Lohrmann on Cybersecurity

On June 23, the world will be watching as the citizens of the UK decide whether to remain in the EU. The ramifications of this vote go far beyond Great Britain or Europe. History shows us that American interests and our future security are directly tied to this “special relationship.” Here’s why you should care what happens.

Will you buy another desktop computer or laptop? Or, can your smartphone meet your technology needs? Should your business continue buying PCs? The IT infrastructure industry is divided, but the answer affects more than you think. Here’s why.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and there are plenty of new developments to highlight. The number of private-sector initiatives is amazing, but can governments do more? What can innovative technologies do to aid early intervention for autism spectrum disorders? Currently technology is playing a significant role for adults with autism. That being said, should governments be doing more to hire and help these talented individuals with technical skills? Here’s my view.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “innovate or die.” But not everyone got the memo. So how does innovation really work in practical terms at the office? Regardless of whether you tend to be an innovator or protector, here are seven ways to help your business and career.

As the government pay gap grows larger with the private sector, where will the next generation of government cybersecurity leadership come from? What's the best background to enable success? Who should consider government cybersecurity roles? The public and private sectors are battling a growing list of global cyberthreats. With more data breaches, cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and new Internet of Things vulnerabilities, the competition for competent cybersecurity increases.

The rise in ransomware has taken a dramatic turn for the worse in 2016. Several hospitals recently declared states of emergency. Meanwhile, thousands of global businesses and consumers are now becoming victims of hacking attacks leading to extortion. This very serious situation requires the immediate attention of everyone from PC owners to small businesses to the large governments. Here’s the problem and what actions you must take now to protect yourself.

We’re in mid-March, which means the NCAA College Basketball Tournament is in full swing. But there is more than one way to bust your March Madness bracket, and cybercrooks are also working overtime to grab a piece of the cash. Here’s how (and why) major sporting events are top targets for global hackers.

This is a tale of two studies. The first report from the Governing Institute was sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and AT&T, and covers the intriguing results of a state government legislative survey on cyber. The second reports offers a “Data Breach Digest” from Verizon which elaborates on 18 different data breach scenarios worth considering. Both reports are free and bring excellent recommendations and worthwhile opportunities.

As I flew back to Michigan after another RSA Conference this week, I thought about the highlights, takeaways and major themes in the security industry right now. At the same time, I couldn’t help but look back and reflect on the past several RSA Conferences in San Francisco on a personal level. Bottom line: These RSA Conferences tell quite a bit about where we have been and where are we heading in cyberspace — on both a personal and industry level.

Everybody loves their smartphone, with global adoption soaring and new helpful apps popping up daily. Faster speeds, new models and plenty of competition to lower prices make your mobile device the center of technology innovation. But is there an ‘Achilles Heel’ to watch out for? The answer is yes — and here’s what you can do to help protect yourself.

Scott Schober is small business owner who tells intriguing stories about how his company was hacked — and what happened next. This easy-to-read book is a good primer on the importance of online security for business owners, but it also shows how easily identity theft can happen to anyone, even a cybersecurity expert. Best of all, this book offers practical security advice with helpful steps that we all can follow to secure our corner of cyberspace.

With the exponential growth in data breaches over the past few years, the concept of ‘hacking back’ is growing in popularity. Proponents ask: If I can use a gun for self-defense in my home, why can’t I similarly ‘hack back’ against attackers who invade my cyberspace? Let’s examine that premise from different perspectives.