Insights

December 17, 2020 | Privacy

As demonstrated by the Singaporean government, aggressive contact tracing is an effective means of preventing the spread of COVID-19. This is one of the reasons why its healthcare system was never overwhelmed throughout this crisis, and the survivability of infected residents is one of the best in the world. It is hard to argue with that objective or result.

Singapore has invested heavily in two smartphone apps for contact tracing to help flatten the curve. This was well-intentioned by the … Read More

June 11, 2020 | Compliance

Oversight of congressional funding and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic picked up steam this week. Anyone who received funding from the CARES Act or other disaster relief legislation needs to be sure the money can be properly accounted for.

The Senate recently confirmed Brian Miller as Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR).  As SIGPR, he will oversee the taxpayer-funded pandemic recovery fund and lead audits and investigations to prevent and detect fraud and abuse. Miller will also … Read More

June 10, 2020 | Compliance

The COVID-19 pandemic has left us all in an embattled state, and the businesses that fuel our economy have probably been hit hardest of all. In an effort to help mitigate the damage, the government is funneling $2.2 trillion to hard-hit companies via the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act). While the potential is always high for fraud and abuse in relation to large, cumbersome governmental actions, this is never truer than when they are precipitated by … Read More

June 8, 2020 | Investigations

I read my first Sherlock Holmes novel in Farsi at the age of 11 in the bombed-out suburbs of Tehran. In post-revolution Iran – during a war, food rations, military conscription, and nightly air raids – it was a rare pleasure, and solving complex problems became my passion. I became the self-declared investigator of lost pets, soccer balls, and toys in the neighborhood. I took notes, marked evidence, and exercised my deductive reasoning skills.

When I immigrated with my family … Read More

June 2, 2020 | Security Consulting

In the weeks following the spread of COVID19, countries and businesses were abruptly forced into critical decisions relative to reducing or ceasing operations, defining essential operations and maneuvering multiple mandates. The resulting questions include, how are we going to do more with less and how can we ensure the safety of our people and the security of our business? Some had no choice. Emergency and primary healthcare are always essential while businesses directly serving the public such as delivery services, … Read More

June 1, 2020 | Security Consulting

The COVID-19 pandemic and resultant shelter-in-place enforcements have led to widespread adoption of remote work environments. Recently, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced that some employees can work from home “forever.” As we adjust to this new reality, there is an immediate need to consider how the work-from-home employee maintains a safe and secure cybersecurity environment.

In the weeks since many states issued stay-at-home orders, we have seen a tremendous increase in the number of phishing attacks. The phishers impersonate a … Read More

May 28, 2020 | Security Consulting

According to the CDC, contact tracing is a critical element in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. According to a Wall Street Journal article, one study suggests the country will need to hire 184,000 contact tracers to meet the demand.

States are already ramping up their contact tracing programs, spurred on by millions of dollars in federal funds dedicated to this purpose. One relatively small state is spending $112 million on its contact tracing program that includes hiring … Read More

May 26, 2020 | Security Consulting

The COVID-19 pandemic will forever change our lives and have a lasting impact on our attitudes and behavior toward personnel interactions in everyday life, and in the workplace. So, what happens when we go back to the office? Our habits have changed, and it is likely that COVID precautions will remain in effect for many months. Employers will need to adapt and adjust their approach to workplace design and how employees and visitors are processed for entry into their buildings.… Read More

May 18, 2020 | Security Consulting

Security assessments are an essential component of an organization’s security program given that protecting company assets is always a critical part of risk management. In order to strengthen your security program, you must be able to identify vulnerabilities that pose a risk to your business. Keep in mind that mitigation strategies require an unbiased approach when understanding the relationship between your organization’s environment, human behavior and security vulnerability.

Without a regular assessment, it may become more difficult for your organization … Read More

May 7, 2020 | Compliance

Congress passed stimulus bills to provide emergency relief to individuals and businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Banks have already exhausted the first $350 billion in loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and are working on lending an additional $320 billion. With this much money going out the proverbial door, surely a large number of frauds will follow, especially if the gate keepers — banks — don’t keep watch.

Under the PPP, eligible banks … Read More