Security … privacy does not mean you have something to hide.

It has been a while since I have considered discussing technical security as it tends to be a complicated topic that is not really important unless you are afraid of a force you don’t control.

Whether it is a government agency with dubious intentions, a personal secret you need to keep private or a virus that targets a universal weakness, the value of protecting data is much more important than most people consider on a day-to-day basis.

I want to present an example:

WhatApp.   Maybe some of you know it.  Many people use it daily or by the minute.  It seems personal because you hold it in your hands and message people to save money on SMS or because it is a fairly common, platform independent messaging platform for mobile devices.  Seems innocent enough… but did you know that anyone that is interested could impersonate and hijack your account?   For those that want to know the technical details or at least the specific details, look here.  “WhatsApp is broken, really broken.”  How important is this?

Well, just like many things with regard to technical innovation in society, when you begin to depend on it, it moves from a “luxury” to “utility”.  With over a Billion users worldwide.  It is not just a small security problem to have everyone’s person data.

iPhone’s/MacOS’s “iMessage” 

It seems that the messages sent via iMessage are quite a bit more secure than WhatsApp.  (iMessage Security: iMessage what security features are present) However, the practicality of the security and the access to a massive amount of data with a compromised AppleID is significant.  With the iMessage platform being available on your Mac(s) and your iPhone… and even to add to the detail that should someone startup a backup of your mac on a new device and have a login to your Mac with a your iMessage installed, they only need to start the application on your Mac to have access to a massive amount of your data not just future but previous.

Why do you care?  Why should you care?  The American Political System… that is just one very good reason to care. 

The Feinstein-Lee amendment to partially nullify the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA (which allows for Americans to be arrested and basically disappeared without due process) passed last week to much Demolishcrat sound bites about freedom, etc. Please note that Obama has threatened to veto this amendment, created by his own party, and even took the extreme measure of protecting those provisions last year by suing in federal court to make sure that they remained intact. *Seems some pesky do-gooders (Chris Hedges, Dennis Kucinich, and many other pinko liberal commies) had filed suit against the NDAA as being, wait for it… “unconstitutional and a law that codifies tyranny”.

But thank goodness that we have brave Demolishcrats like Feinstein and Lee to save us, eh? Only problem is, their amendment includes the following restriction:

“An authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority shall not authorize the detention without charge or trial of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States apprehended in the United States, UNLESS AN ACT OF CONGRESS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZES SUCH DETENTION.”

So the Feinstein-Lee amendment effectively nullifies its own purpose in nullifying the indefinite detention clauses of the NDAA because the NDAA is AN ACT OF CONGRESS that EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZES SUCH DETENTION. 

Clever, eh?? Similar to the recent Whistleblower Protection Act that Obama signed, which helps not at all Mr Manning or several NSA whistleblowers who have let the public know about gross waste of taxpayer money AND that what you say, tweet, email, or text, is recorded and saved by the security agencies. (16 or 17 agencies, at last count) According to one NSA agent….”everything you communicate, literally everything, is saved.”

Good luck, and good night. (Sweet dreams to you too, CIA, AFISRA, INSCOM, DIA, MCIA, NGA, NRO, NSA, ONI, OICI, I&A, CGI, FBI, DEA/ONSI, INR, TFI, and of course, the TSA.)

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• United States Department of Defense
  • Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISRA)
  • Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM)
  • Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
  • Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA)
  • National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
  • National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
  • National Security Agency (NSA)
  • Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)
• United States Department of Energy
  • Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (OICI)
• United States Department of Homeland Security
  • Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A)
  • Coast Guard Intelligence (CGI)
• United States Department of Justice
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of National Security Intelligence (DEA/ONSI)
• United States Department of State
  • Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR)
• United States Department of the Treasury
  • Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI)[6]

A start-up after 12 years?

What is a start-up?  What defines it?

I often explain to people that I work at a start-up.  Those who have asked, “How can a start-up last for 12 years?”, I have the answer in the form of a good quote for Eric Ries. “A start-up is a human institution designed to create something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty.”  This definition is far more accurate than a measurement of size or duration.  I have linked his Lean Startup talk here because while many people have seen it, not all know of it and you may find it useful.   I really like the way he describes his learning through failure and what it really all means.  There is certainly many ideas of entrepreneurship but learning from others and learning by doing seem to be one very effective university of the “pivot”.

One more thing…
If you don’t already know of the book and concepts of working through your business via a business model canvas. I suggest you look into it. I find the visual tool to be much more effective than a classic business plan.
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas/

“failure is the great equalizer for quality”

rgs

agustin

A thesis on Amazon and the monopsony

This thesis on Amazon’s ebook strategy and some background about the differences between monopoly and monopsony is quite a worthy read.

I consider it a very interesting speculation about the future of digital-rights management (DRM) in the wake of the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Apple and the ebook publishers.

http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2012/04/understanding-amazons-strategy.html

Additionally, you can see, from the level and volume of comments that the issue is hot one.

As the world of publishing is transformed, understanding the “chess game” will help people with having influence on the ultimate success.

