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.

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.

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.

Written by Options Travel.

The pandemic has had a wrenching effect on the travel industry. Within weeks of President Trump’s European travel ban, airline passenger loads were reduced to less than 5% of the same period (day, week, month) one year earlier.

Originally written by Anthony Diaz, Strategic Partnerships Manager in the MEP.

Given the limitations with public gatherings and social distancing practices prompted by the current pandemic, it’s uncertain whether manufacturers will be hosting traditional on-site tours of their facilities on Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) this October. But as we have learned with so many other aspects of our lives, a virtual option awaits.