Medicare and its Mission

How To Publish More Consistent Content To Grow A Blog

How To Publish More Consistent Content To Grow A Blog Are you one of the 86% of bloggers who plan to publish more content in 2015? Yeah. Were planning to publish more content, too. While creating and publishing consistent content may seem a bit tough at first,  itll really help you build reader loyalty and grow your audience. And that will ultimately increase your traffic, social media shares, and search engine rankings. It did for us at . How To Publish More  Consistent #Content That Will Help You Grow A Successful #BlogSo, how can  you actually create more consistent content? It boils down to a few things: Understand why youd actually like to create more content. Plan  your publishing momentum. Execute the plan. Simple, right? Heres exactly how to create consistent content that will help you grow a successful blog. Take A Step Back: Why Do You Want To Publish More Content? If you want to publish more, you probably have your reasons. But publishing more itself shouldn't be your goal. For example, you may decide  to focus on something like increasing your pageviews, social media shares, email signup conversions, and even product or service signups. Publishing more #content shouldn't be your #blogging goal. Here's why.It's really not complex, I promise! You just need to know the goal you want to reach and how an average blog post contributes to that goal right now. Then you can  use  this algorithm to do it  yourself: Divide your metric's goal by what an average blog post currently contributes to that goal. That should give you a rough estimate of how many posts you need to write. Example: Let's say you want 8,000 pageviews a month. If an average blog post receives 1,000 pageviews, you'd have to write 8 blog posts to reach your goal. You can see this algorithm would work  for  pageviews, social media shares, email signups, product signups, or whatever you're measuring. From there, you can look at how consistently you create content today compared to how much content you  need to create to hit your goals: Simply subtract the number  of posts you need to write from  the amount you're currently publishing. The result is the number of posts  you need to write to reach your marketing goals. Example:  You need to write 8 blog posts to reach your monthly goal. If  you only currently write 4 posts, you need to write 4 more posts to reach your goal. While these algorithms aren't a  perfect solution, they're super helpful for gauging how much content you need to publish to hit your marketing goals. And once you know about how many posts you want to create, you can make a plan to create consistent content. This post has some super helpful algorithms for nerdy #bloggers who want to publish more #content.Creating Consistent Content Is Like Running A Marathon Alright! So you're going to publish a ton of new content, right!? Might as well just publish a bajillion posts right away. Or not. Creating consistent content is like preparing for a marathon. It's not a sprint. And you're not going to be able to run it your first day. You need to build up your tolerance- and practice your approach- and eventually, you'll be able to run a ton of miles in a relatively short amount of time. Did you know that at for a while, we published three posts a week, and then we cut back to two? We jumped the gun and published more content than we could handle. After we cut back, our content became longer. We  actually grew our subscribers. And we had time to plan how we could publish  three posts a week. That's a true story about how consistent and quality content can build a loyal audience (we love you guys!) while building momentum for a successful blog. Now we're back to consistently publishing three blog posts of awesomeness every  week. From here, you need to figure out the pace that's right for you. Creating consistent #content is like preparing for a marathon. You can't run it your first day.How To Build Up Your Momentum To Publish Consistent Content There are a few  things you need to do to prepare for your blogging marathon. 1.  Consist-a-tize the content you're already creating. First, let's get the content  you're already writing publishing consistent. Choose the specific days and times you'll commit to publishing. According to your goals, there is research to help you choose the best times to publish your blog posts. Choose a day and time that should help you achieve your marketing goals. Plan any posts you're already working on in your content marketing editorial calendar  for that specific day and time for the next month at least. Remember that example from earlier? It looks like  publishing your blog posts Mondays at 11 a.m.  EST gets you the most traffic. If your goal is pageviews,  publishing your content consistently at this time should help you accomplish just that. 2. Commit to creating consistent content. Before you add more content to your editorial calendar, get what you're already doing under control. If you'll need help with anything to create the content, figure out how you'll overcome those challenges. Struggling for content ideas? Figure out where you'll find your blog ideas. If you need graphics, know how you'll create your visuals. Planning the details ahead of time- maybe with a workflow- and getting everyone on board from the get-go is the best way to create consistent content. Even if you're a solo blogger, a workflow with a set of to-do lists can help you stay on track. Here's an example of the workflow we use at from beginning to end to make sure everything is done at just the right time: Gather ideas: 21 days before post. Target a keyword: 14 days before post. Find a great  headline: 14 days before post. Write the draft: 7 days before post. Create graphics: 6 days before post. Edit and prep the post to publish: 3 day before post. Schedule  social media messages: 1 day before post. Publish post.Nail your #blogging process now  so publishing  more consistent content will be easier later on.3. Plan how you'll add in more consistent content. Once the stuff you're already creating is publishing consistently, you're ready to add in more. Like you did before, choose the next  best days and times to publish your content. Then  add one new post at a time to  your editorial calendar. This is really where you should take your time to build up your publishing tolerance. Creating more content isn't better. Creating more content that is better is better. So... maybe try an editorial calendar  that looks something like this for your first 6 months: Though this example is a bit specific, you can apply this same theory to your content creation process. 3 Ways To  Actually Plan, Create, And Publish Consistent Content There are 3 big ways you can plan consistent  content and commit to your editorial calendar. 1. Plan ahead to save a ton of time. Plan ahead. The number 1 thing you can do to actually create content consistently is planning ahead.  There is no better tool than an editorial calendar to help you do this. Be selfish with your time. Use your time for what matters. We all get swamped in our workloads, but that's why you have to prioritize. I read a book a couple years ago called Vital Factors: The Secret To Transforming Your Business- And Your Life. The book  had a very simple concept: Focus on the vital few projects that will actually make a difference rather than the trivial many that overwhelm your life. Make it a point to stick with consistent content creation as part of your vital few.  And actively tell yourself to let go of what doesn't matter.

