Limiting access helps protect company trade secrets, ensures confidentiality for private client data and removes accidental interference in processes.

User Authentication

One of the first shields in securing a network of any type is providing a process for authenticating users. The most common authentication is the user name and password combination. Known as one-factor authenticating, this process works because each user is provided with a unique log-on name.

Most corporations have a data security team that approves requests for new user names and access changes to ensure only appropriate individuals are provided log-ons. Once approved, the user accesses the network, system or software program by entering his or her log-on and password.

When additional security is desired, corporations may use a two-factor authentication approach. Not only does the user have an assigned log-in and password, but they must also enter another password obtained from a secure-token, cell-phone text or card.

The codes on these devices change periodically, so they cannot be written down for later use by someone beside the user. This type of security is often utilized when employees travel and access networks via remote log-in or VPN technology.

For maximum security, a company may employ both methods mentioned above and require the user to scan their finger or retina for system access. Outside of government buildings or high-tech laboratories, this level of security is not common. For most companies, biological security devices are expensive and unnecessary.

Firewalls and Spy-ware Programs

In addition to user authentication, companies must ensure networks are shielded from outside attack. Almost perpetual internet connectivity means corporations are susceptible to interference by hackers and malware. In order to protect company and client data, corporations implement firewall programming to disallow activity not within parameters of documented processes.

They also deploy programs to scan for viruses, locate malware and remove problems from computers and networks on a daily basis. Many of these jobs are run each night to ensure integrity of corporate computers.

Network security is an essential part of any corporation today. The Internet and network capabilities are important business tools, but they provide a weak spot for many companies. In order to safeguard businesses, employees and clients, as well as comply with federal legislation regarding confidential information, companies need strong network security processes.

Paul De Vizard is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about all things technical. This includes Network Monitoring Tools that provide Application Performance Monitoring for large corporations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_De_Vizard

http://EzineArticles.com/?Keeping-Data-Safe:-What-Is-Network-Security?&id=6625211

Limiting access helps protect company trade secrets, ensures confidentiality for private client data and removes accidental interference in processes.

User Authentication

One of the first shields in securing a network of any type is providing a process for authenticating users. The most common authentication is the user name and password combination. Known as one-factor authenticating, this process works because each user is provided with a unique log-on name.

Most corporations have a data security team that approves requests for new user names and access changes to ensure only appropriate individuals are provided log-ons. Once approved, the user accesses the network, system or software program by entering his or her log-on and password.

When additional security is desired, corporations may use a two-factor authentication approach. Not only does the user have an assigned log-in and password, but they must also enter another password obtained from a secure-token, cell-phone text or card.

The codes on these devices change periodically, so they cannot be written down for later use by someone beside the user. This type of security is often utilized when employees travel and access networks via remote log-in or VPN technology.

For maximum security, a company may employ both methods mentioned above and require the user to scan their finger or retina for system access. Outside of government buildings or high-tech laboratories, this level of security is not common. For most companies, biological security devices are expensive and unnecessary.

Firewalls and Spy-ware Programs

In addition to user authentication, companies must ensure networks are shielded from outside attack. Almost perpetual internet connectivity means corporations are susceptible to interference by hackers and malware. In order to protect company and client data, corporations implement firewall programming to disallow activity not within parameters of documented processes.

They also deploy programs to scan for viruses, locate malware and remove problems from computers and networks on a daily basis. Many of these jobs are run each night to ensure integrity of corporate computers.

Network security is an essential part of any corporation today. The Internet and network capabilities are important business tools, but they provide a weak spot for many companies. In order to safeguard businesses, employees and clients, as well as comply with federal legislation regarding confidential information, companies need strong network security processes.

Paul De Vizard is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about all things technical. This includes Network Monitoring Tools that provide Application Performance Monitoring for large corporations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_De_Vizard

http://EzineArticles.com/?Keeping-Data-Safe:-What-Is-Network-Security?&id=6625211

However, if you are not tech-savvy, and are just trying to educate yourself on what these systems are and how to find a good one, here is some basic info.

First of all, networks for companies today are getting more and more complicated all the time. Not only are they getting larger, but the tasks they are being asked to do is becoming more complex (VOIPs, social networking, etc).

Basically, what this means for your network is that your network is likely being taxed to the max with the everyday activities of your employees.

The problem is that each network is reliant on 1000s of different applications working well at the same time. If even a single one is not operating (or its’ performance is hindered) the entire network can be in jeopardy.

