$3 Million CARES Grant Awarded to Merit Network

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Merit Network was awarded a $2.99 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Recovery Assistance Grant to support construction of 70 miles of middle-mile fiber optic infrastructure in the Upper Peninsula.

The infrastructure corridor project, named Leveraging Infrastructure for Transforming the Upper Peninsula (LIFT-UP) will pass through Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac counties. This fiber will enable local internet service providers to interconnect with Merit's middle-mile backhaul to bring reliable, high-speed broadband internet to rural and remote communities in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula.

The EUPConnect Collaborative, led by the Easter Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District (EUPISD) and the Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning and Development Commission (EUPRPDC) will collaborate with Merit on the project. They have collaborated with Merit's Michigan Moonshot initiative and the Quello Center for Media and Information Policy at Michigan State University for several years on citizen-scientist crowdsourced research to identify and map broadband access and adoption statistics regionally. An understanding of the prevalence and impact of the digital divide for the region was a first step in developing a blueprint for equitable access.

"The Eastern UP Regional Planning and Development Commission is excited to see this significant EDA investment in broadband for the region. Broadband availability and accessibility has long been the highest priority in our region's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The MERIT LIFT-UP project will provide much needed investment to move the needle on this issue and make the region more economically competitive on the national and global stage," said Jeff Hagan, CEO of EUP Regional Planning.

"Every community deserves access to modern digital infrastructure to support education, telemedicine, public safety, workforce needs and economic development, regardless of geographic location. This new federal investment in the Eastern UP helps advance this goal, and was made possible by constructive collaboration and local leadership," said Joe Sawasky, Merit's president and CEO.

Last-mile internet service providers, community anchor institutions, municipal entities, and others penned letters of support for Merit's grant application. Many signaled their intention to leverage this new infrastructure to enable last mile connectivity within the community, including Highline-Michigan.

"Support of Merit's grant application was important to Highline's relentless effort to reduce the digital divide," echoed Bruce Moore, CEO of Highline-Michigan. "Highline is focused on the efficient and sustainable creation of a world class fiber network. This network now delivers a real high speed internet connection to the doorsteps of households long suffering with inadequate service. Working with Merit is critical to our success."

About Merit Network:Merit Network, Inc. is an independent nonprofit corporation governed by Michigan's public universities. Merit owns and operates America's longest-running regional research and education network. In 1966, Michigan's public universities created Merit as a shared resource to help meet their common need for networking assistance. Since its formation, Merit Network has remained at the forefront of research and education networking expertise and services. Merit provides high-performance networking and IT solutions to Michigan's public universities, colleges, K-12 organizations, libraries, state government, healthcare, and other non-profit organizations. For more information:www.merit.edu.

Merit Network Media Contact:Pierrette Dagg(937) 212-0631[emailprotected]

SOURCE Merit Network

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Eastern Upper Peninsula Rural Communities To Receive High Speed Broadband Internet - PR Newswire

How can law firms and companies best protect their most critical infrastructure: the IT systems and networks that are the backbone of those organizations?

Today, law firms and companies are subject to an array of cybersecurity risks, some predictable and some not, which can sharply impact their value, reputation, and functionality. In some cases, cyber-attacks can threaten the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure of an organization with an outright collapse.

Strengthening cybersecurity is difficult, and advanced technologies such as the internet of things and the metaverse will inevitably make things worse. Indeed, a world in which more objects are computerized and digitized is a world with more targets for cyber-criminals. Even more concerning is the unpredictability of cyber-attacks that can trigger cascading network and system failures that are well beyond existing cybersecurity policies or strategies. Not surprisingly then, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed in March rules for companies to periodically disclose their cybersecurity risk management policies and strategy.

However, as T.S. Eliot wrote, Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow. In other words, the gap between theory and practice can be wide.

Law firms and companies do not lack strategies or ideas for strengthening their cybersecurity policies; however, many lack practical guidance on how to effectively implement these policies and put them into practice. Strengthening cybersecurity standards extends beyond installing firewalls. Indeed, one of the most effective countermeasures with which to avert cyber-threats is to implement robust strategies, procedures, and standards that can protect an organizations critical IT infrastructure while aligning with its business objectives or operational mission.

As cyber-attacks have become more sophisticated, the need to create a resilient cybersecurity framework has grown. Indeed, according to the UKs Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2022, 39% of UK businesses said they were victims of cyber-attacks within the past 12 months.

Faced with this picture, it is natural to worry most about the range of risks caused by cyber-attacks. Yet, despite these worries, these risks can be managed. In this sense, a law firm or company must broaden its cybersecurity strategy by implementing effective countermeasures in order to create a resilient cybersecurity framework. This involves a thorough analysis of the critical components of an organizations virtual ecosystem as well as identifying what could happen if any of the critical components failed or became compromised.

