Ransomware is a type of Cybercrime, a broad category that includes phishing, social engineering, invoice fraud, and extortion. It reportedly is the current leading cause of cyber attacks. Ransomware attacks, where someone uses malicious software to make your data inaccessible, are on the rise. Multiple land trusts have reported phishing schemes in the past year where they lost their data to a cyber-criminal such as happened to Colonial Pipeline.  

Luckily, there is a lot that you can do!

Phishing emails almost always appear to come from a legitimate source, but it is not one and there are clues if you look for them.

• Exercise caution with links or attachments in emails you were not expecting; when in doubt, assume it is unsafe.
• Hover over the link to make sure that it goes to a legitimate site.
• Make sure everyone in your organization has training on identifying suspicious e-mails, texts, links or phone calls.

Have a plan and be proactive.

• Spend as much time on how you will handle a cyber-attack as in trying to prevent one. Have a cyber emergency plan that covers who, what, where and when.
• Consider a cyber insurance policy. Make sure you have the cyber carrier’s risk management contact info and instructions and have them accessible on paper for key staff. For more specific security measures see 6 Things Cyber Underwriters Love
• Back up your files. This keeps you from losing all of your data and then you can restore from your physical hard drive rather than pay a ransom. Access to cloud backups usually are blocked in a ransomware attack so have a physical hard drive backup too that you disconnect from your server or computers every night.
• Update your systems and software frequently so you immediately deploy security patches.
• Practice good password hygiene – long phrases, used only once per account, never revealed to others. You may want to use multi-factor authentication or a password manager.
• Follow the standard procedures on breach preparedness from the guide provided by MS-ISAC.

We’re here to help! If you have any questions, please let us know.

Sincerely,
Hannah

Hannah Flake
Conservation Defense Coordinator
ALLIANCE RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC
(202) 800-2248  |  

The holidays are almost here and we at Terrafirma wish you a happy and safe holiday season, whatever that may look like for you this year.

The Terrafirma application period is just around the corner. Starting December 1, you will be able to log in and update your application for the 2021 policy period that begins on March 1, 2021.

There are three more opportunities to sign up for a Risk Management webinar and claim your discount for the 2021 policy year. For the 2021 policy year only, due to the pandemic, this opportunity applies to any staff or board members.

December 10 | Advanced Topics in Risk Management: Safety Plans and Waivers

January 14 | Advanced Topics in Risk Management: Conflict or compromise

January 20 | Basic Risk Management: Tools & Resources

Have questions? Please let us know. You can e-mail us directly or call 802-262-6051 for Leslie, or 202-800-2248 for myself.

Thanks,
Hannah

P.S. Congratulations to Meghann McKenna, Brendan Annett and Jane Arbuckle, the newest Members Committee representatives – we’re happy to have you on board!

Land trust members of Terrafirma and the Land Trust Alliance are invited to take advantage of a complimentary registration for The 2020 Risk Summit on October 19th and 20th, 2020. It is a unique, two-day virtual event for nonprofit leaders and industry professionals who support nonprofit missions. Terrafirma member organizations are eligible for the 2021 Risk Management discount of $1 per parcel if they attend the Risk Summit or take advantage of the opportunity by watching recordings of a conference session within 30 days after the Risk Summit ends.

The conference features 30+ educational sessions, interactive networking segments and live musical performances. Recordings of all conference sessions will be available to registrants for 30 days after the Risk Summit ends. Your host is the Nonprofit Risk Management Center (NRMC), the only national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring effective risk management practices across the nonprofit and NGO sectors.

Register here. Please note that you can only register if you have registered with the Center as an Affiliate and are a land trust member of the Land Trust Alliance.

Have questions? Please let us know. You can e-mail us directly or call 802-262-6051 for Leslie, or 202-800-2248 for myself.

Thanks,
Hannah

P.S. You may have noticed that you are now receiving a message directly from the Terrafirma website for Claims that are currently on hold. For better organization and ease of use, we are now housing updates on the Terrafirma website and sending update requests from the website rather than via e-mail. We hope that this will help to avoid confusion and make information on your claims and updates easier to access for anyone at your organization who needs it. Thank you for helping us as Terrafirma grows past 1,000 claims!

Financial management can be more of a challenge than usual in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring additional thought, care and planning. The Land Trust Alliance has put together a list of frequently asked questions and answers regarding use of restricted funds, when to utilize reserves, and how to maintain fiscal controls while working remotely, plus links to more resources. Check it out here.

Note that this is intended as a starting point for land trusts to be supplemented by additional financial management materials and guidance and is not legal, financial or other advice. If a land trust or individual requires legal advice or other expert assistance, they should seek the services of competent professionals.

Have questions? Please let us know. You can email us directly or call 802-262-6051 for Leslie, or 202-800-2248 for myself.

Thank you,
Hannah

P.S. Do you have 10 minutes for practical tips on re-opening? Melanie Lockwood-Herman, executive director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, discusses strengthening relationships, organizational planning and getting your team and facilities ready when re-opening offices. See the quick course here.
 

As a member of Terrafirma and the Land Trust Alliance, you have access to many great resources — plus help from dedicated staff!

On The Learning Center:

• A Guide to Risk Management for Land Trusts is a quick, fun course that lets you easily customize a plan for your land trust
• The Legal Defense Reserves Calculator helps you plan your legal reserves
• The Conservation Defense Clearinghouse houses a collection of helpful documents
• Ask an Expert features experts from around the country

On the Nonprofit Risk Management Center:

Log on as a Land Trust Alliance affiliate by clicking on this logo on the right side of the Conservation Defense Clearinghouse home page and get free and discounted risk and insurance resources.

Fall is in the air, and soon there will be turkeys roasting in the oven, pies cooling on the counter, and Terrafirma applications being updated for 2017. Applications will open December 1, 2016, and the last day to submit will be February 2, 2017.

Remember that risk management training is available for free, and your land trust can receive a discount on your 2017 premiums just for participating! This can be done via a webinar or our quick and easy online course. To qualify, training must be completed every year by a member of senior leadership.

Have questions? Please let us know. You can email us directly or call 202-800-2219 for Lorri, 202-800-2248 for myself or 802-262-6051 for Leslie.


Thank you, and happy holidays!
Hannah
Conservation Defense Associate
ALLIANCE RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC
1660 L Street NW, Ste. 1100, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 800-2248  | 

Do you want to start managing your organization’s risk, but you’re not sure where to turn? You have many free resources available!

On the Learning Center:

• A Guide to Risk Management for Land Trusts is a quick, fun course that lets you easily customize a plan for your land trust.
• The Legal Defense Reserves Calculator gauges minimum legal reserves.
• The Conservation Defense Clearinghouse houses a collection of helpful documents.

The Nonprofit Risk Management Center:

• Log on as an affiliate using these instructions for free and discounted risk and insurance resources.

Reminder: You still need resources to hire experts (see reserve calculator) and it is smart to get a preapproval from your board to spend up to the $5000 deductible on disputed violations and trespass and challenges.

We’re here to help! If you have any questions about risk management resources or anything else, please let us know. You can email us directly or call 202-800-2219 for Lorri, 202-800-2248 for Hannah, or 802-262-6051 for Leslie.

Thanks,
Hannah

Last month we wrote about Lyme Land Conservation Trust and their major victory for land trusts everywhere. What turned the tide in their favor? Persuasive Baseline Documentation Reports, which can include maps, descriptions, and photographs. President John Pritchard said these photographs were "critical to their case"--the judge was visibly moved by the before and after pictures that clearly displayed extensive damage. As you make your own plans for managing the property that your land trust holds, don't forget this crucial component.

Thanks,
Hannah