Top IT Conferences

by Staff | General IT, IT Financial, News & Events

In our hectic online world, we often forget the value of face-to-face meetings and events. Being active in the IT industry and attending key conferences can bring many benefits and networking opportunities. We have compiled our list of the best IT conferences to put on your calendar. These conferences will keep you up to date on the latest industry trends and provide a wonderful opportunity for networking. Top IT Conferences Grace Hopper | Oct. 4–6 in Orlando, FL Co-founded by Dr. Anita Borg and Dr. Telle Whitney in 1994 and inspired by the legacy of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, Anita Borg Institute’s Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) of Women in Computing brings the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. GHC is the world’s largest technical conference for women in computing. The conference was named one of the 50 best conferences to attend by The Daily Muse. Each year, women technologists and the best minds in computing convene to highlight the contributions to the field by women. The Anita Borg Institute co-presents GHC with the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM).   AGENDA 18, What’s Next in Digital | March 19–21, 2018 in Miami, FL AGENDA is a business leadership conference focused on driving your business forward in changing times. Unlike any other conference, AGENDA is immersive, interactive, and focused on giving you and your colleagues the practical tools to lead change in your organization. Today, it’s all about digital and new technologies that are disrupting companies, industries, and the world. AGENDA is attended by an array of business and technology leaders—including C-level, VPs, and directors (from marketing, operations, finance,...

Getting Accounting and CRM Systems to Operate Together

by | IT Financial

IT consultants, such as Acuity Business Solutions, often recommend integrating sales and marketing systems with accounting systems. The two functions are often separated because of limitations inn system functions and fears concerning data sharing and security breaches. Acuity argues that enterprise resource planning, or integrated systems, are now more sophisticated and offer improved client communication and accurate financial forecasting. David Taber of IT World, however, highlights the potential problems in an integrated customer relationship management (CRM) and accounting system. These problems reflect the different goals of the system users, and the fact that CRM systems and accounting systems serve different purposes that often conflict with each other. CRM, done right, is a strategic tool that uses proprietary customer data to understand the market and identify opportunities. CRM is not simply a reporting database. According to Taber, accounting systems use high-quality data that provide accurate financials. However, CRM system data can be less reliable and often contain blank fields or flawed entries from staff frustrated by the volume of inputs required. Accounting professionals tend to be detail-oriented and pride themselves on accuracy. Data entry staff are less concerned with precision. Sales and marketing managers value nuance over decimals. These conflicting work goals complicate business processes and interpersonal relationships. Accounting staff are frustrated by the data provided by sales and marketing. Sales and marketing resist the details required for the accounting teams and demand simpler, faster systems. Systems that try to integrate more complex issues such as configure-price-quote (CPQ), order management, commissions and incentives, referral fees, expense claims, and credit card disputes can cause even more data confusion and conflict. Taber...

How to Prevent Data Breach Amid a Hacker Popular World

by | IT Financial

The greatest security risk to companies currently is data breach. According to IBM Security Services 2014 intelligence data, there were 1.5 million cyber attacks in the US in 2013. The financial consequences for a company are, primarily, loss of productivity and damage to reputation. However, there are also substantial costs associated with forensics, technical support, and regulatory requirements. Technologies such as the cloud, prolific mobile devices, and growing corporate networks for the communication and storage of data is the focus of increasing hacker activity. IBM emphasizes that establishing effective data security requires significant investment. Assessing an organization’s current vulnerability to threats and risk tolerance is essential. Four steps are recommended for a data breach prevention strategy. Assess company data. Some information requires more security and limited access, such as employee personal data and financial information. Decide who requires access to which data, and adopt security measures accordingly. Don’t store nonessential information. The New York Times reported on the infamous breach of the retailer Target. The breach revealed that the company was unnecessarily storing the four-digit pin numbers of customer debit cards, effectively, a gift for the hacker. Develop a plan and a budget. This will involve the input of IT professionals, managers, and senior decision makers. Company leaders are often unaware of current threats and the costs involved in adequately securing an organization’s data. The input of IT experts and managers can bridge the knowledge gap and deliver the required resources to prevent cyber-attacks. Prepare for the worst and develop an emergency response plan. This may involve setting up alternative work processes in another location and duplicating important data...

