Blog | Vala Secure

Are you prepared for Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act?

Mar. 27, 2023

By Kristin Johnstone

Many of you have spent hours preparing for over the last several months for the same thing – Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act. This change goes into effect the end of this month ...

Current Gaps Lead To Need For Monitoring and Transactional Testing Service

Nov. 18, 2022

By Kristin Johnstone

In working with our financial institutions our experts are finding that examiners are focusing more heavily on risk assessments and policies and have been doing less and less ...

It's time to think about more than those jeans when you buy online.

Sep. 28, 2022

By Dr. David Jones

There are many things that are taken for granted with information technology and security. One of the main things is online business, whether browsing or buying. Billions of ...

Yes, Phishing is still a problem! Plus, 5 tips for prevention.

Aug. 24, 2022

By Dr. David Jones

I’m sure this comes as no surprise, but phishing is alive and well. In fact, it is the most common technique that malicious actors use to gain access into organizations. What ...

Announcing First Vala Secure Practitioner Highlight: Gerardo Guerrero

Jul. 22, 2022

By Heath Stanley

Our new tagline at Vala Secure is "We are experts in cybersecurity and compliance, so you don’t have to be". We want to start taking some time to highlight a key part of that, our ...

SECURITY INCIDENT REPORTING WINDOW SHORTENED FOR BANKING INSTITUTIONS

Jul. 14, 2022

By Dr. David Jones

Did you know that banking institutions now have the shortest timeline of any industry to report security incidents? Well, it’s true! As of April 1, 2022, banking institutions now ...

Life is a Dance at The Texas Bankers Association Annual Convention

May. 26, 2022

By Heath Stanley

Life is a Dance at The Texas Bankers Association Annual Convention at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock. It was great seeing the bankers, clients, partners, the TBA, and John ...

Ransomware Preparedness

Jan. 27, 2022

By Gerardo Guerrero

Ransomware has significantly evolved over the years. There have been many high-profile cases that have been reported in the news recently but also there are many that are not well ...

The Log4J JINDl Attack

Dec. 17, 2021

By Heath Stanley & Lance Bishop

As you know the Log4Shell/ Log4J event has been on the cybersecurity radar for the past 7 days. Overall, to the cyber landscape, this is a massive event. HOWEVER, networks in ...

BSA/AML Whistleblower Provisions

Dec. 16, 2021

By Kristin Johnstone

We are all aware of the great changes which have been occurring over the last couple of years. There have been many changes to our lifestyles, changes to our working environments, ...

Multi-Factor Authentication

Dec. 9, 2021

By Connor White

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) once was a luxury to have but is now a bare-bones necessity that all systems need in order to be secure. A survey two years ago revealed that ...

Customer Service with S.P.E.E.D

Nov. 4, 2021

By Dan Nerada

Customer service, this is a term or phase that is kicked around a lot. To many people, it may mean different things, from just getting the job done to being available whenever the ...

Teamwork - Multiple Benefits

Oct. 7, 2021

By Dan Nerada

Teamwork! I have always supported teamwork. I believe working as a team we can achieve and accomplish many things. Teamwork is an important part of developing specific processes ...

Vala Secure FFIEC Audit Program Update

Sep. 9, 2021

By Karl Wood

In June 2021, the FFIEC updated their IT InfoBase Booklets. The Operations booklet was replaced with the new Architecture Infrastructure & Operations (AIO) booklet. An excerpt ...

Business is great until a BREACH hits the fan

Apr. 20, 2021

By Gerardo Guerrero

There’s no better feeling than owning or managing a successful business. You feel on top of the world. Profits and revenue are at an all time high. The economy is booming and the ...

Happy Clients

Apr. 6, 2021

By Dan Nerada

Successful Client Experience Happy Clients In today’s world, with less physical client contact, fewer in person meetings and more remote work environments, happy clients are ...

Three Ways To Be Compliant on a Part Time Basis

Apr. 1, 2021

By Brad Garland

How We Scope An IT Audit

Mar. 25, 2021

By Brad Garland

Staying Secure on Public Wifis

Mar. 18, 2021

By Brad Garland

Ransomware

Mar. 16, 2021

By Karl Wood

Ransomware Ransomware might seem like something that only happens in movies or in shows like Homeland and could not possibly happen to your financial institution. Consider between ...

The Need for External Penetration Testing

Mar. 11, 2021

By Brad Garland

The Importance of Data Governance

Feb. 25, 2021

By Zach Ladwig

There is a trend happening right now and that trend is to manage data by remembering the importance of finance, law, and technology. By remembering the importance of finance, law, ...

HaveIBeenPwned.com

Feb. 23, 2021

By Brad Garland

Technology Budget Contingencies During a Recession

Feb. 18, 2021

By Brad Garland

How to Talk to Execs

Feb. 4, 2021

By Brad Garland

Are Your Kids Addicted to Technology?

