Risk News

2/8/2012
Intelligence-Based Business Continuity

"There are two opposing approaches to social networking within the business continuity community. One approach advocates embracing social networking in business continuity, while the other stresses the tremendous risks associated with corporate mismanagement of social networking."

Annie's take:

There are dozens of articles appearing recently on the use of social media with emergency management. Here's the first of a multi-part article from Continuity Insights magazine that is worth reprinting.

2/7/2012
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate Shares 3 Lessons from 2011

"2011 was a memorable year for those of us in the emergency management field — and for the many Americans impacted by disasters."

Annie's take:

There's not much to add to what Craig Fugate says here, except to commend him for his inclusion of the whole community in recovery efforts after disasters.

2/6/2012
Facebook Is Using You

"Last week, Facebook filed documents with the government that will allow it to sell shares of stock to the public."

Annie's take:

This opinion piece from the New York TImes should cause everyone to think more carefully about what they post on Facebook.

2/3/2012
Innovations in Light

"People often write to Fixes telling us of cool new devices made for the poor:  the sOccket soccer ball that stores energy as children kick it; the neoprene LifeWrap that hospitals can use to save women hemorrhaging in childbirth; adjustable eyeglasses."

Annie's take:

I must admit we spend most of our time commenting here on issues around risk. Here is a thought piece on innovation that expands our notion of what is possible.

2/2/2012
Can you trust the cloud mega-companies with critical aspects of your business continuity?

"In December 2010 Google launched Message Continuity, a new cloud-based business continuity service for Microsoft Exchange enterprise users. Now, just over a year later, Google has announced the closure of the service, leaving hundreds of organizations with the headache of finding an alternative Microsoft Exchange business continuity service."

Annie's take:

Mr. Honour has identified a key risk, not just for cloud vendors, but with all vendors.

2/1/2012
As Web sites come and go, so too could the information you entrust them with

"As a flood of family photos, videos and holiday greetings hits the Internet this time of year, online users will be swarming the social-networking and photo-sharing sites that have become the personal scrapbooks of our time."

Annie's take:

The uncertain fate of data on the Megaupload platform makes this story even more relevant today. It appears that there will be an attempt to preserve the Megaupload data for at least several more weeks.