Cm apr15web

APRIL 2015

Drones:

Experiencing Some Turbulance?

The Cloud:

Virtually Limitless

Computer Hacking:

A Game of Cat and Mouse

The Real CSI: Cyber NCRC: Research Goes Beyond Beakers

Buy One Get One Free Reserved-Level Ticket Valid for any Intimidators home game in April and May 2015.

Redeem at CMC-NorthEast Stadium Box Office on game day.

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April 2015 3 n

Word on the Street April 2015 Volume 15 n Issue 4 President Pam Tolen

Managing Editor/Art Direction Kim Cassell Advertising Kimberly Brouillette Jason Huddle Contributing Writers Kim Cassell Jason Huddle NC Research Campus Contributing Photographers Aerial Captures Michael A. Anderson Photography Camilla Ferguson Cabarrus Magazine is published by: Comfort Publishing Inc. 296 Church Street N. Hidden Plaza Concord, NC 28025 For editorial inquiries, call 704-782-2353 or email them to Kim Cassell at kcassell@ cabarrusmagazine.com. For advertising inquiries, call Jason Huddle at 704-907-7847 or Kimberly Brouillette at 704-305-7599.

Visit us at www.cabarrusmagazine.com.

All rights reserved. ©2015, Comfort Publishing Inc., 296 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without permission is prohibited. Products named in these pages are trademarks of their respective companies.

The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Cabarrus Magazine or Comfort Publishing Inc.

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Rachel Fesko

Publisher Jason Huddle

Ever since 9/11, it seems there has been a gradual, yet constant infringement on people’s rights. It began in the airports. Forever gone are the days of laxly moving through security checkpoints. And I get it.

In my opinion, however, our right to privacy is at stake. The NSA proved that when they were caught red-handed with billions of emails and communications from private U.S. citizens. The Internet has both opened our world up and made it smaller. We are all now connected with just the push of a button, so I understand the argument that this makes the world a more dangerous place. But how far is too far?

Where is the line between safety and privacy drawn? Does the end justify the means?

In this issue, we’re examining a technological world where everything we do leaves a trail – from cloud technology to remote-controlled drones. And while these innovations offer individuals and businesses alike the opportunity for convenience as well as financial success, there are those who abuse them, often inflicting monumental harm.

On the other side of the coin, we also sat down with local law enforcement to discuss how they are fighting an old breed of criminals – like stalkers, scammers and predators – who are now using technology to commit their crimes from hundreds or thousands of miles away. Ironically, police are using that same technology to catch these people and bring them to justice.

So conspiracy theorists and tech geeks, unite! This issue is for you!

Sincerely,

Jason Huddle

This Issue...

Get Off of My Cloud 6

Drones: Experiencing Some Turbulance?

11

Breaking Bread: Chef Ferguson Dishes

12

The Cloud: Virtually Limitless

17

Give Me Shelter: Adoptable Cats in Cabarrus County

18

Computer Hacking: A Game of Cat and Mouse

22

The Real CSI: Cyber

24

Cabarrus Businesses: On the Go

26

NCRC: Research Goes Beyond Beakers

April 2015 5 n

By Kim Cassell

Drones: Experiencing Some Turbulance?

Like a lot of fundamentally unrestricted new technology, drones are getting a bad rap.

But let’s not blame the drone – let’s examine the operator.

Before drones – or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or radio-controlled aerial devices (RCADs) – became the hobbyist’s new toy, they were utilized by the military. Developed and tested to a certain extent during the two world wars and in Vietnam, their military capabilities came more to light in the early ‘90s – during the Persian Gulf War. Today, the use of drones has expanded to search & rescue, disaster relief, for use by police departments and firefighters, weather forecasters, traffic reporters, and in aerial photography.

Referring to sophisticated drones used by the military, readanddigest.com says, “A typical drone is made of light composite materials to reduce weight and increase maneuverability. Also, the composite material strength allows it to cruise at extremely high altitudes. They are equipped with state-of-the-art infrared cameras, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), laser- or GPS-guided missiles and other top-secret systems. They can be controlled either by remotes or a ground cockpit. A drone is capable of controlled, sustained level flight and is powered by a jet, reciprocating or electric engine. " 6 Cabarrus Magazine n

Aerial Captures uses drones for clients in the construction industry, among others.

The 2013 winners of Operation Marry Me Military – Cabarrus: Nicholas Trager and Sarah Metallo

April 2015 7 n

“The nose of the drone is where all the sensors and navigational systems are present. The rest of the body is complete innovation since there is no loss of space to accommodate humans and (it’s) also lightweight. The engineering materials used to build the drone can absorb vibration, which decreases the noise produced.”

Over time, drone technology has resulted in less expensive, batteryoperated, easy-to-navigate models embraced by amateurs. This is resulting in stricter guidelines for drone use, if they’re adhered to.

Mike Ouimet is president and owner of Aerial Captures, in Concord, an aerial photography/video company he started in September 2013. Already a fan of flying remote-control planes, his interest turned to the drone as a business opportunity.

Ouimet’s initial purchase was a DJI Phantom quadcopter by GoPro, followed by a second. He up-fit each of them with a high-definition camera

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Mike Ouimet, president and owner of Aerial Captures

situated on a gyroscope with a gimbal (mechanisms that hold the camera fast to the drone, and provide tilt and orientation control), GPS Call Home, a compass and Live First-Person ground control. Each unit weighs under two pounds and has a range of a mile-anda-half or so.

While still utilizing the Phantoms, Ouimet says, “We’ve actually upgraded to a larger, more professional, unit – an octocopter. It flies autonomously.

One person will actually fly the drone, the second person operates the gimbal.

We can set a flight path, we have more control and it’s more stable.”

Ouimet has found the high-end real estate market to be a good fit for his company. “One of the things we’ve been trying to work on is community, finding a way to promote that for the customer and home buyers, to show the vastness (of a property). A few pictures can’t portray that. And we can accomplish it in about 60 seconds,” he says.

The construction industry, Charlotte Motor Speedway, vacation real estate and large events like Tough Mudder are also part of Aerial Captures’ portfolio.

“Part of our challenge is to plant the idea with people, try to get them to look at things a little differently,” Ouimet says. “There are so many potential uses. I had a conversation with a relative in the oil and gas industry about surveying distant wells and hard-to-reach technologies.”

