Are we ready to put all our Business Digital Information in the Cloud? Which Cloud? Are we safe from Hurricanes?

Who monitors Cloud Security Standards?

The cloud is still the safest place to be for small-to-medium businesses

• By Wayne Williams
• Published 3 months ago

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Can we trust the Cloud technology yet?

Cloud security has been a hot topic in the newslately. While most of the hacks reported in the press have affect consumers and popular free services, there’s no question that some businesses will be concerned, in the light of all these negative reports, about just how safe their off-site data actually is. 

How safe is the cloud?

It’s one thing for an individual like Mat Honan to lose his digital identity, but if a business loses the data it has stored in the cloud (or worse still, if it should fall into the wrong hands), that can have truly catastrophic consequences, both in terms of monetary loss and damage to reputation.

Cloud security needs backing up locally?

The perceived risk of cloud storage might have some small-and-medium businesses rethinking their strategy and looking to return to the old days of just backing up locally. But doing so could actually put company data at far greater risk. If the firm’s servers fail as a result of a cyberattack or a natural disaster, it’s going to be much harder to affect a speedy recovery.

Imagine Cyberattack and natural disaster working synergistically?

While handling data management in-house might seem like a possible cash-saving solution, it can actually work out to be far more expensive in the long run. For starters, there’s the wages of the on-site staff that will need to be employed to ensure the smooth running of everything, including keeping on top of the security standards and regulations. Giving the task to an existing employee, in addition to their day to day duties, will just increase the risk of important updates not being applied in a timely fashion. It’s a worrying fact, according to Verizon’s 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), that 96 percent of hacked businesses surveyed were not compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) when they were attacked, and 92 percent of all breaches were identified by third parties, typically weeks or even months after the event.

How secure is the physical security of cloud storage?

The truth is, despite the recent scare stories, dedicated cloud storage still offers the best solution for most businesses. Cloud providers are typically less attractive to hackers because they invest far more in security than the average SMB could ever afford. They’ll also offer physical security at their storage sites, to prevent someone breaking in and making off with the data the old fashioned way (according to Verizon’s DBIR, 10 percent of all recorded breaches was down to a lack of physical security).

Questioning the safety of the cloud storage facility?

Of course, it’s important for businesses to identify the right provider for their needs, and you really do get what you pay for when it comes to cloud storage. Choose a cheap solution from someone without a proven track record, and there’s the risk they might not be up to the task (or worse still could go bust). If you have a company that’s considering moving your data to the cloud, Verizon Business, which offers a suite of cost effective enterprise-class cloud services, suggests asking the following questions of any potential provider before giving them your business:

Tight Physical and electronic security?

• Do they have tight physical security, such as 24x7 human guards and biometric screening, to positively identify visitors, as well as video cameras for facility monitoring?
• Where will your data be stored? Will your provider use its own secure facility or farm out processing and storage functions to a third party?
• Can they verify that all software patches, anti-virus signatures, anti-malware, and security policies are up to date and applied consistently?
• Do they have cloud-specific firewalls for virtual machines to prevent intrusions?
• What are the company’s backup practices, and do they replicate data and application infrastructure across multiple sites?
• Is a complete restoration possible, and if so, how long will it take?
• Does their data center have uninterruptible power supplies, climate control, and fire prevention and suppression?
• Data in the cloud is typically in a shared environment, resulting in files from multiple companies residing on the same servers. Does the provider offer strong isolation and compartmentalization at every layer of the multi-tenant architecture to protect against unauthorized access?
• Do they offer tested encryption methods for file transfers, support for customer pre-encrypted file storage, and strong authentication?
• Does the provider comply with standards designed to control access by the people who manage your data?
• And finally, if you foresee specialized requirements not met by shared resources, can the provider offer additional protections through dedicated systems and private IP networking options, such as application log monitoring, virtual private networks, and migration strategies and services?

All good questions, and ones that any competent cloud provider should be able to answer with ease. If they can’t, or the answers seem vague or uninformed, walk away. Your company’s data is too valuable to risk.

Photo Credit: Jirsak/Shutterstock

Storm surve overview as we experience Hurricane Sandy! 29 October 2012

Storm Surge Overview

Surge Overview | Storm Surge Unit | SLOSH | Surge Products | Local Impacts | FAQ | Resources
Contents

Introduction
Storm Surge vs. Storm Tide
Factors Impacting Surge
Notable Surge Events
Surge Vulnerability Facts

Introduction

Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. In the past, large death tolls have resulted from the rise of the ocean associated with many of the major hurricanes that have made landfall. Hurricane Katrina (2005) is a prime example of the damage and devastation that can be caused by surge. At least 1500 persons lost their lives during Katrina and many of those deaths occurred directly, or indirectly, as a result of storm surge.

