwords enoughIn many cases of compromised information, it is not even a case of a good guess when it comes to your password, but rather in phishing scams or other techniques that can deceive even the savviest of internet users. A recent Facebook Messenger scam made light of this, by compromising an account and sharing a video link to a person’s contacts, as that person. So, be careful before clicking that video that your best friend sent you. It may not be a cute cat video, but rather a way to obtain your personal information.

The need for more than just a password is a crucial enough issue for the individual, but failing to do so can be catastrophic for businesses that keep and protect sensitive information.

So what can you do?

There are a few solutions available to help secure your company’s sensitive information.

Password Managers

Password managers make it easier to keep dozens of unique passwords. That way, you do not need to repeat the same password over and over again. This is a common solution for workplaces that do not want to slow down their workers by making them wait on the codes or other keys for two-factor authentication. Instead of keeping an individual list of passwords, the password manager keeps it in memory, accessible only to those invited into the system by an administrator.

Simplifying Authentication

are websites enough While having to get through two gateways can be a time-consuming burden on employees, simplifying two-factor authentication may be beneficial. In more recent instances, instead of waiting for a code or phone call, a mobile security app requires a single tap to allow access. In order for two-factor authentication to be both secure and functional, it needs to be fast, easy to manage and built to defend against threats.

Encryption

You may not always be able to protect against external threats, but you may be able to still protect what’s inside. By encrypting your important data, your sensitive information will be harder to obtain in the event of a breach.

Limit the Passwords that Employees Have Access to

Instead of giving everyone unlimited access to everything from the company Twitter to the main database, give access only to what is essential to get the job done. You’d much rather change 3-5 passwords than upward of 500 when an employee parts ways with the company.

Utilize Wiping Technology

are passwords enoughIf your company is one that allows employees to use their own devices, things can get complicated once an employee leaves. With the right technology, you can wipe all company data off of an external device, without disrupting the employee’s personal information. That way, they can quickly resume use of their device, and your company data remains safe from potential exposure.

Content security can make or break the integrity of your organization. It is important to keep a company’s proprietary information safe, not just for the company itself, but for the clients it serves and the workers it employs. DocuServe provides a document management solution for businesses, which increase your confidence in your company’s security protocol. When wondering “Are passwords enough?”, DocuServe can keep your information safe.


just in time manufacturing, just in time inventory, just in time process, just in time for business

Do You Use the “Just in Time” System for Your Business?

Do You Use the “Just in Time” System for Your Business?

I want you to take a minute and think about the number of Toyota cars or trucks you see on the road in a given day. 10? 20? 50?

Chances are if you drive for more than 20 miles, you’ll pass by closer to 100. According to Statista, over 44 Million Americans own a Toyota vehicle right now.

That’s 7% of the entire U.S. population AND about 17% of U.S. adults.

Can you imagine how streamlined Toyota’s operations have to be in order to build cars and trucks for 17% of our driving population?

But they do it, and they do it well. They also do it “just in time” using a manufacturing model developed by the British Motor Corporation in the mid-1950’s. This Just in Time inventory manufacturing method was then perfected by Japan and brought thousands of Toyotas to the U.S. in the 1970’s. In fact, a lot of people know it now as the Toyota Production System (TPS).

The rest, as they say, is history.

However, the Just in Time (JIT) method is far from being a thing of the past.  Manufacturing companies from U.K. to South Korea use this methodology to reduce flow times within production, along with response times from suppliers to customers. The whole purpose of Just in Time for manufacturing is to meet demand not stockpile products or parts that exist only to rust on the shelves.

How Does Just in Time manufacturing work in 2017?

Before JIT, inventory was held in supply rooms just in case it was needed for production. Therefore, this method is now called the “Just-in-Case” method of inventory management. The Just-in-Time method, on the other hand, cuts waste by supplying parts only as they are needed. As soon as the part supply levels reach a certain point, more parts are ordered. This eliminates the need to hold any parts in permanent storage.

However, it also requires tighter inventory control, in addition to: flexible resources, steady production, reliable machines and lots of discipline on the part of managers and shop floor staff.

Why? If you produce only what you need and store only the parts you need at that time, there is much less room for error.

Companies like Hewlett-Packard were the first to make this kind of “stockless production” more wide stream in the U.S. And assembly line icon Henry Ford praised the concept behind JIT in his 1923 book, My Life and Work.

“If transportation were perfect and an even flow of materials could be assured, it would not be necessary to carry any stock whatsoever. The carloads of raw materials would arrive on schedule and in the planned order and amounts. That would save a great deal of money, for it would give a very rapid turnover and thus decrease the amount of money tied up in materials.”

Despite the common sense approach of JIT, a lot of manufacturing companies still struggle to implement the philosophy on their shop floors.

Why?