So that is where an IDS and network management system come into play. They are designed to ensure the network keeps operating well, and to spot attacks on it that would prevent it from running.

Each of them have different functions.

For instance, an IDS system is made to watch out for attacks to the network from hackers. They are put in strategic areas, and are designed to analyze the incoming packets of information onto the network. Many of them have a set of known variables that hackers use that it looks out for.

If it sees that in any of the packets coming into the network, it will prevent them from getting inside. It is essentially the security system for the network.

On the other hand, the network monitoring system is designed to watch over what goes on inside the network. Its’ job is not to prevent attacks from outsiders. Instead, it is to ensure that everything is operating smoothly on the network itself.

It does so by continually sending out HTTP requests for web pages. It watches how long those pages take to load, up-time, as well as other metrics. If a page either takes a long time to come up, times out, or simply does not work at all, then it will notify the system administrator that there is a problem within the network. It also continually tests functions within the email system to ensure that is working as well.

The bottom line is, an intrusion detection system as well as network management system are both important if you have a company that uses an type of network. Which one you get and how much you invest depends both on the size of your network, as well as what functions it performs. Hopefully this information on an intrusion detection system how it works will help you understand the process better.

Paul De Vizard is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about all things technical. This includes Network Monitoring Tools that provide Application Performance Monitoring for large corporations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_De_Vizard

http://EzineArticles.com/?Intrusion-Detection-System—How-It-Works&id=6625223

It is imperative that event planners stay up to date on the laws of their business as well as the proceedings and outcome of any legal actions and rulings that may affect the industry. Clients may not be aware of rules and regulations that could influence the outcome of their event. Consequently, it is the responsibility of the event planner to advise their customers accordingly. These legalities need not deter a planner from doing a job. In fact, if knowledgeable about the rules and regulations, an event planner and their company can be more valuable through being prepared for any possible issues that may arise at the events they preside over.

The responsibility at an event usually rests on the shoulders of the person or company that has been hired to orchestrate the planning and bringing all of the areas together. Everyone from the stakeholder or host, the venue, the caterer and anyone else involved will go to the event planner for answers when something goes awry.

How do event planners protect themselves from the risks of the business? Due diligence on all aspects of an event will pay off in the long run. Every event is different and it is important to determine all of the risks possible. This should include everything from the thought that someone might jump into a pool from a second floor balcony right down to suppliers and even the weather. Utilize the 30/70 rule that is commonly used in the industry to determine the level of risk for possible problem areas.

Learn as much as you can about the stakeholders, the event itself and anyone else who may be involved. Hire other companies to look after specific areas. When hiring sub-contractors request and get a copy of their liability insurance. Reputable companies are more than willing to produce their insurance documents.

Consider having a sound and trustworthy law firm on retainer. Your reputation and business depends on it. There may never be a need to use a law firm for anything other than doing your corporate documents, but they are there to advise you in other matters as needed.

Make an appointment with your insurance broker to review your own business insurance policy. Take the time to make adjustments to cover any and all possibilities that might happen while planning and coordinating an event.

This all sounds scary and will make those thinking of going into the business of event planning think twice as to whether this is the career path to take. If this is the case, that is a good thing. The laws and legal rulings from court cases are in place to protect everyone and can be used to the advantage of a new company just by being aware of them. Starting any new business with the knowledge of all of the possible risk factors combined with the support of a supportive professional team as advisors will provide some of the stepping-stones to succeeding as an event planner and manager.

Ann Edall-Robson has over fifteen years experience as a Show and Entry Secretary. She owns her own business DAKATAMA, consults as an event manager/planner as well as offering seminars on Arena Management Software and How to Become an Excellent Show and Entry Secretary.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ann_Edall_Robson

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Our team has completed the research and done the math and unless you are making less than $3 an hour then typically using a directory of contact details of HNW or UHNW wealth management firms can save you a lot of time and money.

You could do all of the research yourself and not use a list prepared by someone else but that would be as they say, “penny wise, pound foolish” as you are basically doing administrative work while searching on Google for leads and contact details instead of making phone calls and having in-person meetings. Developing relationships is all about working efficiently and leveraging the limited time you have available to make your firm or fund stand out from your competitors. If you invest the time to really communicate your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) in the right context you can stay ahead of your competitors.

