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DISCOVER THE PDR RESOURCE GROUP

All the Latest Security News and Solutions

Welcome to The PDR Resource Group, an endeavor filled with unique and engaging content to assist you in securing your assets and achieving peace of mind. Explore our site and all that we have to offer. We hope that this will motivate you to secure your information  on an ongoing basis.

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OUR MISSION

Passion Makes Perfect

We started The PDR Resource Group with the goal of offering readers a glimpse into our thoughts and experiences in finance and security. What started out as weekly posts has evolved into a dynamic site packed with information and tools designed to identify and secure your assets and provide peace of mind. Take some time to explore the blog and see for yourself that there are tools and techniques to Protect, Detect, and Respond to today's cyber threats. Read on and explore!

ABOUT US

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Our Code of Ethics

We at The PDR Resources Group strictly adhere to the code of ethics as established by the Information Systems and Security Association (ISSA) to promote practices that will ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of customer information resources. 

  • Perform all professional activities and duties in accordance with all applicable laws and the highest ethical principles; 

  • Promote generally accepted information security, current best practices and standards; 

  • Maintain appropriate confidentiality of proprietary or otherwise sensitive information encountered in the course of professional activities; 

  • Discharge professional responsibilities with diligence and honesty; 

  • Refrain from any activities which might constitute a conflict of interest or otherwise damage the reputation of, or is detrimental to colleagues, clients, partners, and the information security profession; and 

  • Not intentionally injure or impugn the professional reputation or practice of colleagues, clients, or partners.

THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

Doug Vinson, is a Co-Founder of The PDR Resource Group and a Solutions Architect who has honed a wealth of knowledge in cyber security over the past decade. He brings over 40 years of experience in Information Technology, network design, process development, and cyber risk management. During his career Doug has worked for companies such as IBM, Apple, and Charles Schwab. Through his extensive experience working with both large and small business clients Doug has developed and executed programs and strategies for data governance, compliance, asset management, and cyber risk mitigation.

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Doug has served as an evangelist within the business community alerting executives that cyber security is a business initiative not an IT initiative. Currently, Doug is providing the same expertise to consumers, still stressing that technology alone will not provide adequate protection for digital assets. Doug and his colleagues at The PDR Resource Group have developed a holistic approach to combating cyber threats using proven methods and and principles along with forward-looking solutions.  Doug is an avid musician and board member of the Take Me to the River Foundation which provides educational tools for aspiring musicians.

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Tom Coté, a Co-Founding Partner of The PDR Resource Group, is a sales and marketing professional who has spent over 40 years in the financial services industry.  He has been actively engaged in working closely with institutional and retail clients, including banks, trust departments, corporations, and investment firms both domestically and internationally. Tom’s approach to client engagement is consultative and solution-driven, with a major emphasis being placed on quality customer service and problem resolution.

 

Earlier in his career, Tom held key positions with Fidelity Investments, Federated Investors, The Pacific Stock Exchange and Security Pacific National Bank. In 2007, he founded Total Solution Financial Partners (TSFP), a consulting firm that provides a broad range of sales and support services to the retirement plan industry.  Tom is a native Californian, graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

Larry Uyeno is a Managing Partner with The PDR Resource Group who, for over the last 25 years has specialized in providing financial advisory services to older adults.  Recognizing that our aging population is particularly vulnerable to financial exploitation he has focused on how to identify and avoid the financial pitfalls of fraudulent schemes perpetrated by criminal predators.  Larry has spent much of his time counseling employees and employers on steps that can be taken to maximize their savings through employer-sponsored retirement plans.  Serving in that capacity, Scudder Investments, Lincoln Financial, and Stadion Money Management are among the firms that have employed him to consult with their clients.

Behind Larry’s commitment to educating others on how to successfully navigate through the daunting task of saving for the future is personal.  Larry lost both of his parents at the age of seven and has vivid memories of growing up poor in Hawaii.  As he reached adulthood, Larry realized how important it was to get an education and move forward.  Propelled by self-determination and initiative, he was subsequently awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine.

Larry is a proud father of three children and four grandchildren and regards as his proudest achievement seeing all his children graduate from college with advanced degrees and debt free.  He is a lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers fan (nonetheless, we still like him!) and resides in Los Angeles with his lovely wife of 35 years, Diana, and their newest addition to their family, their dog Luna.

