DHS releases its own worm detection tool Can be used by the federal government, commercial vendors, state and local governments, and critical infrastructure owners and operators to scan their networks for the Conficker/Downadup computer worm. Read article •Date:31st March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: ISM news
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Emergency declaration for Minnesota FEMA has announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Minnesota to supplement state and local response efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding beginning on March 16, 2009, and continuing. Michael H. Smith has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=11269 •Date:31st March 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Chertoff to lead security and risk management advisory firm Former United States Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff has formed a security advisory firm, The Chertoff Group, which will advise corporate and government clients on security and risk management issues. The firm helps clients at each stage of the security process with a focus on prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. •Date:31st March 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
ASIS International releases organizational resilience standard ‘ASIS SPC.1-2009: Organizational Resilience: Security, Preparedness and Continuity Management Systems—Requirements with Guidance for Use.’ Read article •Date:27th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
NIST stairwell evacuation study published Study finds that not enough is known about the factors impacting evacuation variables. More work proposed. Read article •Date:27th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
RecoveryPlanner expands into Canada RecoveryPlanner, developers of RPX, web-based business continuity management software, has opened two new data centers in Canada. These centers will be used to host the RPX software for RecoveryPlanner’s Canadian clients and others who desire RPX hosting in that country. The new RecoveryPlanner hosting facilities are located in SAS 70 Type II certified data centers in two geographically dispersed locations in Canada. To learn more about RPX and/or its hosting facilities in Canada, please call us at 877.455.9990 •Date:27th March 2009• Region: Canada •Type: Briefing •Topic: BC software
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Major disaster declared For North Dakota FEMA has announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the State of North Dakota to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding beginning on March 13, 2009, and continuing. Acting FEMA Administrator Nancy Ward said the assistance was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President Obama. Michael J. Hall has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=11268 •Date:27th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Service levels vs. recovery times When do we let the established production procedures dictate problem resolution and when does it become a business continuity issue? By Lawrence Robert, CBCP, CBRP. Read article •Date: 25th March 2009• Region:US/World •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
SunGard Availability Services launches new partner program Will enable partners to create information availability solution practices. Read article •Date:25th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC markets
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
New GAO report looks into risk management oversight The US GAO has published a new report into financial sector risk management. ‘Financial Regulation: Review of Regulators' Oversight of Risk Management Systems at a Limited Number of Large, Complex Financial Institutions’ is available here (PDF). •Date:25th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: Financial sector
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
SkyBitz enables disaster recovery teams to have fast and effective response during utility infrastructure outages SkyBitz, the US-based satellite-based asset tracking and information management service provider, has announced a solution for the utilities market to track, manage and deploy a range of assets in dispersed geographies during power outages and other utility disaster recovery efforts. Read press release. •Date:25th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
DHS Secretary Napolitano signs research sharing pact with Germany DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and German Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan have signed an agreement that will facilitate science and technology research collaboration in homeland/civil security matters between the two nations. The text, negotiated between the DHS Office of Science and Technology and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF – Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung), is similar to arrangements the US already has in place with the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Sweden, Mexico, Israel and France. •Date: 19th March 2009• Region:US/W.Europe •Type: Briefing
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Capitol Hill Forum will explore how communities and businesses can measure their resilience A Policy Forum meeting on March 23, 2009 in Washington will examine the subject ‘A Resilience Metric: Measuring Preparedness before Disaster Strikes’. Preparation and planning are the foundation for building resilience, but it is often only in hindsight that victims take stock of their preparedness levels. Failure for communities and business to adequately plan or provide preparedness-based education to citizens and employees can create a much more difficult recovery process. This meeting will discuss how communities and business can begin to determine their levels of resilience before a natural or manmade disaster occurs. www.reforminstitute.org •Date: 19th March 2009• Region:US •Type: Briefing •Topic: Events
