Did you buy stock in Facebook?

If you did, you may be able to get in on a lawsuit.

Facebook Inc. and its underwriters are being sued by investors over the public share offering due to a second day loss of 18% below the original offer price of $38 per share.

According to Business Insider, it turns out that “Facebook’s lead underwriters Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, and Goldman Sachs, all cut their earnings forecasts for the company in the middle of the IPO roadshow.”

To add insult to injury, information regarding the new lower estimate was only passed on to a handful of big investor clients, not everyone else who was considering an investment in Facebook.

Which means, Facebook’s IPO was never worth the reported $16 billion the company had set its sight on, valuing the incorporate at a total of $104 billion.

So what is Facebook actually worth? Today, it is trading for $31.95 a share, making its 421.2 million shares worth approximately $13.5 billion – still not too shabby, considering. That said, the stock’s value could slide further, putting it below the $30 mark.

To take a stab at what the stock’s worth might actually be, Business Insider estimates a fair Facebook IPO worth to be $16-$24 – an average of nearly half the original sales price.

No wonder investors are suing.

Here We Go Again…

Didn’t we learn our lesson during Sony Playstation’s data breach in April 2011?

Or even just months ago when all major credit card brands suffered a massive data breach?

Now Apple joins a group of elite mishaps that seem to have overlooked a huge data security issue. In an apparent accident, a programmer’s oversight rendered helpless the login passwords of every user who has logged in since the OS X Lion update 10.7.3 update was applied.

According to ZDNet, “Anyone who used FileVault encryption on their Mac prior to Lion, upgraded to Lion, but kept the folders encrypted using the legacy version of FileVault is vulnerable.”

This begs the question – Are we all too willing to turn over our personal information, credit card numbers, username/passwords, etc. in such a trusting manner to corporations who obviously cannot fully secure our private data?

Are companies not double or triple-checking their work, being sure to dot all i’s and cross all t’s?

Want to prevent a data breah? Follow these 6 steps:

1. Stop incursion by targeted attacks
   The top four means of hacker incursion into a company’s network are through exploiting system vulnerabilities, default password violations, SQL injections, and targeted malware attacks. To prevent incursions, it is necessary to shut down each of these avenues into the organization’s information assets. Core systems protection, IT compliance controls assessment automation, and endpoint management, in addition to endpoint, Web, and messaging security solutions, should be combined to stop targeted attacks.
2. Identify threats by correlating real-time alerts with global intelligence
   To help identify and respond to the threat of a targeted attack, security information and event management systems can flag suspicious network activity for investigation. The value of such real-time alerts is much greater when the information they provide can be correlated in real time with current research and analysis of the worldwide threat environment.
3. Proactively protect information
   In today’s connected world, it is no longer enough to defend the perimeter. Now you must accurately identify and proactively protect your most sensitive information wherever it is stored, sent, or used. By enforcing unified data protection policies across servers, networks, and endpoints throughout the enterprise, you can progressively reduce the risk of a data breach.
4. Automate security through IT compliance controls
   To prevent a data breach caused by a hacker or a well-meaning or malicious insider, organizations must start by developing and enforcing IT policies across their networks and data protection systems. By assessing the effectiveness of the procedural and technical controls in place and automating regular checks on technical controls such as password settings, server and firewall configurations, and patch management, organizations can reduce the risk of exposing sensitive information.
5. Prevent data exfiltration
   In the event a hacker incursion is successful, it is still possible to prevent a data breach by using network software to detect and block the exfiltration of confidential data. Well-meaning insider breaches that are caused by broken business processes can likewise be identified and stopped. Data loss prevention and security event management solutions can combine to prevent data breaches during the outbound transmission phase.
6. Integrate prevention and response strategies into security operations
   In order to prevent data breaches, it is essential to have a breach prevention and response plan that is integrated into the day-to-day operations of the security team. The use of technology to monitor and protect information should enable the security team to continuously improve their strategy and progressively reduce risk, based on a constantly expanding knowledge of threats and vulnerabilities.

