"A lie has speed, but truth has endurance.  ” – Edgar J. Mohn

 

Top Picks

Dan Swanson’s Security Resources: #1

Dan has a new effort under way:  “Each week over the coming months, I plan to highlight leading security resources and initiatives that will support your efforts to improve security practices within your organization. Each column, I will highlight a half dozen leading security focused resources covering various aspects of information security management.”

http://blogs.itworldcanada.com/security/2008/04/18/dan-swansons-security-resources-1/

 

 

IT Audit / Internal Audit

For the PCAOB, It's "Independence Day"

“Introduced last July, the first proposal would replace an interim independence standard that helps define what independence is. Meanwhile, the other proposal approved on Tuesday creates standards for working on the personal income taxes of a client company's CFO.  The changes would provide auditors with clearer direction on how to demonstrate to a client's audit committee that the audit firm is independent.”

http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11080013?f=alerts

 

IT Process Improvement / Quality Management

 Benefits of a Definitive Media Library (DML)

“The DML is a secure library where software that has been properly reviewed and authorized is stored. While ITIL makes a point of describing a physical repository, it could also be a carefully secured network storage system as well. Furthermore, depending on an organization's needs, there could be multiple physical and logical DMLs, but what is important is that there needs to be well defined procedures for managing the DML.”

http://www.itsmwatch.com/itil/article.php/3729141

 

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Ahead of the Bell: Internet Regulation

“The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will review whether several incidents over the past year were based on legitimate business policies, or unfair and anticompetitive practices that signal the need for more regulation.”

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5719649.html

 

Security and Risk Management

The New E-spionage Threat

“The U.S. government, and its sprawl of defense contractors, have been the victims of an unprecedented rash of similar cyber attacks over the last two years, say current and former U.S. government officials.”

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_16/b4080032218430.htm?campaign_id=rss_null

 

Cybercrime takes back seat to brand as CSO priority

“Reputational damage is top of mind for information security leaders again. According to a global survey of more than 7,500 security professionals, 71 per cent said that avoiding harm to brand was their top priority, ahead of other hot topics, such as maintaining customer data privacy, controlling identity theft, and protection against breaches of laws and regulations.”

http://www.cio.co.uk/concern/security/news/index.cfm?articleid=2761&pagtype=allchantopdate

 

Hackers hit one in 10 big companies: study

“Thirteen percent of large businesses have detected unauthorised outsiders, said the study drawn up by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, published at the Infosecurity Europe show in London.  That represents a 10-fold increase in the last two years, warned the report.”

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jWOM675vgynNVkEsGortoH5BEEoQ

 

Healthcare / Bio-Informatics / Care Delivery Organizations (CDOs)

Vendors, stakeholders aim to dispel privacy myths about EHRs

“Healthcare IT vendors and other stakeholders at a recent Capitol Hill briefing sought to dispel what they called ‘privacy myths’ concerning electronic health records. “

http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=9093

 

Electronic Personal Health Records Raise Privacy Concerns

“A controversial issue has been raised by researchers writing in the International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management. The issue revolves around electronic personal health records (PHRs), which could be used, among other things, to reduce medical errors.  But the advent of electronic PHRs raise questions about the ownership of patients’ medical test results and personal health information and how such ownership affects privacy,  personal liberties and freedom of information.”

http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2937

 

Human Error / Safety / Environment

This Year's Flu Vaccine Predictions Failed

“This year’s predictions were the most unsuccessful compared to last 3 seasons. Flu vaccine was only 44% effective this season, according to CDC. Even those who followed all directions for getting flu vaccination had higher risk for getting the disease.”

http://www.emaxhealth.com/90/21783.html

 

Cutting down solar costs with satellite imagery

“Sungevity, Kennedy's company, has come up with a Web-based system for evaluating the solar potential for a given home through satellite data. Customers log onto Sungevity's site and provide an address and some information about their monthly electrical bill.”

http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9922124-54.html

 

Outsourcing / Globalization / International

Product development is globalizing rapidly: Forrester

“According to Forrester Research, the Product Development space is currently witnessing rapid globalization, ultimately shaping an ecosystem where firms leverage both development approaches – captive as well as outside partners – to cope with rising costs, skill-shortage, attrition and project failures in product design work. This ecosystem is swiftly gaining ground as firms having mid-size to large captive Offshore Product Development (OPD) set-ups realize the benefits of this approach.”

http://www.ciol.com/EC/News-Reports/Product-development-is-globalizing-rapidly-Forrester/22408105415/0/

 

2 Outcomes When Foreigners Buy Factories

This piece talks about foreign direct investment in the US and how in some places it is creating jobs and spurring growth while in others there are decisions to shutter US plants and move production elsewhere.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/07/business/07sale.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

Economics / Business / Misc.

Companies Give "Web Search" a New Meaning

“The growth of social-networking Web sites makes it easier for job-seekers of all ages to find jobs. But new technology is also making it easier for companies — as well as individuals — to vet each other.”

http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11078461?f=alerts

 

Knowing rights if flight's canceled may get you a seat

“Fliers could see more disruptions, similar to those experienced by more than 300,000 people on American Airlines two weeks ago, as the Federal Aviation Administration finishes a second phase of maintenance records audits through June 30. United, Delta and Southwest have also grounded planes within the past month.”

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-04-21-rule-240-canceled-flight_N.htm?csp=34

 

End Notes

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