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Cybersecurity: The Threat Against Data

It’s one of the most flourishing industries on the planet, with staggering growth that would make almost any field of business—and even most countries—envious. By next year, experts predict it will generate enough revenue to be the third-largest economy in the world after the United States and China. It’s also one of the most dangerous and nefarious enterprises imaginable: cybercrime.

The 2019 Official Annual Cybercrime Report estimates that by 2021, cybercrime will generate $6 trillion, with no signs of slowing down, and companies are rightfully nervous. While cybercrime is, of course, a general term that encompasses a multitude of digital offenses, a significant portion of that is the result of data theft. There’s no faster or more painful way for a company to discover the value of its data than when it gets into the wrong hands. Just ask Facebook, Target, Capital One, Equifax, or any of the thousands of companies who have faced a breach.

“It’s becoming more and more coordinated and growing every day,” says JT Kostman, Chief Executive Officer at ProtectedBy.AI. “The odds of you being hacked if you’re an organization of any size, it’s almost impossible that you won’t.” How can companies minimize their risk?

First StepsTo adequately protect your assets, you must first understand what you have and its worth. “You don’t put a $1,000 fence on a $100 horse,” says Praveen Minumula, Chief Technology Officer at Katalyst Technologies. “What are your crown jewels?” Concentrate on protecting your most valuable and critical assets. Balance the costs and risks of any potential compromise.

Minumula also points out that perhaps the greatest threat to data security is human error and unreliable outsider services. Companies must continually educate employees on best practices and set security expectations for collaborators. “When you are outsourcing your application development, or you’re bringing in third party vendors, you [need to] ensure they also meet the minimal security standards that you want to define,” he says. This was the factor that led to the 2013 Target breach that impacted 41 million customers.

Defense vs. OffenseIf attacks are presumably inevitable, companies must remain constantly diligent and prepare for the worst-case scenario. That means developing a contingency plan for when, not if, they face a breach.

“There’s nothing you can stop to prevent [an attack],” says Minumula. “But can you identify what caused it?” Fundamental factors that can be easily modified, such as running an obsolete system or using the same password across multiple platforms, can majorly amplify vulnerabilities. Nonetheless, what you really must prepare is how you will respond to a breach. This includes backing up data, ensuring maximized endpoint protection, and multi-factor authentication.

“If you have a perfect defense and only one offensive technique, you’re winning every fight,” says Kostman.

Criminals and ComplianceNaturally, companies want to protect both their data and their customers. However, now there are even greater incentives to take precautions. In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) states that significant data breaches can result in a fine of €20 million or 4% of annual worldwide profits—whichever is greater. The recently enacted California Consumer Privacy Act gives residents of that state unprecedented control over how companies can utilize an individual’s data. Meanwhile, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has proposed legislation that could lead to jail time for executives of companies that “misuse” consumer data.

“Companies are coming to us now and saying, ‘Ok, how do we keep the crooks at bay and keep our executives out of court?’” says Kostman. “How can you simultaneously pursue security and opportunity? That’s going to be the future.”

Katalyst Can HelpYour organization’s data is one of its most valuable assets. What strategies will you utilize to keep it as secure as possible? Contact the experts at Katalyst to determine how to prepare and protect against cybercrime, and stay tuned for more tips and insight within this increasingly significant area of data management.

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Survey Management Platform & Its Essential Features

Surveys are a highly effective methodology of collection of worker feedback and it’s the info to formulate necessary business selections. Survey management is mentioned because the method of making, managing business surveys for the workers of an organisation, with the aim of gathering their opinions and feedback on a particular subject. The topics may be as variable as leadership, company facilities, worker advantages, policies of the corporate, and more. Surveys are largely anonymous and this permits the workers to open up about problems and subjects and share their opinion with none reservations.

The purpose of a survey management platform like Digital HRMS, Pocket HRMS or Beehive HRMS, is to alter the complete method of Survey creation and business, contour the method and build it simple for the workers to access and participate within the survey. Also, once all the participants have shared their feedback, survey management system analyses the feedback information and showcases the desired analytics and insights that the business desires for privy deciding. This write-up here takes a glance into the highest five options to appear for in a very effective survey management platform.