A law firm or company also should consider and identify the critical components of its overall computing environment and consider how each component interacts with one another. The aim is to ensure that it can identify the weakest link in its current computing environment framework by locating a weak component at an early stage and building an effective response to manage and mitigate potential attacks to its overall digital infrastructure.

Once a weak component is located and identified, it is paramount to assess what relevant cybersecurity policies and strategies need to be implemented in order the strengthen the weak component and achieve an overall secure computing environment framework. Equally important, organizations should establish which of their professionals is responsible for paying attention to the operation and security of the organizations essential components and this demands a top-down management approach. Senior managers and decision-makers should understand the driving force behind the development of an enhanced cybersecurity framework and establish a strong information security program that aligns with the organizations business objectives.

One such measure would be for the organization to create a cybersecurity strategy that captures the conditions that are required for creating a cyber resilient environment. Demonstrating strength in some of the following areas is one way of creating effective countermeasures:

Further, implementing the type of cybersecurity standards defined by the International Organization for Standardization can also be an effective tool with which to protect an organizations IT systems and sensitive data and mitigate the risks of cyber-attacks. For example, one such standard can form a blueprint for organizations to implement the necessary procedures, policies, and framework to manage a law firms or a companys information security, cybersecurity, and privacy protection; another allows organizations to protect its storage, processing, and transmission of cardholder data. In fact, that standard specifies 12 operational and technical requirements that can help organizations prevent credit card fraud and maintain a secure environment for its customers.

In todays increasingly interconnected world, where people, goods, and services move across borders, it is paramount that organizations respond to cyber-threats in a timely and effective fashion in order to protect their most critical components and to contain, prevent, and shield their most important data from being attacked, stolen, or compromised. In order to best protect their IT systems, networks, and infrastructure, law firms and companies must define, develop, and implement robust cybersecurity strategies and procedures that can achieve the right balance between concern and action.

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Ideas & Reality: Protecting your organizations IT systems, networks & infrastructure in a real-world way - JD Supra

NEW DELHI :Though the pandemic led to rapid digital transformation in the healthcare sector, it also increased the sectors vulnerability to cybercrimes. Hospitals, pharma, healthcare and insurers companies have faced increasing attacks, since healthcare data can fetch handsome sums on the dark web. In an interview, Aimee Cardwell, chief information security officer, United Health Group, explained how vulnerable the sector is and what it needs to do to prevent cyber threats. Edited excerpts:

Do you see a major gap in the security preparedness of companies in India compared to those in the US?

The difference is not just between the US and India, but also between South America and many other different markets. It is incumbent upon each company that holds data of patients or partners to keep it secure, no matter which market they are in. Sometimes it is safer to have data in pen and paper, but then you are not serving patients as well. It is complicated, but it is important for us to ensure that we are bringing best practices to protect data in every market we are operating.

How to fight increasing instances of ransomware attacks?

More than 11% of ransomware attacks are targeted at healthcare. It depends on where the attack happens. If it happens on an individual's computer, which is often the case, those are not hard to defend. It requires us to filter emails before it comes in. More than 90% of emails that come to our servers get discarded as most of it is malware or ransomware. It reduces the burden on individuals to not click on the wrong link. But that burden on individuals is also important as sometimes that filter may miss some emails. Education is an important aspect of it. It's also important to watch the system so that we can isolate something once we detect. We want to keep the blast radius as small as possible because lateral movement is one of the things that makes it worse.

Do you think companies should pay the ransom when they fall victim to such attacks?

Most companies do pay the ransom, but most of them don't get their data back. It's like negotiating with terrorists. You can't trust them. Even if you give them the money, most systems will not get restored. Only 60% of them are restored in most instances. Many companies are attacked again by the same groups. Companies should think about what would happen if they are caught in that situation and spend money on preventive measures instead of paying the ransom.

How can healthcare companies minimize disruption after a ransomware attack?

The best way is to back up more frequently. We are talking about backing up (data) on an hourly basis and not months or weeks. The more regularly you are backing up your data, the less likely disruption will be. We used to think, the best way for disaster recovery is to have two nodes: active-active. If one node goes down, you switch over to the other one. The problem is if one of them is hit by ransomware, since they are talking all the time they both go down. So now, we are thinking about having a second node that is ready but not active. In case of an attack, we isolate the first one to limit the attack and bring up the second one.

Is the need for cyber security professionals growing? Are enough domain experts available?

Unfortunately, there are not enough cybersecurity professionals in the world. There are more than 3.5 million open roles globally right now and it is only projected to grow. It is one of the reasons why our team is global. But imagine if you are running a small hospital you may not have access to the same talent.

What about Internet of Things (IoT) devices used in healthcare? We know they can be vulnerable, doesnt that increase threats?

It is not difficult to secure IoT devices. It is just not done. It is important to know where all the devices are. There are all sorts of software that can look at all the network traffic and which device is sending traffic. We also know that IoT companies are not updating their software. Knowing where the devices are can help in preventing something bad from happening. So, if a glucose monitor is suddenly sending something different from what it usually does, it is a red flag and our systems alert us instantly about it.