On a typical shoot, Ouimet and staff conduct a preflight check, surveying the area, looking for obstacles like trees and power lines, ensuring that the drone can get back safely and cementing the format of the video, which is recorded to a memory card inside the camera, then downloaded to a computer or transmitted via Wi-fi.

Aerial Captures can either ship the raw files to their clients or provide postproduction with music, graphics, stills, etc.

“Then we go through preflight checks with the device, make sure the connections look good and the mechanical functions are working properly,” Ouimet adds. We each have a controller – one pilots the drone, the other controls the camera. We adhere to all safety aspects and can program the flight path using Google Maps or Google Earth. We import the flight

path into an application and send the information to the drone.”

While average battery life ranges from ten to 15 minutes of uninterrupted flow, flight duration and battery life also depend on the weight of the drone, the size of the batteries and the model. “With two monitors, we always maintain line-of-sight, always see the device. That’s an FAA regulation,” Ouimet says.

Ahhh, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). By definition, as the “national aviation authority of the United States, an agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of American civil aviation.”

This authority includes drones and has become a much-talked-about current events topic. Talk, however, is where the regulations still linger. Even with a September 2015 congressional deadline, it’s likely the FAA won’t have their ducks in a row by then. North Carolina, though, is among 14 states

that have passed statewide legislation.

The following is an excerpt from the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) website. “North Carolina enacted SB 744 creating regulations for the public, private and commercial use of UAVs. The new law prohibits any entity from conducting UAV surveillance of a person or private property and also prohibits taking a photo of a person without their consent for the purpose of distributing it. The law creates a civil cause of action for those whose privacy is violated.

“The law enables law enforcement to use UAVs pursuant to a warrant, to counter an act of terrorism, to oversee public gatherings or gather information in a public space. The bill creates several new crimes: using UAVs to interfere with manned aircraft, a class H felony; possessing an unmanned aircraft with an attached weapon, a class E felony; the unlawful fishing or hunting with UAVs, a class "

April 2015 9 n

1 misdemeanor; harassing hunters or fishermen with a UAV, a class 1 misdemeanor; unlawful distribution of images obtained with a UAV, a class 1 misdemeanor; and operating a UAV commercially without a license, a class 1 misdemeanor. The law addresses launch and recovery sites of UAVs, prohibiting their launch or recovery from any state or private property without consent.”

“Airspace is where the most concern is,” Ouimet says. “There is just cause for concern for guys like us trying to make a business from this. The guys on YouTube are idiots, ruining it for the rest of us.”

Ouimet is, of course, referring to hobbyists who feel compelled to disregard safety and privacy, instead opting for the thrill of flying a drone higher than 400 feet, less than five miles from airports and groups of people, in commercial airspace or over the invisible line of personal privacy – all restricted. Another concern is the

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potential for illegal use of drones, as in transporting drugs, carrying weapons or explosives, and voyeurism.

While the FAA has granted exemptions to businesses that use drones for pest control (with regard to crops), for real estate photography and the motion picture industry, it also documented 193 cases of drones flying too close to planes, buildings or people over a 10-month period in 2014.

“Exemption is paid for and some companies have received it,” Ouimet says. “They have received exemption because their pilots have a pilot’s license. We actually had a conversation with the local field office and met local FAA officials. We established a good rapport and they were very accommodating. We received a lot of information. They aren’t going to give anyone authorization (to fly), but open conversation is good.”

So, what kind of price tag can be put on privacy? Drone enthusiasts

are enjoying the drop in price for models on Amazon that cost anywhere from about $50 equipped with a camera to thousands of dollars for more sophisticated models. Violators of current regulations can be fined $10,000, but they have to be caught first.

“Using New York City’s saying, ‘See something, say something,’ it will take the vigilance of people to report what they believe to be improper (drone) use,” Ouimet says. “There’s a lot of hype and a lot of scare. The risk ends up being that people will falsely think – will perceive – that something illegal is being done.

“We’re very sensitive about the perception of people as to what we’re doing. Sure, we received the okay to be there, but we’re cognitive of what people think. One specific example is when we do residential shoots; we always fly a smaller unit that appears to be less threatening.”

And in December 2013, Amazon announced that it was developing drone technology in the hopes of delivering lightweight local orders in 30 minutes from its fulfillment centers. However, logistics like having enough pilots to man the drones and occupation of dense, urban air space are hindering progress. Many see drone technology not being at a level yet to make this feasible.

“Amazon? I think, frankly, no.

I think the driverless cars will come about before you have these autonomous flights dropping packages at your door,” Ouimet says.

It’s inconceivable to think that drone technology won’t continue to advance.

The sky, truly, is the limit and the potential for businessmen like Ouimet is huge. As with all modern, neverbefore-seen innovations, it’s a learn-asyou-go process that will eventually see logical safeguards implemented. Until then, it just may be a bumpy ride.

For more information about Aerial Captures, visit their website at www.aerialcaptures.com. n

Breaking Bread cabarrus magazine is happy to feature personal CHEF CAMILLA FERGUSON. she WILL BE BRINGING ONE OF HER OWN RECIPES TO CABARRUS MAGAZINE READERS EACH MONTH, so Bon Appetit!

Fire-Roasted Tomato Bisque INGREDIENTS 1/2-stick butter 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced 1 celery stalk, diced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 Tbsp. flour 4 cups chicken broth

Two 14 1/2-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 tsp. sugar 1/4-cup heavy cream Salt and fresh cracked pepper Croutons for topping, if desired

DIRECTIONS Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are just beginning to brown – about five minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir over low heat for about a minute, until flour is cooked through. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar, and bring to a low boil. Cover partially and cook the soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

If using an immersion blender, blend until smooth, add cream and warm through, but do not boil. If using a blender, transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Work in two batches and be careful to let steam escape. Return to the saucepan, add the heavy cream and warm. Add salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons if desired. Serves four.

Cami Ferguson has a passion for food that was developed at an early age.

As a child, she watched her grandmother make homemade Italian specialties as well as her dad cooking “Southern soul food.” Between the two, she learned a lot about different culinary styles. Her horizons were further broadened and tweaked by her exposure to a large variety of global cuisines during her extensive travels. She has turned all of those experiences into one joyous profession.

As a personal chef, Ferguson performs a variety of services for individuals, couples, families and small groups. She encourages everyone to enjoy quality time over intimate dinners with family or friends without the stress of planning, shopping, preparing, pick-up or cleanup, and can design menus – from basic to elegant – to satisfy many individual tastes, needs and budgets.