Storm Surge vs. Storm Tide

Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides. Storm surge should not be confused with storm tide, which is defined as the water level rise due to the combination of storm surge and the astronomical tide. This rise in water level can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas particularly when storm surge coincides with normal high tide, resulting in storm tides reaching up to 20 feet or more in some cases.

Storm Surge vs. Storm Tide

Factors Impacting Surge

Storm surge is produced by water being pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds moving cyclonically around the storm. The impact on surge of the low pressure associated with intense storms is minimal in comparison to the water being forced toward the shore by the wind.

Wind and Pressure Components of Hurricane Storm Surge
The maximum potential storm surge for a particular location depends on a number of different factors. Storm surge is a very complex phenomenon because it is sensitive to the slightest changes in storm intensity, forward speed, size (radius of maximum winds-RMW), angle of approach to the coast, central pressure (minimal contribution in comparison to the wind), and the shape and characteristics of coastal features such as bays and estuaries.


Click on Image to Play Video
Other factors which can impact storm surge are the width and slope of the continental shelf. A shallow slope will potentially produce a greater storm surge than a steep shelf. For example, a Category 4 storm hitting the Louisiana coastline, which has a very wide and shallow continental shelf, may produce a 20-foot storm surge, while the same hurricane in a place like Miami Beach, Florida, where the continental shelf drops off very quickly, might see an 8 or 9-foot surge. More information regarding storm surge impacts and their associated generalizations can be found in the FAQ section.



Surge animation with shallow continental shelf (Click on Image to Play Video)


Surge animation with steep continental shelf (Click on Image to Play Video)
Adding to the destructive power of surge, battering waves may increase damage to buildings directly along the coast. Water weighs approximately 1,700 pounds per cubic yard; extended pounding by frequent waves can demolish any structure not specifically designed to withstand such forces. The two elements work together to increase the impact on land because the surge makes it possible for waves to extend inland.


Although elevated, this house in North Carolina could not withstand the 15 ft (4.5 m) of storm surge that came with Hurricane Floyd (1999)
Additionally, currents created by tides combine with the waves to severely erode beaches and coastal highways. Buildings that survive hurricane winds can be damaged if their foundations are undermined and weakened by erosion.


Beachfront road and boardwalk damaged by Hurricane Jeanne (2004)
In confined harbors, the combination of storm tides, waves, and currents can also severely damage marinas and boats. In estuaries and bayous, salt water intrusion endangers the public health, kills vegetation, and can send animals, such as snakes and alligators, fleeing from flooded areas.


Damaged boats in a marina

Notable Surge Events

Ike 2008 (SLOSH Historical Run)

Hurricane Ike made landfall near the north end of Galveston Island as a Category 2 hurricane. Storm surges of 15-20 feet above normal tide levels occurred along the Bolivar Peninsula of Texas and in much of the Galveston Bay area. Property damage from Ike is estimated at $24.9 billion. More...

Katrina 2005 (SLOSH Historical Run)

Katrina was one of the most devastating hurricanes in the history of the United States. It produced catastrophic damage - estimated at $75 billion in the New Orleans area and along the Mississippi coast - and is the costliest U. S. hurricane on record. Storm surge flooding of 25 to 28 feet above normal tide levels was associated with Katrina. More...

Dennis 2005 (SLOSH Historical Run)

Dennis affected much of Florida, and its effects extended well inland over portions of the southeastern United States with the maximum amount rainfall of 12.80 inches occuring near Camden, Alabama. Storm surge flooding of 7-9 ft produced considerable storm surge-related damage near St. Marks, Florida, well to the east of the landfall location. The damage associated with Dennis in the United States is estimated at $2.23 billion. More...

Isabel 2003 (SLOSH Historical Run)

Isabel was the worst hurricane to affect the Chesapeake Bay region since 1933. Storm surge values of more than 8 feet flooded rivers that flowed into the bay across Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. Isabel was the most intense hurricane of the 2003 season and directly resulted in 17 deaths and more than $3 billion in damages. More...

