Data Theft and Loss an Important Issue
for American Corporations
 WASHINGTON,
DC -- A special committee organized to investigate a growing
trend of corporate data theft has released its report.
It finds that data theft occuring in American corporations
is a real cause for concern.
More troubling still is the number of cases in which
the theft occurred from within the company. "Many people believe
that the threat of data theft only comes from the outside,
as in the case of hackers using the Internet," said James Greenwich,
committee chairman. "The
reality is that inside jobs are a much greater threat. Companies
tend to focus security efforts on keeping outsiders away
from the network, neglecting to secure information from within,
leaving an open door for insiders."
Theft is not the only concern
facing business. Accidental deletion of important data can
cost companies millions each year. In 2003 there was a case
at a St. Louis-based manufacturer in which a secretary deleted
payroll files while trying to clean up some old files on
her own system. Although the secretary had no responsibilities in the
area of accounting, she had full access to that department's data. The
result was disasterous for the company's employees, who had to wait an
extra week for their paychecks.
"The
case of the 'Unexpected Paycut' is a prime example of what
can go wrong when employees are allowed full access to all
company systems and data," agreed
Greenwich. "What companies don't realize
is that it's easy to cover themselves with object-level security
packages like StandGuard Network Security from
Bytware."
Object-level security allows systems administrators to
set rules and policies that dictate who can access what data,
and at what level that access occurs. For example, someone
in Sales may need access to folders maintained by Marketing, but they
don't need to have write authority to those folders. Another example
using the same Marketing folders could involve Support. They don't need
access at all. By using object-level security policies, an administrator
can give read-only access to Sales and hide the folder completely from
Support.
"What's
more, a product like StandGuard Network Security allows
you to maintain an audit trail, so any attempt to access
data—whether successful or not—is logged and can
be traced back to the user," explained
Greenwich. "This ability can be crucial to investigations and to
meeting requirements of current and future laws and regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley."
Greenwich
and his committee highly recommend that those not already employing internal
security measures at least take a look at a solution appropriate to their
computing environment and platform.
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Nationwide Moving Sidewalk Network Sought
 BOSTON,
MA -- Transportation officials announced today that they are
in the initial stages of development for a network of
moving sidewalks that will enable Americans to travel
anywhere in the country without moving their arms or
legs.
"We're always looking
for ways to do more with less mobility," said
David Stillton, the brains behind the plan. "The popularity of Larks
in the US and APMs (automated people movers) in Europe and
Asia led me to the idea of taking the moving sidewalks you
find in airports and bringing them outside."
It's a concept whose
time has come, and when you consider how much people love
those things at the airport, the National Moving Sidewalk
Initiative (NAMSI) could be the definitive merging of transportation
and fun.
"Our
initial plan is to blanket the New York and Boston metro
areas with sidewalks," explained
Stillton. "We'll even have
a moving sidewalk connecting the two cities. From there we'll
take the concept from East to West. It's essentially a Manifest
Destiny for the 21st century."
Pointing out that some NAMSI trips—such as the Atlanta to Los Angeles route—could take weeks, Stillton
describes a plan to tackle the problem. "When
we look at long haul trips, we realize that it could be difficult
on the traveler. For those routes, we'll be widening
the sidewalks to allow room for camping. There'll also be fast food restaurants
at intervals along the route so that the traveler can step off for a
bite and step right back on. We're already in talks with McDonald's,
Subway, and Starbucks."
One test rider we spoke with said that he really enjoyed the extra reading time during his commute. "I had time to read the newspaper for a change," said the rider, "and I was shocked to find out that Kate Hoffman stole research data from Evans Business Solutions and used her son Jimmy's iPod to store the data and give it to that guy Tarskan at Extar."
Will NAMSI be a hit with the public? That
remains to be seen. But considering the problem of traffic jams and the
risk of air travel, hopping onto a moving sidewalk may be the choice
of the future. Just don't forget your umbrella.
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Evans Business Solutions Goes Automated on iSeries
SAN DIEGO, CA -- Evans Business Solutions,
the Houston-based software company known for their accounting
technology, recently took steps to remedy system disruptions
that were costing the company big money.
