Hitting the road with your computer opens the doors to a whole world of potential security problems, both physical and software-based, but don't worry. They're all manageable. Remember, the weakest link in your security will usually be you—as long as you don't put yourself, your computer, or its data at undue risk, you should be just fine even if you have to work from a library or a coffee shop, or connect to whatever Wi-Fi you find to get some work done.

They’re everywhere: in cars, shopping malls, and restaurants, even at family and professional sporting events.  They are so common place these days, I'm not sure I know anyone who doesn't own one...the "attached at the hip" CELL PHONE!!  Have you noticed, though, how often a wireless phone isn’t being used to actually talk to another person.

Unless you're a hermit, you are out and about every day, sometimes several time a day.  And each time you venture outdoors, whether it's to a meeting, the grocery store, a concert, sporting event, or on vacation, it's an occasion for something to happen to your mobile phone or the information in it.

"Cloud Computing" is definitely the buzzword "De Jour"...but there are very few of us who really understand what this is and how it works.  So here is a little "Cloud 101" to hopefully allow a little better understanding of this phenomenon.

"Cloud Computing"  means that instead of all the computer hardware and software you're using sitting on your desktop, or somewhere inside your company's network, it's provided for you as a service by another company and accessed over the Internet, usually in a completely seamless way.

Internet usage is growing dramatically, but the vast majority of internet users don’t have any security backgrounds. Neither do a large majority of companies care about information security and the severity of any attack that could harm the valuable assets of these companies.

In the news recently, it seems there have been more natural disaster phenomenons globally, occurring almost daily.  Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Floods, Fires.  We are all warned and drilled on the importance of preparing for and keeping a "disaster kit"...in our case in Southern California, it is known as an "Earthquake Kit". The essentials are packed in the kit.

Identity theft, social engineering, phishing,...these are all terms that are part of our life, whether you are aware or not.  We are so tied to our computer and the internet.  And even if you are not technically savvy, the world around you is, and because of that, your security is tied in with the world.

Just how many times have you said those two terrifying words while sitting in front of your computer..."OH NO!!!"

Usually uttered when something has gone terribly wrong, like your screen has suddenly gone dark or blank...and you don't think your data has been saved.

For the chosen few in the world of "Geek" (I say that lovingly) their minds are imprinted with a keen sense of intricacies on all, or at least most aspects of Information Technology.

But for the general public, most of us understand very little about the world of I.T.  And so, in the specific case of "cyber security", our lack of knowledge sets us up to be "sitting ducks.