EXCEL 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EXCEL 5 - Assignment Example ceipts is also done to identify whether the trend is clearer, whether there are any anomalies left or any more cyclical patterns lasting more than one year. Finally, a review of the double smoothed results to determine whether the values from the projected position are reasonable. We can also determine the impact of the recent values on the projection and whether it skews the projection. From observing the raw receipt data, it is evident that there is both positive, negative and stationary trends at different months of the line graph. The initial months show a positive trend for the first points before a negative trend begins. This trend doesn’t last long before another stationary then positive trends are observed. Essentially, there is no definite trend with the raw receipts as it emerges as a zigzag trend of positive, negative and stationary trends. Generally, a positive trend is observed. There are few anomalies observed through the projection period. The first anomaly is a spike in the 10th month of the projection period. Another spike though not too significant is evident at the 22nd month. A significant anomaly is evident at the 46th month where the highest spike in the entire projection period is observed. Other minor spikes are shown at the 36th and 40th month of the projection period respectively. There is no significant dips (decreases) in the proje ction period although minor decreases in the 9th, 21st, 30th, 33rd and 45th can be observed from the graph. Particular patterns can be observed in the dips (decrease) and spikes (increase) in the projection period. The spikes (increase) seem to occur after twelve months exhibiting an annual pattern over the projection period. The dips (decrease) however, do not exhibit a particular pattern as some occur after 2 months. It is also important to note that after every dip (decreases) there is a spike (increases) in the following month but not of equal proportions. The comparison between the de-seasonalized and

Sexual Orientation in Organizational Communications Essay

Sexual Orientation in Organizational Communications - Essay Example Despite serious social movement of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community in recent decades, the minority of people are still fighting for equality. And in this fight corporations are extremely important in terms of the LGBT community acknowledgment because they can provide their employees with decent support and do it more profoundly than country and local authorities (LGTB Manual, 2010). There are few companies that are able to risk their reputation, unless their reputation is so immaculate, and make such a contradictory issue as accepting non-traditional sexual orientation of the employees in company`s policy. Such companies receive unnecessary attention and their public relations sphere is suffering. In such a situation Disney, the company specializing in the children`s entertainment content and supporting homosexuality acknowledgment at working places looks absolutely extraordinary (Tully, 2013).However, Disney was and remains such company, and despite its worldwide success it is being accused of promoting immoral values to the future generation. Reasonably it raises a lot of questions regarding the place of homosexual propaganda in a corporate world and especially in children`s content. However, Disney manages to communicate to the world that their policy is grounded on higher values such as equality, acceptance, and diversity, and sticking to these goals can ser ve as the most important factor. Moreover, Disney`s internal policy of visibility is coherent with its external representation which proves that the company has a well-elaborated policy and know what image to create in consumers` perception. Disney was established in 1923 by two brothers, Walter and Roy Disney as a small cartoon studio in California. Today this multinational corporation is one of the biggest Hollywood studios and is the owner of 11 theme parks around the planet, two aqua parks, and several broadcasting companies. The company`s main product was  children`s animation movies before it launched its radio, films, and entertainment facilities (Corporate History, 2008).

Managed Care Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managed Care Organizations - Essay Example The group is paid a fixed fee per month. Independent practice association model HMO - This is similar to group model. The HMO enters into contract with a group of individual health care providers (through a legal entity - practice association). The difference is that the independent practice association (IPA) can treat patients other than the HMO enrolled patients as well. Network model HMO - It is a combination of all of the above. The HMO can have multiple contracts; it can hire some doctors and pay them salary, it can have IPA contracts with other doctors, and can have exclusive contracts with groups. Point of service model HMO - In point of service (POS) model, the patients enrolled in the HMO can consult with doctors who are not outside the network of HMO, without needing a referral from a doctor of HMO network. This provides the patients the flexibility consult any doctor of their choice although they have to pay more to consult with doctors outside the HMO network. A PPO is a form of MCO which makes arrangements with health care providers to seek reimbursement at lower rates. Thus, the patients pay lower than regular fees when they consult the health care providers (preferred providers) who are part of the PPO network. The managed care organizations generally reduce cost by improving efficiencies. ... Techniques Used by Managed Care Organizations to contain costs The managed care organizations generally reduce cost by improving efficiencies. The efficiency can be increased by optimally utilizing technology, reducing overheads, enhancing patient care treatments, and increasing utilization rate of the available medical equipment. The managed care organizations also provide incentives to health care providers if they select economical ways of treatment. They provide guidelines on various matters; for instance, how to maximize utilization rate of hospital rooms for in-patient treatment; what should be the length of hospital stay for particular treatment; eliminating unnecessary office processes and procedures so that costs can be reduce; etc. These techniques assist the hospitals and doctors to provide better services to patients, and at the same time, to reduce the cost of these services. The patients, thus, have to pay lower amounts to the managed care organizations. Hence the objective of providing low cost health care services is achieved. However, in order to ensure that providers do not exhibit unethical behavior by providing lesser than required services to the patients in order to reduce costs, all the medical records are kept for future reference and are periodically reviewed by external party. In addition, quality assurance reviews are undertaken to verify the quality of services provides to the patients (Managed Care Magazine, 2000). Reimbursement for Services There are various ways the providers are reimbursed for services by the managed care organizations. These include: Salary: Normally used for staff model; the doctors are hired and are provided fixed monthly salary. Fixed Capitated Fee: The provider is paid