Chef Ferguson can be reached at 704-330-9321, CamillaFerguson@ gmail.com or at her website: www.CuisineByCami.com. n

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Brian Cesca, general manager of DataChambers’ Kannapolis location, stands in front of a rack of network gear.

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By Kim Cassell

The Cloud: Virtually Limitless There are some misconceptions as to what cloud technology really is, how it works and how secure it is.

The term cloud was actually coined in the 1990s by telecommunications companies that needed a symbol to represent the various shared networks that were part of the virtual private network (VPN) services they were offering at the time. A cloud was drawn around each of the networks in the system. For example, the home office networks to a regional office as well as to a remote laptop computer. Each of these locations was designated as a cloud; however, it was not a term used by the general public.

Today’s cloud technology is a virtual environment that allows a business to forego the purchase of a physical computer server within their location. Instead, high speed Internet over fiber-optics allows each employee to access the data and software they need – like Microsoft Word or Office – from a server at a remote location that’s being managed by an IT service company.

Brian Cesca is general manager for DataChambers’ new location in Kannapolis at the NC Research Campus. There, they’ve built a 50,000-square-foot data center that joins locations in Winston-Salem and Raleigh.

“I initially came to pitch the NCRC to do business with us in Winston-Salem,” Cesca says. What he learned was that David H. Murdock, founder of the NCRC, had always envisioned a data center in Kannapolis.

“Innovation is driven through technology at the NCRC,” Cesca explains.

“Academics and companies here are in line with us and the services we offer. "

April 2015 13 n

DataChambers has built a 50,000-square-foot data center in downtown Kannapolis at the NC Research Campus.

The end product of what they do is health and human sciences, and that produces huge amounts of data. That data needs to be supported.”

With that, a company’s information can be taken from a physical server and transferred to sit on a virtual server (cloud) within their data center if that is the best infrastructure model to support the company’s need. From cloud perspective, DataChambers offers private cloud environment and management to just about any size company, but it has to be a good fit.

Before migrating to a cloud, is the company looking to reduce hardware

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purchasing costs? Is there a time of year when workload skyrockets and there’s a need for more server space? How security-sensitive is the company’s data?

Private clouds are those that are built solely for one business or organization.

Only those within the business have access to the information on their cloud. Applications (platforms) are built onto the server with the amount of storage space limited only by the configuration of hardware purchased. If more space is needed, more hardware can be bought, platforms added and multiple clouds interconnected.

“Picture a single customer sitting

behind a firewall. (A firewall is defined as a part of a computer system or network that is designed to block unauthorized access while permitting in and out communication to the server.) Others sit on a public bandwidth. In our environment, a client can access their data through a secure firewall in a dedicated private cloud, then migrate back through the firewall to access the Internet,” Cesca explains.

Mike Ouimet, founder and president of Wincourse Technologies in Concord, began his business in 2005. “My history was in providing cloud services to healthcare with a company that collected and stored analytical data for hospitals around the country. They compared themselves to their peer hospitals: costs, procedures, efficiencies.

They were storing their data in a hybrid cloud. We managed it and the hospitals had access to their data. It was exclusive to the FDA and hospitals.”

Hybrid clouds are two or more clouds that, while separate, are joined when certain data or platforms are shared. Wikipedia says, “For example, an organization may store sensitive client data in-house on a private cloud application, but interconnect that application to a business intelligence application provided on a public cloud as a software service.”

Ouimet, who started building his own cloud infrastructure from the ground up and houses it in a data center – he calls it a hotel for servers – in Charlotte, says, “The cloud is not one thing. How you’re going to retrieve that information falls across the board.

You’ve got Salesforce, Dropbox and Gmail. Each does something different.

Salesforce is a sales arm tool that’s used to track leads and conversations with customers. Dropbox is about storage of your files. Gmail is email. They all look very different from each other. The look of a cloud depends on what service you’re receiving out if it.”

Those utilizing wireless communications: a DSL line, smart

phone or GPS are on, yet, a third type of cloud – public clouds. These are available to the general public. “Your phone accesses a server somewhere, the data goes to a satellite and then to a person’s location,” Cesca explains.

The concern with public clouds is the lack of security. “If you put your information into a public cloud without proper protection, you can expose your data to security breaches where hackers or virures can go in and access or corrupt your data. Even saving pictures…don’t save them on a cloud.

There are breach opportunities in there,” Cesca says.

So while there are distinct advantages to moving to a cloud for one’s business – no up-front hardware costs, less maintenance, users can access the system from anywhere using a Web browser, and applications and upgrades don’t have to be installed on each employee’s computer – there can be a down side…security breaches.

Hackers are hitting computer systems with viruses that can do major damage in a short amount of time.

“Hackers and viruses are very similar to steroids in athletics. There is always someone looking to cheat the system,” Cesca says. “Ultimately, the security market becomes very reactive. As more firewalls and security are bolstered, there are others creating new viruses trying to get around it. Your goal is to be as secure as possible, to the best of your ability with the technology available.”

“We have to be proactive and "

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April 2015 15 n

handle it as it happens, put good processes in place. But I don’t think you can 100 percent eliminate it. It starts from the inside,” Ouimet adds.

And it’s probable that the security issues lurking around public clouds are affecting the mindset of those considering hybrid or private clouds.

“A lot of companies are looking at the security questions revolving around cloud technology while the general (public) cloud environment tells them their data is secure. Until the public cloud environment can handle security, the business community won’t use it,” Cesca says. “The cloud will always be defined by the business purpose.”

Redundancy might aid in a company’s decision to ultimately go to a cloud. Referring to their Kannapolis facility, Cesca says, “We’ve built redundancy around electrical power with multiple lines through the entire infrastructure. We have access to multiple communication carriers.

If Windstream is down, the email will

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automatically route through another fiber carrier. We want to ensure your data is available 100 percent of the time, day or night. We’ve done that through the physical hardening of our data center. Remember Hurricane Hugo? We built our new data center building to withstand a natural disaster bigger than Hugo.”

“Security is a huge part of what we do,” Ouimet adds. “The first notion is that if it can happen to them, it can happen to us.” And he provides an example.

“We have had a customer whose employee got a computer virus that scanned their systems. It impacted that user only. If there was not a cloud, but a server on the premises, it could have been worse. We’re small and nimble and not on a big radar. We’re not in a huge public cloud that gets managed, like a Fortune 100 company with huge silos.”

