Blake Dowling, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Blake DowlingNovember 4, 2017

This year has been exceptionally brutal on the cybersecurity front, and ransomware in particular. You know it is terrible when Webster tosses the name in the book. According to the 2017 Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “ransomware” is malware requiring the victim to pay a ransom to access encrypted files. Also added were other random words that have […]

Blake DowlingOctober 17, 2017

If you hear about a wireless situation affecting ALL Wi-Fi devices in the world. Take a deep breath, don’t do the panic dance or smash anything. Windows users are most likely in the clear. But you need to be in the know. If you are an Android or Mac user, stay tuned for more info. […]

Blake DowlingOctober 7, 2017

Last month, we saw a monster of a breach, from an entity supposedly on the extremely protected side of the conversation: Equifax. You may think just because you never gave them your information that they don’t have it. Not so fast, says Lee Corso. Equifax has your info from banks, creditors, and public records, it […]

Blake DowlingSeptember 30, 2017

I put together a column for INFLUENCE Magazine (should be out soon) about political paid digital advertising and microtargeting. It is a complicated process of getting in front of certain demographics that would take hours of survey questions — using old-school focus groups — for TV ads. Now, with all the data collected by social […]

Blake DowlingSeptember 21, 2017

For the next threat, both our state and nation are constantly sleeping with one eye open. The threat landscape consists of digital, cultural, and of course good old Mother Nature. At the top of the list: hurricanes, terrorism, human trafficking, and even the current opioid epidemic in Florida. Tech Industry leaders and our government are […]

Blake DowlingSeptember 16, 2017

Irma was a monster; some parts of the state were lucky, others were not. My prayers are with all those impacted by the storm. Shout outs to our state and local leaders for keeping everyone in the loop; a lot was learned from Hermine last year. I personally thought Gov. Rick Scott did a great […]

Blake DowlingSeptember 8, 2017

On Friday, I was chatting with the ABC 27 WTXL team about Irma, and what you should do about your mobile devices in case of a power outage. For the best experience, get a generator, and keep everything charged up 24/7. But, if you don’t have one available, here are a few tips to get […]

Blake DowlingAugust 30, 2017

Last week, I chatted with legal ace and FloridaPolitics.com contributor Florence Snyder. We discussed what happens when technology and innovation in business stop assisting the process and becomes a nuisance (or worse). One example is when a security company calls you during the day, you see the name pop up on your phone; you panic, […]

Blake DowlingAugust 26, 2017

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You can get a cyber insurance policy to protect your organization if hit with ransomware or cyber security threat. This can help recoup lost dollars, data, productivity and any other repercussions from a cyber intrusion/breach. There may be more fallout once the damage is assessed, firings (see Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her never-ending journey down […]

Blake DowlingAugust 19, 2017

This past weekend, I attended the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Conference. As usual, it was a very positive experience. It was my 11th consecutive conference, and to be surrounded by so many clients, elected officials, and business partners all in one place is a rare opportunity. Putting differences aside, you can spend a weekend together […]

Blake Dowling

Blake Dowling: The scourge of ransomware

Blake Dowling: Beware KRAK, the latest tech threat

Blake Dowling: Equifax – the mother of all breaches

Blake Dowling: Microtargeting, a tough fact to follow

Blake Dowling: Tech and the next threat

Blake Dowling: Lessons from Irma; tech tips for the next storm

Blake Dowling: Staying powered during Irma

Blake Dowling: A sense of balance in customer service goes far

Blake Dowling: Insurance for your digital mouth

Blake Dowling: The official column of hotel tech, Tally, Japan and the FBI