Components Of A Good Password Computer Science Essay

Components Of A Good Password Computer Science Essay Computer manufacturer and OS developers often build and deliver systems in default modes to secure the system from external attacks. From developers view this is the most efficient mode of product delivery. As per the organisation or a user, they require more protected and secured system before it is placed into service. Security baselines are standards which defines a minimum set of security controls for organisations. Security baselines typically address both technical issues such as software configuration and operational issues such as keeping applications up to date with vendor patches. In the security baselines, if hardware, OS, network and application followed the recommended minimum set of security settings then it will significantly decrease its vulnerability to security threats. The process of securing and preparing the system against the internal and external threats and system vulnerabilities is called hardening. Reduce the main reasons of attack that includes the removal of unnecessary services, software and unnecessary usernames or logins. It makes the system more secure, reliable, efficient and gives optimised performance. 12.2 Password Selection Password selection is one of the critical activities that often get neglected as part of a good security baseline. Currently most systems are protected by a user ID and password. If an attacker discovers the correct user ID and password by guessing or by using freely available password cracker tools, then they can gain access to the system. By following basic guidelines and principles in choosing passwords, the passwords used on the system will protect the assets. 12.2.1 Selecting a Password Users should consider a few basic requirements while choosing the password. Set a minimum number of characters and never accept shorter password. Do not use dictionary words and mix of lowercase and uppercase letters with usually one or two numbers. Randomly created passwords are strong passwords and they are difficult to guess and will defeat most password-cracking utilities. However, randomly generated passwords are difficult to remember and users often write down these passwords usually in a location close to the machine. Thus it defeats the purpose of the password. 12.2.2 Components of a Good Password User should create their own easy to remember passwords. Password is meant to protect access and resources from hackers. It should not be easy for them to guess or crack through password cracking tools. Common guidelines to make the password more difficult to guess or obtain are as follows: It should be at least eight characters long. It should include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, special characters or punctuation marks. It should not contain dictionary words. It should not contain the users personal information such as their name, family members name, birth date, pet name, phone number or any other detail that can easily be identified. It should not be the same as the users login name. It should not be the default passwords as supplied by the system vendor such as password, guest, admin and so on. 12.2.3 Password Aging Password aging is technique used by system administrators and it forces the user to change their passwords after specified period of time. If it is not changed within a specific period of time, it expires and must be reset. Password aging can also force a user to keep a password for a certain number of weeks before changing it. Changing passwords periodically will protect against brute-force attacks because when password is changed the attacker must restart the attack from the beginning. If password is changed periodically, an attacker will never be able to cycle through all the possible combinations before the password is changed again. Most operating systems have options that allow system administrators to apply password aging and prevent password reuse. Common guidelines are as follows: User must change their passwords in every 60 to 90 days. A very secured service requires to change passwords every 30 to 45 days. System must remember each users last five to ten passwords and should not allow the user to reuse those passwords. 12.3 Hardening Most computers provide network security features to control outside access to the system. All nonessential softwares such as spyware blockers and antivirus programs prevent malicious software to run on the system. Even with all these security measures, systems are still vulnerable to outside access. System hardening is a step by step process of securely configuring a system to protect it against unauthorised access. It also helps to minimise the security vulnerabilities. The three basic areas of hardening are as follows: Operating system-based hardening It includes information about securing and hardening various operating system. It also includes methods to secure file systems. Network-based hardening It examines the methods and procedures of hardening network devices, services and protocols. Application-based hardening It includes security of client-side user applications and services such as Domain Name Service (DNS), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Web servers. 12.3.1 Operating System-Based Hardening Operating system hardening is the first step towards safeguarding systems from intrusion. Systems received from the vendors have preinstalled development tools and utilities which are beneficial to the new user as well as it also provide back-door access to an organisations systems. Operating system hardening includes the removal of all non essential tools, utilities and other systems administration options through which hackers can easily access the system. Hardening process will ensure that all security features are activated and configured correctly. This process makes the system secure, efficient, reliable and gives optimised performance. Some of the security tips to harden the OS include the following: Disable all unnecessary protocols. Disable all unnecessary services. Disable all unnecessary programs and processes. Verify and then install all vendor patches. Install all product updates. Use vulnerability scanner to identify potential security weaknesses. Configure file system security according to the least privilege rule. Note: Least privilege rule states that, allow access to those individuals who require it and allow only as much access required to complete the task. File System Controlling access to the resources is an important factor in maintaining system security. The most secure environment follows the rule of least privilege. The network administrator receives more complaints from users after following this rule as they are unable to access resources. However, receiving complaints from unauthorised users is more beneficial than suffering access violations that damage the organisations capability to conduct business. The least privileged environment can use the user groups to assign the same access to the resources instead of assigning individual access controls. However, in some cases individual users need more or less access than other group members. To maintain security, network administrator provides greater control over what each user can and cannot access. Updates OS updates are provided by the manufacturer of the specific component. Updates contain improvements to the OS and hence, will make the product more secure, efficient and stable to the users. For example, Microsoft updates are labelled with security updates. These updates address security concerns recognised by Microsoft and install them if required. In addition, updates enhance the capability of a specific function that was underdeveloped at the time the system or application was released. Updates should be thoroughly tested in non-production environments before implementation. Since this new and improved function has more security breaches than the original components, it requires complete testing. Hotfixes, security packs and patches are product updates to resolve a known issue. Hotfixes Hotfixes are components that are designed to fix a particular critical system fault. Hotfixes are created by the vendor when a number of client systems indicate that there is compatibility or functional problem with a manufacturers products used on a particular platform. These are fixes for reported or known problems. Hence, hotfixes should only be installed to correct a specific problem. Service Packs Service packs are collection of updates or hotfixes. It correct known issues and provide drivers, updates and system administration tools that extends product functionality that include enhancements developed after the product is released. Service packs are tested on different hardware and applications to ensure compatibility of existing patches and updates. Service packs must be thoroughly tested and verified in non-production environment before it installed on working systems. Patches Patches are used to prevent hackers from invading the system with virus and other malware that exploits the operating systems vulnerabilities. This improves the usability and performance of the system. OS patches are available on the vendor Website that supplies the product. Since patches are issued at unpredictable intervals, it is important to configure the system to automatically connect with the latest security patch updates. When the new update is released, the OS will prompt to install. While preparing clean installation it is advisable to download and install all known patches before introducing the system to the network. 12.3.2 Network-Based Hardening The tremendous growth of the Internet allows to openly access any system on a network. Hence, proper control over network access must be established on systems by controlling the services that are running and the ports that are opened for network access. In addition to the systems, network devices such as hub, routers, switches and modems must be examined for any security vulnerability. Any flaws in the coding of the OS can be exploited to gain access to the network components. These components should be configured with very strict parameters to maintain network security. The softwares of these components require to be updated regularly. By taking necessary steps, network administrator should limit or reduce attacks, accidental damage through their networks. In addition, network hardening also recommend the correct configuration of network devices and the requirement to enable and disable the services and protocols within a network. Firmware Updates Updating the firmware of the hardware device is provided by the manufacturers. These updates fix incompatibility problems or device operation problems. These updates should be applied if the update includes fixes for an existing condition or if it will make the device more secure and more functional or extends its operational life. It is recommended to install and test the firmware updates in a non-production environment to verify if the update contains the necessary fixes and benefits that are required. Device Configuration Network devices such as routers and switches configured with default installation settings. These default settings leave a system extremely vulnerable as it is set for convenience and not for security. Choosing a good password and limiting access to any open ports is very important in maintaining security of the devices. Good passwords are one of the most effective security tools because a good password can be resistant to several forms of attack. Determining the minimum set of services that the devices are running and good passwords is important for maintaining security of those devices. Apply patches and updates that are released by the product vendor in a regular interval. Enabling and Disabling Services and Protocols It is important to measure the current requirements and conditions of the network and infrastructure and then disable the unnecessary services and protocols. This leads to network infrastructure that is less vulnerable to attack. Access Control Lists Configure access list at the network devices to control access to a network. Access list can prevent certain traffic from entering and exiting a network. Access control lists are controlled by an administrator. 