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You Tube Videos
Ransomware Explained in Under 3 Minutes
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Ransomware Explained in Under 3 Minutes

This video is ransomware explained. Learn what ransomware is and how to avoid it in this explainer video. Ransomware explained. Made in collaboration with Cyber Crucible and Commonwealth Charter Academy. https://www.cybercrucible.com/ CCA is a public cyber charter school with year-round open enrollment for all Pennsylvania families. CCA helps learners gain the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to achieve success. Learn more: https://ccaeducate.me/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommCharterAcad Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccacharter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commonwealthcharteracademy/ ----------------------------------------------------------------
RBC Cyber Security - Powerful Passwords
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RBC Cyber Security - Powerful Passwords

Guilty of using your pet’s name as your password? Creating a strong password is one of your best lines of defense. Read more of RBC’s tips on how to secure your passwords here. http://www.rbc.com/privacysecurity/ca/securing-your-passwords.html
Phishing - A game of deception - Cyber security awareness video - Security Quotient
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Phishing - A game of deception - Cyber security awareness video - Security Quotient

A Cyber Security Awareness Training video on the topic of Phishing. The video explains the tactics used by cybercriminals to phish end users. The video follows the principles of micro-learning to teach end-users using byte-sized content. This video provides essential aspects of phishing, including • What is phishing? • Deception • How can you spot a phishing attack? • Psychological ploy • Fake sender ID • Urgency • Text-based phishing • Phone-based phishing #cybersecurityawareness #cybersecurity #phishing #phishingawareness #cybersecuritytraining #securityawareness #deception #phishingattacks #smishing #vishing #emailsecurity #fakecalls #spam #urgency #informationsecurity #informationprotection #compliance #gdpr To discover more Cyber security awareness videos in micro-learning format and to build your own Cyber security awareness training program, visit https://securityquotient.io.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
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How to Prevent Identity Theft

In this video, you'll learn how to identify and prevent identity theft and fraud! We cover what identity theft is, what to do if it happens to you, and the ten tricks & tips you can use to avoid becoming another victim!
Pause, think and act - Cyber security awareness training video - Security Quotient
02:06

Pause, think and act - Cyber security awareness training video - Security Quotient

This Cyber Security Awareness Video is for end-user security awareness training. The video explains the concept of "Pause", "Think" and "Act" using rich animations. Cyber Security works best when we think before clicking. If we could pause a moment, think, and then act, we could be more secure. This video uses the principles of micro-learning. #cybersecurityawareness #cybersecurity #securityawareness #cybersecuritytraining #phishing #informationsecurity #dataprivacy #dataprotection #securitybestpractices #cyberhygiene #riskmanagement #phishingawareness #vishing #emailsecurity #smishing To discover more Cyber security awareness videos visit https://securityquotient.io.
Identity Theft Prevention – Don’t Become a Victim of ID Theft
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Identity Theft Prevention – Don’t Become a Victim of ID Theft

Every 2 seconds another person becomes a victim of identity theft! Learn about preventive measures you can take to minimize the chance of identity theft happening to you and your family. Visit https://www.kaspersky.com to learn how our products can help you stay protected. Identity theft is one of the most pervasive crimes of the 21st century. Every two seconds, another person becomes a victim of identity theft, with over 16 billion dollars stolen from 12.7 million US consumers just last year. Your identity and personal financial information are always at risk when using your ATM card, whether at a store, gas station, over the phone, or online. Kaspersky Total Security - https://www.kaspersky.com/total-security #KasperskyLab #IDtheft #cybersecurity #ITsecurity
Information Security Awareness (USB Flash Drive)
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Information Security Awareness (USB Flash Drive)

This short video shows the potential dangers that can occur when using USB Flash Drives without scanning it first before using it. The video also offers you tips to protect your computer and the sensitive data within from any corruption.
Informaton Videos
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Articles

Here are articles on current cyber security events and the latest trends and updates

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How To

Here are some "How to" guides to assist in building your cyber defenses

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Reference

Here is a library of materials to reference with terms and definitions of cyber security

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SERVICES

CONTINUOUS MONITORING

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Continuous security monitoring (CSM) is a threat intelligence approach that automates the monitoring of information security controls, vulnerabilities, and other cyber threats to support risk management decisions. The PDR Resource Group provides such monitoring with tools specifically tuned to address threats identified to target computers, tablets and mobile devices.

