Michael Vernick, government contracts partner with Akin Gump, discusses various aspects of the False Claims Act, including the potential for increased enforcement activity under the Biden administration, especially actions related to the CARES Act, and how companies and institutions can mitigate whistleblower and compliance related risks.
Continue Reading The Expanding Scope of False Claims Enforcement Activity

The world has changed a lot since our 2020 report. A global pandemic; an ongoing reckoning on race, inequality and social justice; a climate crisis; an economic shock; and increased political polarization have created challenging dynamics for companies and boards globally.
Continue Reading A Brave New World: Top 10 Topics for Directors in 2021

Charlie Platt, Director of Data Analytics for iDS, resumes his Ethical Hacker column with a piece on how reducing cyber risk can get in the way of your business – that is, if your rules lack flexibility. The best way to implement successful cyber risk programs without hurting your business, he says, is to design them to adapt to dynamic business requirements by providing an approved exception process.

It’s been a while since I’ve been on these pages. I’ve missed it and it’s good to be back. One big change is that I’m now also focused on data analytics in addition to cybersecurity. I will be heading up the Data Analytics practice at iDS and Robert Kirtley is heading up the Cybersecurity practice. Together we will be talking about how data analytics and cybersecurity go hand in hand, and how we can assist each other in achieving great results for our clients.

In light of that new focus, I’d like to tell you about a project I recently worked on for a client. While on the surface our work was focused on data, there were strong undercurrents of cybersecurity throughout the project. We were engaged to assist the client
Continue Reading The Ethical Hacker: Can Reducing Risk Be Bad for Us?

Article by: Charlie Platt / iDiscovery Solutions

I’ve written on this topic before, and despite the danger of sounding like a broken record, I will repeat myself: Cybersecurity is all about risk management. Many of you are likely working with your company’s chief information security officer (CISO) and security teams to help assess and control this cyberrisk. (At least I hope you are.) And one of the first things most security professionals recommend is taking an inventory of your IT assets. In fact, it’s embodied in the first Function of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework:

“The activities in the Identify Function are foundational for effective use of the Framework. Understanding the business context, the resources that support critical functions, and the related cybersecurity risks enables an organization to focus and prioritize its efforts, consistent with its risk management strategy and business needs. Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include: Asset Management; Business Environment; Governance; Risk Assessment; and Risk Management Strategy.”Continue Reading Are You Accounting for One of Your Largest Cybersecurity Risks?