About 360 MAGAZINE

360 MAGAZINE is an award-winning international publishing on popular culture and design. We introduce avant trademarks to efficacious architects. We are a LGBTQIA2S+ friendly publication--officially recognized by the NGLCC. Our core demographic ranges from 19 to 39-year-old college-educated trendsetters within their respective international communities. The pages in this art book satisfy their strong interests including music, art, travel, auto, health, fashion, tech, philanthropy, design, food and entrepreneurship. It's an introspective digital/print/tablet portrait series, which encapsulates artists/brands/entities who embody the true essence of our publication- empowerment, equality, sensuality and most important of all, humanity within a global society.

Uses For Essential Oil And Applications Like Refillable Essential Oil Vape Pen

There are essentially three methods for essential oils to incorporate into the body either through absorption into the skin, inhalation, or ingestion. For each of these methods, there comes a variety of techniques for application. It’s important to note that the substances are not to have direct application to the skin without having dilution with a carrier oil. Typically, you would use a teaspoon of the carrier such as a vegetable or nut oil or even water in combination with three drops of the pure compound.

Essential Oil Application

The method that you use for application will depend on the effect that you want and which substance you choose. Some oils irritate the skin meaning they would not be appropriate for the topical method. A more appropriate technique may be inhalation for which you could try this application, a refillable essential oil vape pen alternatively. The condition will play a part as well in determining which technique you choose.

  • In most instances wound care will involve the topical method.
  • Inhalation or topicals will be more useful for mood-related effects, but the suggestion is that inhalation may be more fast-acting.
  • In a steam bath, both inhalation and topical absorption note to be useful.
  • Ingesting or swallowing essential oils is not recommended due to the damage that it can cause to the body. However, they can be useful when added to water and gargled. After gargling, you should spit out. You should not swallow any of the solutions. An example is a drop of tea tree oil in combination with a glass of water notes to be useful for a sore throat.

For those who don’t know how to use their aromatherapy most productively, consulting with a qualified aroma-therapist is advisable for guidance. 

Carrier Oil Guidelines

Natural food shops or bath and body stores that specialize in natural products will offer conventional carrier oils for use in diluting essential oils for use as topicals on the skin. Those carriers deemed to be cold-pressed or organic are the recommendation with examples such as apricot kernel, sweet almond, avocado, jojoba, grapeseed. These don’t offer a strong smell on their own and should be kept cold until use (in the refrigerator) and discarded if they become rancid. Typically, these substances will last up to a year when kept in the fridge.  Ne mindful of potential risks with the chemical as advised at http://www.webmd.com/beauty/news/20180813/essential-oils-promise-help-but-beware-the-risks.

Lavender is among the very few that can go undiluted on small places of the skin. Pure lavender has benefits for cuts or minor burns or, when inhaled, promotes sleep and relaxation.

The Benefits Provided Through Aromatherapy

The claim is that essential oils in combination with appropriate medical/holistic care from a healthcare practitioner can support the prevention of certain illnesses and assist in boosting the immune system. They note to have antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties that help in preventing certain illnesses from developing. 

The immune system boasts as benefitting from the substances being breathed in through the lungs and absorbed into the bloodstream.

  • Colds are less likely when the passageways are kept clear of bacteria and congestion through the use of peppermint, tea tree, and eucalyptus.
  • When inhaled, various oils, including sage, oregano, cinnamon, frankincense, and eucalyptus note to boost the immune system’s function.
  • A potent antifungal, antibacterial, is tea tree that boasts of having the capability of preventing fungus and cuts from turning into serious infections.
  • The claim is that patients diagnosed with Lyme disease have seen success in the immune system boosting through the use of clove.
  • Oregano touts as being a strong antibacterial capable of helping to heal infections within the body and keeping them from turning into more severe ailments.
  • Garlic boasts of fighting a variety of viral, fungal, and bacterial infections with its noted healing properties. Learn here the basics of what these substances are.