Opal 1995 (SLOSH Historical Run)

Hurricane Opal made landfall near Pensacola Beach, Florida as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm caused extensive storm surge damage from Pensacola Beach to Mexico Beach (a span of 120 miles) with a maximum storm tide of 24 feet, recorded near Fort Walton Beach. Damage estimates for Opal were near $3 billion. More...

Hugo 1989 (SLOSH Historical Run)

Hugo impacted the southeastern United States, including South Carolina cities Charleston and Myrtle Beach. Hugo was responsible for 60 deaths and $7 billion in damages, with the highest storm surge estimated at 19.8 feet at Romain Retreat, South Carolina. More...

Camille 1969 (SLOSH Historical Run)

Camille was a Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with maximum winds of more than 155 mph and storm surge flooding of 24 feet that devastated the Mississippi coast. The final death count for the U.S. is listed at 256. This includes 143 on the Gulf coast and another 113 from the Virginia floods. More...

Audrey 1957 (SLOSH Historical Run)

There were 390 deaths associated with Audrey as the result of a storm surge in excess of 12 feet, which inundated the flat coast of southwestern Louisiana as far as 25 miles inland in some places. More...

New England 1938 (SLOSH Historical Run)

The Long Island Express was a fast-moving Category 3 hurricane that struck Long Island and New England with little warning on September 21. A storm surge of 10 to 12 ft inundated the coasts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, southeastern Massachusetts, and Long Island, NY, especially in Narragansett Bay and Buzzards Bay. Six hundred people died due to the storm. More...

Galveston 1900 (SLOSH Historical Run)

At least 8,000 people died when hurricane storm tides (the surge plus the astronomical tide) of 8-15 feet inundated most of the island city of Galveston, TX and adjacent areas on the mainland. More...


Surge Vulnerability Facts

From 1990-2008, population density increased by 32% in Gulf coastal counties, 17% in Atlantic coastal counties, and 16% in Hawaii (U.S. Census Bureau 2010)
Much of the United States' densely populated Atlantic and Gulf Coast coastlines lie less than 10 feet above mean sea level
Over half of the Nation's economic productivity is located within coastal zones
72% of ports, 27% of major roads, and 9% of rail lines within the Gulf Coast region are at or below 4 ft elevation (CCSP, SAP 4-7)
A storm surge of 23 ft has the ability to inundate 67% of interstates, 57% of arterials, almost half of rail miles, 29 airports, and virtually all ports in the Gulf Coast area (CCSP SAP 4-7)

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New Blond Monkeys in Africa!

Incredibly Humanlike New Species of Blond Monkey Discovered in Congo

Posted by Derek_Mead on Thursday, Sep 13, 2012

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The constant news drumbeat of wildlife trafficking, habitat destruction, and extinctions can get pretty damn exhausting. And how bad was it when those new Caribbean lizards were announced with the caveat that they are likely already extinct? Well, here’s a ray of sunshine amidst the gloom: A new species of monkey has been described in the still-mysterious rainforests in the central of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Researchers said that it’s only the second new monkey species discovered in 28 years.
According to a paper published in PLoS One, the lesula (Cercopithecus lomamiensis) is a novel species of guenon monkeys, which are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Lesulas, named by local hunters, are medium-sized, slim monkeys with long arms and legs, and are notable for their surprisingly blond facial hair and incredibly human-like faces. I mean, come on. Look at that guy!

Via PLoS One

The paper states that seven freshly-killed specimens of C. lomamiensis and eight of C. hamlyni, a similar, local guenon species, were acquired from local hunters and from predators. Those specimens were used for morphological and genetic analysis, along with with behavioral observations, to show that the two species are indeed distinct, as they appear visually:

Caption from PLoS One: Captive adult male Cercopithecus hamlyni (upper left), photo by Noel Rowe, with permission; and captive adult male Cercopithecus lomamiensis (upper right), Yawende, DRC, photo by Maurice Emetshu. Lateral view: Hunter-killed adult male Cercopithecus hamlyni (bottom left), photo by Gilbert Paluku; and eagle-killed subadult female Cercopithecus lomamiensis (bottom right), photo by Gilbert Paluku.

Guenons are most diverse in Central and West Africa, where pristine forests allow for a number of different microhabitats at different elevations in the forest canopy. Combined with a high degree of dietary flexibility (leaf-, insect-, and fruit-eating behaviors have all been observed) and the geographical barriers presented by forests like those in the lowlands of Congo, guenon speciation has been particularly robust.