It’s easier to patch a hole than to build a new ship. The beauty of JIT manufacturing is that it increases ROI and removes the burden of high inventory. However, when you remove the security blanket of excess stock, you’re often left with a tangled mess of procedural issues to clean up.

And a lot of organizations simply would prefer not to lift that blanket in the first place.

JIT manufacturing requires both a mindset and a company culture shift. It requires that the production process be simplified and spelled out in a way that anyone’s “idiot nephew” (to quote the brilliant Warren Buffett) can run the operations when the managers are away.

It also depends on building a strong relationship with suppliers, to ensure deliveries are made on time and up to par. The key is to find suppliers who are also on board with the JIT philosophy. After all, if they produce parts in smaller batches, they can detect holes or errors in their own processes as well.

Here’s a great video that demonstrates how deep the JIT method is ingrained in Toyota employees.

When every part and every move matters, every employee’s mindset and buy-in matters too. While it takes time and work to achieve, it delivers more return than any other manufacturing model.

After all, Toyota is #6 on the list of the 10 richest companies in the world.

Is it time you got on the JIT manufacturing bandwagon?

At DocuServe, we have been dedicated to the Just in Time manufacturing philosophy for over 20 years. In fact, we developed a content delivery platform called eServe just to address the need for more e-learning solutions that switching to JIT demands.

Since 1994, we have developed strong and supportive partnerships with our clients worldwide-helping them streamline their operations, their training and (in turn) their profits. Contact us if you want to know how we can do the same for you.


Hiddren Threats to your Corporate Training Program

3 Hidden Threats to Corporate Training Programs

Let me ask you a question. Are you conducting your corporate training through an e-learning channel, like Blackboard or Moodle? It’s funny. Companies know they need to train their employees on security protocol, but often they communicate that protocol in some rather un-secure ways.

According to a recent survey from Trustwave, a majority of companies have either no system in place or a partial system in place for monitoring and tracking their sensitive data.

Moreover, what we have found at eServe is that many companies are unaware of what kind of data they even need to protect! Is that you?

Think about it. Any training session you conduct for a new hire or seasoned employee would (and should) include data about your company’s processes, products, customers, strategies, goals and more. They are not just casual blogs or press releases – training materials contain proprietary data. That is data your competitors would love to have and that you should do everything in your power to keep from getting out!

You don’t have to be in a government agency or big tech firm to worry about this either. Whether your data is intentionally hacked or just mishandled, you would be surprised at who might be interested in using it to their advantage – or where it might end up. Corporate training leaders in every field – from medicine to the culinary arts- has company secrets to protect.

And it is often only after those secrets have become vulnerable that they realize what that information means in the wrong hands.

Here are 5 hidden threats to putting your training information online.

corporate training1. The Threat of Hacking to Corporate Training

Remember Julian Assange of Wikileaks? His goal was simple – expose the hypocrisy of the U.S. and other governments. As an expert computer programmer, he was able to achieve this goal. But you don’t have to be a political organization or nation to be threatened by a motivated hacker. You just need one company wanting to mirror your company and with the know-how to go after your information. Don’t let sticky fingers threaten your bottom line.

corporate training2. The Threat of Careless Employees to Corporate Training

I bet if you were to survey your staff members you would find that at least 50% (if not more) write their password down on a sticky note and attach it to their monitor. Or, maybe they forget it altogether and use the password of their cubicle mate or neighbor. But who’s to say their neighbor is privy to the same information they are?

Also, who’s to say that sticky note doesn’t end up in the wrong hands? Or, what if the slides you presented during a WebEx conference aren’t saved on a staff member’s laptop that was accidentally lost or left behind?
An employee does not have to be disgruntled to leave your proprietary information in the wrong hands.

They just have to be human. If you’re sharing any secure information with your staff, always keep that in mind.

corporate training3. The Threat of Upheaval to Corporate Training

Another e-learning threat has nothing to do with the exposure of data – in fact it is quite the opposite. For some industries, such as medicine or finance, the rapid dissemination of information is crucial to the success of their operations. Many times, it can literally mean life or death.

Think about it like this. What if a medical organization in Florida scheduled a seminar titled “Zika Virus: Our response to the Threat & Treating Pregnant Women.” In 2016, the Zika crisis was a real and urgent threat for South Florida families. Getting the right information in the hands of professionals who needed it most was an urgent concern. Similar situations would be training for security institutions that contract out to the TSA or other government bodies.

Updates and training sessions are often ad hoc and almost always must go on without a hitch. Any threat to the system these sessions are conducted on could mean putting people and possibly whole areas at risk.