In taking time to understand what each oil’s capabilities are, you have the potential to support your medical provider in the treatment plan of healing the mind and body using what touts to be a safe and natural technique. Aromatherapy has been around for many centuries boasting as an efficient benefit against a diverse group of ailments.

H.E.R. × FENDER

Ten-time nominated/two-time GRAMMY Award winner H.E.R. announces a collaboration with Fender for this week’s “Girls With Guitars” series. Fender will be gifting five California Series Newporter Player acoustic guitars and online Fender Play guitar lessons to select fans that tune into today’s “Girls With Guitars” live on Instagram at 7pm ET. In light of recent events, Fender will offer 3 months of free guitar, bass or ukulele lessons on Fender Play for the first 1 million people to sign up. Fans can learn more by visiting fender.com/playthrough.
 
H.E.R. kicked off the performance and conversation series with episode 1 on Monday, April 6 with special guests Tori Kelly, Alessia Cara and newcomer Umi. Episode 2 on April 13 featured Lianna La Havas, Tiara Thomas and Nai Palm, lead singer of Hiatus Kaiyote. Last week H.E.R. teamed up with Amazon Music, which donated $30k to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.  Each week the series will feature great live performances, conversation, interaction with fans, as well as a donation or gifting. Fans will have to follow H.E.R.’s Instagram page (@hermusicofficial) to find out which celebrity guests she invites today for another entertaining episode of “Girls With Guitars.” Those tuning in will also get to experience H.E.R. play her famous “see-through” Acrylic Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster from her 2019 GRAMMY Awards performance of “Hard Place.”
 
During last night’s CBS broadcast of “Let’s Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute to Prince,” H.E.R. demonstrated her guitar prowess with a performance of “Let’s Go Crazy” with Gary Clark Jr., as well her piano skills with a beautiful rendition of “The Beautiful Ones” with Misty Copeland. 
 
H.E.R.’s upcoming performances include tonight’s 9PM ET broadcast of “Saving Our Selves: BET’s COVID-19 Relief Effort” and the remote 2020 NFL Draft this Saturday, April 25 at 12pm ET on ESPN, NFL Network and ABC.

PIRELLI: FOUR TIRE MAINTENANCE TIPS TO RESUME DRIVING SAFELY

If your car has been standing for a while, it is worth checking the tires to make sure you can get going again safely. There are some checks you can carry out by yourself, but others are best done by a tire specialist.

Pirelli’s experts recommend in particular:

1. Checking tires visually to see if there are any lumps or deformations caused by the car standing still for a long time, or by the weather conditions. Check also for damage, cuts, abrasions and the tire bulging – and ensure that the valve caps are tight.

2. Checking tire pressures, also the spare tire, ideally at a tire dealer with professional monitoring equipment. This helps guarantee optimal performance and safety, as well as the correct rolling resistance to enhance fuel economy.

3. Tire wear to be above the legal limit of 2/32″ tread depth. This can be checked using the tread depth indicator on the tire itself.

4. Paying close attention to any vibrations could be felt through the steering wheel after the car has been standing for a long period of time. If these don’t go away after the first few miles, get the car looked at by professionals as soon as possible.

YUNGBLUD – WEIRD, The YUNGBLUD Show Live

YUNGBLUD shares his new single “Weird!” — an instantly resonant anthem for this strange moment in time. With its candid confessions of fear and anxiety, “Weird!” showcases the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist’s uncompromising honesty and larger-than-life energy. “Weird!”  is available HERE via Locomotion/ Interscope Records.  

Despite its incredibly relevant chorus, “Weird!” was written prior to the shelter-in-place orders. Built on frenetic beats, shimmering guitar work, and particularly soulful vocals from YUNGBLUD, the track captures a mood of uncertainty that the 22-year-old artist felt his listeners might find relatable.

“I wrote the song about the weirdest time in my life ever imagined,” says YUNGBLUD. “I felt like the ground beneath me was a maze that was shape shifting and I felt like I was going to fall down the cracks and, in my opinion, the world feels exactly like that right now. I wanted this song to make everyone feel that everything was going to be alright no matter how weird things get.”

