EVS Blog

Public and private sectors—no entity is immune to cyber attacks. Recently, the government has been a target for these attacks, including the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) departments. In both situations personally identifying data was compromised from data sources that appeared safe.

Do you know what the person next to you on a plane is doing? Are they reading, looking at their iPad or maybe even hacking the in-flight entertainment system? The days of knitting and crossword puzzles have evolved to tablets, phones and laptops. Therefore, with technology anything is possible.

Starbucks has something brewing and it is not coffee. Recent media reports allege that the Starbucks mobile application was hacked, but the brand is claiming otherwise. The issue arises seven months after Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, announced on an earning’s call that the company is an industry leader in mobile payments and ordering.

A business used to protect itself by locking its doors, but the Internet and mobile technology have increased the need to safeguard. The Internet provides leads and new opportunities that may have not been generated otherwise; however, there are many risks that did not exist previously. In April we covered Congress’ cyber security initiatives and recently Secretary of State John Kerry, addressed cyber security as an international issue during his trip to South Korea.

Cyber security and online security dominate headlines, whether the focus is on the government or private sector. Preparation, proper safeguards and training are key in preventing cyber attacks.