Information Technology / Information Services Trends 2012 Survey

Please help us with this survey to provide a snapshot of IT / IS trends in the United States.

We ask that you please participate by clicking on the link below to begin the survey. You will be asked to respond to a handful of questions, taking approximately 2 minutes to complete.

If you complete the survey, you will be provided with the results once all the data is gathered and processed.

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https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/36PVVLP

Google Fiber Construction Update

If you work or live in the Kansas City area, in the last week you’ve probably noticed Google workers out hanging fiber on utility poles and digging holes to install fiber underground.

Over 100 miles of fiber has been hung, and Kansas City is well on it’s way to getting faster, more efficient internet capabilities.

So how does it work?

According to Google’s Fiber Blog: Google will route fiber connections into Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO through several equipment aggregator huts. From there, the fiber cables will travel along utility poles into neighborhoods and homes. Every home that has Google Fiber service will have their very own fiber-optic cable that directly connects all the way back to the Internet backbone.

Google Fiber users will be able to download and upload files at the exact same speed, enabling users to upload large files in seconds rather than minutes or sometimes hours.

Sounds great, right? We’ll just have to be patient – the service won’t be ready for some time. The infrastructure must be completed throughout Kansas City before area homes can be connected to enjoy this incredibly fast internet.

I can’t wait!

Interview Etiquette: no Facebook information required

Are you conducting a new job search? If so, be on the lookout.

More and more employers are asking candidates to provide Facebook account information or requesting to “friend” applicants as part of the interview process, allowing employers to get a better look into an applicant’s personal life. This includes access to your personal chat, inbox, photos and everything else you may have deemed as private in your Facebook account – information that would otherwise go unseen to someone outside your network who simply views your profile.

An employers’ reasoning to ask for this kind of insight could range anywhere from ensuring you aren’t engaged in illegal activities outside the work environment to making sure you are an environmental fit for the company.

DO NOT PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION!

Instead politely decline by saying something along these lines: “Thank you for asking, however, I prefer to keep social media as a means of personal communication, and sharing that information goes against Facebook’s Terms of Service.”

You wouldn’t let a potential employer read your personal mail, would you?

According to CNN, “‘It’s an invasion of privacy for private employers to insist on looking at people’s private Facebook pages as a condition of employment or consideration in an application process,’ attorney Catherine Crump said in a statement from the ACLU. ‘People are entitled to their private lives.’”

Not only is this an issue of personal privacy, but an issue of registration and account security with Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. “You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.”

So how do employers get away with asking for this information? So far, no one has been taken to court for violation of social media privacy rights. And employers will continue to ask for this information until doing so is made illegal or until a company is sued.

Protect yourself and know your rights.

The Solar Storm – a small inconvenience

If your radio stations are a little fuzzy or your GPS isn’t working quite right, it could be due to the solar storm the earth will endure throughout today.

On Tuesday night, March 6, 2012, the sun erupted in a massive solar flare that was seen exploding across its surface, birthing a geomagnetic storm that reached the Earth’s atmosphere early this morning.

So what exactly is a solar flare?

According to Wikipedia: A solar flare is a sudden brightening observed over the sun’s surface or the solar limb, which is interpreted as a large energy release of up to 6 × 10²⁵ joules of energy. (A joule of energy being about a sixth of the total energy output of the Sun each second). The flare ejects clouds of electrons, ions, and atoms through the corona into space. These clouds typically reach Earth a day or two after the event, resulting in a solar storm.

Depending on the level of severity, a solar storm has the capability to disrupt satellites, spike the voltage in transmission lines which could damage grid transformers, and potentially knock power out. Generally though, the physical damage of an average storm is low and manageable.

So far, no impact has been reported on GPS navigation systems, airline systems, or power grid; proving the solar storm to be somewhat of a dud. That said, it is possible for it to intensify in the coming hours. At most, the storm is expected to cause minor disturbances world-wide, which may turn out to be more than just an inconvenience.