Evaluating the Importance of Proper Security Clearance in the IT Financial Industry

by | IT Financial

Many employees of financial companies have access to sensitive customer information such as phone numbers, bank and credit card account numbers, income and credit histories, and even social security numbers. All the information a person would need to commit fraud. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires financial companies to employ policies to provide security and confidentiality with respect to sensitive customer information. According to Sergeant James Humbucker of Veterans Today, approximately three million people possess security clearance in the US. Additionally, private contracting or consulting firms hold 1.5 million security clearances. One out of every thousand are estimated to compromise the information that they have access to. Security clearances are typically used by governments and industries to allow access to classified information. The majority of IT positions, particularly in the finance industry, require security clearance, which can be obtained for individuals or groups. Different organizations may have varying levels of clearance, depending on the information that they collect. The types of security clearances are Confidential, Secret, Top Secret, Sensitive Compartmentalized Information, and Single Scope Background Investigation. Employees must meet certain character, criminal, and credit history requirements to attain clearance. The higher the clearance level, the stricter the requirements. US businesses and individuals are targets for white collar crime, terrorism, and espionage. It is vital to a company’s reputation to ensure that the internal risk of compromised sensitive financial information is minimized with thorough employee background checks, security clearances, and strict controls on employee access to sensitive financial information. An identity access management system can control the access to data. Employees, depending on their profile, are only able to access certain levels...

Big Data Companies to Keep an Eye On

by | IT Financial

Big Data technology is a strong competitor for existing cloud technology. Jeff Vance of Network World highlights startups with potential in the evolving Big Data market. According to the research firm International Data Corporation, the Big Data sector will grow to over $32 billion by 2017, six times the growth rate of the overall IT and communication technology market. Sumo Logic applies machine learning to data center operations to expose future business disruptions and vulnerabilities. The company uses pattern-recognition technology to quickly identify the causes of potential security breaches. The company was founded by Vance Loiselle, formerly VP of Global Services at BMC. Ayasdi applies Big Data in the search for disease treatments, alternative energy sources, and to address terrorism and fraud. Gurjeet Singh, a Stanford research scientist, founded the company in 2008. The company has raised over $43 million in venture capital and received $1.2 million in grants. Ayasdi looks at the “shape” of data to avoid the iterative, query-based approach of SQL. Feedzai’s domain is fraud prevention using real-time, machine-based learning. California-based Nuno Sebastião, founder, previously led the European Space Agency’s satellite simulation infrastructure. Feedzai raised $4.3 million from international investors in 2012. The company incorporates artificial intelligence and predictive models to analyze consumer behavior. Company claims include fraud detection up to 10 days earlier than other methods and the identification of 60 percent more fraudulent transactions. Cloudphysics is headquartered in California and led by John Blumenthal. In 2011, the company raised $12.5 million in venture capital. The company combines Big Data analytics with data center simulation to enable better management of cloud platforms. Bloomreach is run...

How Should Your Organization Respond to Data Breach?

by | IT Financial

The Pew Research Center recently reported results from a January 2014 survey; 18 percent of individuals had personal information stolen such as social security numbers, bank account information, and credit cards from online accounts and 21 percent had an email or social network account hacked. Trusted retail giants such as Target and Niemen Marcus have fallen victim to malware that can access customer credit and debit card data. IT News reports that data breaches numbered 25,566 in 2013, more than double the number recorded in 2009 of 10,481. Data breaches occur as a result of hacker theft from an individual or group, terrorist activity, or from the loss of electronic devices. Targets for data breach can be any online source such as individuals, companies, public institutions, financial institutions, governments, and retailers. The Government Accountability Office recently issued recommendations for government IT groups in the event of a data breach; however, the recommendations can also be applied to firms and other organizations. Organizations should commit a dedicated team to data breach response. This team should include the chief information officer, the lead communications officer, management, and the manager of the affected unit. Employees should be trained in rapid and appropriate response to data breach. Regular training should be provided concerning privacy and security issues, and staff who are not trained should not be given access to information and information systems. Staff should undergo periodic refresher training. Any breaches should be assessed, documented, and reported to the necessary internal and external units. Procedures for such reporting should be in writing and readily accessible to all concerned staff. Once the risk has...