Now at work on his sophomore album, YUNGBLUD recently premiered THE YUNGBLUD SHOW — a series which aired on his YouTube channel. In addition to featuring intimate at-home performances from YUNGBLUD himself, the show featured appearances from friends and collaborators like Travis Barker, Machine Gun Kelly, and 24kGoldn. A passionate performer who thrives on connecting with his audience, YUNGBLUD conceived of THE YUNGBLUD SHOW as a way to stay creative and connected with his fans. Watch THE YUNGBLUD SHOW LIVE here – www.youtube.com/YUNGBLUD. In addition, YouTube Originals and YUNGBLUD are set to announce a new weekly series that follows the UK recording artist as he adjusts to a remote lifestyle while creating music and keeping up with his personal life.

Born in Yorkshire, England, 22-year-old recording artist YUNGBLUD (Dominic Harrison) is a multi-instrumentalist who first picked up a guitar at age two and began writing his own songs at age 10. Harrison is known for voicing what he feels are major concerns for his generation, using his music to unite and empower the youth of today. YUNGBLUD shot onto the scene in 2018 with his self-titled EP. His full-length debut 21st Century Liability followed where hechanneled his outrage about the state of the world into confrontational, yet catchy songs that are steeped in both punk fury and pop melodicism. In 2019 YUNGBLUD released Live In Atlanta and hope for the underrated youth EP which debuted top 10 on the UK Official Albums chart.  YUNGBLUD has performed to sold out crowds in overtwenty countries and played over one hundreddates since 2018 including Austin City Limits, Life Is Beautiful, Lollapalooza, Reading and Leeds Festivals and Vans Warped Tour.  

C/O YUNGBLUD “Weird!”

Nearly a year after YUNGBLUD’s “The YUNGBLUD Show Ep1 – one of the first livestream concerts of the pandemic – the 23-year-old UK recording artist returns with a YouTube Music Nights livestream which will benefit the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund. “The YUNGBLUD Show Live,” will stream live on March 11 on YUNGBLUD’s OfficialYouTube channel from 12pm PST. View the trailer HERE.

Highlights will include YUNGBLUD, Tommy Lee and Dave Navarro performance and a YUNGBLUD/Avril Lavigne duet. Machine Gun Kelly will also perform. YUNGBLUD and rising artist renforshort will debut Samsung Music Galaxy Thursday (#SamsungMGT), a new weekly ritual to introduce music lovers to emerging artists from around the globe. Other special guests will include LILHUDDY and KSI.  

Recalling his first livestream performance of 2020, YUNGBLUD says, “This was a monumental moment in my career. It became bigger than any of us ever anticipated. I’m craving to get back on stage every single day and can’t wait to do this with some incredible guests. It’s been so hard for independent venues. I wanted to partner with NIVA because independent venues are the backbone of the music industry and give young artists the chance to have their music heard. Everyone has been missing a rock ‘n’ roll show, I think it’s about time we gave them one!”

YouTube launched the Music Nights series last year following Save Our Stages Fest in association with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). The YouTube Giving “donate button” will appear on the watch page during YUNGBLUD’s livestream, making it easy for fans to support the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund, which benefits independent music venues impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. YUNGBLUD will also be releasing an LTD shirt, available HERE, with all proceeds going to the NIVA fund. 

YUNGBLUD’s new album, weird! (Interscope), debuted at No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart in December 2020. The collection includes “mars,” a new song that he performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” His recording of the classic David Bowie song “Life on Mars?” was heard as the Perseverance Mars Rover touched down on the Red Planet last month.
 