Print from anywhere (almost) with Google Cloud Print

Let’s face it: the paperless office hasn’t really materialized for most of us, but if you do need to print from your phone, it just got a little easier. Google Cloud Print lets you connect a printer so that you can print to it from any computer or smartphone. There are a few caveats, of course, and some initial setup.

In Chrome, click on the “Tools” wrench icon at the top right and select options from the drop down menu; then select the tab called “Under the Hood” and enable Google Cloud Print using the button at the bottom. You’ll have to sign into your Google account, and then you should see a message saying that you’ve successfully enabled Cloud Print.

Now, if you open up your Gmail account in your phone, you should be able to print an email or attachment (.pdf or .doc), or a Google Docs file. Basically, you’re sending what’s already in the Google “cloud” to the printer that you’ve set up.

One important requirement: the Windows computer that you set the printer up on has to remain on.

Support for Mac and Linux systems is reported to be coming soon.

Is it worth it?

Remember the service is still in beta, which means there are bugs to be worked out – for example, it has problems with Gmail addresses that contain capital letters. It’s still fairly limited. But it’s worth a look, because it’s the start of something that’s going to expand and improve. After all, paper copies aren’t going anywhere for a while yet!

Have you tried Google Cloud Print? Did it work? Will you use it? Leave a comment to share your thoughts and experiences…

Steering your small business through the cloud

Part 1 of our new series aimed at helping small businesses get the most out of cloud computing

If you’ve heard a lot of noise about businesses moving into cloud computing over the past year, maybe you’ve wondered if “the cloud” is really for you. So far the discussion has been dominated by how medium-sized and larger enterprises should move IT resources into the cloud, with a focus on concerns about data security, vendor lock-in and service level agreements.

All valid points, but meanwhile, there hasn’t been so much talk about the advantages for small businesses. As most of our clients are SMEs, we have a particular interest in how they can benefit from cloud computing. In our experience, it doesn’t have to be a huge disruption to your working infrastructure. You can make small steps to take advantage of the new services available, while keeping your business stable and growing.

Working in the cloud: our experience

Over the past 18 months, we’ve moved more and more of our business applications “into the cloud”, using the latest online service offerings. The result? Well, we’re definitely working more efficiently and collaboratively than before. We can access and update real-time data from home or on the road. Our staff can submit their own expense claims for approval, and our clients are kept up to date with the information they need via our newsletters and mailing lists.

Having done it ourselves, we’re also in a better position to advise our customers what might be useful to them – and the pitfalls to look out for.

When you talk about cloud-based services, there is such a huge variety on offer:

• software as a service – subscription-based applications such as Salesforce.com for CRM or Xero for accounting;
• utility computing – file storage, backup and synchronisation (e.g. Dropbox);
• infrastructure as a service – taking your IT infrastructure and maintenance needs offsite and outsourcing them to a provider.

For now, we’ll look at the first point – software as a service – as a preliminary step into the cloud, and take an example of one online application that has changed the way we do business: Xero.

Is the pleasure all ours?

Online accounting program Xero’s slogan is “pleasure doing business”, and while not many people would put “pleasure” and “accounting” in the same sentence, this application has really lived up to expectations.

But wait a minute: financial data in the cloud – isn’t that a security risk? Shouldn’t I keep my data where I can keep an eye on it – on our own server in our own office?

Here’s where some of the benefits of online applications come in – if you choose wisely.

For one thing, well established online services like Xero can provide a level of security, redundancy, backup and support that would be hugely expensive and complex for a small business to provide for itself. Of course, you need to do some research before you choose to invest in a new service provider, but in this case, Xero is meeting stringent requirements from its banking partners, and offering frequent backups and 24-hour support (and we’ve used it – they’re great!).

Secondly, because you pay a monthly fee, there’s no substantial upfront investment, no upgrades to pay for, and no need to arrange onsite technical support visits. This makes software as a service very attractive for small businesses who need to keep on top of cash flow.

The downside? If you lose network access you won’t be able to get to your data. It’s a key issue for the cloud. If your internet service provider has a problem, you’ve got a problem. One cost-effective solution to this is to have a basic network connection with another provider as a backup. Export your data regularly. And remember to weigh up a few hours of internet downtime against a server crash and recovery.

This highlights a major point about cloud computing. It’s not all or nothing, and it’s not ideal for everyone’s needs all the time. You need to consider the pros and cons, and decide what’s going to work for you. That’s what we’re here for – to help you get the most benefit with minimal risk. After all, the cloud might be soft and fluffy but it’s can be tricky to see what’s ahead! It’s good to have help steering your way through it.

A few things to remember when considering software as a service for your company:

• Start small: moving into the cloud doesn’t mean disrupting your business, and it should always be led by what is right for you.
• Try before you buy: many online applications offer a free trial. It’s worth signing up for this to check that the service suits your needs and does what it promises. Just don’t forget to cancel the subscription if you decide not to continue.
• Check the small print: does the monthly fee dramatically increase after 6 months? Are you locked into a minimum contract term? Will you have to pay much more for add-on services?

In our next post: how cloud services have revolutionised the way we communicate with our clients.