An original article from Alpine Security.

Introduction

Many organizations ask us to perform an internal penetration test against their internal environment (inside the firewall). They may have heard that this is a good thing to do or think it is required for compliance. The reality is that very few organizations are mature enough to need an internal penetration test. An internal vulnerability assessment usually provides a better ROI. This post explains the main differences between an internal network penetration test and an internal vulnerability assessment. The intent of the article is to help you make an informed decision on which is best for you.

Written by Nicole Ausherman, Digital Information Specialist - NIST MEP.

Women make up about 29 percent of the manufacturing workforce despite filling 47 percent of the positions in the overall workforce, according to the Manufacturing Institute. While there have been periods of growth and decline, the dynamic is mostly unchanged since 1970, when women held 27 percent of the manufacturing jobs.

Illinois machine shops are a critical component of the small and mid-sized manufacturing community and are the foundation of metal manufacturing supply chains. This sector is highly competitive, and success is dependent on understanding where you stand in comparison to your counterparts and identifying areas of improvement – a tool like benchmarking can provide powerful insights. IMEC is partnering with Gardner Intelligence and the Modern Machine Shop’s Top Shops Program to provide a fully-funded opportunity for forward-thinking machine shops to attain custom reports and benchmarking analysis of their current operations.

Lean manufacturing uses many lean tools to improve production and efficiency by getting the most out of each resource. The goal of lean manufacturing is to find better ways to do things – requiring less effort, less time, and fewer resources.

Reshoring and keeping strong domestic supply chains are an even greater imperative based on what we have learned in the COVID crisis. One way to address reshoring is to focus on imported items. That's why IMEC is partnering with the Reshoring Initiative to provide a fully-funded opportunity for small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to play a vital role in import substitution for the components they can supply right here in Illinois.

Written by Andrew Peterson, NIST.

Collaborative robots are increasingly attractive to manufacturers who require flexible solutions for their growing product mix but may not have the scale of work or capital resources needed to justify larger investments in automation systems.

The global response to the Coronavirus has impacted all of us. The need for continuous improvement persists, and one may argue is even more important during challenging times. How can we use lean tools during this time?

Perhaps you’ve seen the meme that described 2020 as a unique leap year with 29 days in February, 300 days in March, and 5 years in April. The days and weeks have seemed to drag on – and it's only the middle of 2020. And who’s to say what will unfold in the coming weeks? It has been incredibly challenging to look 30 days ahead, let alone 12 months. You’re left wondering what’s next and when will things settle down.

Did you ever imagine that in your lifetime, you would live through a crisis that would change how you work overnight? For manufacturers, many were deemed essential and production employees had to remain working onsite through the days and months in which others had to transition to work remotely.

Note: Recently, IMEC began conducting a series of Buzz Sessions, essentially virtual round table discussions with a small group (6-8) manufacturers from diverse industries and geographic locations. Through these conversations, paticipants share their urgent challenges and ideas with one another. Repeatedly, the participants have expressed the need for solutions in dealing with a virtual workforce. The current pandemic has forced small to mid-sized manufacturers to work in unfamiliar ways. This 2-part blog provides a few basic suggestions.

August offers manufacturers with the opportunity to retool their organizations and thrive globally.