There is however a silver lining to this spacey activity – some North Americans may be able to view auroras Thursday and Friday night. Keep your camera on hand tonight if you’re able to make it outside – we would love to see your photos!

Solar storm: More to come | Los Angeles Times

Solar Storms: Five Facts You Should Know | CNet

Google’s Goggles

The futuristic scenes of Men in Black and Back to the Future are certainly coming upon us.

Rumors have been circulating about Google Glasses, which are designed to take virtual information and overlay it onto real-world images in real-time through a small screen worn inches from the wearer’s eyes.

Oakley Thumps

These glasses are said to resemble “Oakley Thumps” rather than the otherworldly glasses of Terminator, although, I can’t imagine many fashion-conscious women donning these shades.

These sci-fi glasses, while not the first of their kind, are certainly the first product to be designed for mass consumption. They have been circulating for at least 10 years now through companies such as Sony and Vuzik, with prices range from $5k-$25k (out of the question for most of us).  Google’s goggles are rumored to be sold at near the average price of the existing Smartphone, anywhere from $250-$600 dollar a pair.

While not perhaps the most fashion forward, these glasses do have some impressive features. These shades will be equipped with 3G-4G connection, motion sensors, GPS, a low-resolution built in camera and Google software. Navigating the world of augmented reality will be done by the user simply tilting his head to scroll and click.  I can’t wait to see this in action! I imagine it will look something like this…

But what about people who wear glasses to improve their sight? So far, there has been no word on the level of compatibility these glasses will have with prescription glasses.

Some people are worried about the possibility of being under constant surveillance, given that people can record without being conspicuous. The team at Google has been internally discussing ways in which they can make it obvious to others when the glasses are recording.

Of course, Big Brother watches in more ways than just through a camera lens. It is certainly a possibility that Google will have the ability to access everything that the user views through the glasses in order to gather data related to the consumer’s lifestyle. This data could be used directly by Google to create advertisements geared toward the wearer’s location, activities, and possibly even physical movements themselves.

While many, if not most companies, have methods of collecting data on individuals in order to market products more effectively, consider the recent case with Target. Through data analytics and tracking purchases, the company was able to infer that a high-school girl was pregnant before her father even knew. The company used this information to send the girl coupons relating to maternity and baby care needs (much to the initial anger of her father). Target was able to do all of this simply through tracking her purchases.

Imagine the power over advertising Google could have if they are able to obtain information on EVERYTHING you do or are exposed to while wearing these glasses!

Not everyone seems horribly creeped out by this possibility, however. According to an online poll at androidandme.com, only 62% said that they would wear these goggles, 8% considers the idea stupid, and the other 30% remains uncertain on their feelings toward the glasses.

Sources say that Google is already working on new projects in regards to wearable computers, such as wrist straps. I wonder how long before Apple joins in the race of computerized accessories.

Google Glasses Coming to an Eyewear Stand Near You?

Google to Sell Heads-Up Display Glasses by Year’s End

Would you buy Google’s glasses?

How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did

Android Users Rejoice!

After long hours of struggling with built-in and downloadable mobile browsers, Android users can breathe a sigh of relief (and hopefully their fingers can relax too!) with Google’s release of Chrome for mobile devices.

Not only does Chrome do away with the “fat finger” problem  with a link preview feature that zooms in to allow the user to easily select the intended link, but it can also sync between devices.

According to the New York Times, “Chrome’s mobile browser syncs seamlessly with Chrome’s desktop browser so that anyone surfing the Internet on their computer can pick up exactly where they left off on their phone and tablet — with the same tabs, same browsing history and same bookmarks.”

What does that mean? I’m glad you asked.

For Android users it means easier navigation between devices. Saw something on your desktop that you want check out on your phone or tablet? No problem. Chrome for mobile brings the ultimate desktop browsing capability to the mobile platform.

And the app is free. Just download to your phone, open the app, sign in with your Google account, and you’re on your way. This is so much easier than trying to navigate the web via Dolphin on my smart phone, and so far, it’s much faster.

