Disaster Recovery Journal

Recent news headlines regarding Sony’s PlayStation data breach continue to (or should) draw attention to the enormous impact a data breach can have on an organization and its customers.  With the current financial loss conservatively estimated at $171 million, Sony’s data breach provides a great lesson to other organizations thinking about information security and data breach response.  This blog post provides a primer on data breaches and the subsequent response needed in the event that certain information falls into the wrong hands. 

Introduction

Given the recent data theft at Epsilon, a marketing and communications provider to some of the country's largest companies, I'm assuming that many managers walked into a meeting this morning with an agenda similar to the following: 

As you may have heard, DRJ Spring World 2011 has gone mobile.  This morning, I downloaded the free Conventionist app for my iPad 2 and was instantly impressed at how the app organized and presented everything I need to know about DRJ Spring World:

• Interactive schedule of events that provides the ability to “add to my events” page and select event reminders
• Conference maps and floor plans
• To-do list that can capture tasks prior-to and during the conference
• Live Twitter feed that aggregates the #DRJSpring hashtag (see below)
• Exhibitor listing with organizational information and booth locations
• Key events listing that highlights general-admission events

Available for the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android devices, I think the Conventionist app will be an asset to conference attendees.  Not only will the app make planning to attend sessions and events easier, it will also make it easier to “go green” by eliminating paper waste.

I was recently reminded of the importance of business continuity policy statements and their direct impact on an organization's ability to meet key BC objectives.  These short, concise statements complement management involvement, set expectations and drive consistent performance.   

"iPhone 4. Verizon. It begins."  Just not right now.  Despite this proud statement on Verizon Wireless's (VZW) homepage yesterday, customers eager to upgrade to Apple's iPhone were instead greeted with "Sorry, an error has occured".  Spelling error and all, screenshots of the cell phone giant's homepage and messages of frustration quickly swept the web via social media.  For those customers who set their alarm for 3:00am ET to begin the pre-order process yesterday, it was just another frustrating setback in their quest to own an iPhone.

On Wednesday, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., released a letter he sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano raising concerns about PS-Prep.  

In his letter, Mr. Lieberman identified numerous concerns with PS-Prep including:

Just a few years ago, computer users were becoming familiar with terms such as virus, worm and spyware.  How old school.  Today, organizations and governments from around the world have turned their attention to Stuxnet, the world's first known cyber super weapon designed specifically to destroy a real-world target.  At first glance, Stuxnet is simply malware, a malicious software designed to secretly access a computer system.  Upon deeper analysis, however, Stuxnet is really the “weapon” of tomorrow that targets the SCADA software that runs critical infrastructure and manufacturing such as dams, electric grids, nuclear power plants, factories and refineries.

So, how does it work?  The virus does not spread through the Internet but requires a USB drive to be physically plugged into the computer, allowing it to attack machines that are disconnected from the Internet, usually in an effort to protect them. That requires human access to the affected systems. 

On August 28, Glen Bricker posted a blog entry regarding the massive IT failure in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Since then, I’ve used that situation on numerous occasions with clients as an object lesson and stimulus for action.  Today, if you are a member of Chase Bank, you’re probably experiencing first-hand the development of another BCDR story as their online banking site has been down since Monday evening.

With 16.5 millions customers who bank online (including myself) and boasting the title of America’s #2 bank, one would imagine that crisis management and communications would be on overdrive at Chase Bank.  However, external communication for more than one full business day seems to have been limited to a short message on the company’s consumer website: “Our website is temporarily unavailable. We’re working quickly to restore access. Please log on later”.  Only later on Tuesday did a company spokesperson make a statement: "We're working on restoring access.  In the meantime, we encourage customers to either call us at 800-935-9935 or go to a branch if they have immediate needs”.

If your morning routine always began with "L'eggo My Eggo", the great waffle shortage of 2009 probably left you missing that warm buttery and syrupy goodness.  Considering that Eggos account for nearly 70% of frozen waffles, the shortage was treated as nothing less than a national calamity.  With a flooded plant in Atlanta and broken bakery in Tennessee, Americans across the nation were left with empty freezers and a bad taste in their mouths when Kellogg Company was unable to produce some of their favorite breakfast foods.

A recent full-page ad in USA Today (see photo) prompted me to revisit the great waffle shortage of 2009, as it provides such a clear and tasty case for business continuity planning.  Heavy rains in October 2009 kicked-off Eggo's sabbatical from kitchen tables across the country.  One Kellogg spokesperson wrote "We are experiencing temporary Eggo supply constraints caused by a confluence of events [caused by] flooding at our Atlanta facility as well as equipment issues necessitating extensive enhancements and repairs at our largest waffle bakery facility."  As a result, Kellogg's added a banner to the top of their website that stated, "Some of your favorite Eggo products are out of stock nationally. We are working hard to fix this short-term issue".  Little did they know that "short-term" would actually become nine months.

If you currently use Twitter and attended DRJ's Spring World, you're probably familiar with the #drjspring hashtag that connected users throughout the conference.  If not, the following post will bring you up to speed on how you can actively engage with other conference attendees during Fall World 2010.

Did you find a DRJ Fall World 2010 seminar particularly mind-blowing?  #drjfall.  Are you upset because people in the room next door were up all night arguing about PS-PREP?  #drjfall.  Wondering which local bar everyone is heading to at 5:00?  #drjfall.  Now, with one simple "hashtag", participants of DRJ's Fall World 2010 will be able to communicate and network with one another before, during and after one of the largest business continuity and disaster recovery conferences.