To leverage the power of a FO directory most try to meet face-to-face as often as possible, respect everyone’s time, always send out personalized one-to-one messages via email and never spam, target firms you can easily meet with often, make sure you get a high quality resource in the first place that was built by a team of family office professionals, make sure the list has be en updated within the past 6 months, and follow up with packages in the mail to increase the impact of your marketing.

Bottom Line… if you are working with family offices or trying to raise capital from family offices you are going to use your time more effectively if you invest it in building relationships and not having to build your own Family Office Database from scratch.

Our expert team has just released our 4th Version of our Family Office Directory, check it out here: http://FamilyOffices.com

- Richard Wilson

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What is Forensic Accounting, and What is a Forensic Audit?

Forensic accounting is a financial service which concentrates on identifying or preventing fraud in business settings; forensic audits performed by forensic accountants focus on identifying ways in which a business is vulnerable to fraud or identifying fraud which is being committed. Professionals who are qualified to perform forensic audits gather concrete evidence which is admissible in a court of law.

Common Aspects of Fraud

Embezzlement is the most common form of fraud in business settings. People who commit embezzlement typically do so systematically, in small amounts to avoid detection. Without the help of a forensic audit, embezzlement can often continue over a long period of time, adding up to significant financial losses for the company against which fraud is being committed. If tried, civil fraud cases (cases in which the victim is an individual, not the public) are often settled out of court, meaning that the person who committed fraud is able to walk free and commit fraud again.

When a forensic accountant performs a forensic audit, he or she investigates the business’ financial records in search of patterns which could indicate skimming or embezzlement. Forensic accountants also perform thorough background checks of employees, since people who commit fraud often have a history of doing so.

Detecting Fraud through Forensic Auditing

Forensic audits involve a very detailed, thorough investigation of every aspect of a business’ financial activities and history, a process which may involve detective work.

Take, for example, a restaurant owner who suspects that one of his waiters is skimming cash from his or her tables. In order to take action against the employee, however, the business owner requires proof. A forensic accountant might begin by hiring trained professionals to dine at the establishment in order to observe the employee in question take orders, place orders at the kitchen, deliver food and complete sales at the cash register. The professional might find that the employee completed credit card transactions normally, but voided the sale whenever dinner was paid in cash, pocketing the cash.

By itemizing all voided receipts, the forensic accountant could determine exactly how much money the employee was skimming, providing the restaurant owner with the evidence needed to press charges.

Forensic Auditing and Fraud Prevention

Forensic audits are not only used for detecting fraud; a forensic accountant may also investigate a company to find any areas in which the company may be vulnerable to fraud. By identifying these areas with a thorough forensic audit, companies can take action to prevent fraud by following recommendations such as using video camera monitoring, increasing management involvement, segregating duties or performing random spot audits.

Marjorie Steele is an assistant to West Michigan forensic accountant Doug Zandstra. Mr. Zandstra is a CPA, EA and CFA with over 15 years’ experience in big business accounting. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mr. Zandstra provides expert forensic accounting, litigation support and business valuation services for cases involving fraud and family disputes out of his own private accounting firm. To enlist Mr. Zandstra’s forensic auditing services, visit www.forensiccpaservices.com.

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First before you start down this path figure out if you should be working with a single FO, MFOs or both.

Single FOs are those which are built around serving the needs for one single ultra high net worth individual or family who typically has a total net worth of over $50M and in most cases over $100M.

Multi-family offices are those which provide services to 3, 4, 5, or dozens of wealth individuals and families providing holistic wealth management and tax efficiency advisory and management.

If you are using the database for capital raising you will want to approach both of these groups but the reality is that you will end up connecting with and being able to develop more powerful relationships with the multis. This is because there are more of them, they are less secretive, and in my experience they invest in external fund managers more often.

Some final tips in selecting a database is to look for one in Excel spreadsheet format, that costs less than $2,000, only costs $500 a year or less to keep updates over the years, and is offered by a team that is really focused on this industry and not just pumping out software driven script built databases scrapped from the internet.

Bottom Line… if you are working with family offices or trying to raise capital from family offices you are going to use your time more effectively if you invest it in building relationships and not having to build your own Family Office Database from scratch.

Our expert team has just released our 4th Version of our Family Office Directory, check it out here: http://FamilyOffices.com

- Richard Wilson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Wilson

http://EzineArticles.com/?Family-Offices-Database-Options-For-Fund-Managers&id=5326257