Thought Leadership
When it comes to thought leadership and staying informed, we’ve got you covered. See below for recent articles, webinars, and downloadable resources available.
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October 30, 2020
Health systems are being warned by federal officials that cybercriminals are preparing to unleash a wave of ransomware attacks designed to lock up hospital information systems, which could hurt patient care just as nationwide cases of COVID-19 are spiking. It is anticipated by federal authorities this attack will occur this weekend. The attackers are utilizing […]
August 19, 2020
Cyber Security Vulnerabilities In light of the recent Blackbaud data breach, we are reminded of the importance of ensuring your data is secure and being aware of cybersecurity vulnerabilities. What should be done to address the risks? Not-for-profit organizations handle sensitive data every day, which makes them a prime target for an attacker. Reputation is […]
April 21, 2020
Tom Skoog, principal and Cybersecurity and Data Management Leader at Blue & Co., sat down with the Ohio CPA Society to discuss cyber security in the manufacturing industry. Tom discussed why some manufacturers believe it will never happen to them, how cyber criminals find their targets, how manufacturers can protect themselves and much more. Listen […]
April 03, 2020
In the current climate, more organizations are being forced into remote work scenarios, whether or not they’re ready. We put together this webinar to discuss best practices and lessons learned to help you be successful in this new environment. We will cover the following topics: Organizational Lessons Learned Technology Basics (for your people) Technology Basics […]
March 17, 2020
Many companies currently operating in a remote work business model are asking questions about how to keep effectively collaborating as if their employees were in person. It’s easy to take collaboration for granted in our day-to-day work lives. In a remote or work from home (WFH) environment, physical aspects need to be replaced in other […]
March 13, 2020
As the uncertainty of the impacts of COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues, many organizations are considering Work From Home (WFH) or remote work contingency plans or reevaluating WFH plans already in existence. While few companies have yet to implement this contingency as a mandatory requirement for employees, the potential for the enactment of these plans has never […]
February 06, 2020
Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is the use of software tools or modern-day programming languages to partially or fully automate human activities that are manual, rules-based, and repetitive. Below are some great use cases and good candidates for RPA in construction and engineering companies. If you would like to learn more about Robotic Process Automation […]
February 06, 2020
Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is the use of software tools or modern-day programming languages to partially or fully automate human activities that are manual, rules-based, and repetitive. Below are some great use cases and good candidates for RPA in food and beverage companies. If you would like to learn more about Robotic Process Automation […]
February 06, 2020
Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is the use of software tools or modern-day programming languages to partially or fully automate human activities that are manual, rules-based, and repetitive. Below are some great use cases and good candidates for RPA in manufacturing companies. If you would like to learn more about Robotic Process Automation and things […]
February 05, 2020
The business information technology landscape has seen many changes and developments over the last 50 years, since a large accounting firm implemented the first business application (payroll) at GE Appliance Park in Louisville, KY (January 1954). It took several trucks to transport the machine that processed that simple application because it weighed 30 tons. The […]
October 25, 2019
Since HIPAA was originally signed into law in 1996, it has seen five major changes, each intended to make patient information “more safe.” Recently, some clients have been asking us if we think medical records are safer today than before the original HIPAA legislation was passed. Unfortunately, the answer to that question is a resounding […]
July 31, 2019
As with many industries, the agriculture industry and its cooperatives are beginning to see dramatic changes in how technology can enable aspects of many business processes, soil and crop analysis, and even traceability of crops. Farming is becoming more and more automated via robotics with soil, crop, and livestock sensors collecting reams of data. However, […]
May 28, 2019
As with many industries, the construction industry is beginning to see a change in how technology can enable aspects of many processes. However, with an average spend of approximately 1.5% of revenue on information technology (the lowest among any industry), construction companies must ask themselves, “are we deploying our IT resources in the most effective […]
April 26, 2019
The significance of managing risks associated with your vendors is more important than ever. As more companies outsource key processes, technologies, and data management and storage, many control activities are no longer directly performed by company personnel. However, the responsibility for those controls still resides with your company. Outsourcing exposes your organization to risk and […]
April 15, 2019
What kinds of companies need SOC reports? Organizations that provide the following types of services for customers/clients may benefit from a SOC examination and report to demonstrate to customers/clients the strength of their internal controls: Software as a Service Outsourced Transaction Processors (e.g., Payroll Processors, TPA’s) Professional Services with Access to Sensitive Client Data (e.g, […]
Webinars
April 11, 2023
By Nancy Orben, CPA, Senior Manager, Laura Philpot, Senior Accountant, Business Services, and Lisa Totten, Senior Accounting Specialist at Blue & Co. Is your business feeling the impact of Intuit’s recent decision to discontinue support for QuickBooks Point of Sale? In light of this discontinuation, businesses can turn to Blue & Co. for guidance and […]
September 23, 2022
By Thomas Skoog, CISA, CISSP, Principal at Blue & Co. The manufacturing industry has seen a larger increase in the number of cyber attacks and data breaches than any other industry in the last 18 months. According to an IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index study, the manufacturing industry accounted for 25% of all cyber-attacks, outpacing […]
July 14, 2022
By: Tom Skoog, Cybersecurity & Data Management Practice Leader “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Sir Winston Churchill This is our fifth and final article in our five-part series on the importance of incident response planning as part of your cybersecurity program. As a reminder, the concept of Incident […]
June 23, 2022
By: Tom Skoog, Cybersecurity & Data Management Practice Leader Cybersecurity for the construction industry is a growing challenge. The industry is moving towards digital connectivity, not only across the supply chain, but also ‘on site’ as more metrics related to performance, progress, and health & safety are monitored in ‘real time.’ This increase in connectivity […]
June 15, 2022
By: Tom Skoog, Cybersecurity & Data Management Practice Leader This is our fourth article in a five-part series on the importance of incident response planning as part of your cybersecurity program. The purpose of an Incident Response Plan is to proactively plan the actions you will take if you are faced with a serious cybersecurity […]
April 26, 2022
By: Tom Skoog, Cybersecurity & Data Management Practice Leader Last month, we introduced the concept and importance of Incident Response Plans as part of overall cybersecurity. As stated previously, The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a framework all incident response plans should consider, including: Preparation Detection & Analysis Containment & Eradication […]