12.3.3 Application-Based Hardening Application hardening is the process to prevent exploitation of various types of vulnerabilities in software application by implementing the latest updates. Applications such as browsers, office suites, e-mail client and services provided through servers such as Web servers, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), DNS servers and DHCP servers on a network require regular updates to provide protection against newly developed threats. Web Servers At present most of the organisations have a Web presence on the Internet for numerous business advantages. Due to Internet popularity, Web servers have become extremely popular targets for attackers. Original content on the Websites are replaced with hackers data. E-commerce sites are attacked and users personal account information is stolen. Microsofts Internet Information Server (IIS) or Apache server are most popular Web servers applications in use today. To secure Web servers from hackers, administrator must apply updates and patches, remove unnecessary protocols and services and properly configured all native controls. It is also recommended to place the Web server behind a firewall or a reverse proxy. Microsoft has developed URLScan and IIS Lockdown tools which are designed to secure IIS servers from attacks and exploits. URLScan is a monitoring utility that examines all incoming URLs and rejects any requests for files, directories or services outside the intended scope of the Website. The IIS Lockdown tool turns off unnecessary functions which reduces the attack surface available to an attacker. E-mail Servers E-mail servers and clients are vulnerable to different attacks such as Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, virus attacks, relay and spoofing attacks. There are numerous deficiencies in the different versions of e-mail server software such as Sendmail for Linux and UNIX and the Exchange or Outlook for Microsoft. E-mail servers are constant potential sources of virus attacks and therefore must have the strongest possible protection for scanning incoming and outgoing messages. E-mail servers should not have non-essential services and applications installed. Administrative and system access should also be securely controlled to block installation or execution of unauthorised programs and trojans. The following attack points should be considered while hardening an e-mail server: Open mail relay allows unauthorised users to send e-mail through an e-mail server. Storage limitation, to limit DoS attacks based on message size. Spamming includes identical messages sent to numerous clients by e-mail. Virus propagation, ensure the anti-virus programs and applications are performing correctly. FTP Servers FTP allows number of users to access and download remotely stored data. It distributes application updates, device drivers and free software to users. Users access this data anonymously. This anonymous access to FTP servers becomes a problem as administrator does not provide anonymous access or does not properly secure the FTP service. This involves setting the appropriate permissions, not allowing the FTP process to be run by an unprivileged user and not allowing users to upload or modify files. Some FTP servers allow upload and download service for authorised users and hence, in that case anonymous access should be completely removed. To overcome buffer overflow problem ensure that FTP server software is up to date and patched. DNS Servers DNS server converts systems host names into IP addresses so that the communication can be correctly routed through the network. Client systems use DNS to locate Web servers, e-mail servers, FTP servers and number of other servers and network services. DNS can be major target for an attacker. The DNS server can be exploited by the following ways: Stealing zone transfers DNS servers are configured to provide information such as list of hosts and routers with IP addresses to other secondary DNS servers. This secondary DNS server is used to maintain a backup copy of the DNS database and to provide name resolution services for client systems. An attacker can receive a zone transfer and use it to track victims network and search for potential targets. Zone update spoofing An attacker can spoof the address of the primary DNS server and send a bogus update to a secondary DNS server. Client systems receive incorrect information and network communication from this bogus server and redirects users to a location controlled by the attacker. DNS cache poisoning Some DNS servers allow attackers to insert bogus information into a DNS cache. To secure and harden the DNS server from various types of exploits, actions to be taken are as follows: Do not place any information on publicly accessible DNS server to avoid snooping around the DNS server. Do not provide additional host information in Host Information (HINFO) records of DNS. HINFO record contains descriptive information about the OS and features of particular system and attacker could use this information to gain access. Configure the DNS servers to only allow zone transfers to specific secondary servers. Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) allows zone transfer to be signed. Zone transfer signing allows secondary servers to verify the credentials of the primary server before accepting data. Ensure that DNS software is patched and up to date to avoid DNS cache poisoning. NNTP Servers Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) servers allow news clients to connect to news servers to share information privately or to post articles to a public NNTP server. NNTP servers are vulnerable to DoS attacks, buffer overflows. To exploit server, attackers connect to a private NNTP server to gain any information to compromise network. Sometimes users post accurate diagrams of their network to ask a technical question and attacker can use this information to find ways to exploit a network. They can even offer bogus advice to create a hole in the networks defences. To protect the organisation from NNTP server exploits, block the NNTP port at the firewall to make NNTP server inaccessible to external users. To protect posted private information, authenticate user to prevent anonymous logins to the NNTP server. Also encrypt communications using SSL/TLS to prevent packet sniffing of confidential data. Do not allow users to post confidential information to the public which will compromise their network. File and Print Servers Files and print servers in a network are used to share resources but it is a common way in which hackers can gain information and unauthorised access. When sharing is enabled to share the resources with a trusted internal network over a NIC, the system is also sharing those resources with the entire untrusted external network over the external interface connection. Attackers attempt to make unauthenticated connections to shared resources on the network. If sharing permissions are configured incorrectly for an easily exploited user account, attackers can gain access to resources and alter them. To secure the file and printer shares block access to shares and related information at the firewall. Use the rule of least privilege to secure shares from external attacker. Virtual Private Network (VPN) is also used to encrypt communications between clients and servers to secure data transmission. Data Repositories Data repositories are locations that hold information about networks, applications and users. Attackers can use the information stored in data repositories to formulate attacks against organisation. Hence, ensure that this information is limited and restricted for external users. As well as authentication and encryption of the data is necessary to protect them from external attacks. Directory Services A directory service is used to store, organise and provide access to information in a directory. The information in a directory services can include system accounts, user accounts, mail accounts, service locations and shared resource information. The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a common directory service that organises data in a hierarchical manner. The top entry in a LDAP directory information tree is called root and this LDAP root server creates the hierarchy. The directory service hierarchy and the information it stores provide a good map of network infrastructure. This is convenient for authorised users in a network as well as for attacker. Attacker can use numerous ways to compromise LDAP servers such as attacker can use network resources information stored at directory service to examine network structure, resources and potential targets. Attacker can gain victims network information that is transferred over LDAP through eavesdropping. Some of the ways to protect LDAP hierarchy are as follows: Protect LDAP hierarchy by configuring the strongest authentication to the different versions of LDAP. Both LADP v2 and LDAP v3 support anonymous and simple authentication which are not very secure. Anonymous authentication does not require password and simple authentication uses a password in unencrypted format which attacker can easily hack. Strong authentication over LDAP v2 and LDAP v3 is provided through Kerberos version 4 authentication and Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) communications respectively. Use Secure LDAP (LDAPS) that allows encrypting communications using SSL/TLS. Block access to LDAP ports from the Internet so that attackers cannot make connections using these ports. Databases Database servers are used to store data. Both the data and the database server can be target for an attacker. An attacker can steal the data or take over the database server to exploit it. Some of the ways that the database servers can be exploited are as follows: Unexpected data queries or commands Numerous database servers use Structured Query Language (SQL) which allows for the querying and posting of data. An attacker can use SQL commands to do unexpected things is called SQL injection. Unauthenticated access If unauthenticated access to database server is allowed then the attackers can easily connect and exploit the database server. To secure database servers consider the following points: Test the database by running irrelevant queries and attempt to access unauthorised information. Do not allow unauthenticated connections to the database server. While transferring confidential data to and from database server, use SSL/TLS or VPN connection to protect data. To avoid database server to be queried by external users, block access to it at the firewall. 12.4 Chapter Review Questions 1. How an individual should secure a password? (A) Selecting a password with at least eight characters, at least one change in case and at least one number or special character (C) Storing the password in wallet or purse (B) Using the same password on every system (D) Changing passwords at least once a year Ans: A 2. Which of the following steps is part of the hardening process for OS? (A) Remove unnecessary programs and processes (C) Setting appropriate permissions on files (B) Disable unnecessary services (D) All of these Ans: D 3. Which amongst the following is the correct step to overcome buffer overflow problems? (A) Select strong passwords (C) Install the latest patches (B) Remove sample files (D) Set appropriate permissions on files Ans: C 4. Which of the following requires software up to date and patched? (A) Operating systems (C) Applications (B) Network devices (D) All of these Ans: D 5. Rule of least privilege states that ____. (A) allow access to users who requires it (C) allow limited access (B) allow access to everyone (D) allow full access Ans: A and C 6. Which of the following is designed to fix a particular critical system fault? (A) Hotfixes (C) Patches (B) Service packs (D) None of these Ans: A 7. Which of the following extends product functionality after the release of product? (A) Hotfixes (C) Patches (B) Service packs (D) None of these Ans: B 8. Which of the following fixes incompatibility problems or device operation problems? (A) Hotfixes (C) Firmware update (B) Service packs (D) None of these Ans: C 9. Which of the following steps are used to secure Web servers? (A) Apply patches and updates (C) Place the web server behind a firewall (B) Remove unnecessary protocols and services (D) All of these Ans: D 10. BIND stands for _______. (A) Berkeley Internet Network Domain (C) Berkeley Intranet Name Domain (B) Berkeley Internet Name Domain (D) Business Internet Network Domain Ans: B 12.4.1 Answers 1. A 2. D 3. C 4. D 5. A and C 6. A 7. B 8. C 9. D 10. B Summary In the chapter, Security Baselines, you learnt about: Components of a good password and password aging. Different ways to harden the OS. Different ways to harden the network and its devices. Different ways to harden applications such as browsers, office suites, e-mail client and services provided through servers such as Web servers, E-mail servers, FTP servers, DNS servers, NNTP servers, file and print servers, directory services and databases.