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Will al-Qaeda’s next attack on America be a cyber attack? More attention should be given to this possibility, warns Dr. Jim Kennedy. Read article •Date: 17th March 2009• Region:US •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Main US federal disaster relief law has fallen behind modern threat levels, NYU professor finds The Stafford Act, is dangerously out of date, and must be reformed to provide for rapid relief after a catastrophe. Read article •Date:17th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Gearing up for Global Business Continuity Awareness Week New website provides resources and information for Global Business Continuity Awareness Week: March 23 - March 27, 2009. Read article •Date:16th March 2009• Region: UK/US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Events
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Lack of end user training is a large and growing threat to IT security Many companies seem to be underestimating one of the most significant IT security threats - end user error : CompTIA study. Read article •Date:16th March 2009• Region:US/World •Type: Article •Topic: ISM
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Comments sought on new NIST Guidelines for Structural Fire Resistance A new draft report released for public comment by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides a comprehensive set of ‘best practice’ guidelines for designing building structures to resist major fires. The document, NISTIR 7563, Best Practice Guidelines for Structural Fire Resistance of Concrete and Steel Buildings, is part of the NIST response to the World Trade Center disaster of Sept. 11, 2001. NIST welcomes public comments on the draft report, downloadable at http://wtc.nist.gov •Date:16th March 2009• Region:US •Type: Briefing •Topic: BC facilities
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
March 16-20, 2009 is US Flood Safety Awareness Week With the spring thaw approaching, NOAA's National Weather Service and FEMA are partnering to observe the fifth annual Flood Safety Awareness Week, March 16-20, 2009. The National Weather Service, along with FEMA’s FloodSmart program, has launched a new Web resource that shows the effects and cost of flooding in the United States. The site also provides essential information on what to know and do before, during and after a flood, and a variety of safety tips and online tools, including one that lets them see whether their homes and businesses are threatened at various flood stages. More details. •Date:16th March 2009• Region:US •Type: Briefing •Topic: Events
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
US to get new Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention American National Standard Will help organizations respond to and resolve security incidents involving threats and episodes of violence. Read article •Date:6th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Texas companies get new business continuity options Clearview developing a new business continuity facility in Waco. Read article •Date:6th March 2009• Region:US •Type: Article •Topic: Recovery facilities
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Selection of Fugate to lead FEMA welcomed IAEM-USA applauds Obama decision. Read article •Date:5th March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
INTERPOL Secretary General warns against complacency over Al Qaeda An ‘alarming number of close calls’ suggest that the ‘margin of safety is shrinking, not growing’. Read article •Date:3rd March 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Association of State Floodplain Managers adds its voice to the call for an independent FEMA ASFPM has issued a statement recommending that FEMA be restored to its former independent-agency status, with direct access to the President. Read article •Date:3rd March 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
US cyber review underway In response to President Obama’s direction, the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council are presently conducting a 60-day review of the plans, programs, and activities underway throughout the government that address the availability, security and resilience of the cyberspace communications and information infrastructure. The review will be completed by the end of April 2009. More details. •Date:3rd March 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: Terrorism
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Crisis communications: how to slow or stop negative news Television journalist Mark Macias provides some useful advice. Read article •Date: 27th February 2009• Region:US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Crisis comms
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure leaders introduce FEMA Independence Bill H.R. 1174, the FEMA Independence Act of 2009, seeks to move FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security and requires the FEMA Administrator to report directly to the President. Read article •Date:27th February 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Plex offers SaaS based-application to deliver hot site-level recovery US-based Plex Systems has announced that it has launched a SaaS based-application which enabled a two-hour disaster recovery time for clients. The recovery targets are made possible by live data streaming between the company's primary data center in Auburn Hills, Michigan and its data center back-up in Asheville, North Carolina. Read press release •Date:27th February 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: IT continuity
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Updated recommendations for protecting wireless, remote access data The US National Institute of Standards and Technology has updated its guide on maintaining data security while teleworking. Read article •Date:26th February 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: ISM
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
FEMA grants $5 million for sea level rise study in North Carolina FEMA will use the results of this study to assess the long-term fiscal implications of climate change as it affects the frequency and effects of natural disasters. Read article •Date:26th February 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
Janet Napolitano highlights the way forward for the DHS DHS has released a transcript of testimony by Secretary Janet Napolitano before the House Committee on Homeland Security. In the testimony Napolitano explains her view of ‘The DHS, The Path Forward’. Read the transcript. •Date:26th February 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing
Rate this article or make a comment - click here
