A wave of ransomware attacks on public schools in the southern US state of Louisiana has prompted an unusual response, as the governor declared an official emergency to kick-start a coordinated response by several state-level law-enforcement and technology agencies. This latest ransomware attack, which locks up the data on computer systems and only provides the key to free up the data if the victim pays an online ransom, continues a global wave of similar attacks that lately has targeted municipal governments as well as the healthcare and manufacturing industries.

It’s time to appreciate the unsung heroes of the IT team – the sysadmins that keep business moving day-in/day-out thanks to a strict regimen of caffeine and nerdy references! Show off your skills and celebrate SysAdmin Appreciation Day with our exclusive quiz and giveaway contest! Five questions will reveal if you’re CyberFit or still need a lesson or two about what a keyboard does. However you score, you can share your results for a chance to win lunch and software from your friends at Acronis!

If you work in an IT operations, cybersecurity or tech leadership role, you probably receive several tempting invitations to industry events and conferences every month. They are usually held in comfortable venues with balmy weather and lots of nearby attractions to entertain family members you might bring along. Your hosts will probably serve up some good food, drink, and entertainment ... but in a working world where there already aren’t enough hours in a week, how can you justify time away at an event in Vegas or Orlando or some other sunny clime? Before you ask your boss to pony up precious T&E budget to fund your trip, you should build a business case to justify your attendance – one that lays out the company’s return on the investment of your time.

IDC's Rob Westervelt, Research Director, Security Products, explores how the need to protect corporate data and IT infrastructure requires security teams to partner more closely with data owners and operations staff – and uses recent examples of ransomware attacks to show why each group must independently enforce the policies that govern corporate data. "Building a cohesive security program requires integrated technologies,” he writes, “but organizations can't ignore the fact that people are an essential ingredient for an effective program."