Contemporary Music and the Effects It Has on Youth Essay -- Essays Pap

Contemporary Music and the Effects It Has on Youth In a book written on Abraham Lincoln, the author states, "Who writes the Nation’s songs shapes the nation’s souls." (1) This statement is true. A quick look back at the music of the 1960's and 70's and the effects it had on society proves the statement. The question then arises, how does contemporary music effect modern society? More importantly how does it effect the most easily influenced group, the youth? There is no doubt that much of the popular music in 90’s culture has a negative message. The rise of rap, especially gangster rap and the continual popularity of heavy metal are major contributors to the negative message. The message in turn has a very negative effect on children. The language and actions described in this music gives kids a false perception of what the world is truly like. It also portrays to them that the actions are socially acceptable or good. Youths of the present have a much more difficult path to adulthood then the youth of the past. On a regular basis they are subjected to violence, drugs, and sex. Often times they are faced with making a decision for or against one of these vices. The majority of children will do what they think people they look up to will do. Often times the people they look up to are celebrities in music who send out a negative message. These celebrities often glorify sexism, violence, and drug use. 2-Live Crew was one of the first controversial rap groups to integrate itself into the public eye. Their lyrics, which are tame by today’sstandards, are sexually explicit and objectify women. "Their lyrics not only fail to satirize the myth of the hypersexual black, they also commit the moral blunder of sexualizing the vi... ... End Notes and Bibliography 1.)U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs. Subcommitte on Oversight of Governmental Management, Restructuring, and the District of Columbia. Music Violence: How Does it Affect Our Children. 105th Congress, 1st Session, 6 November 1997. Pg. 1 2.)Epstein, Johnathon S. ed. Adolescents and Their Music: If It's Too Loud, You're Too Old. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994. Pg. 172 3.)Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 1994. Pg 128-129 4.)See Epstein, Pg. 175 5.)See Congress, Pg. 1 Additional Works Potter, Russell. Spectacular Vernaculars. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995. Ro, Ronin. Gangsta. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996.

