The survey collects data on the type and frequency of computer security incidents in which a computer was used as the means of committing a crime against the company or as a conduit through which other intrusion and/or criminal activity was perpetrated. It also collects data about the type and size of the company, cyber security practices, and computer infrastructure.

The results will provide the basis for enhancing or initiating efforts to strengthen the information sharing and awareness to inform our public private partnerships and create meaningful programming and tools to combat the cyber threat. 

Initial results will be reviewed at our Cyber Security Awareness Month program on October 23 with Dr. Phyllis Schneck, the new Deputy Under Secretary of Cyber Security at DHS. The full results will be released this fall. The questions have been developed by GTSC from a previously issued DOJ survey, in combination with input from FBI-WFO’s Cyber Branch and the INCRMA’s Cyber Special Interest Group. Please feel free to share the link with others who you believe would be appropriate respondents.

Admit it. You can’t resist plugging those cute little USB thumb drives, miniature CD ROMS and other removable media devices into your computer. They’re easy to use, portable, convenient and they hold lots of data.

But my hacker friends and I discovered that those nifty memory devices are a great way to get into your computer and your network — especially if you don’t know where they came from. We hand them out everywhere we go. Everybody wants one. We pre-infect them with malware or spyware. The second you plug them into your USB port, presto! I’m running around your computer, free and easy.

Sure, it’s handy to download files onto a thumb drive and take them home with you instead of lugging your laptop around. But humans have a propensity to lose things. People misplace their thumb drives or CD ROMS all the time. Because they are so small, it’s pretty easy to steal them, too.

But you can protect yourself, your computer and your network. Just follow these easy tips:

• If you don’t know where it came from, don’t put it in your computer.
• Safeguard your memory sticks. Keep them in a safe place.
• Use encryption. Protect sensitive data on your thumb drives.
• Print hard copies of documents and back up data on removable media.

Remember, losing a memory stick that contains important data could have severe consequences. Protect, don’t neglect! For more information, check out www.us-cert.gov.

Lisa Martin
CEO
LeapFrog Solutions, Inc.

LeapFrog Solutions (LFS) is a certified woman owned small business based in Fairfax, Virginia. Founded in 1996, we are a trusted source for commercial businesses and federal agencies seeking full spectrum creative solutions and exceptional program management. This blogpost is brought to you by GTSC in partnership with LeapFrog Solutions. For more information on cyber awareness campaigns contact Anjali Dighe at 703.539.6127 or adighe@leapfrogit.com.