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SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala Harris has issued recommendations to California businesses to help protect against and respond to the increasing threat of malware, data breaches and other cyber risks.
“My office issued this guide to support California’s businesses and ensure a robust economy,” Harris said. “Technology has created new opportunities and new risks for California businesses, including cyber attacks. This guide offers specific, straightforward recommendations to help businesses continue to thrive by reducing cyber security risks to employees and customers.”
The guide, “Cybersecurity in the Golden State,” provides recommendations focused on small to mid-sized businesses, which are particularly vulnerable to cybercrime and often lack the resources to hire cybersecurity personnel.
In 2012, 50 percent of all cyber attacks were aimed at businesses with fewer than 2,500 employees and 31 percent were aimed at those with less than 250 employees.
Cybersecurity in the Golden State can be found at https://oag.ca.gov/cybersecurity .
The guide is a product of a collaborative effort between the California Attorney General’s office, the California Chamber of Commerce and Lookout, a mobile security company.
“Prevention is the best medicine. Not only does the guide provide useful information to reduce the threat of cybercrime, it highlights the need to be proactive in preventing data breaches. This is good for California businesses and consumers,” said Allan Zaremberg, president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce.
“Security should not be viewed as a technology problem; it needs to be viewed as a business problem. If companies take a more proactive approach to security, they mitigate issues related to cyber risk,” said Kevin Mahaffey, co-founder and CTO at Lookout. “We’re happy to collaborate with Attorney General Harris to identify the steps businesses can take to improve their security practices – for companies of all sizes.”
Key recommendations for small business owners:
- Assume you are a target and develop an incident response plan now.
- Review the data your business stores and shares with third parties including backup storage and cloud computing. Once you know what data you have and where it is, get rid of what is not necessary.
- Encrypt the data you need to keep. Strong encryption technology is now commonly available for free, and it is easy to use.
- Follow safe online practices such as regularly updating firewall and antivirus software on all devices, using strong passwords, avoiding downloading software from unknown sources and practicing safe online banking by only using a secure browser connection.
In 2003, California was the first state to pass a law (AB 700) mandating data breach notification, which requires businesses and state agencies to notify Californians when their personal information is compromised in security breach. In 2012, companies and state agencies subject to the law were required for the first time to report any breach that involved more than 500 Californians to the Attorney General’s Office (SB 24).
That first year, The Attorney General’s Office received reports of 131 data breaches, which placed the personal information of an estimated 2.5 million Californians at risk.
More information is available here, http://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-kamala-d-harris-releases-report-data-breaches-25-million .
Attorney General Harris created the eCrime Unit in 2011 to identify and prosecute cyber crimes such as hacking, theft of intellectual property, identity theft, on-line fraud and extortion and identity theft.
She also established the office’s Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit in 2012 to enforce federal and state privacy laws regulating the collection, retention, disclosure, and destruction of private or sensitive information by individuals, organizations and the government.
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U.S. wine exports, 90 percent from California, reached a record high $1.55 billion in winery revenues in 2013, up 16.4 percent compared to the previous year, an increase for the fourth consecutive year by value.
Volume shipments reached 435.2 million liters or 48.4 million cases, up 7.5 percent.
“Consumers across the globe continue to recognize the quality, diversity and value of California wines, despite significant trade barriers and heavily subsidized foreign competitors,” said Wine Institute President and CEO Robert P. (Bobby) Koch.
“While the U.S. remains our largest, most important market, California exports a fifth of its wine, and we are on track to reach our goal of $2 billion in exports by 2020,” Koch said. “Our outstanding 2012 and 2013 California vintages, heralded for quality as well as quantity, were a record high so we have the ability to expand.”
Of the top export markets for California Wines, the European Union's 28-member countries are the largest accounting for $617 million, up 31 percent compared to the previous year; followed by Canada, $454 million, up 12 percent; Japan, $102 million, down 7 percent; Hong Kong, $78 million, down 12 percent; China, $77 million, up 6 percent; Mexico, $22 million, up 21 percent; South Korea, $18 million, up 16 percent.
“We have an aggressive global marketing campaign underway that communicates California as an aspirational place with beautiful landscapes, iconic lifestyle, great wine and food, and as an environmental leader,” said Wine Institute Vice President International Marketing Linsey Gallagher.
“Our activities in 25 countries convey these messages across the world through a full slate of activities including our global social media campaign and consumer Web site, www.discovercaliforniawines.com , which has been translated into Chinese and will soon be launched in seven other languages,” Gallagher said. “Our programming in China has greatly expanded and allowed us to continue to show gains in that top priority market when our key competitors saw losses last year.”
Wine Institute partners with the U.S. government to lower tariffs and eliminate unnecessary technical barriers in key export markets, according to Tom LaFaille, Wine Institute vice president and international trade counsel.
In particular, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation “Wine Regulators Forum” helps developing countries to implement science-based regulations and eliminate burdensome and duplicative regulations, he said.
“This five-year project will help significantly reduce the costs of cross-border wine trade, stimulate demand and increase U.S. exports to this important region,” said LaFaille.
Since 1985, Wine Institute has served as the administrator of the Market Access Program, a cost-share export promotion program managed by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. More than 150 wineries participate in Wine Institute's California Wine Export Program and export to 125 countries.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Winery Association (LCWA) hosted the annual membership meeting at Brassfield Estate and Winery on Feb. 26.
More than 60 members and guests braved the rain soaked roads to enjoy an evening of Lake County wines, and socializing.