Stream “YUNGBLUD One Year Anniversary Show” Here 

ONEDUO – Corona Virus

ONEDUO, BElllA, Vinny Vibe and JUELZ Release “Corona Virus” Dance Track To Raise Money for WHO Video Features Akon, Chris Harrison, and James Murray

In light of the recent pandemic, the New York based music group ONEDUO released a remix track ‘Corona Virus’ to raise awareness and funds to be donated to the Solidarity Response Fund by the WHO. ONEDUO, BElllA, Vinny Vibe and JUELZ collaborate for the “Corona Virus” Dance/Club track which released on Friday, March 27th. The original video by Julian Shamoon received over 3 million views on Instagram via Barstool Sports. In an attempt to keep people in good spirits during this difficult time and encouraging social distancing, the music video features notable figures: Akon (Grammy Nominated Artist) , Chris Harrison (Bachelor Host), and James Murray (Impractical Jokers) as well as other notable social media influencers. 
  
ONEDUO is an up and coming music group bridging the gap between pop and electronic music that has already experienced much success. Founded by Mike Scimeca and Steve Georgilis, the group has a dream of impacting the world with their music to create a new sound that blends the power of dance-pop with a passionate vocal delivery. The group has been creating an iconic sound and gaining recognition in the industry having played at major music festivals like Electric Zoo, Amsterdam Dance Event, SXM Festival St. Maarten and Miami Music Week.
 
While breaking into the pop world, ONEDUO continues to take the dance world by storm. Their remix of The Chainsmokers’ “Sick Boy” garnered over 6 million views on Proximity. Their remix of Lodato’s “Home” earned them a number 1 spot on the Billboard Dance Charts as well as their mix of Bumbasee’s “Tooth and Nail” which was one of the official soundtrack songs on the new “Need for Speed: Heat” along with many other notable artists like Diplo, Kendrick Lamar and Toro y Moi. Their latest collaboration, “Blink” with singer Vassy marks a celebration of her 10 years of topping the Billboard Dance Chart and is already seeing much acclaim on the top 40 charts. 

Watch video HERE.

Fashion Wear for Women During Rainy Days

During rainy days functionality tends to be valued above fashionability. We choose clothes that can keep us dry, never mind that we are not happy with the way we look. This should not be the case especially now that there are specialty companies that are combining fashion sense with the basic function of keeping us dry. 

Balancing Fashion and Function

Staying dry during rainy days, usually means a set of an umbrella, boots, waterproof pants, and rain jackets. Functionality balanced by fashion is sought by many and yet most people simply settle for heavy-duty rainwear that is reliable in a downpour.

There are many considerations for choosing rainwear since lightweight, water-resistant clothes can not really hold up to strong rain. On the other hand, heavy-duty waterproof rainwear tends to lack breathability which means that sweat is trapped under the layers of our clothes. Choosing fashionable rain jackets require us to discern the style we would like to wear and also whether the materials are able to answer our different needs. During rainy days, it is our rain jackets that immediately attract the eye, so it is important to find one that is a good balance of function and fashion.

Standing Out on a Rainy Day

During a gray and rainy day, you may choose to stand out. Perhaps taking a walk with a rainbow-colored umbrella or wearing that bright yellow rain jacket with confidence. In this way, instead of blending in, you become a beacon of positivity for those people who are feeling their spirits dampen with the rains.

Staying Warm With Different Layers

One good tip for women who wish to balance fashion and function during rainy days is to try wearing leggings. Even if you wear a skirt over your leggings or stockings you will have an extra layer to keep you warm. The great thing about synthetic or nylon leggings is that they are breathable and dry very quickly should they get wet. Staying warm and comfortable on a rainy day by using different layers of light clothing allows you to be versatile. Your comfort can very well make you a trendsetter.

Rocking Out in the Rain With Your Boots

Keeping your feet dry is very important on a rainy day because wet feet will rob you of your comfort until you get home to dry them. Women have been finding the balance of fashion and function by embracing heavy-duty boots to keep their feet dry, but also as a counterpoint to more feminine colors or clothes. Some women wear combat boots or leather boots proudly even as they mix and match the rest of their outfits.