“Most security breaches that occur come from within the company,” Cesca

says. “One of the common safeguards is that you change your password every 30 days. Most hackers don’t try to attack systems directly, but through the weakest point of exposure.”

This is a mind-reeling technology that takes some time to comprehend.

It’s safe to say that as businesses outgrow their computer system capabilities, they’ll look more toward reliable third-party data management.

If you’re thinking about transferring your business to a cloud, look for an IT service company that’s SSAC 16compliant. This regulation was created by the Auditing Standards Board (ASB) of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

It’s a watchdog that monitors service companies, including IT. For more information and to get questions answered by the experts, visit www.datachambers.com and www.wincourse.com. n

Give Me Shelter THERE ARE SEVERAL ANIMAL RESCUES IN CABARRUS COUNTY, USUALLY PAST CAPACITY, FILLED WITH ADOPTABLE DOGS, CATS AND MORE!

The saying goes, “People that say money can’t buy you happiness have never paid an adoption fee.” These are the faces of the abandoned, neglected and abused, and they’re looking for that second chance. If you’re looking for a furry family member, please consider pet adoption.

St. Paul, two years old, came to us as a pretty frightened boy. In the time since, he’s really blossomed.

He can be unsure of other cats until he knows they mean him no harm, but he’s come a long way and has been waiting very patiently for a forever home.

Please come visit him at Princeton’s Meow today!

Weasel (funny name for a nice cat), right, does not fit his name at all. At three years old, he is the sweetest guy with a great personality who loves to play. He is really patient when meeting new kitties and quickly makes friends due to his laid-back personality. He is sure to be a great fit in any home and can be seen at Princeton’s Meow! Both boys are neutered and upto-date on vaccines.

Princeton’s Meow – Cabarrus Humane Society’s Cat Facility 29 Brookwood Avenue N.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-721-6369 www.cabarrushumanesociety.org

AIDEN is a big, beautiful, adult boy who loves to cuddle. He can be dominant with other cats but generally gets along with everyone. With that steel-blue fur and intense green eyes, he will charm you! Aiden is neutered and up-to-date on his vaccinations.

Come see him at Kitty City!

Kitty City 36 Union St. S., Concord, NC 28025 704-795-5219 www.ckittycityconcord.org

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Anyone who uses a computer connected to the Internet is susceptible to the threats that computer hackers and predators pose.

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By Kim Cassell

Computer Hacking: A Game of Cat and Mouse Some are calling 2014 the year of the hacker.

And while companies like JPMorgan Chase, Sony, Home Depot, Target, Michaels and Neiman Marcus make the news when a cyber-security breach Takes place, small businesses and individuals are not immune.

Webroot.com defines hackers as, “Unauthorized users who break into computer systems in order to steal, change or destroy information, often by installing dangerous malware without your knowledge or consent. Anyone who uses a computer connected to the Internet is susceptible to the threats that computer hackers and predators pose. These online villains typically use phishing scams, spam email or instant messages and bogus websites to deliver dangerous malware to your computer and compromise your computer security.”

Phishing is, “The activity of defrauding an online account holder of financial information by posing as a legitimate company,” and malware is, “Software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems.”

While hackers of a couple decades ago were often computer geeks who enjoyed showing the world what they were capable of and did minimal harm, today there are hacker gangs with the sole intention of – with regard to banking – stealing (and possibly selling) usernames/passwords, Social Security numbers, bank account information like PINs and to open bank accounts, make cash advances and set up credit cards.

Internationally, they’ve become proficient in learning and utilizing bank modus operandi: transferring money into fraudulent accounts, sometimes via e-payment systems, and automating ATM machines to dispense money at pre-set sites and times. "

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According to Bloomberg.com, “Most large breaches, such as Target’s, involve payment-card numbers, as those are of most immediate and easiest use for cyber-criminals who exploit the gap between when information is taken and when companies discover a breach to withdraw cash from ATMs and run up fraudulent charges before the cards are canceled. For cybercriminals, Social Security numbers are more useful in that they can be used to validate people to lenders, but they require the extra step of setting up new accounts, which some online crooks find too time-consuming and risky.”

The financial impact of the breaches that the aforementioned big-name companies experienced ran into the millions of dollars for each, but for Sony that only amounted to 0.9 percent to 2 percent of its expected 2014 sales. After Target’s expenses, insurance reimbursements and tax deductions (expenditures related to a cyber-breach are tax-deductible), its loss was just 0.1 percent of 2014 sales.

Home Depot fared about the same, less than 0.1 percent.

Small businesses, however, are hit harder…for two reasons. They may operate on a tight financial budget and they may not feel the need to invest in cyber-security. According to a 2013 National Small Business Association survey, 44 percent of small businesses in the U.S. have been cyber-attacked.

The cost to remediate averages $8,700 per business.

Unfortunately, the philosophy of “It won’t happen to me” is the exception rather than the norm in the virtual world. You receive an email message from someone you know. You open it up, not realizing (neither does the person who sent it) that it contains malware that has now invaded your computer system. It’s as simple as that.

And computer hackers are diversifying. They’re attacking the energy, healthcare and automotive industries as well as financial. Michael Rogers, director of the National 20 Cabarrus Magazine n

Security Agency (NSA), reported that, in 2012, the Department of Homeland Security “responded to 198 cyber incidents across critical infrastructure sectors, with 40 percent targeting the energy sector.”

In the area of healthcare, technologyreview.com says, “Medical records often contain both identification information – such as Social Security numbers – and financial information. This can be enough to build a near-complete picture of an individual. And such information can command hundreds of dollars from black-market customers wanting to impersonate someone for the purpose of accessing bank accounts or drug prescriptions.”

In February, Anthem Inc. – a large U.S. health insurer – called in the FBI to investigate a cyber-attack that saw hackers stealing information: names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, medical IDs, street and e-mail addresses, and income from thousands

Key Findings Highlights from the 2014 Internet Security Threat Report: • There was a 1% increase in targeted attack campaigns in 2013.

• There was a 62% increase in the number of breaches in 2013.

• More than 552 million identities were exposed via breaches in 2013.

• 23 zero-day vulnerabilities were discovered.

• 38% of mobile users experienced mobile cybercrime in the past 12 months.

• Spam volume dropped to 66% of all e-mail traffic.