Feb. 3, 2021

By Brad Garland

Two Factor Authentication vs. Multi Factor Authentication

Jan. 21, 2021

By Brad Garland

How To Access Websites More Securely

Jan. 19, 2021

By Brad Garland

CISO Work-Life Balance

Jan. 14, 2021

By Brad Garland

How To Avoid An Email Account Takeover

Jan. 12, 2021

By Brandon Gettert

Leading in a Crisis

Jan. 7, 2021

By Brad Garland

How to Handle Auditors and Examiners

Dec. 18, 2020

By Brad Garland

What Are Deepfakes and How Do They Effect Your News?

Dec. 15, 2020

By Brad Garland

New Compliance Officer Role

Dec. 3, 2020

By Kristin Johnstone

It is a typical Monday morning and you have arrived at your job at the neighborhood bank. You begin getting ready for your day when you are suddenly called into the president’s ...

Phishing 101

Dec. 1, 2020

By Brad Garland

Wrapping up 2020 and Planning for 2021

Nov. 27, 2020

By Johnita Akin

As I am writing this article, we are already in the month of November. I don’t know about you, but 2020 has been an experience I will never forget. In my twenty-plus years of ...

The DOs and DONTs of Ransomware Attacks

Nov. 25, 2020

By Brad Garland

Disney Circle Review

Nov. 17, 2020

By Brad Garland

How Good is Your Password Today? See here!

Nov. 12, 2020

By Brad Garland

Social Engineering aka Hacking the Human

Nov. 5, 2020

By Steve Taylor

February 6, 2006 was a day that forever changed my life. That was the day that my daughter was born. I remember holding her and looking into her eyes for the first time and I have ...

Creating Your Own Cybersecurity Playbook

Nov. 3, 2020

By Brandon Gettert

Red Team vs. Blue Team vs. Purple Team

Oct. 29, 2020

By Brad Garland

Protect Your Mobile Apps With This

Oct. 27, 2020

By Brad Garland

How to Protect your Family from Cyber Threats

Oct. 22, 2020

By Lance Bishop

COVID-19 has changed the very way we live, play and work on the internet. Of course, being connected online helps reduce the impact of social gatherings, but it also brings other ...

How Can Your Kids Get Into Information Security?

Oct. 20, 2020

By Brad Garland

LAW FIRMS: The Biggest Misconceptions about Data Breaches

Oct. 15, 2020

By Brad Garland

How CISOs Can Relate To CEOs

Oct. 13, 2020

By Brad Garland

Successful Strategies for Remote Examinations

Oct. 8, 2020

By Laura

Social Engineering - How it can be done and how it can affect you.

Oct. 6, 2020

By Gerardo Guerrero

It’s Friday afternoon and your work week is quickly coming to an end. 45 minutes left before your weekend can begin! Suddenly you receive an email from HR asking you to agree and ...

How to Build a World Class Security Team

Oct. 1, 2020

By Brad Garland

Netflix New Parental Controls

Sep. 29, 2020

By Brad Garland

Performing A Successful Exit Meeting

Sep. 24, 2020

By Dan Nerada

We’ve all been in a bad meeting or two. You arrive at the meeting on time, only to wait for the person that called the meeting, because they are running late. Maybe the meeting ...

Why Do Regulations Constantly Change? I CAN'T KEEP UP!

Sep. 22, 2020

By Brad Garland

The Browser Add-on You Need to Keep Websites Secure

Sep. 17, 2020

By Brad Garland

Why Are Regulations So Expensive To Maintain?

Sep. 15, 2020

By Brad Garland

Internal Vulnerability Assessments, External Vulnerability Assessments and PenetrationTests – The Differences

Sep. 10, 2020

By Karl Wood

At Vala Secure, we conduct Internal Vulnerability Assessments, External Vulnerability Assessments and Penetration Tests as part of our security test offerings. All institutions ...

Why Are Regulations So Vague?

Sep. 8, 2020

By Brad Garland

Most Secure 2020 Browsers

Sep. 3, 2020

By Brad Garland

How Do I Start A Cybersecurity Career?

Sep. 1, 2020

By Brad Garland

My Favorite App to Block RoboCalls

Aug. 26, 2020

By Brad Garland

Critical HMDA Changes Effective July 2020

Aug. 24, 2020

By Laura

How to Protect Your Most Confidential Data

Aug. 21, 2020

By Brad Garland

How a CISO Should Be Like an Economist

Aug. 18, 2020

By Brad Garland

Today Brad discusses how to be a dynamic CISO through a few easy steps

Reg. CC Changes Effective 7/1/2020

Aug. 14, 2020

By Laura

Financing: Are You Cash or Accrual

Aug. 7, 2020

By Brad Garland

Regulation Relief! -Regulation D Changes (Effective April 24, 2020)

Aug. 5, 2020

By Laura

Law Firms: Playing to Multiple Regulatory Requirements

Jul. 31, 2020

By Brad Garland

How To Stay Safe Using Public WiFi

Jun. 25, 2020

By Brad Garland

How to Navigate Using Unsecured Networks Almost everywhere you go, people are using their smartphones and IoT connected devices to stay connected to their friends, families, ...

Main Cybersecurity Challenges for SMBs

Jun. 4, 2020

By Brad Garland

Our CEO, Brad shares what he has found to be the main Cybersecurity Challenges for small businesses.

Prioritizing Self Care While Working At Home

May. 22, 2020

By Brad Garland

Our CEO, Brad Garland shares tips on how to prioritize self-care as we all adjust to working remotely. Below are some of our favorite resources: Full Focus Planner 4 Rituals That ...

How To Stay Safe Using Zoom

May. 14, 2020

By Brad Garland

We want to help you stay safe and secure during these uncertain times. In this week's video, our CEO, Brad shares a few simple tips on how to stay safe while using Zoom. We'd love ...

How To Create Unbreakable Passwords And Avoid Getting Hacked

Mar. 4, 2020

By admin

These Tips Can Help Your Electronic Info Stay Safe and Secure Do you practice safe password habits? In today’s world where almost everything is connected to the Internet of Things ...

How to Perform an IT Security Risk Assessment

Jan. 22, 2020

By Brad Garland

If your business handles any sort of data, then cybersecurity is--or should be--a core part of your organizational process. You must know the various risks and potential flaws ...

5 Types of Compliance Audits (And Why You Should Know Them)

Jan. 8, 2020

By Brad Garland

If your business has not undergone a compliance audit up until this point, it’s not something you should ignore until absolutely required to pay attention. In fact, the more prep ...

[Checklist] How to prepare for an ISO audit

Dec. 18, 2019

By Brad Garland

Being audited for your ISO quality certification (whether to acquire such or maintain it) can be a stressful experience for many companies and teams. It instills many worries and ...

Best Practices for cybersecurity audits For Law Firms

Dec. 17, 2019

By Brad Garland

From Westlaw to Word, your law firm’s digital operations help advance client interests. While you work to protect your clients in the courtroom, clients are increasingly asking ...

A Complete Guide to the Information Security Lifecycle

Dec. 11, 2019

By Brad Garland

When it comes to the safety of your data and technology systems, it’s vital that your organization recognizes the reality of the “information security lifecycle.” By its very ...

What are the different types of security penetration testing?

Dec. 4, 2019

By Brad Garland

Security penetration testing (also known as pen testing) is often mixed up with the concept of vulnerability scanning for a corporate network. To clarify, vulnerability scanning ...

Common Forms of Social Engineering Attacks

Nov. 20, 2019

By Brad Garland

Imagine: You receive an email from your company payroll department. The email confirms your request to change your direct deposit details for your most recent paycheck. You see ...

Law firm cybersecurity threats to keep aware of

Nov. 6, 2019

By Brad Garland

Watch almost any movie from the 90s or early 2000s dealing with computers and you will see a highly stylized version of “hacking”. The scene will probably feature a t-shirt or ...

What type of information security officer does your company need?

Oct. 9, 2019

By Brad Garland

Today’s data-centric businesses rely on a secure cyber environment to operate within. If you are a small firm, you may task contractors or your general IT support staff to handle ...

Shield yourself from healthcare's cybersecurity storm

Sep. 25, 2019

By Brad Garland

A storm is on the horizon and if you are a part of the healthcare industry, prepare for rough seas. This storm, without rain or thunder, is digital and presents an even more ...

Why Law Firms Should Invest in Cybersecurity

Sep. 11, 2019

By Brad Garland

For lawyers who may juggle a morning court appearance followed by an afternoon spent inside corporate boardroom meetings, the issue of cybersecurity may seem a distant, low ...

The biggest cybersecurity risks facing law firms today

Aug. 14, 2019

By Brad Garland

The American Bar Association has been calling attention to cybersecurity for its members for quite some time now. They’ve gone so far as to state, “It’s when not if, a law firm or ...

Costs Associated with Underinvesting in Cybersecurity

Jul. 10, 2019

By Brad Garland

Everything has a cost. Whether literal (as in dollars and cents) or figurative (as in lost productivity, retention, and other issues), cybersecurity is no exception to the rule. ...

How to Measure Cybersecurity Effectiveness ー Before It's Too Late

Jun. 12, 2019

By Brad Garland

Here at Vala Secure, we’re not fans of fear mongering. For us, cybersecurity and the threat of hacks or breaches are part of the reality of doing business today. That’s not to say ...

The Biggest Cybersecurity Risks You've Never Considered

May. 8, 2019

By Brad Garland

The cybersecurity landscape is evolving daily. Yep, it sure keeps us on our toes here at Vala Secure! To prevent their organizations from becoming the next headline, more and more ...

Vala Secure Gives Back: Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Apr. 24, 2019

By Brad Garland

At Vala Secure, we love helping businesses navigate the cybersecurity waters but that’s not where we stop. We believe to be a good steward here on earth we want to also look for ...

Cultivating Cybersecurity Talent in Your Organization [VIDEO]

Apr. 24, 2019

By Brad Garland

Cybersecurity, as an industry, is where the technology industry was as a whole 25 years ago. Businesses were struggling to understand how much or how little technology resources ...

How to prevent cybersecurity incidents

Apr. 10, 2019

By Brad Garland

For many businesses, cybersecurity can seem like the Wild West. There are good guys (cybersecurity pros like our team here at Vala Secure) and bad guys (hackers and other ...

How Do You Manage Managed Service Providers? [VIDEO]

Mar. 22, 2019

By Brad Garland

"You can have all the metrics in the world. If there's no consequences, it's useless." Here we spoke with Anne Benigsen after her presentation around best practices and strategies ...

Top 3 Things You Can do to Best Manage Your Vendors [VIDEO]

Mar. 15, 2019

By Brad Garland

We now live in an outsourced world. The ability (and scalability) it allows our businesses by outsourcing functions of our business and IT infrastructure continues to increase ...

Learn to Fish for Phishing Emails

Feb. 28, 2019

By Brad Garland

As you can see in the image here, we deal with email phishing a lot. We get them often and so do our clients. The phishing attacker is playing the odds when it comes to phishing ...

Technology Audits and Consulting: Achieving Separation of Duty

Feb. 25, 2019

By Brad Garland

Do you fear you don't have the talent or funds to be able to keep your business secure? Is your IT person maxed out on projects that adding infosec to her plate might be too much? ...

A message from Brad, our CEO [VIDEO]

Dec. 20, 2018

By Brad Garland

Today we are excited to announce Vala Secure! But this is more than a new brand –– it's a renewed focus on our beliefs, why we come to work everyday, and the plan we have for our ...

Top Five Takeaways of Information Security in 2017

Oct. 1, 2018

By admin

The nature of information security is that it is ever evolving. As we become more technologically advanced, new challenges present themselves. The key is to never become ...

Top 5 Information Security Takeaways in 2018

Feb. 9, 2018

By Brad Garland

Compliant does not always mean secure - this is one of the maxims held above all at Garland Heart. While being compliant with the regulations of your industry will cut down on the ...

Top 5 Regulatory Compliance Updates in 2018

Feb. 7, 2018

By Brad Garland

Regulatory compliance and information security has exploded as a topic of conversation in the last 15 years while technology has emerged at a break-neck speed. Annual updates, ...

Compliant is NOT Always Secure

May. 26, 2017

By Heath Stanley

We are PCI Certified! How did we get hacked?!?!? We have a 1 on our FFIEC exam and still had this data breach? There were no exceptions on their SOC report, but our vendor still ...

Proactive Compliance

May. 11, 2017

By Brad Garland

We understand the budget restraints and "rabbit hole" you can get yourself into regarding compliance and security. How much do I do before the cost outweighs the benefit? ...

A GH Story: Vickery Trading Company

Apr. 13, 2017

By Brad Garland

This year I set a goal for myself to become a better storyteller. I feel that even though we’ve worked really hard to focus on what our ‘why’ is as a company I haven’t done a good ...

Cybersecurity: Not Just For Financial Institutions

Feb. 27, 2017

By Brad Garland

For many years, financial institutions have understood the importance of having a strong cybersecurity strategy. As they handle valuable financial information and other sensitive ...

What Does an IT Audit for a Healthcare Organization Look Like?

Feb. 15, 2017

By Brad Garland

As a healthcare provider, it’s essential that your information security is top notch. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires all organizations in ...

How Breach Assessment Services Help Financial Institutions

Jan. 31, 2017

By Brad Garland

How likely is it that your financial institution will experience a data breach in the near future? Can you even be certain that you haven’t already experienced a data breach? Most ...

ADA Website Compliance

Jan. 26, 2017

By Brad Garland

As many of you have seen there are numerous companies, including community banks, receiving demand letters claiming the company's website is violating ADA (Americans with ...

Common Misconceptions About SOC Reporting

Jan. 20, 2017

By Heath Stanley

Service organization reports (SOC) are vital to businesses. These internal reports let organizations know about the risks associated with outsourced services. They help to ...

4 Things to Watch For When Running an In-House Penetration Test

Dec. 26, 2016

By Brad Garland

Businesses that keep sensitive data on their computer networks need penetration tests to make sure hackers do not have access to the information. Testing often starts with a ...

5 Frequent Mistakes Made in Vendor Contract Negotiations

Dec. 20, 2016

By Brad Garland

Negotiating vendor contracts is never easy. You need strong relationships with your vendors to grow and expand your business, but rushing to sign on with companies may lead to ...

5 Powerful Reasons to Test Your Cybersecurity Today

Nov. 24, 2016

By Brad Garland

It's natural for an organization to plan for success. However, that success could all be for nothing if you don't also plan for worst-case scenarios, especially breaches to your ...