Mixing and Matching to Express Your Creativity

For some people, being fashionable feels difficult to achieve when the weather is dark and wet. But what is fashion anyway if not current trends in a community? When it is rainy, the need to stay dry is everybody’s priority. And yet people still find ways to stand out and be noticed. Human creativity is limitless and the small variations people do with what they wear is what feeds fashion trends. 

After the basic needs are met, that is when the creativity of people begins to be expressed. With so many companies now offering a myriad of clothes that balance function and fashion, going out on a rainy day becomes an opportunity to express one’s self and stand out even with raindrops falling to the ground.

Door County, Wisconsin, Travel, Food, Geiger PR, Vaughn Lowery, 360 MAGAZINE

Coronavirus and Car Safety Advice Drivers Shouldn’t Ignore

By Laura Adams, Senior Education and Safety Analyst, Aceable.com 

The coronavirus has created an entirely new world for drivers. What it means to be safe on the road has expanded significantly from just a few weeks ago. 

While staying home is undoubtedly the best way to minimize risks, it’s not possible for everyone. Whether you have an essential job or need to venture out for groceries and supplies, use the following tips to stay safe.

Clean and disinfect your vehicle regularly. Every part of your car that you touch should be cleaned to remove dirt and grime, and then disinfected to remove potentially harmful microbes. 

Wipe down all high-touch components, including the exterior and interior door handles, seat belts, center console, shifters, display screens, and steering wheel. A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that a car’s steering wheel typically has four times more bacteria than a toilet seat. So, be sure to give it extra attention.

Use the best cleaning agents you have, such as soap and water, hand sanitizer, or disinfecting wipes. Avoid products with bleach, ammonia, or hydrogen peroxide, as they can damage vinyl, plastics, and fabrics in your car’s interior. Cleansers with alcohol are generally safe for most vehicles. 

Using a dry or damp microfiber cloth is another effective way to clean your vehicle. HYGEN cloths from Rubbermaid remove 99.9% of microbes, even after laundering them hundreds of times.

Keep gloves and sanitizer in your vehicle to use during and after shopping, pumping gas, and using public keypads. This routine will ensure that you don’t transfer the coronavirus to your car’s interior.

Stay alert in parking lots. Congestion of vehicles, pedestrians, and shopping carts in tight parking lots make them hazardous places for drivers. Keep up your guard and drive slowly as you enter, park, and back out of parking spaces. 

If you can park away from other vehicles, you’ll get a little more exercise and reduce the likelihood of getting into an accident. Consider this an extension of social distancing.

Become a hyper-focused driver. If you’re used to making phone calls and texts while driving, taking your attention off the road could be more deadly now than ever. Even if you see fewer vehicles, don’t let it be an excuse to drive distracted. If you do get into an accident, you may be taxing an already overwhelmed healthcare system. 

Additionally, drivers who are feeling the stress of the pandemic may be panicked, upset, or preoccupied, which can lead to careless driving. If you don’t stay vigilant for unexpected driving hazards, you can quickly become a crash statistic. 

Instead of contributing to distracted driving, pledge to be a calm driver who doesn’t engage in any behaviors that take your mind off the road or your hands off a clean steering wheel.

Aceable

Aceable is a mobile-first education platform for certification and training courses, including driver’s education, defensive driving, and real estate education. We believe that everyone should have access to a high-quality education that’s also cost-effective. We’re passionate about delivering innovative, outcome-focused education that empowers people to thrive and succeed. 

Things to Look for Before Shopping Medical Supplies Online

Aside from the expertise in the medical field, one of the other most important aspects of any medical practice or business is the equipment and supplies. Shopping for these tools can be a hassle when you are not sure what to look for or where to look for, but that is a problem easily solved. The most important part is knowing what you need and what is going to help take your medical business to the next level.

Aside from the actual supplies themselves, you need to figure out what goes into the buying process. Making the right decisions can save you time and money that can be used for other areas of your business or practice. Check out these tips to learn what to look for.

