NSK Inc IT Associate Receives CCENT Certification

For Immediate Release

NSK Inc IT Associate Receives CCENT Certification

Associate at Boston-based IT Consulting firm is now certified in small network implementation and management

Boston, MA, March 17, 2010 – One of NSK Inc’s IT Associates, Michael McGowan, recently announced that he has received the CCENT™ certification from Cisco®. CCENT, short for Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician, validates skills in installing and managing small enterprise network systems, and is a stepping stone towards the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA®) certification. McGowan’s new credentials demonstrate his knowledge and experience in data networks, IP addressing, wired and wireless networks, and network security in the small enterprise sector.

McGowan states “It took me about four months to prepare for the exam.” His efforts have paid off immensely. “Having a CCENT certification will help me provide better support with internet/networking, troubleshooting, and configurations for NSK and its clients.” Although time consuming, McGowan says, “The experience was totally worth it, as it is the largest industry-wide certification.” He will spend the next four months working towards his CCNA certification.

McGowan isn’t the only NSK member who is Cisco certified. Ben R. Howard, a Senior IT Associate, holds his CCNA certification. Howard says that “Having the CCNA Security certification ensures that NSK meets the standards set forth by Cisco to have an understanding not only of how to configure a range of Cisco products, but to recognize security issues and how to effectively configure and deploy the devices to address the issues.” NSK Inc is consistently expanding their knowledge base, and with two employees now Cisco certified the company can manage a multitude of network systems for their growing client base.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, this year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational excellence and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

About NSK Inc

NSK Inc is a leader in information technology consulting, with a focus on IT management for SMB companies. Headquartered in Boston, MA with an additional office in Palo Alto, CA, the company offers a wide array of IT services for business driven information challenges. They provide service and support for small and medium-sized businesses and groups working within large organizations. NSK Inc also creates custom software products for investment banks, equity management organizations, and other specialized industry areas. For more information, please visit www.nskinc.com.

Press Contact

For more information, please contact:

Cathie Briggette

NSK Inc.

(p) +1 617 303-0480

(e) cathie@nskinc.com

NSK Inc Associate Getting CISSP Certified!

Ben. R Howard, a Senior IT Associate at NSK Inc recently took the CISSP Certification Exam and passed, placing him among roughly 64,000 other IT professionals in the world who have the certification.

The CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) is a highly prestigious certification that requires a massive amount of training and credentials in order to be considered to even take the exam.

CISSP candidates must have at least five years of experience in information security as well as experience with two of ten domains of security before they even apply. They then have to train and prepare for a sixty page exam that lasts for six-hours.

Those who pass receive the certification. A CISSP Certified Associate knows how to formally manage an all encompassing security program. The CISSP credential is a testament to the years of experience, knowledge, and competency of information systems, these personnel have achieved.

Howard hopes to broaden NSK’s ability to provide security services to its clients with his new certification. Having a CISSP Certified IT Associate, will only help NSK Inc move forward as a premier consulting firm in Boston.

Quick Security Tip

Social Engineering:

I was with a client the other day in a secure room. The client left for lunch, locking me inside the secure room. The door to the secure room contains a glass window that allows any passerby to see inside. An outside vendor comes by and knocks on the door. This immediately brought to mind a common problem.

While this vendor was almost certainly legitimate, my only interaction with this client is with this secure room and the individual who locked me in. I have no idea who this vendor is, or, even if he is the clients legitimate electrician, if he has any business being in this secure room at this particular time. I routinely see UPS/FedEx/USPS hold open doors for people to allow them access into an area in which they have no business, but the delivery person has no idea and, true to the intent of social engineering, allows the person in.

In my case, I walked up to the door and advised the external vendor that I did not have the authority to allow him access to this area. He was furious and began yelling. This reminded me that social engineering is not just walking into a building looking as if you belong. Social engineering can include being quite unpleasant.

If a person exclaims loudly enough that he belongs, perhaps someone will be more apt to open the door. It’s odd to me how people innately understand the problem of social engineering when they’re at home, but quickly forget it at work.

To put this situation in the light of a personal situation, imagine you are visiting a friend at his home. He trusts you, so when he has to run a quick errand, he leaves you at his house and locks the door. Moments later, the cable guy shows up and demands entrance to install a new cable hookup. You would almost instinctively refuse entrance, and if he became loud and obnoxious, you may even call the police. Why would you act differently at work?

-Ben.

Ben Howard is a Sr. IT Consultant with NSK Inc

NSK Inc.
75 Kneeland St., Suite 201
Boston, MA 02111
617-303-0480

201 CMR 17 Compliance Timeline

Compliance for 201 CMR 17.00 is going to take a little time... We have written out a guideline for your timeline!

August

-Designate an Information Security Officer - You will need to designate at least 1 person at your place of business who will maintain the comprehensive information security program. Finding that person now will help get the rest of the items in line for when they need to be done.

September

Start Assessing Your Information:

-Identify the paper, electronic and other type records, including storage media, laptops and portable devices that contain personal information.**
-Check all anti-virus and security patches on all computer systems and servers -- make sure they are up to date.**

a. Check that you have reasonably up-to-date versions of
system security agent software (including malware
protection)**

-Identify what "personal information" moves around your business and out of your office including:**

a. healthcare/insurance information
b. benefits/401K information
c. Accounting/Tax information
d. Employment and Credit Applications
e. Checks and credit card information

-Identify persons who need to see the "personal information" and those who do not.
-Identify where encryption for personal information is needed.**
-Identify what third-party service providers your business may use that have access to personal information.
-Identify reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to paper and electronic records containing personal information.**
-Identify any systems that are connected to the internet and make sure the firewall protection for files containing personal information are up-to-date.**

October

-Purchase any hardware or software upgrades that are needed**
-Get control of user IDS and other identifiers**
-Come up with a reasonably secure method of assigning/selecting passwords for users**
-Start developing your WISP (Written Information Security Program)
-Make sure that your WISP is applicable to all records containing personal information about a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Make sure that you include:

-Administrative, technical and physical safeguards for Personal information protection
-Any identified and reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to paper and electronic records
-Regular and ongoing employee training, and procedures for monitoring employee compliance
-Disciplinary measures for violators
-Policies and procedures for when and how records containing personal information should be kept, accessed or transported off your business premises
-Processes for blocking terminated employees physical and electronic access to personal information, including deactivating their passwords and user names
-Steps taken to verify third party service providers access
-The length of time that you are storing records containing personal information.
-Specifically the manner in which physical access to personal information records is to be restricted
-Whether you are storing your records and data in locked facilities, storage areas or containers and the security measures taken to keep these areas secure
-Actions and documenting that is taken in connection with any breach of security

November

-Install all hardware and software upgrades**
-Test policies that have been written
-Start Training Employees on new policies
-Finalize WISP

December

-Finish Training Employees
-Send out WISP Policy to all employees and get signatures from all that they understand and will comply

January 1, 2010 and beyond

-Continue monitoring your systems and procedures**
-Continue providing training to new and existing employees
-Update policies as required
-Assure all computers and servers remain up-to-date with patches and anti-virus software**

** NSK Inc can help you with any of these tasks, just let us know.

Written by Cathie Briggette