Already, 2015 has seen a substantial increase in cyber-attacks by cyber criminals to steal large volumes of data and credentials. These attacks include theft of users’ credentials—such as passwords, usernames, e-mail addresses—and other forms of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) used by customers, employees, and third parties. User credentials can be stolen in many ways and the cyber-attack taxonomy can be quite confusing. Among them can include:

On Tuesday April 28th 2015, I was able to attend the NASPO ValuePoint Vendor Kickoff Meeting, hosted by NASPO ValuePoint in Bloomington, MN. This meeting was intended to educate both current and newly awarded contract holders for the Computer Equipment, Peripherals & Related Services Contract under NASPO ValuePoint.

Being proactive in the federal marketplace requires government contractors to perform a diverse set of activities in order to position themselves for the most opportunities. When I talk to government contractors, both small and large, I often hear some of the same frustrations. The top 5 things I hear are:

We often hear from the public sector that web-based attacks that occur at companies like Adobe, Forbes, Sony, or Anthem are not their problem. Public Sector organizations secure their own networks with the best hardware, detection software, and penetration testing, and have in place stringent rules about passwords and top-notch use policies that ensure they are safe. In every case, the security chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

"What is a GSA Schedule contract?" This question may seem like it would have a simple answer, but if you’re completely new to the topic, the explanation can become a bit complex. You may already be familiar with the endless acronyms of the Federal Government, and in this language sometimes referred to as “Government speak,” everything has the potential to sound overly advanced, bureaucratic and cumbersome. However, in approaching this question differently, it is not as advanced as it sounds.

Did you miss our presentation yesterday afternoon? You can now download a free copy of this presentation. If you're looking to build a thriving government practice, you must first understand how to get your practice off the ground, build relationships with key decision makers, and ultimately win government business. Download our webinar Selling to the Government - Session 1: Building Your Government Practice to learn: