The Convergence of IT and Security
 The recent scourge of laptop computer thefts and compromised personal data has put the global business community on notice that the danger of losing sensitive employee or client information is unmistakable and that any organization can be the next to grace the news headlines with the latest security risk.
Challenges in bringing IT security together with physical security seem to be rather consistent from organization to organization. One challenge may result in the differences in how IT security and physical security accept change. IT security is part of a field that is on the cutting edge of technology and is ready to play with the latest toys and typically cannot wait to implement them into practice. Physical security, on the other hand, has a reputation for being skeptical regarding new systems and tends to rely on experience and tried and true methodologies to provide services. Another obstacle that may prevent IT security and physical security from seeing eye to eye is the inherent salary disparity that exists between the two fields; IT security personnel tend to earn double the salary that their physical security counterparts make. Furthermore, territorial battles between IT security and physical security can ensue if both entities insist on taking sole ownership over individual security issues, excluding the other entity from the solution, and then taking sole credit for resolving the issue. Such rifts are ingredients to an environment where major security breaches occur.
This article will appear in a future edition of Colorado Software and Internet Association (CSIA) magazine.
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Are Privacy Standards in Jeopardy in Virginia?
House Bill 984 went into effect this month in Virginia, a bill primarily designed to stiffen the penalties for sex crimes and add convicted nonviolent offenders to the publicly available registry. What seemingly slipped through the radar when the bill was passed were the methods by which information is gathered by state police to match against the sex offender registry. Virginia’s public and private colleges and universities are now required to submit the names and Social Security numbers of every student they accept every year to state police for the purpose of cross-checking that information against sex offender registries. Furthermore, the bill also requires the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to submit to state police the Social Security numbers of any Virginian applying for a license or a change of address.
The bill skirts federal prohibitions on disseminating student information by calling for the colleges and universities to submit the data after the students have been accepted by an institution but before they have picked a school and enrolled.
Of concern to critics is the level of risk that the now constant transfer of data poses to Virginians – that the data may be stored permanently on hard drives and mishandled or stolen, that the data will be “sniffed” by hackers and exploited for identity theft purposes, or even used by other agencies for unrelated law enforcement purposes.
What does any of this mean? Well, if Virginia’s program is viewed as successful and functions without a sensitive data breach, will there soon come a day when every sort of identification verification procedure involves one’s Social Security number being strewn over the air, cable, or other mode of communication? Can the purpose of the bill, to track sex offenders, be accomplished while casting a smaller net? These are certainly questions to ask ourselves as we watch and wait for Virginia to exhale.
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Do Not Fret About Do Not Call List
 Over 125 million cell phone numbers already being placed on the national Do Not Call Registry, a list created so that cell phone users can avoid telemarketing calls, yet there remains a circulation of emails that indicate an imminent deadline to be placed on the list or else be accosted by telemarketers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently reiterated their position that consumers should not be concerned that their cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketing companies at any time in the near future.
The FTC also stated that:
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Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations still prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers are barred from calling consumers on their cell phones without their consent.
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The national associations representing telemarketers have stated that their clients do not intend to start calling consumers’ cell phones.
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The DNC Registry is the lone service for blocking telemarketers (there is no separate registry).
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Land lines may be blocked as well using the DNC Registry. You must call the Registry (1-888-382-1222) from the phone number you wish to be blocked or register online.
There is no deadline to register your cell phone on the registry.
Registered phone numbers are blocked for five years once placed on the Do Not Call registry.
Source: Federal Trade Commission http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/06/dnccellphones.htm
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Costs of Fatigue in the Workplace
 Most of us are well aware of, and have experienced, the physical impact of fatigue and chronic lack of sleep: decreased motor abilities, decline in energy and motivation, Physiological impairments include slowed reaction time, increased inability to concentrate, deterioration in attitude and mood, and increased irritability. However, Americans have notoriously ignored their bodies’ demands for rest and devoted that time, instead, to their work. How productive and safe are we really, in light of the impact of sleep deprivation described above? Research suggests that impairments caused by lack of sleep are similar to those caused by alcohol, and the consequences can be just as severe, even deadly. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleepy employees cost employers as much as $18 billion dollars annually in lost productivity. However, such losses are often intangible to the employer when many employees never miss work as a result of sleep deprivation.
Organizations are encouraged and should have a vested interest in assisting their employees avoid sleep deprivation and the related consequences. Some employers have recognized the benefits of allowing employees short periods of time to nap at work during work hours. Others are focusing on providing work environments that promote alertness. Additional strategies include: educating employees regarding the signs and symptoms of sleep-related disorders and their consequences, providing affected employees with resources for assessment and treatment of sleep disorders, and implementing alertness training in which employees learn about the fundamentals of sleep and assess their situation from a whole-life perspective. Industries requiring their employees to work shift work and also those in which employees handle sensitive material or operate heavy equipment (including vehicles) should be especially cognizant of the impact of employee sleeplessness.
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Quote: "No enemy is worse than bad advice.
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-Sophocles
Protecting the Safety of Your Teenage Workforce
With the arrival of summer, millions of youths will seek out part-time and in some cases, full-time employment in an effort to rake up some extra “summer cash.” Increasingly, teen workers are becoming assets to more and more organizations across a variety of industries. Office settings, retail, restaurant and hotel hospitality, grocery stores, movie theatres, construction and agriculture industries are some of the most popular that youth aged workers infiltrate during the summer time. A predominant attraction of the teenage worker includes their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. Additionally, teen workers tend to adapt fairly easily to changing work environments and duties. However, because of their biologic, social, and economic characteristics, teen workers have unique and substantial risks for work-related injuries and illnesses. On-the-job injuries to teens can be costly, and in some cases, deadly.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor and the YouthRules! initiative, there are many proactive steps employers can take to protect and ensure the safety of youth aged employees, including:
- Understanding and complying with the Federal and State youth employment and occupational safety and health rules. Adolescent workers are protected by two laws enforced by the Department of Labor: (1) Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and, (2) Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- Emphasize workplace safety, particularly among first-line supervisors who have the greatest opportunity to influence teens and their work habits.
- Work with supervisors and experienced workers to develop an injury and illness prevention program and to help identify and solve safety and health problems.
- Train young workers to recognize hazards and to use safe work practices. Training topics may include how to prepare for fires, accidents, violent situations, and what to do if they get injured.
- Make sure young workers know the Federal and State youth employment rules and frequently remind them that they must be obeyed.
- Let all of your employees know that safety in the workplace is a top priority!
To learn more about protecting the safety of your youth aged workforce this summer, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth/.
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