Non-profits, co-ops, and other organizations that depend upon volunteers often have challenges when it comes to protecting corporate information assets against individuals who leave the organization.  For example, I’ve recently been dealing with a situation involving the use of Yahoo Groups.  While it’s a great way to share information with a group of people, here’s […]

TECHLife Post staff are off today enjoying the holiday with their families.  We’ll be back tomorrow!

Sometimes in security, and life in general, it’s the seemingly small issues that cause problems.  As the saying goes, “The devil is in the details.” Take dates for example.  If I were to suggest we meet for a 10:00 coffee on 07/10/09, when should you show up?  Most of you would assume that 09 is 2009.  […]

[Carter is on vacation, but he’ll be back next week, cranky as ever!] Last week Carter wrote about some positive aspects of the Canadian health care system.  But it’s certainly not all roses. While Canadians are guaranteed a basic level of healthcare, those with conditions that fall outside this basic level are on their own, and some […]

There’s a lot of information about the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) on the Internet, but if you’re looking for a good overview, check out eNable’s Quick Guide to PCI Compliance video.  Their fifteen minute presentation is both technically correct and presented in language that anyone can understand – a refreshing change […]

 This year, with Father’s Day on the horizon, I invited some of our favourite companies to give us their best Father’s Day suggestions.  Here’s what they had to say!   Nikon COOLPIX S630 – $349.95  The COOLPIX S630 is for the Dad who wants a piece of the action. He will never miss a moment […]

One of the reasons that security programs aren’t always as effective as they should be is that organizations of all sizes often fail to ask the most important question: What is security? Security is often categorized as physical security, personnel security and information security. Much of the reason is historical.  Back before computers, corporate security […]

During the last decade a lot of money has been spent trying to protect information systems. Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, two-factor authentication and other technical controls sometimes make good business sense when applied as part of comprehensive security program.  But what we’re not good at yet is the human firewall. Scott Wright, an Ottawa-based security […]

Starting today, Passports or Enhanced Driver’s Licences will be needed to drive across the Canada/US border. I don’t have any issue with requiring proof of identity and citizenship to cross an international border, and I really like the concept of offering a wallet-size alternative to the passport. But adding RFID to that wallet-sized card is […]

I’ve been avoiding writing about pandemic planning for a while because there has simply been too much hype.  But there is a positive side to all this:  Companies, through their pandemic planning, are hopefully making workplaces safer and taking a look at their business continuity plans. Every year we have “flu season”.  And every year […]

TECHLife Post is closed Friday and Monday as our staff enjoy an extended long weekend.  Happy Victoria Day and see you on Tuesday!

There’s a great poster over at Despair Inc. that reads, “It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.” In the security field we strive to keep our employers and clients out of that category.  However, reality is such that we often learn best from our mistakes […]