• 1 in 392 e-mails contains a phishing attack.

• Web-based attacks are up 23%.

• 1 in 8 legitimate websites have a critical vulnerability.

Source: Symantec

of past and present customers and employees.

Another target is the automobile industry. With electronic and navigation systems, and now wireless technology incorporated, there’s a concern that hackers could infiltrate and override functions like acceleration, brakes, the horn, headlights and speedometer.

Wade Newton, Alliance of

Automobile Manufacturers spokesman, says, “The industry is in the early stages of establishing a voluntary automobile industry sector information sharing and analysis center – or other comparable program – for collecting and sharing information about existing or potential cyber-related threats.”

With a lack of cyber-security on so many fronts, the federal government is now getting in on the act, " continued on page 31

April 2015 21 n

By Jason Huddle

The Real CSI: Cyber With the evolution of cyber-crime in conjunction with that of the Internet, most U.S. police departments have cyber-crime teams that pursue cases coming to light. The Concord Police Department is no different.

David Matthew Hallman

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Led by Detective Avery Turner and Sergeant Brian Schiele, this team deals daily with those who choose to hide behind a computer to bully, steal or worse.

David Matthew Hallman was a Concord resident until 2013. Now he’s living in a federal prison where he is serving a 120-year sentence for four counts of production of child pornography.

“It was a case that began as an indecent liberties (with a minor) charge and quickly spiraled into a child pornography case,” Major Glenn Hatley explains.

He also works with the Cyber-crimes unit. Once the team – led at that time by Sergeant Brian Kelly, the Concord Police Department’s first computer forensic investigator – was able to obtain the computer equipment Hallman had attempted to dispose of, they found a cache of child pornography, some of which included Hallman himself committing the crimes.

“It was a case where we had him collecting the material, producing the material and distributing it as well,” Turner adds.

Initially, Hallman attempted to run, but he was quickly apprehended thanks to, ironically, the help of the Internet. Faced with the overwhelming evidence against him, he pled guilty and was sentenced to 1,440 months in prison. His codefendant, Mary Freda Williams, was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Although this was an extreme case, cyber-crimes, which are technically anytime the Internet is used to commit crimes, are becoming more and more popular. While many of us have received the e-mail from an African ambassador wanting to wire money to us, or the one where we’ve won a lottery and need to pay $5,000 in order to receive millions, most of those cases involve a perpetrator that isn’t located in the U.S., and is, thus, outside the jurisdiction of local police. They can be pursued on a federal level, but often aren’t, due to a lack in manpower.

What Turner describes as a huge local problem is cyber-stalking and cyber-bullying, especially among school-aged children. “They use apps like Kik and Skype to bully and stalk their victims,” he says. “These things don’t require data usage, only a Wi-fi connection, which you can get almost anywhere.”

Yes, these criminals can literally commit the crime from wherever they are, but the Internet leaves a digital fingerprint that includes the IP address

Revenue Service (IRS). Someone logged on from, the sites visited and e-mail accounts used. Therefore, unless claiming to be an employee of the IRS calls an unsuspecting victim and the perpetrators have the money to tells them they owe the IRS money. purchase the technology to combat They’re instructed to purchase “green this, chances are they will be caught. dot” money cards to send as payment.

Sadly, many of these perpetrators While the IRS would never phone an are still children themselves. “There is individual or use green dot cards as an a big problem with kids exchanging acceptable form of payment, there are exploitive pictures with each other those who still fall victim. through the Internet,” At the end of the day, Turner explains.

Turner says the best It is an epidemic that protection from any many police departments cyber-crime is to stop the are dealing with all over criminals before they have the country. Technically, a chance to start. “Check these cases are child your privacy settings. Know pornography cases that who’s on your friends list,” can carry heavy sentences, he says. “Don’t respond as with the Hallman Mary Freda Williams to people you don’t case. Under the law these know. Don’t visit websites you don’t children should spend time in prison, completely trust.” but how do you stop the onslaught Capt. Robert Ledwell, who also now that it’s rampant? That’s when assists Concord’s team, says, “In the the mission becomes concentrating on case of scams, always remember, ‘If it’s helping the victims. too good to be true, it probably is.’ ” n With tax season upon us, Turner wants to bring to light a popular scam that seemingly involves the Internal

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Mosquito Joe Now Servicing Cabarrus County

On the Go Synergy Office Suites in Concord Open for Business

Rick and Laura Tolbert are ready to rid mosquitoes from area yards and businesses. Having opened a Mosquito Joe franchise in Concord, their territory includes Cabarrus County.

“Following an assessment that includes foliage, trees and standing water on the property,” Rick says, “we use a synthetic pyrethrin product in backpack sprayers to treat the yard: foliage, mulch beds, the foundation, etc., and an all-natural solution for near gardens, pets and flowers.”

Service comes with a 100 percent guarantee for 21 days. Visit charlotte.mosquitojoe.com for more information and a free quote.

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Synergy Office Suites – located at The Old Creamery on the corner of Church and Peachtree – celebrated its grand opening with a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting last month. Mayor Scott Padgett and Chamber President and CEO Patrick Coughlin were among the attendees.

Included in the office suite monthly fee is shared access to high-speed Internet, a fully equipped conference room and a break room. Tenants will also have access to the outside courtyard and balcony. In addition, individual memberships will be available for business owners who do not require an office, but need access to the shared spaces and Wi-fi.

These premium Class A office suites range in size from 84 to 184 square feet, many with exposed brick and large windows. Three offices on the third floor loft area also have a door that leads to a private balcony.

The Old Creamery is just minutes from I-85 and less than a mile from historic downtown Concord. The campus also features a large parking lot to easily accommodate tenants and guests. If you are interested in more information about the suites, visit www.thecreameryconcord.com or call Harris Morrison Company (HMC) at 704-786-8888.

More Than 250 Chambers Urge Congress to Fund Transportation The Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce has joined more than 250 local, regional and state chambers of commerce urging Congress to resolve the impending insolvency of the federal Highway Trust Fund, and to pass a long-term federal transportation authorization bill.

Chambers of commerce know infrastructure investment is an important economic issue. Without a sustainable source of funding, the federal Highway Trust Fund will be in a deep deficit that will require major cuts, or potential halts, in highway and transit projects, which would jeopardize much-needed economic and job growth in our cities and regions.

