This year so far has had a number of information security incidents that have cost likely billions of dollars, and they've cost even more as damage to the reputations of some well-known businesses. US retailer Target, Home Depot, Apple, Sony, JP Morgan Chase, and the list goes on.

But for each attack that makes the mainstream news headlines, such as the Russian attack on JP Morgan, there are at least thousands or possibly millions of attacks that don't make the news. They usually affect smaller businesses and institutions, but there are many, many more of them.

According to the 2014 Symantec Internet Security Threat Report, in 2013:

Website, web database, and point-of-sale system attacks caused the identities of 552 million users to be stolen, with an average of 2,181,891 identities per breach. 552 million online identities is nearly one in five of the roughly 2.8 billion people estimated to use the Internet that year.

One in 196 emails was estimated to contain malware.

One in 566 websites were estimated to contain malware.

351 web browser vulnerabilities were found in Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Opera. As most lesser known web browsers share a layout engine, such as WebKit, Gecko, or Trident with one of the top five web browsers, many vulnerabilities that affect a major web browser also affect many less common web browsers.

Something as simple as a single malware file, malicious email, or network vulnerability can cost a business a lot of money in stolen data, litigation, or even mere computer and network downtime. All businesses with computer networks are at risk of information security attacks.

Prevention is indeed the best medicine. Creating and enforcing a well-designed IT security policy makes your business less likely to be subject to attacks, and less often. But absolutely nothing can be made 100% secure.

So, the perfect complement to sound prevention with a good IT security policy is well prepared incident response. A well trained and vigilant Computer Security Incident Response Team is crucial.

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Security: Incident response is everything

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Forty cats seized from this home in Security on Tuesday have been euthanized. (via Colorado Springs Gazette)

Forty cats seized from a home in Security on Tuesday have been euthanized, the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region said Wednesday.

"The medical issues of the 40 cats removed from the house yesterday were so severe that the most humane option was euthanasia," the humane society said.

Veterinarians who inspected the cats found them in extremely poor health with bleeding oral ulcers, upper respiratory symptoms, conjunctivitis, depression and weight loss. The cats exhibited symptoms of Calicivirus, a highly contagious and therefore a common disease in groups of cats housed together, according to officials. The symptoms cause extreme pain and discomfort in an infected cat.

Joe Stafford, director of animal law enforcement, said a warrant was executed at the home. Stafford said that because an investigation is ongoing, the exact address and the name of the homeowner are not being given.

Stafford said it has yet to be determined whether charges will be filed.

"The conditions in the house were extreme," said the humane society. "Feces had to be shoveled from the floor, and the ammonia levels in the air were extremely high. We also removed several dead cats from the premises."

Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul

Staff writer Anthony Cotton contributed to this article.

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Humane society: 40 cats seized from Security home are euthanized

Someday soon, turning on the lights in your house may involvea simple wrist-and-hand gesture as you walk in the door.

Another gesture would fire up the HDTV and Xbox One while dimming the den lights to play "Call of Duty." And, when you're all set to turn in, yet another gesture would switch off all your home's lights and lock all the doors.

A high-tech wristband called the Reemo, being developed by a Twin Cities startup called Playtabase, would make all of this possible.

The company is one of the newest players in a market often described as the "Internet of Things" -- a wave of innovation intended to make home automation less nerdy and more accessible.

The Internet of Things is new, but already huge.

A prominent local home-automation company called SmartThings recently got snapped up by Samsung after becoming a home-control trendsetter. Google bought out high-tech thermostat and smoke-detector maker Nest, which itself acquired the Dropcam webcam maker not long ago.

All home-electronics and home-improvement retailers now have "smart home" products on prominent display. Richfield-based Best Buy, for instance, recently made a deal with home-control company PEQ to carry that vendor's hardware, and is including it in "connected home" departments it will set up in more than 400 stores by the holidays.

Playtabase, with its home-control wristband, aims to complement and not replace other Internet of Things technologies being installed in homes. The Reemo wristband would add gesture-control capability to make those other products easier to use.

Minneapolis-based Playtabase is initially aiming to make its product compatible with home-automation and home-security technology from Redwood City, Calif.-basedIcontrol Networks.

This gives Playtabase a wide reach at the outset because Icontrol's technology is the foundation for home-tech systems from a broad range of well-known providers -- including Comcast and ADT Security Services, as well as small ones such as PEQ.

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Home-control wearable technology coming soon

Although burglaries and home invasions are rare, they can happen from time-to-time. Upper Hutt City Council, along with Hutt Valley Police, would like to remind residents that there is plenty they can do to make their homes unattractive to burglars and reduce their chances of being burgled.

1. Lock your doors and windows. With the warmer days approaching, residents should always check that doors and windows are closed and locked when going out. It can also be a good idea to keep them secure when at home. Security catches can be installed so that windows can be open while still preventing somebody from climbing in.

2. Build good relationships with your neighbours.

"Get to know the people in your street, look out for each other, especially if you are going away." says Director of Community Services, Mike Ryan. "Consider forming a neighbourhood support group in your street, as this is an excellent way to encourage natural surveillance in your neighbourhood."

When going away, ask your neighbour to collect your mail. You might also want to ask them to go into your house from time to time to manage curtains and lights and/or put washing on the line.

3. Security chains and peep-holes are excellent ways of enabling residents to see whos at the door without having to open it. If you dont know who is at your door, you dont have to let them in. Its not bad manners to ask for identification-its just good sense.

4. Security alarms are an effective deterrent. Some burglar alarms can also double as smoke detectors.

5. Dont leave ladders or gardening tools lying around. These are attractive to burglars, and they can be used to break into a house.

6. Install powerful outside lights with motion sensors. Burglars dont like to be seen, so will often run away when lights come on. Night visitors can also then be easily identified.

7. Dont leave keys hidden outside, especially in those obvious places.

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Hutt Valley residents reminded to keep homes safe

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