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over 11% Ransomware Hits Are Targeted At Healthcare | Mint - Mint

People use different ways to protect themselves. You lock your car to ensure your cars safety or lock your room to keep you protected. The internet is a wider global phenomenon and people spend much time online. Providers like Xfinity have given us safe access to the internet, but even the best of the best provider cannot erase the chance of your internet security being risked, because internet crime has advanced to high grounds.

There is something that needs protection, especially in todays world. That is your online identity. Cybercrime is very much common nowadays and to protect yourself online, you need to take some steps. You will be given a brief overview of those steps in this article.

Cyber-security refers to the safeguarding of web servers, computers, networks, and any persons identity against data leakage, theft, or damage to the equipment, software, or electronic data. Cyber-security can also involve information leakage, for example, you sign up for the Xfinity Package Deals because you heard it is better than your provider now, so you input your credentials to pay and it gets hacked. This is entirely possible because of a poorly protected and non-encrypted internet connection giving access to everyone out there for your information.

Learning and understanding cyber-security can be a little complex because you have togo through quite a lot of technical terms and buzzwords. Following are listed some basic terms for you to understand to know about cyber-security:

A data breach is a technical term for an occurrence when any personal data of a person or information of any office or bank is stolen by hacking. Hackers frequently try to steal the personal information of different corporate or authorities to steal their money and important resources.

Back-up is a term used for storing data somewhere safe in a different file or a different device in case of any theft or misplacement. iCloud is the most common application used as a backup.

A device thatis designed to interrupt a devices operations is known as Malware. Since technology is so advanced today, there are several date malware. Some malware is so strong that they even grant access to the hackers from afar. Hence, we need to install anti-virus software to protect our devices from hackers.

The term cloud simply refers to online networks. It has a significant difference from the local storage systems that just contain the hard drive of a PC. Cloud helps you store your important data and files on several other servers and keep it safe from malware and hackers.

Hacking is not just a mere threat to sensitive information today. In a world where everything is linked with technology, hacking can cause major destruction to a company or an individual. Hacking can sabotage a companys relationship with its customers and put a company in serious trouble. The threats of cybercrime are becoming even more serious as new technology emerges. It is important to protect our online identity as well. Hackers can take advantage of our personal information.

Parenting filters are something that was designed through advanced technology. Parenting filters can help with your childs security on the internet as well. Parents can use these and install filters on their kids devices so they can view informational and beneficial content only. Even some smartphones have come up with the feature that lets parents control what their child views so they can just have access to limited content.

It is no secret that there are all sorts of content on the internet and not all of them are appropriate for the children to view. But hackers have come up with such malware that even resist parents to do so too. Parents should have a keen eye and teach their children not to talk to random strangers on the internet.

Teenage is the peak age that can teach children a lot of things. Not all of those things can be appropriate and safe for them. Parents should spread awareness among their children and let them know about the dos and donts of the internet. Some steps can be taken to avoid any inconvenience among teens:

Instead of providing each child with a solo device, you can just keep a single device for every use. Usage of the internet among the children will now be easier to monitor. Ground rules can be set for the whole family and implemented. Request that your children charge their gadgets in one room and set up a space for internet use. Allowing your children to use devices before going to bed can disrupt their sleep cycle.

Allow your children to use technology in a very limited way as it can waste their time as well. Instead, encourage your children to do something productive. Once they get addicted to technology, it will be harder to stop them.

Spreading awareness among your children can be very effective too. They should know why they are being restricted to the unlimited use of technology. They should be aware of the dangers ad threats on the internet. Educate them about the disadvantages and the steps for protection.

You should prepare your kids for the future and make them knowledgeable. For protection, children rely on their parents. You must make certain that they have a thorough perception of self-defense. Inform them of the benefits of internet banking and data transfer. Check to see if theyre doing something lawful.

Hackers find senior citizens the most easier to exploit. Many of them have a lifetimes worth of savings, a home, and other valuable assets so it is easier for them to take advantage of them. Senior citizens are more vulnerable to online ruses and deceptions. Since they may not know how to report a trick or maybe be humiliated about being the victim of a trick, there are very low chances of them reporting such cases. Make sure elders, as well as their friends, family, and parental figures are aware of standard network security best practices and ways to stay secure online for them to stay protected from hackers and con artists.

In todays world, internet security is critical. We must adapt to evolving technology and continue to learn as much as possible about cyber security. Online security is important for keeping hackers and cyber stealers of information from accessing sensitive information. Without an active security strategy, businesses risk the spread and continuous rise of malware, attacks on other websites, networks, and other IT Infrastructures leading to vulnerabilities in the virtual world.

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Overview of Internet Security and Protection - Social Telecast