“The Cabarrus Regional Chamber Board of Directors approved a public policy agenda that included transportation as a foundational element,” Patrick Coughlin, president and CEO, says. “We know a safe and reliable transportation network is vital to this region’s economic vitality. We need a reliable and sustainable source of funding to grow jobs and keep the country moving.”

Read the Chambers for U.S. Infrastructure Investment letter to Congress at acce.org/transportation.

Newby Becomes Lead Scientist for MURDOCK Study Eight years after she helped create Duke University’s health research project based at the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC), Kristin Newby, MD, MHS, has become the lead scientist for the MURDOCK Study. She replaces Rob Califf, MD, who has been named deputy commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco at the U.S. Food Dr. Kristin Newby, MD, MHS and Drug Administration.

With more than 11,200 people enrolled in the Community Registry and Biorepository, MURDOCK Study researchers are beginning to generate and analyze data from biological samples, which are stored in Kannapolis, as well as from health information provided each year by participants. In collaboration with the Dole Nutrition Research Institute, the David H. Murdock Research Institute and other partners at the North Carolina Research Campus, the MURDOCK Study during the next five years will increase its focus on studies of nutrition and the effects on health and illness of food and exercise, Newby says.

In the coming decade, Newby says she expects the MURDOCK Study to make major contributions to understanding the fundamental underpinnings and refined classification of health and disease, contributing to the discovery and development of new treatments and their targeted use. The MURDOCK Study will bring to fruition the promise of "precision medicine,” the concept that doctors will know how to use a person’s genetic, clinical, social and environmental characteristics to tailor prevention and treatment strategies to that patient’s unique characteristics and needs.

The MURDOCK Study has matured to the point that analyses are being initiated with the clinical data and biological samples that have been created.

Many research grants have been submitted to use the MURDOCK resources – clinical information and samples contributed by the participants – to better understand such common diseases as high blood pressure, memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, physical function and aging, coronary disease, kidney disease and cancer. n

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Contributed by the N.C. Research Campus

Research Goes Beyond Beakers to Bioinformatics Bioinformatics plays a critical role in scientific findings involving disease prevention and treatment, the creation of healthy food products, and new varieties of fruits and vegetables.

But you may be asking, “Bio what?”

“That’s the first question I always get,” Cory Brouwer, PhD, director of the UNC Charlotte Bioinformatics Services Division at the NC Research Campus (NCRC), remarks. “My answer is that bioinformatics is the use of computation to answer biological questions. Today, most biological studies produce vast quantities of data and multiple types of data. You can’t analyze them on a desktop computer. It takes expertise in bioinformatics.”

“Science isn’t just beakers and microscopes,” Garron Wright, MS, bioinformatics project leader at the NCRC’s David H. Murdock Research Institute (DHMRI), adds. “Those are tools people still use, but we’re taking computational tools to delve into raw data to find the trends, to do modeling and to do intensive analysis.”

Wright’s team works on projects as varied as environmentally-based cancers, hypertension and the long-term effect of high-fat diets on human genetics.

Since both DHMRI and UNCC are in the NCRC’s core laboratory building, they collaborate frequently. In fact, Brouwer’s group works with every campus research center on projects spanning nutrition and exercise, nutritional links to obesity, and diabetes and the effect of diet on cancer.

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Garron Wright, MS

Cory Brouwer, PhD

“Mapping the blueberry genome is another project we are involved in with NC State and our training and education program, the Plant Pathways Elucidation Project,” Brouwer says. “Most recently, we’ve been mapping pathways that are important for providing the nutrient qualities that we all want in blueberries.”

With so much data flowing, storage is necessary. DataChambers, a North State Communications company that specializes in information technology services, will expand storage capacity at the NCRC this spring when their 50,000-square-foot data center opens.

“Lots and lots of data is created

at this campus,” Nicholas Kottyan, president and CEO of DataChambers, comments. “They need a place to store that data. We offer the perfect opportunity with a secure center, and fiber-optic connectivity between our building and the other buildings.”

As a field, bioinformatics is still evolving. Brouwer points to the emerging field of individualized nutrition as an example. “Every one of us has slightly different nutritional needs based upon our genome,” he says. “We are developing the tools on this campus to address some of those needs, and get to the point where we can tell you that it would be good if you ate a little more

broccoli than someone else because of its nutritional qualities and your genome.”

Wright is working with scientists at DHMRI to improve bioinformatic approaches to metabolomics and proteomics; both fields are crucial to finding new ways to prevent and treat diseases.

“No matter the field bioinformatics is applied to,” Wright says, “we’re using computer science to more efficiently analyze data that, in many cases, is impossible to manage any other way.”

For more information, visit www.ncresearchcampus.net. n

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What’s Happening Business Expo April 1 • 2:00-6:00pm Embassy Suites - Charlotte/Concord Conference Center 5400 John Q. Hammons Dr., Concord • Exhibitors in a variety of industries, organizations and nonprofits; a new wine-tasting event • Danielle Sumrell: 704-260-8110; Coordinator@cabarrus.biz Bunny Run 5K & FESTIVAL April 4 • $20 Race Day registration Fun Run: 9:00am; 5K: 9:30am • Runs will begin and end on Means Avenue in downtown Concord • Awards given to overall male and female, and to the top three male and female finishers in each age group.

• 704-920-5619; www.concordparksandrec.org Charlotte Elite men’s minor league basketball April 4, 11, 18 • 3:00-5:00pm Cox Mill High School 1355 Cox Mill Road, Concord • A new minor league basketball team playing in the Tobacco Road Basketball League (TRBL) • Cabarrus and Mecklenburg County high school and college stars who have gone on to play professionally, domestically and abroad • www.elite.trblproball.com Piedmont Farmers Market April 4, 11, 18, 25; May 2 9:00am-12:00pm 518 Winecoff School Road, Concord • Open year-round. Fresh local produce, honey, free range eggs, antibiotic- and hormone-free beef, chicken and pork • www.piedmont-farmersmarket.com

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AUTO FAIR April 9-12 Charlotte Motor Speedway 5555 Concord Parkway S., Concord • Brings together thousands of automobiles, collector car auctions, 10,000 vendor spaces, a massive manufacturer midway and a kids’ play zone.