Reliability and Trustworthiness of a Seller

Finding inexpensive medical supplies might seem like a blessing while browsing around online but it could end up hurting you in the long run. Cheap supplies or unreliable sellers could end up costing you more time, money, and headaches than sticking with trustworthy sellers. You want to find a reliable, and trustworthy source for supplies. This means one that has reviews and extensive research on products too. The legitimacy of your business can hinge on the quality of the tools you use. Similarly, if you want to be seen as a medical business that people would love to do business with, then you need to provide them with the care they need and this comes with finding sellers that are only providing the best supplies.

Costs and Expenses 

As mentioned, costs still play a factor. Whether they are too high or too low, there is always something to consider. Paying for quality is usually a fairly true statement, especially with medical supplies, but it does not always mean you need to go broke trying to get everything you need. On the flip side, you cannot expect to find everything you want for well under your budget. It is best to understand that there is a good middle ground between paying the right price (or a little more in some cases) to get what you need but to also set a budget and plan exactly how much you need. Consider cross-referencing prices of products from different suppliers and getting things in bulk that can allow you to cut down on paying on a per-product basis.

Protection and Warranties

A lot of expensive and delicate supplies or equipment is intended to last as long as advertised, but that is not always the case. In an ideal world, we would be able to buy one product than not have to replace it for a very long time. This does not happen so it is good to get the warranties offered for shipments and products. For the products themselves, it is a good idea in case the product is defective, breaks, or is generally not as listed. It is also important to hold shipping and delivery companies responsible for their part in providing the supplies you order in a safe manner. Hospitals and other medical practices need supplies fast and in good condition, so there should be no room for error when it comes to this and you should see if this is something you can get.

Contracts and Other Potential Partnerships

This depends a lot on the size and scope of your medical business or practice, but a lot of suppliers offer products and deals through contractual agreements or partnership programs. This is just meant to ensure that they have you as a dedicated customer and can supply you for a determined amount of time. This may be a reliable alternative to buying supplies from different companies and can help you develop a strong relationship with a reliable seller. The benefits are great and they can offer you deals on many products or help you find the best possible options. The earlier tip about reliability and trustworthiness is furthered by this as these vendors can help review products in support of your business goals and budget concerns.

Before purchasing any kind of medical equipment or supplies, you need to make some very important considerations. All of the points listed are things that you need to consider before purchasing because they can help you stay within budget, ensure that you are getting the proper supplies, that they are in good quality, and the vendor/seller is of good reputation. With this information, you can make informed and smart decisions that will help you and your practice succeed.

OTR – Lost at Midnight

Ryan Chadwick – the 26-year old aerospace engineer-turned-producer behind OTR – shared a series of singles in the lead-up to the album’s release, including “Heart” feat. Shallou which topped the Sirius XM Chill chart and has amassed nearly 12 million cumulative streams, “Midnight Sun” (with Ukiyo) which was heard in the opening scene of the Netflix global hit film To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, “Moon” (feat. Vancouver Sleep Clinic) “Stay” (with WYNNE), “Drive” (with Panama), and “Broken” (with Au/Ra)

Lost At Midnight offers a mesmerizing introduction to OTR’s emotionally potent electronic-pop. The album abounds in elegantly sculpted beats and unearthly synth tones, along with poignant piano melodies that cut right to the heart, demonstrating his natural sophistication as an arranger and composer. Lost At Midnight spotlights the singular sonic identity OTR first discovered during a life-changing stint in Japan.

INSTAGRAM / WEBSITE / TWITTER

smartphones, cell, tech, app, illustration, 360 MAGAZINE, sara sandman

IAITAM: Cybersecurity Risks for Companies

IAITAM: TOO MANY COMPANIES, AGENCIES WITH VULNERABILITIES “WIDE OPEN TO ATTACK”  FROM BREACHES DURING COVID-19 STAY-AT-HOME SHUTDOWNS

After Issuing Repeated Warnings, IAITAM Highlights 4 Biggest Problems Happening Now.

Today, the International Association of IT Asset Managers (IAITAM) is warning that breaches of corporate and government data appear to be running at a level even higher than experts had feared going into stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19.