Integrated HR Solution with Payroll Software Leave

Having a proper HR solution is a key task for the HR executives to manage their employees. The primary job of HR manager is to manage employee's daily attendance, i. e. the employee's every day Time IN & Time OUT. There are various ways for it. Traditionally the companies using manual punch card machine, later proximity card system / barcode card system was in place. But still there was a problem of buddy punching (making proxy attendance for other employees). To address the issue Biometric Fingerprint system has introduced which is very fast / accurate & efficient. Once employee's time in  & out timing captured by any type of machine then it has to be linked to a Time Attendance Software to generate the useful attendance reports. Those calculated attendance details needs to be linked to payroll software for the employee salary calculation. In addition to that there is a need to maintain employee leaves like annual leave, medical leave, unpaid leave, etc†¦ If a HR manager has all the above solutions with different vendors / different platform then it will be very difficult to maintain and operate. There will be lot of hiccups to integrate the different software's and more importantly being the database is not integrated the newly join / resign employee details need to be entered multiple times in different software’s. So it very efficient and cost effective to have an integrated HR solution which comprises of fingerprint time recorders (preferably), time attendance, leave, Payroll & HR software's. Fingerprint Time Recorder: It is very efficient to have a fingerprint time recorders to track the employees attendance instead of having manual punch card. The biggest advantage of using the fingerprint system is the employees can't do the buddy punching (making proxy attendance for other employees). Usually in most of the fingerprint time recorder, Up to 3 fingers per employee can be registered. While doing attendance the employee can use any one of the finger to do clocking. The purpose of registering 3 fingerprints is if any one finger has problem due to injured / cut / dirty then the employee can use alternative finger. So it is better to have a fingerprint time recorder with higher capacity. Usually the time recorder will have the capacity of 500 / 3000 / 5000 fingerprint templates. It takes about one second to verify the employee finger, once verified the employee id, Date & time will be recorder into the device internal memory. Also it is good to have a device which can store more records. In general most of the fingerprint time recorder can store 20,000 / 30,000 / 50,000 records. Once the records reach the limit the new record will automatically overwrite the very first record. Those records can be downloaded to the Time Attendance Software via built-in Network card or via Thumb Drive. Time Attendance Software: Information from fingerprint time recorder can be transferred to the Time Attendance Software which will calculate the useful information like Lateness, Overtime, allowances, etc†¦ A good time attendance software should have the option for different shift patterns, Supports unlimited rotation duty roster, Auto-shift feature (System auto-assign working hours group based on IN time), Flexible working hours feature, Scheduling working hour's group feature (No fixed working pattern) Companies are paying daily allowances like shift allowance, meal allowance, transport allowance to the employees based on some conditions. For an example a company may like to pay $5 for night shift workers or a company may like to pay $2 who is working more than 5 hours of overtime. So the time attendance software should have all the above features. Good software should come with nicely designed useful reports like Daily attendance report, Individual attendance report, consolidated reports which consolidates the late comers, Early Leavers, Absents & missed out punching, Lateness summary report and Working hour's summary report. Payroll Software:  Payroll software is the one which computes the employee salaries. A well written payroll software should have the below options. The employee may be paid by hourly rate / daily rate/ monthly fixed basis. Other than the employee basic salary, the employee's overtime, daily allowances needs to be linked from the time attendance software. The employee may have some additions or deductions in every month salary like advance payment, medical claim, special allowance, etc†¦ And the employee unpaid leave, lateness & early leaving needs to be deducted from his salary. Different countries have their own computation for taxation & provident funds. So the payroll system should comply with the local government regulation for salary calculation. Finally the payroll should able to generate a pay-slip for individual employee with all his salary details which can be printed in an A4 size paper or sealed pay-slip paper. And payroll software must have useful reports like, Monthly Salary Summary Report, Overtime Payment Report, Taxation Report, Yearly Summary Report, and Monthly Reconciliation Report. Leave Module: A leave module either can be built in with the payroll system or it can be a separate Electronic Leave Application Portal. Leave Module built-in with payroll system: The HR Executive needs to update the employees Annual Leave, Medical Leave, Unpaid Leave, Maternity Leave, etc in to the system manually. Electronic Leave Module: The employee can apply their leaves electronically online via web browser. Those applied leaves can be approved by respective approving officers via online. This is paperless, convenient fast & easy. A good leave system should have the option to set Leave Eligibility for different group of employees and the Annual leave & Medical Leave earned until today should be prorated automatically. There must be an option to carry forward the balance annual leave to the next year. And the leave module should have the useful reports like Leave History & Leave consolidate report to view all kind of leaves taken.