4 Ways Banks Prevent Security Disasters

Nov. 18, 2016

By Brad Garland

In September, Yahoo became the latest company to admit it had a serious data breach. A suspected state-sponsored hacker had compromised the user data, which included security ...

Vulnerability Assessments vs. Penetration Testing: What's the Difference?

Oct. 31, 2016

By Brad Garland

If you don't know much about the world of cybersecurity, some of the terms professionals use may seem a bit opaque. Many people don't know what vulnerability assessments or ...

3 Tips to Ensure Your Financial Institution Meets New Accounting Standards

Oct. 19, 2016

By Brad Garland

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update designed to give investors and other financial statement users more timely ...

5 Reasons Your Legal Firm Should Have a Penetration Test ASAP

Oct. 13, 2016

By Brad Garland

Legal firms face a range of security threats, from theft of sensitive data to malware that can wreak havoc on company computer systems. Penetration testing allows legal firms to ...

Garland Heart Launches New Website

Sep. 21, 2016

By Brad Garland

Garland Heart is thrilled to announce the launching of our newly designed website -www.garlandheart.com Take a look around and see what you think. This new website has a complete ...

How Safe is Public Wi-Fi?

Aug. 25, 2016

By Brad Garland

The modern digital age is more convenient than ever. Not only can you walk around with a tiny supercomputer in the palm of your hand, you can use that supercomputer to connect to ...

4 Practical Ways to Step Up Your Software Supply Chain's Security

Aug. 23, 2016

By Brad Garland

When it comes to optimizing your software organization’s security regime, you’re probably used to focusing on end products and your own infrastructure's regulatory compliance ...

Meet Nonnie the Service Dog

Aug. 11, 2016

By Brad Garland

Hi! My name is 'Nonnie', a service dog in training @ Freedom Service Dogs of America. I am currently being taught to open doors, pick up items, pull wheelchairs, go for help and ...

5 Smart Tips to Back Up Your Data Now

Jul. 27, 2016

By Brad Garland

In a world where every company’s business is increasingly its own data, it’s always a good idea to ensure that data is backed up. This is especially true in the way it encourages ...

Are Retail IT Professionals Really As Prepared As They Think for Security Breaches?

Jul. 26, 2016

By Brad Garland

Protecting company records as well as private and confidential customer information is a top priority for many businesses. After all, just one security breach can devastate large ...

6 Key Tips for Penetration Testing in 2016

Jul. 8, 2016

By Brad Garland

The need for penetration testing has become a fact of life in 2016. As businesses grow more reliant on online activities — and often require 100 percent effective network uptime — ...

What Small Companies Should Really Know About Cloud Security

Jun. 30, 2016

By Brad Garland

While the bulk of data security breaches affect large corporations, hackers can target small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), too. As a result, small businesses — often deemed ...

Why a Virtual CISO is the Best-Kept Secret in Information Security

Jun. 14, 2016

By Brad Garland

The twin gas pedals of globalization and technology have increased the speed of business to the point where you can blink and suddenly not recognize the landscape around you. This ...

3 Key Guidelines for CISOs in the Era of the Cloud

May. 26, 2016

By Brad Garland

Before the cloud, most business chose to store their data on internal servers they managed. Because of this, accessibility typically was limited to helping reduce how vulnerable a ...

5 Benefits of Having a Proactive Incident Response Plan

May. 20, 2016

By Brad Garland

As technology changes and evolves, staying up to date means continuing to grow, develop, and improve practices to mitigate risk. This leads to multiple methods available for ...

4 Essentials Every Company Needs for an Incident Response Plan

Apr. 11, 2016

By Brad Garland

Behind nearly every cybersecurity breach in recent years is a business or organization that was left to grapple with the fallout. Indeed, organizations that suffer a major ...

How to Retain Your Information Security Team

Apr. 5, 2016

By Brad Garland

Acquiring talented IT security professionals is a big task for any organization, especially considering the rapidly growing skill and generation gap in cybersecurity. In fact, the ...

5 Concerns Every CIO and CISO Will Face in 2016: Part 2

Mar. 2, 2016

By Brad Garland

Continuing from the previous post, here’s a look at the rest of the challenges that Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) face in 2016. ...

5 Concerns Every CIO and CISO Will Face in 2016: Part 1

Feb. 29, 2016

By Brad Garland

In 2015, CIOs (chief information officers) and CISOs (chief information security officers) faced some serious cyber security threats, including the VTech Learning Lodge hack, ...

5 Ways to Reduce the Threat of Phishing Within Your Bank

Feb. 25, 2016

By Brad Garland

Phishing remains a major threat for both individuals and the businesses that serve them. According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group’s Global Phishing Survey, at least 123,972 ...

3 Tips to Encourage Collaboration In Your Organization's Security Processes

Feb. 23, 2016

By Brad Garland

While information security has assumed top priority in many organizations, the steps that enterprises take to strengthen their overall cybersecurity often focus solely on ...