• Tickets: $10 each day for adults and free for children 13 and under • 704-455-3200; www.charlottemotorspeedway.com Kannapolis Arts Showcase April 10 • 7:00-9:00pm • FREE Sunshine’s Asian Cuisine 215 West A Street, Kannapolis • Artists are invited to come out with two to three pieces of their work. Share and discuss your work with other local artists. Please be ready by 7pm.

April 19 • 3:00-5:00pm • FREE 1.2.7 Family Worship Center 127 Cabarrus Ave. W., Concord • Potluck dinner and Arts Showcase • Artists are asked to bring their work; also looking for singers, dancers and performers to showcase their talent.

• Free set-up inside church and on lawn.

• Michael Knox: 828-231-5037; mknox@modernfilmsine.com; www.kannapolisarts.com Kannapolis Cruise-In April 11 • 3:30-9:00pm Downtown Kannapolis • This family-fun event is free to the public and brings out thousands of show cars and spectators.

• 704-932-3808; www.downtownkannapolis.org

Spring Jam Open House April 11 • 2:00-4:00 pm Little Learners Child Development Center 120 Robinson Avenue, Harrisburg • Face painting, games and fun for the whole family • Tours of the beautiful new center • 704-456-7398; www.littlelearnerscdcinc.com Walk MS: Modern Automotive Cabarrus April 11 • 9:00-11:00am • FREE North Carolina Research Campus 150 N. Research Campus Dr., Kannapolis • Connects people living with MS and those who care about them. Raises funds for programs and research.

• Check-in at 9am; walk starts at 10am • 704-525-2955; www.walknct.nationalmssociety.org The Cabarrus Quilt Guild April 13 • Doors open at 6:00pm Forest Hills Methodist Church 265 Union Street N., Concord • The “Pizza Girls” from Quilters Gallery return with trunk show and sale of great fabrics and tools.

• April 14 workshop featuring the 15 Degrees ruler chamber Business After Hours April 14 • 5:30-7:00pm Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau 10099 Weddington Road, Concord • Members are FREE; non-members are welcome three times per year: first visit is free, second and third visits are $10.

• Chemin Duffey: 704-260-8110

SPECIAL OLYMPICS SPRING GAMES April 15-16 Cabarrus Arena & Events Center 4751 Highway 49 N., Concord • Emily Riley: 704-454-7300 (W) 704-490-8036 (C); emily.riley@cabarrus.k12.nc.us Cabarrus Christian Women’s Connection April 16 • 9:30am • $15 Cabarrus Country Club 3247 Weddington Road, Concord • MAC House Program Manager Pam Smith. Mother and Children’s Housing Ministry (MAC House) is an emergency and transitional housing program for mothers with pre-adolescent children who have become or are in eminent danger of being homeless. Please bring new cleaning and paper products to help with this ministry.

• Guest speaker: Brenda Rogers of Anderson, SC. Founder of Samaritan Women Ministries, hear her testimony: Finding True Love.

• Special Brunch Music: Libby Morrison • Complimentary nursery • For reservations (April 13 deadline) and information, contact Barbara at 704-786-2722 or barb1960@ windstream.net.

Sponsored by the Cabarrus Christian Women’s Connection, an affiliate of Stonecroft Ministries Sun-Dried Vibe April 16 • 7:30-9:30pm • $15 Davis Theatre 65 Union St. S., Concord • South Carolina’s 2012 and 2013 Rock Band of the Year, this trio brings a fresh new twist to the reggae/rock genre.

• 704-920-2753; www.cabarrusartscouncil.org North Carolina Science Festival - STEM Open House April 17 • 9:00am-12:00pm • FREE Rowan-Cabarrus Community College North Carolina Research Campus 399 Biotechnology Lane, Kannapolis • A fun, interactive event for the community showcasing the college’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs.

• Dozens of interactive exhibits for kids and adults of all ages • 704-216-7222; www.ncsciencefestival.org

Women’s Conference & Appreciation Event April 17 • 9:00am-3:00pm Concord First Assembly Annex (Big Lots parking lot) • Women in business can choose a full or partial day of education and mentorship, learning how to “Increase Your Personal Power.”

• Author and speaker, Denise Ryan • Panel discussion of dynamic and successful women in business • Speed mentoring • Exhibitor booths, lite bites, door prizes • Danielle Sumrell: 704-260-8110; Coordinator@cabarrus.biz North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Rhythm & Run 5K April 18 • 8:00-11:00am 600 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis • Cash prizes for top finishers, awards, prize drawings, live music and a halfmile fun run for the kids!

• All proceeds go to the NCMHOF Museum to continue the preservation of NC’s great musical heritage.

• 704-934-2320; 5k.northcarolinamusichalloffame.org HERITAGE DAY April 25 • 10:00am-4:00pm Reed Gold Mine 9621 Reed Mine Road, Midland • Come join in the fun as we celebrate and highlight the traditions and growth of the Southern Piedmont.

• 704-721-4653; www.nchistoricsites.org Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Festival April 25 • 12:00-4:00pm • FREE West Avenue, Downtown Kannapolis • Dancers, musicians, painters, authors, pottery makers, craft makers, poets, clowns, jugglers, artists and more in a fun, family-friendly street festival • 828-231-5037; www.facebook.com Kannapolis Arts Food Truck Rally April 25 • 12:00-4:00pm At the Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Festival West Avenue, Downtown Kannapolis • Celebrate the culinary arts with five different food trucks and a dessert truck gathered for a food truck rally.

• Candy crawl • www.facebook.com

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY April 25 • All Day Historic Downtown Concord • Make a purchase at any participating business and enter into a drawing for $100 in Downtown Concord Dollars to be spent in participating businesses.

Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues May 1 • 8:00-10:00pm • $26 Davis Theatre 65 Union St. S., Concord • Mac Arnold’s first band had James Brown on piano. He followed that up by recording with Muddy Waters, Otis Spann and John Lee Hooker. Now, by popular demand, the blues legend and his band are back.

• 704-920-2753; www.cabarrusartscouncil.org RELAY FOR LIFE OF CABARRUS COUNTY May 2 • 11:00am Cabarrus Arena & Events Center 4751 Highway 49 N., Concord • The world’s largest and most impactful fundraising event to end cancer. It unites communities across the globe to celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and take action to finish the fight once and for all.

• www.relay.acsevents.org Rotary Square Farmers Market May 2, 2015, 8:00am-12:00pm • FREE 120 Union St. S., Concord • Cabarrus County’s newest farmers market is open for business. Fresh local fruits and vegetables, free range eggs, antibiotic- and hormone-free beef, chicken and pork available.