Negligence kills Essay Example

Negligence kills Essay Example Negligence kills Essay Negligence kills Essay Negligence kills Carelessness is the main reason for any accident. If a person drives rashly on road one or two may get injured or killed. When a building is constructed with out following any norms it would result in the death of few people. Where as if an event is organized lack of precautionary measures that may lead to the loss of many lives. Even after witnessing number of fire accidents in the city the concerned authorities fail to implement the existing policies for safety of the public. Fire safety compliance rate is so pathetic in the city. The recent incidents that took place prove the uselessness of the people as well as the officials. There is an unprecedented increase in high rise building infernos at various places in our city, thanks to our civic authorities, who take no account of the rules and regulations pertaining to fire safety norms in high rise buildings and grants the permission to construct the building, also no code of conduct is followed, when it comes to fire safety rules for already constructed buildings and adjacent areas where a risk major fire breakout is looming large. Take for instance of the ghastly fire, which broke out and engulfed an entire ulterior building and the surrounding area in our very own city this incident took place in Applauded where eight adjacent apartments were engulfed in the blaze and thick suffocating smoke covered the entire area making lives of the people miserable. The prima facie evidence reveals that the fire safety protocol was not followed at this ill-fated building as a result, the residents were totally perplexed and were unable to tame the inferno which clammed huge causalities. How ever, some people did manage to flee away to nearby safe locations. In another fire incident in he city, 30 to 40 huts were completely gutted in Regenerator. The fire was caused by a burning garbage heap near one of the tents. Locals, however, put out the fire using water from nearby apartments before fore tenders arrived. The station fire officer of Chandler Barrier, Mr.. Astrakhan Reedy said that the huts belonged to daily wagers who worked at a construction site nearby. All of them were away at work when the fire spread. Fortunately the people in the locality did not panic and doused the fire using water from nearby apartments. Mr.. Astrakhan Reedy, said that the loss was estimated at around RSI. Lash. Nobody was injured as the residents were out for work at the construction site, he said. It is important to note that the state is experiencing an acute shortage of fire engines and fire stations. The director of fire services has earlier said that 48 fire tenders had been discarded and they have not been replaced. The Monika fire tragedy took the lives of eight persons. Property worth thousands of rupees was gutted when a fire broken out in the godson of a paints factory at Remarried magna in Estimated. Simply registering a case and punishing the guilty is not the solution. It is very easy to arrest a person who is guilty for a particular accident. Is he the only person responsible to that? Unauthorized buildings in the erstwhile Villages abutting western side of city are prone to catastrophe. The Monika fire disaster was waiting to happen because of the large-scale unauthorized Dullness Tanat nave come up In ten erstwhile Visages abutting the western side of the city coinciding with the real estate boom. Investigators probing into the fire accident at Monika suspect that electrical short-circuit could be one of the causes for the mishap. The owner, Vicar Kumar took temporary connection from an adjacent building in violation of norms to get power supply for the premises used to store material required, for shooting films and TV serials. Sparks could have first emanated from the shed and later spread to Babe Novas apartment. Strong winds had also fuelled the fire, said a senior fire official. Proposals were sent to the government requesting ex gratin to those who died in the accident. Officials of Revenue and RB Departments were collecting more details to assess property damage in affected flats and to check he structural stability of the building. At present, the flat-owners are staying at their relatives houses. The Cybercafà © police said fire broke out from a shed used for storing film shooting material and spread to the Babe Novas apartment. Kumar allegedly took an illegal temporary electrical connection from the adjacent building in violation of the norms to get power supply. Officials suspect that sparks could have started from the shed and later spread to the apartment building, resulting in the death toll. Nursing Inspector P. Marinara said cases were booked against shed- when Vicar Kumar under Sections AAA (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt) 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire) of EPIC and arrested Vicar Kumar, owner of the shed, which caught fire in Monika on Sunday, killing eight persons including a child. Fifty-four-year-old, Kumar, is said to have stored shooting material in the temporary structure abutting the Babe Novas Apartment in Monika. A four- page report explaining the circumstances that led to the fire was also submitted to the government. The developer of Babe Novas had also constructed the apartment thou complying with norms. He took permission for constructing a ground plus three-stored building, but added two additional floors. The building owner had also failed to implement the necessary fire safety measures prescribed under the National Building Code (NBC). In a press release here, Chief Minister N. Koran Kumar Reedy expressed shock over the incident. He instructed officials concerned to initiate stern action against those responsible for mishap and extended condolences to the bereaved family members. The mishap occurred outside the CHEM. Limits, but it does not mean that there are o potential towering infernos within. While most new constructions after the common building rules came into force and after the formation of the Fire Prevention Wing (FEW) within the municipal corporation have been adhering to the mandatory fire safety stipulations, the order building lag in this aspect, putting many lives in danger, officials admit. For example, there are 1 ,865-odd pent houses, illegal as per the law, but no action is taken. A majority of the penthouse owners applied for regulations under the Building Finalization Scheme (BSP) and there was a serious debate whether to come UT with an innovative set of rules taking the current conditions into account. But it got scamper down as there were doubts whether it would pass legal scrutiny and the stipulations of the Airports Authority of India (AI). The same napped Witt some residential apartments AT more than B meters kneeling AT various measures mooted to make them fire proof have not taken concrete shape due to various kinds of apprehensions. The threat of sealing and even forcible closure of a couple of them did force a few flats owners to install fire hydrants, extinguishers and hose pipes if not the entire rappelling. The Fops periodic surveys, notices, and demonstrations in schools and hospitals in the last couple of years have moved things a bit in making some public buildings fit for firefighting. Of the 489 hospitals issued notices to follow fire safety norms after the Park Hospital mishap, 350 had complied. The compliance rate in schools and commercial complexes, including malls, is pretty poor. Only 1 5 of the 450 commercial complexes had installed fore fighting measures and among schools, of the 2,514 about 129 had complied, officials revealed. Very recently two powerful explosions ripped through crowded areas at Dilapidating in the eastern part of the city, killing 17 persons and injuring more than 83. The first blast occurred on the city busiest road that links it with Piscataway; as terrified people were scampering to safety, the second blast went off. Authorities say the explosions were caused by improvised explosive devices that could have been kept on bicycles or packed inside frames of bicycles. The twin blasts brought back painful memories of the August 25, 2007 DE attacks in Lambing Park, in rent of the State secretariat, and at Ghoul Chat in Kith that killed 44 people. Incidentally, one of these blasts took place near a crowded foot over-bridge, where security forces defused an DE five years ago. The device was to go off along with the blasts in Lambing Park and Ghoul Chat. Eyewitnesses at And Tiffin Centre, near the spot where the first blast took place, said someone began shouting about a bomb going off. Even as confused people watched, the DE detonated. The eternal question which is always asked after such disastrous mishaps is who is responsible for the death of innocent persons? What did those innocent persons do to deserve this? The answer to this obvious question lies with our concerned authorities, who turn a blind eye to the public safety norms. Equally responsible are those persons who are negligent and dont follow the safety guidelines at their house premise or surroundings, putting their lives at high risk. There are various norms regarding fire safety, which addresses to prevent fire due to inflammable materials and also spreading of fire to nearby buildings. The builder should use standard electrical tinting to prevent electrical fire originating from short-circuits. They should also try to use flame proof wooden products and plywood where ever possible to bring down the risk of fire. Adequate water storage and basic fire fighting equipments should be provided at every high rise buildings. A team of residents from each building must be trained by local fire fighting squad so that they can come into action when ever there is a fire emergency. Adequate amount of space should be maintained between two buildings so that the fire can not spread rapidly to other buildings and facilitate he maneuver of the fire engines and fire fighting equipments in case of a fire accident. All the fire safety norms are well legislated and stringent laws are made but the problem is that, none of the rules are abided properly by the builder and they in turn get away with a certificate of completion given to them by civic bodies by bribing them. Builders should understand that they are in turn playing with lives of innocent residents. I nà ©e residents also snouts Tallow applicable and keep fire breakouts at bay. Ten Mullen Tire estate rules wanly are