No matter where you fall on this spectrum or which threat concerns you the most, there is a solutions! Always secure your training sessions. Avoid putting your valuable knowledge in the wrong hands by setting up the right security infrastructure and protocol from the get-go:

• Only allow registered invitees to join meetings
• Create specific passwords for each meeting rather than the same password for all your meetings
• Coach your trainers to choose wisely who they let in the training rooms
• Create rank-based permission levels (i.e., Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 access levels)
• Track and analyze who accesses your data (when, where and how long)

Want to gain greater peace of mind with your corporate training content? eServe is a content delivery platform that helps you empower your staff with the freedom to train and learn on their schedule, while also providing you with the power to protect that information.

In the digital age, both security and flexibility are key to mastering corporate e-learning and digital document management.

 


eServe - Digital Age of Enterprise Learning

Introducing the Digital Age of Enterprise Learning. Introducing eServe.

In the enigmatic words of Bob Dylan, “the times, they are a’changin’.”

The Internet has revolutionized the world in all spheres – from the way we communicate and shop to the way we learn and train. Thankfully, this has also opened up plethora of new avenues for education. With eLearning, Internet technology is being employed in a way that makes learning anywhere, anytime and at any speed.

Isn’t that such an exciting concept? No matter where you are at in the world or in the learning cycle, education can meet you where YOU are – not the other way around.

Also, while companies worldwide adapt and grow with e-learning applications, so do the applications and products themselves. There are tools to manage administration, automation, certification and micro-credentialing. Now, there are tools to manage content creation too!

Both the LMS and LCMS are enterprise wide-applications which enhance the flow of information from learning development teams to staff and new learners worldwide.

On that note, we are exciting to announce the development of our very own LCMS (Learning Content Management System). While the LMS (Learning Management System) manages people, the LCMS is a platform manages the content they consume.

And just like the flexibility of the LMS, the LCMS works anywhere, any time and at any speed – allowing you to cater the content to YOUR organization’s needs, rather than the other way around.

Want to know more?

Watch this introductory video to eServe – a tool designed to bring enterprise learning into the digital age.


BYOD

BYOD – Do you know where your content is?

blog images byod

When employees improperly use mobile devices, they put their companies at risk for data breaches. This includes leaving lots of sensitive data on the devices—which can pave the way to leakage of data, plus other issues.

Mobile device use in workplaces is increasing—and so are the associated security risks. Current security measures are lagging behind the increased rate of mobile device use in the corporate realm.

One study not only showed that a lot of company information was left on handsets, but personal information as well was left on, putting employees at risk for personal compromises.

This small study demonstrates a clear need for improved guidelines and policies governing smartphone use and security of the devices. This becomes even more relevant as businesses turn more to cloud storage for data.

Non-approved software-as-a-service (SaaS) apps, used by employees, is widespread, according to a McAfee study. These apps are not approved by the company’s IT department. Employees can easily bypass the IT department by using the cloud. The study showed:

  • Over 80 percent of survey participants reported using unauthorized SaaS apps.
  • About 35 percent of SaaS apps used on the job are not approved.
  • About 15 percent of users have had a security problem using SaaS.

Employees may not realize that their chosen SaaS apps are poorly safeguarded. Such employees aren’t malicious; they’re just trying to be more efficient. Businesses need to find the right balance of protecting themselves yet allowing employees to use apps for increased productivity.

An ideal situation would be to monitor SaaS apps and apply policies that do not inhibit employees’ ability to be productive.  The content itself could have been wrapped in a security blanket.

This would have offered the ability to:

  • Digitally stamp the script with dynamic watermarking identifying the viewer by name and email address (to prevent workarounds such as screenshot-taking);
  • Restrict viewing access based on receiver’s email address, geographical location, or device used (laptop, mobile phone, tablet, etc.);
  • Control sharing, saving, printing capabilities via custom settings for each intended receiver; and
  • See exactly who viewed the script, when (and for how long) they accessed the material, what device they used to look at it, whether or not they forwarded or printed the material (if that permission was granted to them by the sender.)

The Bring Your Own Device movement is no longer a small consideration – it’s something
your business needs to address. Fortunately, there is a lot of expertise being generated about the best way to deploy and manage BYOD in enterprises. From data ownership considerations to online industry survey, here are a few key item to keep in mind on BYOD.

BYOD Devices are Expected to Double by the end of 2014

According to Computer Weekly, device usage is going to double in the next year. However, they also; point out that only 5% of the smartphones and devices have the necessary security software installed, underscoring the need for a content security solution before you implement BYOD.

Are you Considering or Implementing BYOD? Then ask you self these questions.

Is your organization prepared to address?

Support cost – Even your tech savvy employees may not know exactly how to make business applications work properly, or how to utilize maintenance techniques. Thus causing big problems for you and your IT team.

Hardware Compatibility – Is the device capable of handling the task required of the job.  Along with ensuring the hardware is capable of holding tough, make sure you handle which device you will even allow used.  Managing different smartphones can be tricky.

Legal Risk – When your employees bring personal devices into work, what happens if the device gets lost, with your customers critical data on the device?   What if the device brings virus into the company’s network? Or worst your clients’ network.

