POCATELLO — Violence in the workplace and cyber security issues were topics covered at a seminar hosted Thursday by the Idaho Department of Labor in Pocatello.

    “The seminar is part of an effort by the department to reach out to the business community with services and information that will help firms be more successful,” said Dan Cravens, regional economist with the Idaho Department of Labor.

    Kandi Rudd, manager of the Pocatello office of the Idaho Department of Labor, said the seminar addressed a growing and urgent need.

    “Security in the workplace became a serious concern for many businesses,” Rudd said. “Violence in the workplace is a serious issue, as is cybersecurity.”

    Rita Wells, a cybersecurity expert from the Idaho National Laboratory, told her audience, “What I say may scare you. However, remember we are also going to learn about solutions to these cybersecurity problems.”  

    Wells pointed out that many businesses, both large and small, have a high degree of vulnerability to cyber-attacks and do not realize it. She talked about a cyber attack in 2007 that was perpetrated against Estonia by a group of Russian business people when Estonia, a former Soviet possession, decided to take down a Communist-era war memorial.

    Most of Estonia’s government and banking services were web-based at the time of the attack, which crippled the small nation’s economy. Life there came to a virtual standstill.

    Wells also presented a video demonstration of how a computer controlled generator could be destroyed by a virus with code no longer than many text messages sent by cellphones.  

    “Many industrial computer systems are just as vulnerable as the generator you saw being destroyed,” Wells said.

    One business attending the seminar shared that it had suffered several recent attacks.

    During the second part of the seminar, Nick Edwards, a veteran Pocatello police officer shared some important facts about office violence.

    In the event of a workplace or school shooting, Edwards counseled, “It is best, if possible, to leave the building and area where a shooting is taking place. If that isn’t an option, then it is best to hide from an active shooter.”

    The police officer said a last resort is to confront and fight the attacker.

    Edwards shared some statistics showing that  97 percent of shooters are male.  The most popular weapon used by shooters is a shotgun, and most gunmen know the people they kill in a workplace or school shooting.  Often a shooter will even draw up a list of the people they plan to kill.

    Edwards also pointed out that gunmen, “Just don’t snap one day and decide to go on a killing spree. They almost always share their plans with at least someone.”

    The seminar was one of several free events hosted by the Idaho Department of Labor, which supports local businesses.  Future seminars are being planned.  Those wishing to make suggestions for future topics should contact the Department of Labor at 236-6710, extension 3713.