If you're currently looking for a job in IT with the current unemployment rate at 9.6% you know how difficult things can be. Deep down you likely know that you've got to do something to stand out above the noise so you can land that new position. But just what is it that you need to do? Do you network more, do you go back to school, do you get ...
Continue Reading...I saw a recent Don't Sweat the Small Stuff calendar quote where Richard Carlson said:"It's important to see when your high-tech communication devices actually limit your freedom, enslaving you instead of providing new opportunities for growth." Wow, how true that is! Ever tried to not look at your emails or answer phone calls when you're out and about with your family or taking some time to yourself? Especially when you're ...
Continue Reading...Many people want to take the easy path that promises to lead them to their riches rather than work hard over the long term and earn it the good old-fashioned way. It's the lottery mentality. James Allen said it best:"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound." Want to get begin improving your circumstances in your life and in your IT/security ...
Continue Reading...I just received a press release from Beth Givens at the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse stating "500 Million Sensitive Records Breached Since 2005". 500 million+ known records that have been compromised in 5.5 years in the U.S. alone due to people in organizations large and small making poor choices about information security and privacy! Simply amazing.If you haven't seen the Chronology of Data Breaches, check it out. It's fascinating. The problem ...
Continue Reading...I don't know who coined the term "relentless incrementalism" but it's very fitting when it comes to information security. In the context of what we do, relentless incrementalism means doing small things over time that add up to big outcomes in the long term.All of us - management included - have to understand that security is not a one-time deal. Nor is it a product or a "compliant" status. It's ...
Continue Reading...A great quote I heard over the weekend has a direct tie-in to what we focus (or don't focus) our efforts on in information security. NASCAR champion Ned Jarrett said:"There's nothing stronger when you're trying to get something done than common sense."I couldn't agree more.In the realm of IT and managing information risks, I'll take common sense over book smarts any day....
Continue Reading...Jack Canfield had a great quote that relates well to information security (and the lack of time to manage it) as well as our overall careers. He said:"Success depends on getting good at saying no without feeling guilty. You cannot get ahead with your own goals if you are always saying yes to someone else's projects. You can only get ahead with your desired lifestyle if you are focused on ...
Continue Reading...I've kept my mouth shut about this long enough. Why aren't more Americans standing up against this mosque at ground zero nonsense!? The mosque is clearly nothing more than a symbolic mark of victory on our soil by the very group that's trying so hard to bring our society down. And our own government is facilitating this.Where is our country headed when one of our "rulers" says that any opposition ...
Continue Reading...For years I've been telling close friends who share my motorsports passion that we're going to start seeing cars getting hacked. I believe this to be especially true once cars are online and communicating with the "smart highway" system we're slowly approaching.Well, we're now starting to see the beginning of such hacks. Some research was uncovered earlier this year on how a car's ECU (electronic control unit) can be manipulated ...
Continue Reading...There's a Japanese proverb that fits nicely into infosec:"If you believe everything you read, perhaps it's better not to read."Be it F.U.D., vendor hype, or "experts" who claim the sky is falling with every new exploit they uncover - you ultimately need to focus on doing what's best in your environment under your terms....
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