• 704-425-5559; www.piedmont-farmersmarket.com Spring Into Arts Festival May 2 • 10:00am-4:00pm • FREE Union St., historic downtown Concord • A family fun-filled day with children’s activities, juried art show, street performers and much more!

• 704-784-4208; www.concorddowntown.com n

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At a Glance Automotive Sales

Cleaning Services – Residential

IT Service Companies

Ben Mynatt Family of Dealerships Page 9 281-289 Concord Parkway S., Concord, NC 28027 (704) 786-2151 (Cadillac) (704) 788-2121 (GMC) www.benmynatt.com

The Maids Page 23 308 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025 704-793-1982 www.themaidsofconcordnc.com

DataChambers Page 21 465 Charles Babbage Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081 704-935-3548 www.datachambers.com

Automotive Spas/Maintenance

Community Relations

Office Space for Lease

Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce Page 3 3003 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28083 704-782-4000 www.cabarrus.biz

The Old Creamery at Church and Peachtree Page 25 363 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025 704-786-8888 www.harrismorrison.com

Dentists

Personal Injury Attorneys

Ferguson & Associates, DDS Page 23 244 LePhillip Court, Concord, NC 28025 704-786-8317 www.demandforced3.com/dentist/12865

Personal Injury Attorney Network 800-807-7316

Splash Auto Spa/Certec Automotive Page 15 2215 Roxie Street, Kannapolis, NC 28083 704-795-2426 • 800-264-6823 www.splashautospa.net www.certecautomotive.com

Banking Services Wells Fargo Page 15 400 Ashdale Court, Concord, NC 28027 1501 S. Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28083 50 Union Street, Concord, NC 28025 984 Concord Parkway N., Concord, NC 28027 5075 Highway 49S., Harrisburg, NC 28075 704 N. Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28083 216 West Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28081 868 Church Street, Concord, NC 28025 1-800-946-9524 www.wellsfargo.com

Business Development Concord Downtown Development Corporation Page 10, 14 30 Cabarrus Avenue W., Concord, NC 28025 704-784-4208 • 704-784-2421 (f) www.concorddowntown.com

Child Development Centers Little Learners Page 3 120 Robinson Avenue, Harrisburg, NC 28075 704-456-7398 www.littlelearnerscdcinc.com

Churches New Hope Worship Center Page 20 452 BrookwoodAvenue N.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-786-0155 www.newhopewc.org

Cleaning Services – Office Blu-J Page 27 51 Union Street S., Concord, NC 28025 704-589-3148

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Dentists – Pediatric Concord Pediatric Dentistry 5641 Poplar Tent Road, Ste. 201 Concord, NC 28027 704-795-2300 • 704-795-2301 www.doclong.com

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Pharmacies Harrisburg Hometown Pharmacy Page 20 5006 Highway 49 S., Harrisburg, NC 28075 704-454-RX4U (7948) www.harrisburgpharmacy.com

Photographers

Entertainment/Hobbies Jiggy with the Piggy May 8-9: Downtown Kannapolis 704-699-1702 www.jiggywiththepiggy.com

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Financial/Lending Institutions Southern Select Community Credit Union Page 21 169 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28081 704-734-2300 275 Branchview Drive S.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-795-0088 www.SouthernselectCCU.com

Funeral Homes Wilkinson Funeral Home Page 23 100 Branchview Dr. N.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-786-3168 www.wilkinsonfuneralhome.com

General Surgeons The Piedmont Surgical Clinic, PA Page 31 431 Copperfield Boulevard, Concord, NC 28025 704-786-1104 www.piedmontsurgical.com

Michael A. Anderson Photography Page 16 38 Union Street S., Concord, NC 28025 704-701-5908 mike@michael-a-anderson.com www.michael-a-anderson.com

Print & Technology Services Modern Impressions Page 9 5029 West W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269 800-840-2554 www.modernimpressions.com

Professional Sports Kannapolis Intimidators P.O. Box 64, Kannapolis, NC 28082 704-932-3267 www.intimidatorsbaseball.com

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Research & Education North Carolina Research Campus Page 8 600 Laureate Way, Ste. 101, Kannapolis, NC 28081 704-250-5436 www.ncresearchcampus.net

Testing & Research Spectrum Discovery Center Page 16 222 Oak Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28081 704-250-1200 www.spectrumdiscoverycenter.com n

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announcing in February that a new agency will be formed to oversee what President Obama hopes will be tougher laws directed at hackers as well as tighter cyber-security regulations.

This new agency would report to the director of National Intelligence.

And last month, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) voted the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 through committee.

Co-sponsored by SSCI Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), it “creates additional incentives to increase sharing of cyber-security threat information while protecting individual privacy and civil liberties interests and offering liability protection to the private sector.” It now goes to the Senate.

According to Tom Risen with U.S. News & World Report, “A lack of network vigilance by companies is a major gap in America’s cyber-threat defenses. PricewaterhouseCoopers’

2014 U.S. State of Cyber-crime Survey revealed that many American companies had not taken important steps to protect themselves. What’s more, nearly half of U.S. adults had personal information stolen during late 2013 and early 2014, according to a separate study by cyber-security research firm, the Ponemon Institute.”

So, what steps can businesses take to protect themselves and their customers…us? USA Today offers some suggestions: • Hire computer security consultants to evaluate computers and websites, and suggest ways to protect them.

• Buy insurance to cover financial losses. Premiums can be as low as $1,000 a year for $1 million in coverage.

• Install free anti-virus and antimalware software, available online.

Also add firewalls, which block attempts to access.

• Make sure e-mail is secure by using an e-mail provider that has proper security systems.

• Avoid having customers’ credit card information stolen by using a separate company to process orders.

The company should guarantee that its systems are secure.

• Use a service that helps weed out fraudulent credit card transactions.

Unfortunately, financial institutions – some of the biggest spenders in cyber-security – are presently getting the short end of the stick. Called moral hazard, when companies like Home Depot experience a breach, it’s the banks and credit unions that have to pay for the replacement of credit and debit cards. Credit unions spent $60 million in September 2014 replacing customers’ cards (those who had shopped at Home Depot).

Overall, the business sector is spending roughly $25 billion in cyberprotection and that’s bound to keep increasing as hackers become even more sophisticated. It’s recommended that even small business take heed… before it’s too late. Consumers depend on it. n

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