Hayeks Contribution to the business cycle essays

Hayeks Contribution to the business cycle essays Friedirch August von Hayek was born in Vienna on May 8, 1899 and died on March 23, 1992, in the city of Freiburg in Breisgan in Germany. Hayek was a central figure in 20th-century economics and he represented the Austrian tradition. After Hayek served military service, he became a student at the University of Vienna where he got his doctorate in law and political science. In 1923-4, Hayek visited New York and then returned to Vienna where he continued his work. Hayek became the first director of the Austrian Institute for Business Cycle Research in 1927. He also gave some lectures in England at the London School of Economics in 1931. In England, he participated in such debates as monetary, capital, and business-cycle theories during the 1930s. Hayeks' contributions were very important. To describe, business cycles, one has to examine the historical record of a nation's overall economic performance. "It is a pattern of long-term growth marked by alternations of expansion and contradiction. These recurrent alternations above and below the long-term trend are business cycles" (Outhwaite, 55). The term "economic fluctuations" is used to describe the same phenomena. Economists have distinguished many cause of the business cycle. There are some factors outside the economic system and those within it. Outside causes such as war and major inventions are referred to exogenous factors. Whereas "endogenous factors belong to the internal working of the economy itself and its tendency to fluctuate over extended periods" (Outhwaite, 56). Before World War II, the emphasis was put on endogenous factors, and thus theories such as monetary; overinvestment; underconsumption; psychological were more important than others. In general, all cycle theories involve some kind of cost maladjustment. F. A. Hayek was one of the many economists who, indeed, explained overinvestment theory in a monetary sense. Overinvestment theory is related...

Women driving in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Women driving in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example There was also no freedom of religion to believe in whatever they wanted. Even Christians killed other Christians and prosecuted them for believing in a different church than the government. That is the reason why a lot of Christians found it better to live under Islamic rule in Andalusia, Turkey, or Egypt rather than live in their own medieval European country. The founding fathers recognized the problem early on and wanted to create a country where people can state their opinion peacefully, worship their God freely, and have many other privileges and freedoms. And they have succeeded. Benjamin Franklin, for example, wanted the House of Speakers to be a place for anyone, including Jews, Buddhist, Hindus, â€Å"Mohammadans† or Muslims, etc. to come and speak knowing that their freedom of speech and other rights are protected. The U.S. Constitution was very well drafted to ensure the rights of everyone in the community. However, as I have now learned in my studies, it seems that people have been trying to manipulate the constitution in various ways. When the debate about whether or not to allow for a mosque to be built on Ground Zero New York New York came about I was shocked to see what this country has come to. Separation of church and state is supposed to be one of the strengths of the government, but recently it seems that is not the case. Even more so, it seems as if the problem is even worse. There seems to be a full blown religious war going on. Even though there are many churches all around the area, the proposition of building a much needed mosque by the private sector has sparked a heated debate on a whole other level. This is something that makes no sense. Believers would attend the mosque about five times a day, in comparison, believers would report to a church once or a twice week! I have learned that the American constitution is valuable and appropriate for a country of many cultures like the United States, but

Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Exam - Assignment Example You will NOT be able to save the exam and return to it at another time; you must complete it in one attempt. Be sure to submit it when you are finished! If you have any questions about aspects of the exam, please take note of these and you are welcome to e-mail me after you have completed the exam. Further, if there are any exam questions that are unclear, please take note of these as well and I will ask about this in the class. Often when a hazard event occurs, other hazards are triggered by the initial event. These are known as secondary hazards. Which of the following is an example of a hazard that can potentially follow wildfires? A wildfire that caused over $4.4 billion (unadjusted) damage and burned a significant amount of tropical rain forest for which loss calculations were attempted in terms of impacts on global carbon contributions occurred in which place? c. Create an emergency plan for you and your family, which particularly includes arrangements for contacting one another in the face of a disaster, but does not necessarily address school and work situations. Wildfires are a relatively common hazard throughout the U.S., occurring every year and in various regions. There is a distinct seasonality to this threat, although it is possible to have an event outside of the season. Which best describes wildfire season in Colorado? We have talked about how important risk communication can be in saving lives and reducing injuries. Which of the following statements BEST describes the role of risk communication in reducing the hazard threat to people? d. The urban-wildland interface is not of particular concern when considering wildfires because so many places are now creating and enforcing building codes that reduce the threat of fire to buildings. While the focus of this class is on hazards geography and geography is one of the main disciplines contributing to hazards research, many disciplines actually contribute directly to