Brian Carlson, Senior iSeries Manager at Evans
for the Western US and Asia, explained the situation. "We were
having problems with backups stalling over the weekend
here at our San Diego office, and on a number of occasions
this resulted in lost data and downtime for some departments
on Monday mornings. We tried several solutions, but because
of the large number of systems we have the measures just
weren't getting the job done. We were losing money."
When the company reached a breaking point on
the issue, Brian turned to MessengerConsole,
a well respected automated monitoring and notification solution
from Bytware, Inc., of Reno, Nevada.
"MessengerConsole has a long
reputation of being a solid and reliable product," explained Brian. "In
fact, as we discovered during our testing, MessengerConsole
has been offering features such as monitoring for user-defined
conditions rather than just standard queues for more than a decade.
That's something that some competing vendors are just now getting around
to adding. Some may think it's a new concept, but with MessengerConsole
its really old hat."
Since the implementation of MessengerConsole,
Evans Business Solutions has enjoyed smooth operations. "I didn't
realize we could boost our productivity by so much just through
the addition of a monitoring solution," said Tina Evans, president
and founder of the company. "We had been keeping watch over the
systems for years with our own eyes and it seemed to work
well enough... at least until recently."
Tina and Brian agree that
their only regret in implementing MessengerConsole is
that they did not do so sooner.
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Other Nation/World Stories
Be sure to uncover all the clues...
Issue 1
Data Theft and Loss an Important Issue for American Corporations
A special committee organized to investigate a growing trend of corporate data theft has released its report. It finds that data theft occuring in American corporations is a real cause for concern. :: View full story.
Nationwide Moving Sidewalk Network Sought
Transportation officials announced today that they are in the initial stages of development for a network of moving sidewalks that will enable Americans to travel anywhere in the country without moving their arms or legs. :: View full story.
Evans Business Solutions Goes Automated on iSeries
Evans Business Solutions, the Houston-based software company known for their accounting technology, recently took steps to remedy system disruptions that were costing the company big money. :: View full story.
Issue 2
Foreign Officials Warn of Attempts to Hack Key American Corporations
A special international agency today announced that they have monitored attempts by Islamic militant groups to hack into the computer networks of several major American corporations. :: View full story.
Manheim Taps StandGuard Anti-Virus for Protection
In a perfect world, there would be no viruses. In reality, news of viruses increases week after week; and the outlook calls for more targeted and malicious attacks. In the face of such risks, the world’s top companies are taking steps to ensure that their systems remain clean and their customers protected. :: View full story.
After Ted, Other Airlines Consider Offshoots
With the initial positive reaction to United Airlines' new low-cost carrier, "Ted," other airlines are considering similar moves. :: View full story.
Issue 3
Virus writers unleash first ever Mac OS X Trojan
Proving that even platforms thought to be safe from virus attacks eventually draw the attention of hackers, virus writers last week launched MacOS/Amphimix, an MP3 file housing a Trojan. It is the first known virus to target Apple's UNIX-based operating system. :: View full story.
Precious Metal Investors Get Gas, Rejoice
Investors looking to diversify and add stability to their portfolios have long latched on to gold. Now they are abandoning the precious metal in favor of something with even more value: gasoline. :: View full story.
Federal Regulators Note that More Data Laws Needed
Eight federal regulators recently announced their conclusion that additional laws safeguarding the integrity of corporate data are needed. :: View full story.
Issue 4
Matt Williams Questioned by Police in L.A.
L.A. city law enforcement officials last night took local waiter and aspiring actor Matt Williams into custody for questioning in connection with the Evans Business Solutions data theft case. :: View full story.
NSS Members Energized by World's First Private Spaceflight
The world witnessed the dawn of a new space age today, as investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and Scaled Composites launched the first private manned vehicle beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. :: View full story.
Health Insurance Providers Consider New Approach: Appendage Insurance
In an effort to reform the way Americans buy health insurance, and in an effort to make their operations all the more lucrative, health insurance providers are considering a new "a la carte" style of coverage. :: View full story.
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