Text Messaging Alerts

Timely Results

The PDR Resource Group provides up to date alerts via text messaging to subscribers on the latest threats and steps to take to mitigate these threats.  The PDR Resource Group and its partners are constantly scanning for the latest threats and searching for solutions to thwart said threats.

CYBER AWARENESS TRAINING

Exceeding Expectations

Our customers learn to spot targeted phishing, social engineering attacks, hacker tactics, browser, and mobile threats and much more…. The PDR Resource Group provides up-to-date training modules for seniors addressing current threats.

8AM TO 8PM SUPPORT

Advancing Performance

The PDR Resource Group provides support services from our help desk initially from 8am eastern time to 8pm eastern time. This includes initial response to breaches, questions regarding services, and addressing services that are malfunctioning.

INCIDENCE RESPONSE

Proven Results

Incident response is an organized approach to addressing and managing the aftermath of a security breach or cyberattack, also known as an IT incident, computer incident or security incident. The goal is to handle the situation in a way that limits damage and reduces recovery time and costs.  This includes notifications to associates, vendors and, if required, government entities.  The PDR Resource Group empowers our customers to effectively respond to issues that arise in the event of a breach.  We answer the question “What do I do now?”

WHITE GLOVE CONSULTING

Discover Our Expertise

The PDR Resource Group provides professional services at an hourly rate.  These services consist of an in-depth analysis of the client’s assets, and a complete assessment of security on all aspects of the client’s digital footprint including: IOT, network services, and endpoints. The PDR Resource Group will customize a protection plan and follow-up engagements. Also included are strategies to address the aftermath of a successful cyber breach.

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Are Passwords Going Away?

Updated: Jul 21, 2022

07/01/2022 THE PDR RESOURCE GROUP


The Future of Passwords

How many of you labor over remembering all your passwords or maybe even trying to recall that “secret place” where you hid them? Well, that problem may disappear if emerging Security start-ups have their way. It seems that many of those firms are removing logins from the security protocol and replacing them in favor of tech-like QR codes and various forms of biometrics.


Recently, the Marketing firm, MailChimp, disclosed that cybercriminals found a treasure chest in the form of access to hundreds of customer accounts in the finance world and that there’s a tangible currency value in gaining control of online user data. As a result, you’ve probably witnessed all the companies that boast at being the best at protecting identities today.


So, how can one remedy this invasive problem? Here are a few tips toward mitigating that issue:

  • Remove as much of the human element from the picture as you can, which means getting rid of usernames and passwords.

  • Take away something you know, like a password, and replace it with a combination of two different, unrelated elements:

  • Something you have, like a smartphone, and something you are, like (face-scanning) biometrics

This is a password-less approach which is receiving a lot of attention these days.

Accessing a system, mobile app or even certain webpages can mean scanning QR codes with a phone. Did you verify on your phone that your face matches the same one from your driver’s license? By doing so, you are simultaneously confirming that the device you’re using belongs to you.


While it might seem like a painful way of authenticating your identity online, this process affords virtually no opportunities for cybercriminals to intercept personal data from companies in some sensitive industries, such as banking, financial services, and telecommunications.


Malware can actually be embedded within the various links on a website. Eliminating the password-driven credentials not only streamlines the identity-verification process, it helps ensure that while navigating throughout the website, the user will be protected.


While we think the replacement of passwords with a more secure approach is needed, there are challenges:

  • How does one adopt this new approach without complicating the user experience?

  • Companies want their employees and customers to work securely without upsetting them by sending them to another website.

  • One of the things we’ve seen emerge within the last 12 to 18 months is something called “zero trust”.

Zero trust is basically the view that, if one has not verified a person’s request to access a system every step of the way, that’s a point of vulnerability.


Before, when users were allowed to pass through corporate firewalls, they were granted nearly complete freedom. Now companies are looking for more transparency and want to know what that user is doing backstage at all times before they grant them the lowest level access required to enable the user to perform their specified task or service.

A key component in the effort to replace passwords with more secure access protocols is to incorporate into the regular sign-in process additional actions to be taken to verify the user’s identity.


Bottom line:

Be prepared to conduct online banking and other online financial services employing this much more reliable and secure access technology.



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