Last month, IAITAM repeatedly warned of “nightmare data risks” for unprepared government agencies & companies, especially as end-of-the month billing procedures were being carried out remotely.

IAITAM President and CEO Dr. Barbara Rembiesa said: “We anticipated that things would get bad. Companies and agencies may be hoping and praying they are safe, but the work-from-home environment has created a multitude of opportunities for leaks. Too many organizations have left themselves wide open for attack. Understanding the pathways for access within a company’s data network is a valuable lens for businesses and agencies to avert leaking their own assets.”

Based on its preliminary analysis of early published reports, IAITAM is breaking down the biggest problems into four categories:  

1. Assets left unsecure  –  An intentional decision to make devices less secure to allow for work from home (WFH) use.  One example would involve removing admin permissions so that employees can complete the task without administrator oversight. Another would be allowing the use of “unpatched” business computers that allow hackers to load malicious files with admin privileges.  In some cases, companies with high-end virtual private networks (VPNs) pre-loaded on business computers are allowing people to work from home on personal devices either with no VPN or with a lower-end virtual private network that may be less hacker resistant.

2. “New” assets created –  More and more reports are emerging of companies purchasing new devices or technology to account for employees working from home.  In one case reported directly to IAITAM a national health care company ordered 9,000 new laptop computers from a major online company and gave its IT department less than a week to prep the new machines and deliver them to users, who had little or no time for training and other security-related instructions. The concern:  The more corporate assets that you have, the higher risk of intrusion. Each asset becomes a doorway or entry point for a breach, particularly when it (or its user) are underprepared. IT Asset Managers help with this by providing the data necessary for corporate security teams to know what exists, where it exists, and what is on the device.

3. Assets now unsecure in at-home environments –  Many company devices were deployed into a WFH situation quickly, leaving little time to ensure that they would be secure via a virtual private network (VPN) or other means. Just last week, school districts in Oakland and Berkeley, California unwittingly became an accomplice in their own data breach by accidentally making Google Classroom documents public, which contained access codes and passwords for Zoom meetings, as well as student’s names and comments.

4. Employees unwittingly inviting in the intrusion –  Human error allows for mistakes and creates a vulnerability (i.e. clicking on phishing emails or downloading malware). Google reported last week that it is stopping 18 million coronavirus scam-related emails every day, many of them targeting cash strapped businesses looking for loans or other capital. An internal memo from NASA on April 6th revealed that increased cybersecurity attacks had been directed at their employees working remotely. These phishing attempts were disguised as appeals for help, disinformation campaigns or new information about COVID-19, to gain login credentials or install malicious software. This is a prime example of how an employee could unwittingly invite in an intrusion. IT Asset Managers are at the forefront of education and communication campaigns within organizations to help teach end users what they should and should not be doing.

Even companies that do not make a mistake themselves could still find themselves the victim of a coronavirus-related breach. Earlier this month, The Small Business Administration experienced a glitch with a coronavirus loan relief fund platform that publicly leaked the personally identifiable information of business owners across the nation.

The good news is that most or all of these issues can be mitigated with proper IT asset management (ITAM). Professionals in the ITAM industry facilitate corporate asset protection. Uncovering the vulnerabilities now, and then putting an action plan into place will save companies money in the end. If companies and businesses act now, they can turn today’s crisis into tomorrow’s opportunity.

IAITAM President and CEO Dr. Barbara Rembiesa recently went on camera
to share more about what companies and government agencies should be doing.

ABOUT IAITAM

The International Association of Information Technology Asset Managers, Inc., is the professional association for individuals and organizations involved in any aspect of IT Asset Management, Software Asset Management (SAM), Hardware Asset Management, Mobile Asset Management, IT Asset Disposition and the lifecycle processes supporting IT Asset Management in organizations and industry across the globe. IAITAM certifications are the only IT Asset Management certifications that are recognized worldwide. For more information, visit www.iaitam.org.