Now if only touch pad typing on my mobile phone were as fast as typing on a real keyboard…

The Dangers of Geotagging

Let’s say you upload a picture to Facebook to share with your friends. If you’re doing this from a smart phone, you could be sharing more than just the photo.

This video courtesy of NBC Action News shows us just how those who are tech savvy enough can cherry-pick personal information straight from your uploaded photos.

Not only can information be found regarding the home, but also schools, work places, and regular hang outs.

So how do you avoid sharing this information?

Deactivate geotagging on your phone! Simply turn off the GPS settings on pictures you plan to post online, or disable GPS settings for your camera phone altogether. This can be done on iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and Palm smart phones.

Just another way to protect yourself against unknowingly sharing unwanted information.

Less Than 60 Seconds

Before you walk into that office building, whether it is high in the center of a city, or a small office off the beaten path, you have to prove you have the skills for an interview with a small piece of paper: the resume.

All too often, we quickly put together a listing of where we have been and what we have done, without a second thought to it.  So many people assume they can win an opening with their brilliant personality.  Though this may be true, you have to first develop your “brilliant” resume to shine above the rest, so you may then truly show off who you are, and what you can do.

“The average resume is reviewed for less than a minute, says Kimberly Schneiderman, owner of City Career Services. That’s why a nicely formatted resume is so important.” Resume Refresher: Less Is More by Rebecca R. Hastings: 2006 via SHRM.org.

Start the clock – one minute and counting.  Over 50 additional resumes. 45 seconds.  Name. Skills summary.  30 seconds. Job title. History. 20 seconds.  Too much to read.  Your resume is now in the trash.  Less than a minute, no way of arguing your points and it is over before it began.

So how do you prevent this show stopper?

1. Target the company and its needs that you are applying for.  Prove you have the experience and knowledge to be the person they need.

2. K.I.S.S.  Keep is simple stupid.  If there is too much clutter, resumes look sloppy.  If it is too complicated, the employer will not know where to look.  Keep it simple, you have less than 1 minute.

3. “‘A resume is not a job description, … It’s a tickler to get the reader to want to call you. As a result, brevity is to be desired…’” – Carla Vaughan, owner of Professional-Resume-Example.com.

4. Save in a rich or common text so nothing is lost in transmission.  This also keeps it clean and professional.

5. Unprofessional-sounding e-mail addresses should be avoided.  Managers have a hard time taking kitty2cool4u@hotmail.com seriously as an Executive Manager.

6. Career paths can take an unexpected turn, in which case it is even more important for a resume to be carefully considered and modified accordingly.

• Vaughan says. “The only time I would really suggest a functional format is if someone is changing careers or re-entering the workforce” as a way to deemphasize employment gaps and experience that doesn’t match the position being sought.
• Emphasize skills that obtain to this new career path you have learned or performed in previous jobs, as opposed to your primary skill sets
• “Eliminating information from a resume isn’t lying,” Schneiderman says. “You should do that when the content isn’t going to lend itself to your ultimate goal; don’t feel obligated to include years of graduation, for example.”

7. Personal information, such as hobbies, marital status and religious affiliations should be avoided unless they directly pertain the career being applied for.

8. Check it TWICE! It may seem like the small stuff, but typos, grammar errors, or even resume inconsistencies (such as writing out “January” then abbreviating it later) can make all the difference.  Skipping this step could give the impression of a lack of detail or laziness.  Do not be afraid to have other persons look over your resume, edit and critique. It could make all the difference.

9. Avoid titling your resume “Resume”.  We all know what it is, and if we do not, there are bigger problems at hand.

10. Show what you are capable of doing, not what you did.  “Clean” “Customer service” “Computer/Printer/Copier Trouble Shooting” is not telling anything other than you are a 1980’s robot.

Resumes that have real thought and time put into them shine through, and only need less than a minute to prove that you are the best person for the job.

SHRM.org

This guest post is authored by Lindsey Blakeman, 
Customer Care Manager at TriCom Technical Services