1] Straightforward to Make

One of the foremost important options of a survey management system is that it ought to be simple to use and make. This can be necessary because of the fact that it adds to the success of the survey and encourages the workers to participate within the survey. The UI of the survey management system ought to be specified such that it’s simple to know and isn’t too advanced. Most survey management platforms offered nowadays have this feature.

2] Takes Care of Confidentiality

Another necessary feature of survey management system is that it ought to be designed to help the survey information stay confidential. In different words, it ought to be designed specified to it’s potential to conduct surveys fully confidentially while not revealing any details to anyone. Confidentiality is extremely necessary once it involves worker surveys, because it permits the workers to participate within the survey with no hesitation.

3] Empowers Fast Survey Distribution

Another feature to appear for in an ideal survey management system is that the platform permits to flow into overviews on-line to the meant interest and gather info quickly. Today, most are on a digital platform then it’s solely suggested that worker surveys ought to be conducted online rather than conducting them on pen and paper. Online surveys additionally build a lot more confidential as most need to use their credentials to finish the survey.

4] Sends invites and Reminders

The survey management platform helps with sending solicitations and suggestions to the individuals for finishing their surveys and submit them by the stipulated time. Worker surveys are difficult because the workers are often busy with their own tasks, therefore the survey typically moves to the lowermost end of the list of priorities. This can be why there’s the necessity for notifications and reminders.

5] Generates Information Used to Generate Reports

A survey management system additionally generates reportage information by analysing the info shared by the participants of the survey. This helps the enterprise and therefore the management formulate privy selections which might otherwise never be quite possible to execute. This can be an excellent advantage of a survey management system just like the ones utilized by enterprises nowadays.

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Is it Possible to Deworm Your Horse Too Often?

Worms can be very dangerous for the health of your horse and it is very important to keep treating with equine wormers sothat the worm population can be kept under control. However, make sure that you are sticking to the recommended scheduleand not worming your horse any more than is necessary, as this can be harmful as well.

The problem with using horse wormers, such as Equest, too often is that they become less effective. The more the worms are exposed to the chemical, the more they build up a tolerance for it, much like a person who drinks often and requiresmore alcohol to become intoxicated. The worms which build up a resistance to the equine wormers are the ones that breed,passing on these resistant traits. This will result in a strain of worms that are immune to the treatment and can no longer be killed.

How to Prevent Worm Resistance

There are a few things that you need to keep in mind in order to avoid setting up conditions in which worms can become resistant to treatment. Here are some tips:

• Rather than use so many dewormers, make sure that you are also looking at the big picture which includes pasturemanagement. Clean your pastures out regularly and make sure you rotate horses into different pastures.

• You should also make sure that when you are feeding your horse, the hay or grain is lifted off the ground where it isless likely to become infested with parasites.

• Don’t give your horses Equestwormers more often than the dosage recommended by your vet. Giving your horse more of the treatment doesn’t always mean fewer worms.

• Don’t just go on autopilot and keep giving your horse the same treatment year after year. Make sure that you are doing periodic faecal egg counts so that you are aware of the level of parasites within your horse and can adjust your treatment accordingly. You might need to lower or raise the amount you administer or change the type of medicine.

• Treat each of your horses individually. No two horses will have the same immune system and it is possible that one of your horses might have built up more of a resistance than the others. Therefore they might be harbouring moreparasites in their system.

• The key is to perform the minimum amount of worming possible in order to keep your horse healthy. Doing more is not necessarily always better.

It is possible to deworm your horse too often and this can lead to the worms and other parasites within your animal buildingup a resistance to equine wormers. Keep these tips in mind when developing an Equesthorse wormer program so that youcan prevent this from happening.

When you are developing your Equest horse worming program, be careful not to give your horse too much medicine or itwill lose its effectiveness in treating worms.

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