In my September newsletter, The Practical Security News (coming out today - click HERE to subscribe), I discuss some of the benefits that security professionals can gain by regularly scanning blogs and listening to podcasts. We all face similar problems, and it’s nice to have a community of professionals who are so giving of their time and lessons learned. Continue Reading »
So, why do security professionals harp on the need for encryption so much? Because we assume encryption safeguards will be done properly, and in conjunction with other layers of security that will complement them.
In this breach (summarized HERE, and originally reported HERE), a server containing credit card numbers was compromised by hackers from the Internet. The company was a provider of news and ad syndication for the web. The breach allowed the credit card information of 4500 customers to be stolen.
Entering Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) has become something of an art form. Everyone has a different style and rhythm for punching in those 4 numbers (for most institutions in North America, anyway). Some banks and Point of Sale (POS) device manufacturers put little shields around the pin pad to keep people from being able to clearly see the numbers you are touching.
But do you really take the time to think about how visible your PIN is when you have a line of people waiting for service? It’s not usually the people waiting in line that you have to worry about.
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of an industry conference. Salespeople and Executives are often quite accustomed to the hyped-up environment of trade shows. But as an employee, there’s a good chance you don’t go to more than one trade show a year.
So, it can be a big break from your daily routine. Whether it is a “more” stressful or “less” stressful break depends on your job. But this is not an excuse to let down your guard when it comes to information protection.