5 Cyber Security Lessons Learned in 2015

Feb. 12, 2016

By Brad Garland

It’s no secret that 2015 was another challenging year in cyber security. While fallout continued from the Sony hack, new threats emerged and each one offered a lesson for the ...

5 Employee Password Habits that are Putting Your Enterprise at Risk

Feb. 10, 2016

By Brad Garland

A truism of the modern workplace is that your employees underestimate the risk that their password habits present to your enterprise. Indeed, a study of password habits by CSID in ...

How CISOs Can Improve the Cybersecurity Landscape

Feb. 8, 2016

By Brad Garland

In larger environments, it is not uncommon to have both a CIO/CTO and CISO (Chief Information Security Officer). The CTO/CIO is usually held accountable for the development and ...

5 Common Programming Languages That Cause the Most Software Vulnerabilities

Feb. 4, 2016

By Brad Garland

Over the last couple of years, many cybersecurity problems have come to light. There has been a wave of WordPress and Drupal vulnerability warnings and patches, and SQL injection ...

WordPress and Health Applications Are Now the Most Popular Web Attack Targets

Jan. 19, 2016

By Brad Garland

Research shows that WordPress and health applications are the most popular targets for online attacks. If you’re currently using WordPress for your website or offering a ...

Is There a Generation Gap in Cybersecurity?

Jan. 15, 2016

By Brad Garland

According to a recent survey by Raytheon and the NCSA, young people ages 18 to 26 aren't pursuing careers in cybersecurity. Young women - who make up just 10 percent of the ...

4 Common Mistakes in Firewall Configuration

Jan. 13, 2016

By Brad Garland

A firewall is a great way to protect your organization, but it only works well if it is configured properly. Here are four common mistakes in firewall configuration, along with ...

New Study: Cybercrime Costs Organizations $15 Million on Average Per Year

Dec. 21, 2015

By Brad Garland

A 2015 study by HP found that the average cost of cyber crime has grown to $15 million per year, which is an increase of 82 percent over the last six years. In the companies ...

6 Secure Password Management Systems for Your Business

Dec. 18, 2015

By Brad Garland

Protecting the passwords of all your employees is a key part of IT risk management. Password management systems, in combination with other cybersecurity systems, can help to ...

Why is the 80/20 Rule Important in Cyber Security Practices?

Oct. 29, 2015

By Brad Garland

Cyber security may be a newer, more complex field, but it actually shares many common rules with other industries. One of these is the "Pareto principle," which dictates that 80% ...

A Helpful Guide to SOX Compliance for Financial Institutions

Oct. 26, 2015

By Brad Garland

The Sarbanes-Oxley (“SOX”) Act of 2002 is a crucial piece of legislation aimed at protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information that impacts a ...

5 Identity and Access Metrics for Effective Risk Management

Oct. 22, 2015

By Brad Garland

Your network security and risk management strategies have to account for a complex and constantly changing IT environment. Understanding the key identity and access metrics helps ...

6 Best Practices for Maintaining Data Security in Your Firm

Oct. 17, 2015

By Brad Garland

Defending your data from threats is a number one concern. Technology is fluid, but planning properly will help your company get the best protection for the present and for future ...

3 Common Cybersecurity Structures in the Legal Industry: Which One Are You?

Oct. 13, 2015

By Brad Garland

You’ve all seen the headlines - big company data breaches, foreign hackers, databases stolen. You can’t make it a day anymore without the next information security headline. It ...

Are Smartwatches the Next Target for CyberAttacks?

Sep. 29, 2015

By Brad Garland

The future of cyber security is almost never clear. New devices are popping up all the time, and making informed decisions on device security can be tricky. However, where ...

What The Next Security Breach Means For Your Community Bank

Sep. 22, 2015

By Brad Garland

Recently, security breaches of major websites, companies and banks seem to be appearing in the headlines more and more frequently, and with increasingly more critical effects. If ...

3 New Tips to Boost Email Security

Sep. 15, 2015

By Brad Garland

Email may be a convenient way to communicate with coworkers and clients, but it isn’t inherently secure. As such, there are security holes in email that you should be aware of and ...

Why Two-Factor Authentication is Important for Your Firm

Sep. 8, 2015

By Brad Garland

Passwords were never enough for strong security, even in a non-digital era. Ali Baba overheard "Open sesame!" and was able to steal a cave's worth of treasure. The Heartbleed bug ...

Is the Firewall Becoming Irrelevant? Here’s How to Move Forward

Aug. 27, 2015

By Brad Garland

Firewalls were created to protect and secure company data. Unfortunately, firewalls protect only company data well when it is kept within the confines of company networks. Today’s ...

CFOs Now View Cybersecurity as a Top Threat

Aug. 20, 2015

By Brad Garland

According to a new report by Deloitte, CFOs regard cyberattacks as one of the most worrying disasters that threaten to affect an enterprise’s financial well-being. In response to ...

