https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Legal Matters


Don’t be the next Target

  • Written by
  • 21st January 2014
In the wake of the massive data breach at Target, government and private enterprises should take necessary steps to ensure the security of their own information.

What is in this article?

  • Don’t be the next Target
  • Don’t be the next Target
  • Don’t be the next Target

Don’t be the next Target

Everyone has heard about the massive data breach at Target. If you’ve been a Target customer (and who hasn’t?), by now you’ve likely taken steps to make sure that your own information is secure.

But what about your business or your agency? What steps have you taken to make sure that you’re compliant with state law and to make sure that you’re the next Target?  Please don’t think that, because you’re not as big as Target or Neiman Marcus, you’re not going to be hacked. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The fact is, every company or agency that is connected to the internet has already been a target of some level of hack attempt and will be subject to even more sophisticated attacks in the future. There isn’t a cyber expert anywhere that will tell you differently. Here at our law firm, we were getting dozens of hack attempts per week, which were greatly reduced when we kept all foreign IP addresses from being able to get in the front door.

There are various forms of hack attempts. There are those that want to grab “personally identifiable information” (“PII”) for identity theft. There are those that want competitively sensitive data. There are others that want to disable a network for “ethical” reasons. And there are those just having a good time.

How vulnerable are you? Do your employees have cell phones? Do those cell phones have access to your system (e-mails, etc.)? If yes, are those cell phones password protected (hopefully with double authentication)? If not, you’re vulnerable.

Do your employees have laptops or tablets with access to your system? Are those units password protected and encrypted? They better be. How about when they go into Starbucks, or Panera? Do they use the free Wi-Fi there or at an airport or hotel?

I’m on the board of trustees at Capitol College, a technical college in Maryland that offered the nation’s first full degree program in network security. I asked one of the deans how long it would take one of the students to hack one of these free Wi-Fi systems. I expected him to say 15 minutes. He said five minutes. What would they be able to see? Any transaction (if the register or credit card machine was wireless and not encrypted) and anything on any customer’s logged on unit. Be careful out there!

If you really want to get scared, take a look at Nextgov.com’s Threatwatch. It gives a list of ongoing threats and breaches.  http://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/threatwatch/?oref=TW_article_module

Because the problem is growing, there are multiple ongoing efforts to address the effort, technically and legally. The National Institute of Standard and Technology (“NIST”) has issued some guidelines for users, and Congress is struggling with laws designed to protect customers and to coordinate anti-cyber attack efforts between government and businesses.

While these efforts continue, it is urgent that you make attempts to determine whether you are compliant with existing law and whether your defenses are secure enough to defeat determined hackers.

Initially, it is important to determine whether you have in your company or agency’s possession PII. While various statutes define PII differently, it generally encompasses an individual’s name in combination with a: Social Security number; driver’s license number; financial-account number; taxpayer-identification number; or user ID and password or other specified credentials permitting access to online accounts. If you do have this information, you need to determine current law in your state, as well as cyber law in any other applicable state. You might have PII from folks nationwide, in which case you’ll need to know every state’s rules, and you’ll want to comply with the most stringent of those rules.

1 | 2 | 3 |
Don’t be the next Target
Tags: Data Enterprise Network Network Management Software Commentary Cybersecurity IWCE NIST/PSCR Security Software Tracking, Monitoring & Control Legal Matters Commentary

Related Content

Commentary


LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

  • 2
6th May 2022

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

18th April 2022

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

22nd February 2022
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Newscan: ‘Predator’ spyware let government hackers break into Chrome and Android, Google says dlvr.it/SR2lBG

25th May 2022
UrgentComm

Malicious Python Repository Package drops Cobalt Strike on Windows, macOS & Linux systems dlvr.it/SR0Qb2

24th May 2022
UrgentComm

T-Mobile’s CEO explains the company’s new private 5G strategy dlvr.it/SQyzhc

24th May 2022
UrgentComm

Hytera, Motorola Solutions refile appeal, cross-appeal in civil case dlvr.it/SQxNX1

24th May 2022
UrgentComm

Amid shifting workplace expectations, local government employers must adapt dlvr.it/SQwVVs

23rd May 2022
UrgentComm

The private-wireless networking opportunity shouldn’t stay too private dlvr.it/SQw7MT

23rd May 2022
UrgentComm

Europe’s first driverless-car test completed dlvr.it/SQvqyY

23rd May 2022
UrgentComm

FCC approves order to modernize priority-service rules dlvr.it/SQmSN0

20th May 2022

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X