The U.S. Economy: Hanging In There

A good summary from The Economist:

The American economy may have slowed, but remains fundamentally strong, as it is buttressed by a healthy consumer. Personal consumption, adjusted for inflation, is up by 3% in the past year, having surged in April. The University of Michigan's consumer-confidence index . . . grew strong in May. Even before that, confidence exceeded its average during the 2003-2007 boom. According to a recent Fed survey, 69% of Americans say they are "doing okay" or "living comfortably", up from 62% in 2013. What is more, the rise has been most pronounced among those with only a high-school education.

Source: "When barometers go wrong," The Economist, June 11-17, 2016

IT Security Tip: Don't Use Hardware You Find in a Parking Lot

From an Healthcare IT News article on ransomeware attacks on hospitals:

"Department of Homeland Security officials recently conducted a test in which DHS staffers dropped computer disks and flash drives in government buildings and contractor parking lots to see how many would subsequently be used," [Bill Carey, vice president of Marketing at GoodSync] said. "Sixty percent that were picked up were plugged into office computers, and the installation rate rose to 90 percent for disks and drives bearing an official logo. The test revealed a huge security vulnerability."

Security tip: If you find hardware in a parking lot or in the street, don't plug it in.

You probably wouldn't eat a sandwich you find on a park bench. Apply the same caution with IT equipment of unknown provenance.