A Closer Look: How Secure Are Account Recovery Security Questions?

Aug. 14, 2015

By Brad Garland

While businesses attempt to protect private and sensitive information from cyber attack in many ways, one of the most common methods is passwords. Passwords are considered a good ...

5 Critical Standards for Secure Data Encryption

Aug. 6, 2015

By Brad Garland

Data encryption is a crucial part of any organization’s security policy. In addition to putting the right technology in place, adhering to data encryption standards also means ...

New Website Domain Name Could Improve Network Security Systems for Banks

Jul. 30, 2015

By Brad Garland

Pressures upon financial services organizations a re rising today more than ever. Customer loyalty is more important to banks now than in the past, but with growing concerns over ...

How to Build a Stronger Compliance Management Program in Your Bank

Jul. 16, 2015

By Brad Garland

While a successful and robust compliance management program in banks has a few basic components, there are no “one size fits all” rules. However, here are the vital elements that ...

Wearables in Health Care: How to Ensure Cloud Information Security

Jul. 9, 2015

By Brad Garland

As you must with any new technology, your health-care practice needs to consider information security issues when moving to wearable health-care monitors. Using cloud computing, ...

3 Key Compliance Management Trends for Community Banks

Jun. 26, 2015

By Brad Garland

Community banks can improve their compliance management processes in three simple ways. Begin by reviewing and strengthening existing corporate compliance program policies. Then ...

Change Could Be Coming in the Legal Landscape for Cybersecurity Risk

Jun. 18, 2015

By Brad Garland

Bills that are being passed by The House of Representatives, recent data breaches at major companies, and cybersecurity are all becoming a main focus of the SEC. This suggests ...

New Compliance Audit Guidance for Health Care: What You Need to Know

Jun. 12, 2015

By Brad Garland

In the past, the compliance guidance from the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services emphasized that health care governing boards focus on ...

3 Steps to Improve Your Firm’s Information Security Policy

Jun. 9, 2015

By Brad Garland

Improving the information security policy for your firm can be condensed down to three simple steps. These are the most common problems seen with firms and practices across the ...

Determining Your Risk: Vulnerability Assessments vs. Penetration Tests

May. 26, 2015

By Brad Garland

Vulnerability assessments and penetration tests are both important components of threat management, but there’s often quite a bit of confusion surrounding the difference between ...

Why Aren’t Corporations Focusing More on Cybersecurity?

May. 20, 2015

By Brad Garland

With all of the recent news around cybersecurity vulnerabilities at large corporations, it's surprising that companies aren't putting more focus on preventing these incidents. ...

How to Outsmart a Hacker

May. 12, 2015

By Brad Garland

Every time new IT security solutions are devised, hackers find new ways to break into systems. Traditional cryptographic and protocol approaches to security are no longer ...

3 Innovative Security Strategy Tips for Healthcare Organizations

May. 5, 2015

By Brad Garland

As you can see from recent security breaches, any organization can fall victim to a hacker. Keeping sensitive information safe takes careful planning and constant updating. You ...

Maintaining Security in the Era of Digital Currency

Apr. 28, 2015

By Brad Garland

Digital currency services allow for low-cost and efficient money transfers through highly secure channels. This technology helps transform the way people make online purchases, ...

What You Need to Know About OpenSSL’s Security Updates

Apr. 21, 2015

By Brad Garland

The latest round of security fixes to OpenSSL’s software was released on March 19th, and addresses a variety of issues. Here’s what you need to know about the updates: What’s ...

Why Your Small Business Needs Identity Access Management

Apr. 17, 2015

By Brad Garland

Identity Access Management is a transformative security technology with a centralized system to keep employees and devices on your network private and secure while also ensuring ...

How to Protect Against Employee Data Exposure in Your Legal Firm

Apr. 7, 2015

By Brad Garland

Employee data exposure in the legal industry can leave employees vulnerable, lead to identify theft, and jeopardize the integrity of a legal office. That’s why it’s important for ...

3 Common Misconceptions About Information Security Compliance

Mar. 26, 2015

By Brad Garland

Your business generates massive volumes of data that demand smart and secure management. However, confusion and misconceptions run rampant when it comes to information security ...

Password Tips to Keep Your Company Secure

Mar. 16, 2015

By Brad Garland

Passwords protect a huge amount of company data, but many organizations don’t follow best practices to keep their passwords safe. Even if your business has IT policies relating to ...

What to Know (and Do) About The President’s Cybersecurity Proposals

Mar. 12, 2015

By Brad Garland

Following a year in which a series of cybersecurity threats, like the hacking of SONY Pictures, grabbed headlines and brought a new sense of urgency, the President made sure to ...

Is Your Practice Up-to-Date on HIPAA Compliance?

Mar. 5, 2015

By Brad Garland

Under the HITECH Act, Phase 2 audits for HIPAA compliance are currently underway, and will continue until June 2015. These audits will include all covered entities, as well as ...

3 Key Takeaways from the Sony Cybersecurity Breach

Feb. 25, 2015

By Brad Garland

The world was enthralled by the Sony hack’s quick escalation from leaked emails to a full-blown international diplomatic incident. As the dust settles, and CEO Amy Pascal adjusts ...

The Financial Future: From Cards to the Cloud

Feb. 18, 2015

By Brad Garland

When it comes to mobile payments, Africa has been the world leader for years, with skyrocketing usage rates in many of its countries tied to efforts to serve unbanked citizens. ...

Why Your Law Firm Will Benefit from Routine Risk Assessment

Feb. 10, 2015

By Brad Garland

Law firms stand in a uniquely vulnerable position with respect to security breaches. Because they handle sensitive corporate information, law firms are seen by hackers as a back ...

3 Ways to Ensure HIPAA Compliance While Building Your Online Brand

Feb. 3, 2015

By Brad Garland

We live in an era of constant communication, and brand awareness demands that health care institutions maintain an active social media presence. At the same time, however, there ...

Maximizing your Enterprise Business Impact Analysis

Sep. 12, 2014

By Brad Garland

The most extensive undertaking of any Enterprise environment is the creation of the Business Continuity Plan and the Recovery Procedures from a disaster. In order to effectively ...

5 Tips to be More Secure Online

Jul. 10, 2014

By Brad Garland

For most of us, information security is so convoluted and difficult to understand that we choose to ignore it until something bad happens to your personal information and your ...

Denial of Service webinar

Jun. 23, 2014

By Brad Garland

Do you know what to do when an attacker attempts to prevent your users from accessing information or services such as email, websites, or online accounts on your computers? This ...

A Complete Guide to the Information Security Lifecycle

Apr. 10, 2014

By Brad Garland

When it comes to the safety of your data and technology systems, it’s vital that your organization recognizes the reality of the “information security lifecycle.” By its very ...

Compliance Doesn't Mean Secure

Mar. 27, 2014

By Brad Garland

Yet another breach of a major corporation and the finger pointing begins. Trustwave was cited in a class-action lawsuit as the vendor entrusted to maintain data security for ...

Millennials & Their Data Security Habits

Mar. 12, 2014

By Brad Garland

I read this article 'Do Millennials Believe in Data Security?' from Harvard Business Review (http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/02/do-millennials-believe-in-data-security/) and found it to ...

Webinar - Vendor Management & Information Risk

Feb. 10, 2014

By Brad Garland

Are your vendors walking a tight rope and risking the information you share with them? This topic of Vendor Management seems to be very popular these days.....we had a tremendous ...

Improved Vendor Management

Oct. 14, 2013

By Brad Garland

With a recent breach at core provider FIS, banking executives are asking why more examination information is not shared up front with community bankers. This article in ...

ATM - ADA Requirements

Aug. 26, 2013

By admin

Hey everyone! I attended a compliance luncheon today, and wanted to share a quick note that I found interesting. There was a banker there who stated that they have received a ...

Webinar - Ethical Hacking

Aug. 5, 2013

By Brad Garland

For our August webinar, Matt Nowell, Garland Heart Pen Test expert, presented "Ethical Hacking". This webinar covered: Information gathering with Maltego and Google Hacking ...

1 Nite 2 Unite

Jul. 11, 2013

By Brad Garland

Moreno Valley is located in northern New Mexico near the towns of Angel Fire and Eagle Nest. For many years, the local churches met the needs of their own congregations but never ...

IBAT Leadership Conference - God, Family & Ducks

Jun. 27, 2013

By Brad Garland

A couple of weeks ago some of us Garland Heart'ers were able to attend the IBAT Leadership conference. We had a great time, learned a lot, and enjoyed seeing some of our clients ...

Webinar - Compliance Management Systems

Jun. 10, 2013

By Brad Garland

Garland Heart's new Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Chrysti Petersen, presented a very informative webinar this month. Learn more about examiner expectations and the program ...

Cost of Compliance in 2013

May. 21, 2013

By Brad Garland

Here is a good read from Thomson Reuters - Cost of Compliance in 2013. The overall theme is that compliance costs should remain roughly the same with more organizations giving it ...

Cornerstone Ranch - Impacting Special Needs Adults

Apr. 10, 2013

By Brad Garland

For my mission, I have chosen Cornerstone Ranch which is a residential living community for adults with special needs. I have 2 family members that have development disabilities ...

Network Security & Universal Plug-N-Play

Mar. 8, 2013

By Brad Garland

Recently, Hacker News published a blurb about how network-enabled Universal Plug and Play devices have a security flaw that exposes sensitive information that would typically be ...

A Better Brand, but the same H.E.A.R.T.

Jan. 14, 2013

By Brad Garland

Today we are thrilled to announce something that has been in the making for over a year. We have made some changes to our corporate structure. Garland Group and RiskKey are sister ...

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