Youngsters! Via PLos One

The study took place in the DRC’s central lowland rainforests in a region the study authors refer to as TL2, which has been largely unstudied by biologists until recently.
Prior surveys have shown that the region is incredibly biodiverse with respect to primate, with “11 species or distinctive subspecies of anthropoid primates” in the region. The discovery that lesulas are themselves a distinct species adds credence to the fact that the region is a primate hotspot, and the study authors note that the region needs an appropriate conservation strategy to protect that biodiversity. Of course, the DRC isn’t exactly the best location to look for cogent legislation, b

Health Care Profits in DMV area

The rise and fall of Jeffrey Thompson’s health care profits

By Mike DeBonis

A 2008 city settlement took a big chunk out of Thompson’s health care profits. (C-SPAN)In the three-plus weeks sinceJeffrey E. Thompson became a household name in this town, one fact has appeared in nearly every story written about the media-shy 56-year-old businessman: He holds the District’s largest contract, worth as much as $322 million yearly.

That figure, while accurate, requires some elaboration. It doesn’t mean, for instance, that $322 million a year is going directly to Thompson.

Thompson’s company, D.C. Chartered Health Plan, is by far the largest of two companies that hold contracts to provide managed-care services for the city’s Medicaid and Alliance programs. It works like this: Any of the approximately 213,000 Medicaid-eligible and 23,000 Alliance-eligible residents can enroll with Chartered, which manages a network of doctors and hospitals and other health-care providers, paying them with a 70/30 mix of federal and local tax money, according to a government-set rate schedule.

The $322 million figure includes all of that — including the federal and local funds that merely passes through Chartered on the way to doctors and hospitals and so on. Chartered, whose only client is the District, also gets to take a cut for its overhead. That includes the costs of administration, claim reserves, and Thompson’s profit — which, until recently, has been considerable.

According to a September 2008 government report, Chartered is wholly owned by a holding company, D.C. Healthcare Systems, which is in turn wholly owned by Thompson. The report, done by the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, shows owning Chartered was very good business for a time.

Thompson’s lawyer, Brendan V. Sullivan Jr., has declined to comment since his client’s home and offices were raided March 2 in connection with a federal campaign finance investigation.

Thompson purchased the company in 2000 and, over much of the next decade, consistently grew its premium revenue and profits — doubling both, in fact, between 2003 and 2007.

In 2006, the company paid a $1.54 million dividend to D.C. Healthcare Systems — and hence, Thompson. The next year, Chartered paid a $4.02 million dividend, which included a $2 million “extraordinary distribution” that required the approval of Chartered’s board and regulators. In 2008, a regulatory filing indicates the company paid a $2.1 million dividend.

The dividend was paid in addition to a “management services” payment to D.C. Healthcare Systems during that period — $1.35 million in 2007 and $1.8 million the following year.

But it appears a 2008 settlement Chartered reached with the District government over questionable billing practices had quite an impact on Thompson’s business fortunes.

For one, the settlement ended Chartered’s practice of doing lots of business with other Thompson-owned companies, including a clinic, a transportation provider and his accounting firm. Those transactions provided Thompson with profit not directly shown on Chartered’s balance sheet.

For another, financial filings show that Chartered’s balance sheet has bleakened in the years since the settlement. In 2009 — the first full year after the settlement took effect — the company recorded a $5.47 million operating loss and paid Thompson no dividend. Things improved the next year, with a $1.21 million operating surplus, but it appears the company was still not profitable enough to pay a dividend.

Those “lost years” of 2009 and 2010 indicate why Thompson sovigorously sought a $14.9 million repayment from the city, on the grounds that it set “actuarially unsound” reimbursement rates for certain dental procedures.

The dispute was settled in September, with the city agreeing to pay Chartered $7.5 million.

It remains unclear whether Chartered is now solidly in the black. Chartered’s most recent regulatory filing, current as of last Sept. 30, showed that the company running a $763,000 surplus with another three months to go in 2011. But the $7.5 million settlement already appears to have been booked, offsetting a $7.13 million underwriting loss. (That’s still significantly better than the District’s other managed care company is doing; UnitedHealthcare has reported a $15 million loss for 2011.)

Chartered’s 2011 annual filing — which has been delayed to April, the Washington Business Journal reported — will show whether things are now looking up for Thompson, his legal troubles aside. But what we already can see shows that if you’re doing all of your business with the government, it can certainly pay to have friends inside it.