Bellissimo! Wine Country Catering provided delicious appetizers and Tony Barthel from Featherbed Railroad Bed & Breakfast Resort entertained guests with easy listening music.
LCWA volunteers Sinda Knight from WestAmerica Bank, and Mireya Turner from the county of Lake assisted with the event.
Calling the meeting to order, LCWA Chairman Nick Buttitta welcomed the attendees and introduced the members of the 2014 Board of Directors.
He also recognized retiring board members Megan Hoberg, Wildhurst Vineyards & Tasting Room, and Jacquelyn Farrington, Six Sigma Ranch and Winery, and thanked them for their hard work on the 2013 board.
Serving on the board this year will be Cheryl Lucido, Laujor Estate; Greg Graham, Gregory Graham Wines; Cielo Fox, Brassfield Estate Winery; Cindi Olof, Olof Cellars; Dustin Fults, Langtry Estate & Vineyard; Jonathan Walters, Robinson Lake Vineyard; Nick Buttitta, Rosa d'Oro Winery; Steve Tylicki, Steele Wines; and Susan Feiler, Lake County Wine Studio.
"We have a busy year planned for the Association and look forward to everyone's help and involvement in continuing to promote the Lake County wine region,” Buttitta said.
Executive Director Terry Dereniuk added, "We are planning several events to showcase Lake County wines including the People's Choice wine tasting on June 14 and the 10th anniversary Wine Adventure the last weekend in July."
Dereniuk mentioned that Lake County was named one of five new wine regions, not in California, not in the United States, but in the world with tremendous potential last year by Ray Isle, writer for Food and Wine Magazine.
In addition to the People's Choice and Lake County Wine Adventure, LCWA will host the 2014 Lake County High Elevation Wine Competition in June.
This professional wine judging competition will be directed by Bob Fraser, director of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
A number of Lake County wineries will also bring Lake County to the San Francisco Vintner's Market in April.
LCWA continues to grow. New members Lu Baird, a Lake County wine lover, Tulip Hill Winery, and Rick Lewis, Nice Wine Co. were welcomed as new members.
Lewis talked about the Nice Wine Co. and spoke about their new custom facility for boutique wine production.
LCWA works to promote the wines of Lake County's high elevation region.
Membership is open to wineries, winegrape growers, and individuals or businesses interested in promoting the Lake County wine industry.
For more information about upcoming events, sponsorship or membership opportunities, call 707-357-5237 or visit www.lakecountywineries.org .
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Bolstering the state’s efforts to grow international business opportunities for California’s companies, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. this week established the California International Trade and Investment Advisory Council and appointed former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Kounalakis as chair.
“As the economy recovers, California is well-positioned to expand its reach into foreign markets,” said Governor Brown. “Under the leadership of Ambassador Kounalakis, this council will help the state do just that.”
The California economy benefits significantly from international trade and investment. California registered a record number of exports in 2013 with businesses exporting over $168 billion in goods, 4 percent higher than the previous year.
Foreign-controlled companies employ 590,100 California workers and foreign investment in the state is responsible for 4.9 percent of the state’s total private industry employment.
The advisory council will advise the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) on strategies to expand international trade and investment for California businesses.
Specifically, the council will assist GO-Biz in identifying foreign markets with the greatest potential for export expansion and in developing specific export strategies for those markets – including the state’s top trading partners, Canada, Mexico and China, and emerging markets such as Brazil and India.
“California’s businesses are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the global economy and the state can be a strong partner in their success,” Kounalakis said. “The Advisory Council will provide GO-Biz with advice on identifying specific California industries with potential for growth in exports and assistance in developing foreign investment strategies.”
Northern California businesswoman and philanthropist Eleni Kounalakis has been appointed chair of the California International Trade and Investment Advisory Council.
From January 2010 to July 2013, she served as the United States Ambassador to Hungary, appointed by President Barack Obama.
She is a member of the board of the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, where she received her MBA in 1992, and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the American College of Greece. She also serves on the Global Advisory Council of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. Previously, Ambassador Kounalakis served as a member of the California State World Trade Commission, The California First Five Commission and the San Francisco War Memorial.
Ambassador Kounalakis and her husband, veteran journalist Markos Kounalakis, live with their two children in San Francisco.
This announcement builds on Gov. Brown’s actions to boost foreign trade, including the 2013 Trade and Investment Mission to China, the opening of the California-China Office of Trade and Investment in Shanghai and a trade meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in California.
In January, the governor announced in his 2014 State of the State he would soon visit Mexico to discuss trade and climate change.
During his 2013 Trade and Investment Mission to China, Gov. Brown met with China’s Premier, China’s Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, top government officials from Shenzhen, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Shanghai, China’s Minister of Commerce and China’s Minister of Environmental Protection, signing the first agreements ever between a subnational entity and Chinese Ministries.
The governor also opened the California-China Office of Trade and Investment in Shanghai, delivered remarks on climate change at Tsinghua University in Beijing, met with the U.S. Ambassador to China at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and spoke at forums hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China and American Chamber of Commerce – Beijing.
Since then, Gov. Brown met with President Xi in June 2013 to discuss continued bilateral cooperation on trade, investment, climate change, technology, infrastructure, tourism, education and agriculture. The Governor also joined China's top climate official, National Development and Reform Commission Vice Chairman Xie Zhenhua, in September to sign a first-of-its-kind agreement on climate change between the NDRC and a subnational entity.