As we head into Thanksgiving week in the United States, I want to take this opportunity for some personal reflections. This has been a tough year for many around the world. Chances are that 2010 will ring in a new decade with many of the same challenges still in front of us. Whether you feel that the biggest hurdle we’re facing as a nation is the ongoing tension in the Middle East, the current economic crisis, or the need for national healthcare reform, it will continue to be a trying time for both businesses and individuals.

Like many people, I hope the economy is on the verge of significant recovery. As unemployment rises—which is often considered a lagging indicator of economic recovery—it is time for those of us fortunate enough to remain employed to give thanks for something that many of us take for granted.

I also wish there were a simple resolution to the issues that have our servicemen and servicewomen deployed overseas, risking everything to improve the lives of others. No matter how we may feel about why our country is involved in conflicts around the world, it is imperative that the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters that are separated from their loved ones, feel support from everyone “back home.” The holidays can make a difficult situation even more difficult, and those who are making that sacrifice have my complete respect and gratitude.

I am very appreciative of the team here at PowerTech. This is traditionally a busy time of year for us, this year even more so. I am grateful to the marketing team who has done a phenomenal job this year of spreading the message about our solutions; to the technical teams that design, develop, and get our solutions “up and running” for customers (a task that often means time away from home); and to our technical support staff that provide the great support that so many customers rave about.

Thanksgiving is a time to sit back and enjoy quality time at home. As we try to pack more and more into our daily lives and stay “connected” to our corporate responsibilities, it is important to occasionally “unplug” and share laughter, good food, and fellowship with our friends and family. I am especially thankful for my own family. I appreciate the sacrifice they make by allowing me to fulfill my aspirations working in this industry. And, I hope that my work ethic teaches my children how to apply themselves and how important it is to contribute and earn a living. But, I also try to teach them that family should always come first.

So, as we start the holiday season, I personally want to wish everyone peace, happiness, and renewed prosperity.

It was another busy week here at PowerTech, with the majority of my own time spent conducting an important customer audit, several compliance assessments and product demos, and my personal favorite: a customer seminar for one of our business partners.

Personally, I love the face-to-face engagements the most as they let me connect and interact with the people that we only normally get to speak with on the phone. My presentation, hosted at the partner’s office in Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City, was named the “7 Habits of Highly Secure Organizations.” The content was based on a session that I conducted at COMMON earlier this year, and plays off the name of the famous motivational series. Knowing what secure organizations are doing to successfully protect their environment is something that we should all take advantage of.

We gave away a cool new iPod nano as a door prize, adorned in full PowerTech livery. We also offered to perform free IBM i compliance assessments, and we had two in the works before the day was out, as well as a product quote for a new customer! It seems that there are a lot of folks out there who are still struggling to secure their IBM i environment, and I love to hear that we have helped to solve a number of the challenges they face.

Investing in IBM i customers has always been an important part of our business. Last week we sent out a letter to a number of user groups around the country to see how we can support their efforts. We immediately had several groups take us up on our offer to come to their location and present to their membership for free. As with last week’s seminar, I believe that demonstrating and sharing our expertise is more effective than just representing our products with a call from a sales rep. Sure we have reps as well—good ones—but most customers seem to appreciate that there is an organization that has the tenure and expertise to help guide and advise them on security on the platform, and not just try to sell products.

Part of my presentation included an introduction to a number of no-cost resources available online. The PowerTech website (www.powertech.com) has links to our Twitter feed, and you definitely want to sign up for our free monthly e-newsletter. If you are not attending our weekly Webinars, then you are missing out on a treat! As for tangible resources, we have our famous security study, an open source security policy, and an online compliance guide. I love when we get comments back about how these free resources are appreciated, and especially that we are so active in sharing knowledge through various channels.

I am excited to be able to continue to take the security message out on the road next year. I am already signed up to present 3 educational sessions at the 50th COMMON in Florida in May. Between now and then I hope to meet some of you at regional user group events, and PowerTech-sponsored events across the country.

Have a great week!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the increase in reported data breaches in 2009. Last week, news of yet another significant incident surfaced in conjunction with the charging of a man with 149 counts of identity theft and grand larceny. What differentiates this story from the typical breaches we read about is that it was an inside job.

According to Bank Info Security magazine, Adeniyi Adeyemi, a 27-year-old man from Brooklyn, worked in the Information Technology department at the Bank of New York Mellon, and is now accused of stealing the identity of more than 150 bank employees between 2001 and 2009. These identities were used to illegally open accounts at a number of financial institutions, which in turn were used to launder over $1 million from a number of charitable and non-profit organizations, including Goodwill Industries and the Jacksonville Humane Society.

