The Ada Awards couldn’t have been more timely. The Awards bring hope for protecting our data after another record-breaking year of data breaches, shocks, anger and fatigue [1].
Data safety can be done. “We are grateful and proud of our winners,” says Marsali Hancock, the organizer Adaptable Security’s Board Chair. “Their vision, leadership, commitment to data safety, community outreach and education have benefited us all. To win the battle against worsening cyberattacks, we must all do our part and work together as friends, neighbors, and local businesses.”
The prestigious Ada Awards are given annually to leaders and organizations who have adopted or inspired the adoption of recognized cybersecurity standards in key sectors such as healthcare, education, nonprofits and government. The winners are nominated by Adaptable Security’s cybersecurity community and verified by experts.
Data safety can not only be done, but a lot easier for the 64% of US residents who are concerned. Ada, a loving nickname for Adaptable Security’s web platform, was introduced at the Awards ceremony. Ada shows people whom they can trust before, during and after a data breach.
Want to know if an IP camera is safe enough to buy? Search for it on Ada, and you’ll get your answer instantly. Before Ada, it would take you hours traversing the whole Internet to find out. Want to be sure that your Whole Foods Market or restaurant is safe to eat at today? An Ada alert or review lets you have the confidence with minimum time on your part. What if you want your child’s schools or doctors offices to ensure data safety? Tell Ada on the website.
Ada will follow up with the business and update you. Ada’s experts will provide vendor-independent services pro bono or at discounted prices. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), government agencies and nonprofits get extra help from Ada because they are equally targeted, if not more, by cyberattacks; yet only 14% of SMBs felt adequately protected per their own account due to pain points in budget and expertise [2].
As a case in point, Equifax’s data breach could have been prevented, if the researcher posted a simple review on Ada after the advance warning to Equifax fell on deaf ears.
Another case in point, when Wendy’s Restaurant investigated the data breach over a six months period, Ada’s alerts could have prevented many customers’ credit card compromises.
“The winners are just a few who are being recognized,” Mei Lin Fung, Adaptable Security’s Adviser remarked in her closing speech, “the rest of the country, the rest of the world can learn from the example of San Jose, a city at the heart of Silicon Valley – where the individual citizens, public servants, health care providers, educators and the librarians are all working together – because it will take all of us!”
The Ada Awards ceremony took place in San Jose MLK Public Library on November 21, 2017 before Cyber Monday.
More details are available on this blog
About Ada Awards
The Ada Awards is organized by Adaptable Security (Ada for short) in collaboration with all its strategic partners, including EP3 Foundation, ISC2 Silicon Valley Chapter, ISC2 Center for Cyber Safety and Education, People Centered Internet and People First.
Web: https://adaptablesecurity.org/ada-awards/
Twitter: @adapt_security
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/11057352/
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1. A few high profile data breaches are as follows: Molina Healthcare, Equifax, SEC, Deloitte,Whole Foods Market, Hyatt Hotel, and Uber. Don’t worry if you have missed some of them. Cybersecurity professionals can’t even keep up either.
2. Matt Mansfield, “CYBER SECURITY STATISTICS – Numbers Small Businesses Need to Know,” https://smallbiztrends. com/2017/01/cyber-security-statistics-small-business.html, (Jan 3, 2017).
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