Earlier this week I received an email with the subject line “Jim turkey”. I thought it was rather stupid, to be honest, but opened it to make sure it wasn’t something I needed. Turned out it was about marketing and the idea that, just because it’s the holidays, you can’t take a break from your marketing efforts. So, I shared it with our sales and marketing team as well as our partner who’s getting us through our transition to Hubspot (new marketing tool).
I forwarded it because of the content, not the subject line, while noting “what a stupid line”. Of course, all six people who received commented on the subject line and nothing else, even going so far as to say “yes, stupid line. But we’re all talking about it.” Guess it goes along with “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”
Anyway, this morning I had another email with the subject line “Jim maturity”. That one was in the spam folder, but seemingly from the same company (more about marketing tactics and techniques). And while the subject lines convinced me to open the emails, I couldn’t tell you what company actually sent them to me. So, we have interesting content but poor brand awareness. I guess a .500 batting average still gets you to the Hall of Fame?
Long story short (more about story telling, below), I hope my well-planned subject lines convince at least some of you to open them on a weekly basis. Scroll on down for more on lock pickers, door dashers, ice plungers, and more. Enjoy!
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Lock Picking
An article about lock picking appeared in my inbox earlier this week, so I figured I’d check it out. And as I did, I realized the connections between locks and cybersecurity. As the author states while he’s showing us just how easy it is to pick a standard door lock (video embedded in the article), ” You need to utilize other tools and tactics and create multiple layers of security.” That simple door lock won’t keep anybody out, if they really want in.
The same goes for cybersecurity, which is a multi-layered solution. Firewalls, endpoint protection, security operations centers (24/7/365 human eyes on every device on the network), data loss prevention, multi-factor authentication, cleanup of user credentials, security training for users… It’s a long list. Or as Travis likes to say, “closing your screen door might keep the bugs out, but it’s not going to stop the kid with the garden hose from soaking your couch.”
And that multi-layer security plan dovetailed right into this next article about Colgate-Palmolive and all the steps they’ve taken to ensure their digital presence doesn’t take a hit from hackers; “… centralize control of social accounts, enforce MFA on shared logins, eliminated credential sprawl, and gave marketing teams the ability to manage social accounts securely.”
No matter what you’re trying to secure, whether it be your home, your business, or your digital presence, it has to be a multi-layered effort.
Louvre Lessons
Unless you work for Progressive Insurance, your employer probably isn’t concerned about securing the corporate art collection. But, as the recent Louvre heist reminds us, there’s plenty to be learned about good cybersecurity, in addition to physical security. Patching. Out of date hardware. Passwords. All proven at the Louvre to be well below standards, and all able to cause problems for any business.
Cisco and Fortinet
If you’re an Ashton client, it’s almost guaranteed that you have a Sophos firewall in place. As a matter of fact, a quick glance at our client configurations tells me that we currently manage 346 firewalls, and that the vast majority are of the Sophos variety.
If your firewall is from Cisco or Fortinet however, you need to confirm with your partner that they’ve installed recent patches. Fortinet currently has two major issues going on, and Cisco has one as well.
Note- if you have a Cisco or Fortinet managed by Ashton, there’s no need to worry. Our team keeps on top of industry news and when alerts are sent out, we make the necessary updates to keep you secure.
Cloudflare Outage
If you tried to access X (Twitter), ChatGPT, Canva, or many other websites on Tuesday morning, you probably failed. That was due to an outage at Cloudflare, which is an internet security company. According to the CEO, the outage was due to an internal systems issue (as opposed to it being a hack), and there seems to be a good (albeit well over my head) explanation. Like the Crowdstrike issue in the summer of 2024, this one is a good reminder of how easy it is to lose the internet and how it effects everyone’s daily lives.
The Slow Lane
This one jumped out at me because it’s about the Canadian grocery store we hit, just before we go off the grid (the article states Edmonton, AB, but they’re across Canada). Sobey’s now offers smart shopping carts with all sorts of cool ties-ins… but they also offer a “slow lane” checkout process for people like me who prefer human interaction. And as the article acknowledges, you have to meet your customers where they want to be.
Anybody else out there prefer the slow lane (other than on the freeway)?
Balloons
While I can’t remember all the specifics of my involvement with Balloon Fest (it was all the way back in 1986, after all), I can remember the event itself. It took place on Public Square downtown, and involved the release of 1.5 million helium-filled balloons. And it was pretty much a disaster. I recall some of my classmates volunteering (or maybe they were ‘volun-told’) to assist in the inflation efforts (the event was sponsored by United Way), and know that it was an all night affair. I seem to remember that the rest of us taking the train downtown to watch the festivities. And it still reminds me of Cincinnati’s famous Thanksgiving turkey drop.
Other Random Things
Nancy left me hanging this week (and she wasn’t happy that I associated her with the salmon facials from last week), so I’ve saved this last segment for random things that jumped out at me this week.
I’m a big fan of cold showers. Haven’t taken a warm/hot one in three years. Does it do me any good? Who knows. But I do enjoy the cold tub outside, especially when I have to break the surface ice to get in!
Remember as a kid when you got the 64 color box of Crayolas with the built in sharpener? That was always fun. I never came across anybody who liked burnt sienna or raw umber, and I have an innate distaste for maize. But now it seems that my generation’s favorite colors are cerulean, royal purple, and blue. I’ll give ’em blue, but trade the other two for orange and green.
I don’t use food delivery services, so this one doesn’t effect me. But, DoorDash was recently breached (for the third time in the past six years) and personal info (name, email, physical address) was leaked. So, if you get emails claiming to be from DoorDash, think before you click.
I seem to tell a lot of stories, and I’ve been told that some people have heard the same story on numerous occasions. I’m also aware that there are many people out there who are absolutely terrible when it comes to telling stories. If you’re one of those people, here are some good tips.
That’s all for this week.
For the Buckeye fans in the room, Xichigan week is almost here, and for the rest it’s almost time for Thanksgiving. As such, I think I’ll give you all a well-earned week off.
Happy Thanksgiving and Go Bucks!
Abbey