BYOD Solutions Require Mobile Data Management 

Adopting a mobile device management solution as a stop gap – instead of a strategic move – is a bad idea for CIOs. Research the mistakes IT Department that embrace BYOD early on made and what worked when shifting from one location management to multiple mobile devices offsite. 

When BYOD is Used Who Owns the Data?

When personal devices are used for business purposes, there’s a blending of personal data and business data – so who owns that content?  You have blended data on the device, are there ways that enterprises can protect their data without infringing on personal property.

Make Sure Your BYOD Policy is Complete

BYOD policies help keep your organization and your employees safe. But navigating the ins and outs of policies can be difficult, particularly if your organization is new to allowing personal devices for corporate use. There are many essential elements that go into a successful BYOD policy, do your research!

 


Dunno

WHAT IS THAT?

A nostalgic look at tools used every day in the graphics industry.  Let’s just say in a time NOT so long ago…  If you were involved with printing you knew about hot type vs. cold type, what galleys and headline type were.    Do you know what CompuGraphics machines were used for, or when you would use Pro White?  Usage of letter press vs. offset. Or that offset required everything to be pasted down, with rubber cement until waxers were state of the art.  Type galleys, headlines and position only (PO) photos where adhered to boards to be shot by a production camera, which exposed the film which were developed into negatives. The negative where stripped into forms/flats. Photo where shot separately, photos needed to be shot with screens placed at precise angles.  Different screens created different dot size and resolutions. These screened negatives were used to replace the PO images on the flats.  The flats where used to transfer the images to plates. The plates hung on the presses, which using an offset process to move ink from a plate to a cylinder to the paper.

Business forms were pre-printed with carbon paper tipped (glued) between multiple copies.  Organizations would buy the forms at an office supply stores and then take them to a printer for imprinting their company information centered at the top of the form.  Creating a custom form with even consistently, spaced lines took talent and skill, now its copy and paste.  A presentation for a large group meant creating a set of 35mm slides, each one shot from reflective artwork created and colored by hand, now its pick a PowerPoint template and go.  With this in mind I thought I’d share a few images and see how many followers know what they are and if they have used them for creating finish works.

Have these images got you reminiscing for the good (not so) old days?  Share your thoughts with us, over the next few weeks I’ll post more images.  I hope you enjoy looking back.  Please share your images and stories with us, you photos will be included in the follow up post.

Jump back to 2014, DocuServe is a Digital printer, with a state of the art Electronic Pre-Press Department to handle all your production requirements.   DocuServe has been packaging customer content for since 1994.  Re-engineering its deliverables as commerce changed over the years.  Consistently pushing it’s digital print engines beyond what’s expected,  DocuServe grew into media: CD then DVD to USB drive.  To publishing online via PDF file.  Now we can take those stogie PDFs and make them in to user friendly e-Books.  This e-book can be Web based or delivered off line, all dependent on your organizations requirements.

Cloud-Based Content Control Opens Up Opportunities for Publishers in All Industries

With eServe, your organization can experience all of these benefits without risking theft, loss or damage to your intellectual property.

eServe is an ideal solution for:

  • Traditional publishers who need to embrace secure digital publishing to court new readers.
  • Organizations that want to deliver marketing materials across platforms in a more readable and accessible form.
  • Researchers who are looking for a convenient, and secure, way to deliver content.
  • And more!

Docuserve is a Digital printer, with a state of the art Electronic Pre-Press Department to handle all your production requirements.

 


Security

Secure Digital Content: How It’s Done

A few weeks ago, I surveyed a technical writing group on LinkedIn about the importance of security for technical publications and received feedback from more than a dozen industry professionals on this issue. Unilaterally, the responses were in the affirmative.

Document security is a requirement for doing business in government and healthcare, along with many others. The range of answers was broad, and by several accounts, inconsistent. Some companies broadly distribute their user documentation on corporate websites and deem it another form of marketing material.

Joe Hauglie, a Human Performance Consultant for a large equipment manufacturer, said  “There are all types of security, from password-protected PDFs and documents are stored on a secure server, behind a firewall. Companies should have guidelines in place that indicate what should be private or otherwise. I think that all content should be evaluated before it is categorically released. “

While our survey shows that many larger companies have internal processes in place, small and mid-sized businesses are a bit behind in identifying what should be secure and how to secure it. In our experience, this is a bigger issue than protecting pdfs with a simple password, as the passwords can be shared along with the document to anyone without detection.

Some of our clients have asked us for parameters involving security by IP address, controlled web portal, timed access, and view only access. Requirements come in all shapes and sizes with secure digital content. We’d love to hear more stories about how your company solved the document security challenge including the costs in dollars and internal resources.  What’s your experience with digital delivery of secure content?

 


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