While it may be incredulous for most of us to acknowledge this type of activity on a number of levels: stealing from charitable organizations, using the credentials of more than a hundred coworkers (including members of his own department!), it certainly reinforces the mantra that an organization’s own employees may well represent the most serious threat to our data.

In this particular case, the accused had access to the I.T. infrastructure, and may even have been considered one of the “trusted” keepers of the gate. It is time that we accept that no one should be above suspicion, and powerful users—system administrators, security officers, and programmers—should be at the top of the list. Although the official news release does not specify his role within the I.T. department beyond “computer technician,” Adeyemi either had the official authority, or a back door to circumvent the authority to be able to gain undetected access to private employee information, as well as the bank accounts of the organizations he subsequently stole the money from. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that his job description may have included looking for suspicious activities by other less powerful employees. The argument for separation of duty does not get much stronger than that!

PowerTech has spoken about the threat of powerful users for years, and developed the Authority Broker solution in response to that very issue. With its ability to audit the actions of powerful users down to the command level, as well as notify managers upon invocation of elevated authorities, Authority Broker has been a saving grace for many organizations that were struggling with controlling the very users that we trust to manage our computer systems. If you would like to get a better handle on how to control powerful IBM i users in your organization, drop me a line at robin.tatam@powertech.com. I would be happy to run a free assessment and show you what these users might be able to do in your shop…

For more information on the BONY case, including a link to the New York District Attorney’s News Release, read the Bank Info Security article online at http://ow.ly/yB5S

While the phrase “90 days probation” may bring to mind the image of a sulking teenager who has been given a chance to reflect on their actions, it is also a period of natural adjustment when someone starts work at a new company. Take 3 months; get to know your surroundings, your colleagues, and the job description. This period allows both sides to gauge the synergy as that new employee is adopted into a corporate family

Today marks the completion of my first 90 days serving as the Director of Security Technologies here at PowerTech. And, although I have never worked this hard in my life, the effort has come easily based on a rekindled enthusiasm for the work that I’m doing. I can honestly say that this has been one of the most mentally intense—but equally rewarding—phases in my working life. I’ve been around IBM i security and have worked closely with the PowerTech products for years, but I have never had the opportunity to work with such a driving force as I’ve found in the teams here at Help/Systems and PowerTech.

In the 20 years since my IT career began, I have had the good fortune of working my way up the ladder in some top performing companies. I started as a trainee programmer back in October of 1989 learning about RPG/400 and Query. Since then I have seen the world transform, and the AS/400 along with it. I am happy with the choices that I’ve made in my career, and this one is no exception. Although it’s sometimes hard to break away from your comfort zone in life, there are times when the sun and moon align, and things just click. Despite having to adjust to living a state away from my family, my move to PowerTech has been one of those “click” moments for me.

So what has been happening during the last 90 days? I have found myself embracing new areas of communication, such as this blog, and an active Twitter feed of security news and events at www.twitter.com/powertechgroup. I’ve written several articles for leading trade publications, hosted Webinars with other industry experts, and even created a podcast. Our team collaborated to support the launch of our free electronic newsletter, PowerNews, and the next edition should be finalized by the time you read this.

I truly believe that we conduct the most creative direct marketing of anyone in our industry, and that has resulted in the design and mailing of several stunning pieces on solutions to various security challenges. We have given away a free Netbook, a new iPod Nano, and numerous gift cards just to say “Thank You.” In an effort to give back to the IBM i community, we’ve mailed a letter to user groups across the U.S. with an offer to share our experts with them. We have established a schedule of weekly educational Webinars that have already been attended by hundreds of people, and we’ve conducted dozens of no-cost compliance assessments, not to mention product demos and evaluations. We’ve even found time to forge new relationships with companies who share our philosophies of quality products, premium customer support, and who excel in their respective markets.

Most importantly, we are continuing to develop and enhance our products in response to our customer requests. As a former application developer, I am thrilled at what Help/Systems’ quality system and procedures are doing for our security suite. I think new and existing customers alike will be blown away by the flood of ideas that are bouncing around the PowerTech halls. Sure, there has been a transition, as you will find any time two companies come together, but the result in our case is an organization that is strong, creative, and focused; dedicated to continuing to provide class-leading products, and superior customer support.

So it may sound understated, but I can’t wait to see what the next 90 days will bring….