CEO Article by Larry Johnson
When I outlined my blogs in January, I wasn’t thinking of the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the unique specter that it raises; I was thinking of the challenges we have with the daily ups and downs of business that can add stress in our lives.
The New Normal
Remote work is the new normal in our COVID-19 universe. As one of our team members explained:
“I’ll be a bit late to my office. Traffic is crazy. There was a massive pile-up of a bike, a helmet, frozen toys and a shoe blocking the entrance to the off-ramp to my home office this morning.
Infosec IQ, our partner for Security Awareness Training, has sent us a free information kit on working remotely.
A few simple precautions go a long way. Please watch this brief video on staying secure while working remotely.
Watch here
They also included two infographics to help you stay secure when working from home.
The coronavirus is not only a global health and economic crisis; it has now mutated to become a global security crisis. Spammers, scammers, and hackers, or "cyberscum" as one writer dubbed them, are working overtime to profit from the increased usage of the internet and the epidemic of fear.
Our office is adopting guidelines from the World Health Organization to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.
Below are a few of their recommendations.
Surfaces and objects need to be wiped with disinfectant regularly.
Put sanitizing hand rub dispensers in prominent places around the workplace.
The adage "never let a good crisis go to waste" applies to hackers everywhere. And the Coronavirus is the perfect crisis to exploit.
Sophos, one of Adept's security vendors, reports on one Coronavirus scam. They explain, "The fake page consists of the official, current home page of the World Health Organisation (WHO), with an unassuming popup form on top of it.
Being prepared for the unknown allows you to have peace of mind for your business. I am reminded of the story about a young man who was looking for a job as a farmhand. When asked about his qualifications from the older farmer, the man said that he could sleep when the wind was blowing.
Microsoft is mandating multi-factor authentication on all Office 365 accounts. This rule comes as a result of increased hacker attacks on Cloud Solutions Providers (CSPs).
PCM, the world's 6th largest CSP, had intruders break into their company and plunder their email systems.
What is a recharge room, and why do you need one? Any space in your office that provides a time-out from work pressures can be designated as your recharge room. Game rooms, meditation/yoga rooms, and even nap rooms can all provide a break from work stress.
The world remembers Clayton Christensen as one of the most influential business management thought leaders of all time. I remember him as a college roommate and friend.
Clay
At 6’ 8” Clayton Christensen was an imposing figure.
