Covid-19 has changed the global narrative to such an extent that many companies are feeling distressed and do not know where to turn. It is hard to appreciate this if you do not take a step back and look at the full scale of the problem. For retail companies, sales are down and the prospects of another shut down loom large as the country’s Covid-19 cases continue to grow. For service-based companies, hard decisions need to be made between the continuation of a service and paying rent or school fees.

There are products and services that cannot be cast aside. The challenge of these product and services then becomes the task of trying to innovate so that the product or service does not become a grudge purchase. This was felt in many industries long before Covid-19, and business leader realized that the natural place to focus their innovation was in improving the customer journey.

“GTconsult has always been at the forefront of innovation and we have worked tirelessly to bring our clients the best products and services in the market. But we are also aware that more is needed when it comes to client innovation, and we take the client journey very seriously. We have come up with an important solution which will help clients service their contracts in a convenient and hassle-free manner,” says Craig Tarr, CEO GTconsult who added that this will be a specific focus for 2021.

Growing demand

The motivation behind designing this product came from a growing demand amongst users who approached GTconsult expressing a problem about how they manage contracts as well as the approval of these contacts and then extending this to how they manage their customers and vendors.

“A lot of clients have indicated that they don’t want to use a conventional customer relationship management (CRM) system. The reasons for this are varied and very valid. It may not suit some of our client’s purposes or the licensing of the CRM system is proving to be a challenge. What most of our clients do not realize is that they most probably already have Office 365, so they have already taken the biggest step in taking a different approach,” says Tarr.

Servicing a need

So how do users pull all of their demands together into a system which will enable them to manage their contracts, run through approvals, have more than one relationship that they need to manage and the documents that are associated with that without using a conventional CRM system? Even a small company may find that they have to manage multiple vendors at the same time.

This can be built in Office 365 by using a SharePoint extension and PowerAutomate.

“We first need to establish what the problem that we want to sole is. It is essentially an onboarding problem whether it be contracts, customers, or vendors. At some point, you will want to onboard these parties and all of the documentation that is associated with them. Once this happens, you then have the task of dealing with contracts and service level agreements (SLAs) and documents which you will need to keep up-to-date and compliant with differing legal requirements. The major problem with this is that each of these contracts of SLAs have different workflows that have to be run simultaneously. Approval processes are often a challenge and documents that relate to a customer or vendor may need certifications and will most probably have some form of legal requirement that will need to be managed. Finally, there will also be performance reviews that will need to be conducted at various times,” says Tarr.

Users may also find that they are in a situation where one company has to manage many contacts. This may mean that they have different project managers and stakeholders that all belong to the same organization that they will have to deal with at different times. This is typically something that will be put into a CRM, but it is also something that can be managed by SharePoint using a contacts list.

Making a list and checking it twice

“Speaking of lists. Once a user has gone through the onboarding process, or even during the process, they will typically need to go through a checklist to ensure that they are dealing with the right vendor and that the vendor checks all of the boxes. GTconsult uses a checklist that is dynamic enough that users can go through the process and modify these lists in real time should the needs of the project – or checklist – change,” says Tarr.

Once you have uploaded the customer/vendor, and have approved them, users could run into systemic issues (operational)which are risks that need to be managed and mitigated. Users will also occasionally have performance reviews (depending on the type of contract) that they would need to run on either a quarterly or yearly basis. These are processes that you will need to work through and ensure that they are done properly. Good governance is key.

Innovative solution

“So, how has GTconsult solved the above challenges? We have used Office 365 and the SharePoint extension – along with PowerAutomate – to build a solution that allows GTconsult to manage all of the different aspects that were highlighted above in one go. This is done though the use of a single page app. By using the SharePoint app extension, we have a hosting capability in terms of JavaScript. So, whether you need to fast-track a project by using something that is already tried and tested (and built), or whether you need specific functionality that is difficult to building the first place, JavaScript is the best place to turn to because most of these requirements are inherent in the system,” says Tarr.

He adds that, once you deliver all of this functionality, you will obviously need a workflow functionality that operates behind the scenes.  “Whether it is approvals, or permission structures, or whether you need to reach information that is hard to source, you will always need some form of framework for that workflow. PowerAutomate does this with ease due to its integration capabilities as well as its timing capabilities which is often found to be a specific problem in SharePoint. We now have the capability to set a timer to kick off on a daily or weekly basis,” says Tarr.

Underpinning all of this is SharePoint and GTconsult utilizes SharePoint and several different lists to enable this capability through a single page form using it as a relationship type database. Previously, this functionality would have been provided through lookup lists in SharePoint.

“What we are finding with the SharePoint extension is that it really enables users to take this to another level in terms of relationships and how you store & retrieve data. Yes, there is a lot of learning around specific shortcomings, in terms of the number of items (for example indexing) to make sure that you do not run into problems after you hit a specific number (typically 5 000 items). This is a learning curve that needs to be worked through,” says Tarr.

A step-by-step video walking you through the process is available on our Facebook (https://bit.ly/3ixwZtA) page and LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/2350799/admin/). 

Simplifying workflows

Admin is often a stumbling block for most companies. It can become troublesome and complicated if it not managed properly. The other side to poor administration, particularly when it comes to contracts and SLAs is that compliance becomes a problem.

“What we have shown you today is not just the ability to use charting libraries, but also the frameworks that you could have around navigations and easy list manipulation with data tables. In addition, behind the scenes, all of this is getting mapped using Rest API which makes single page apps viable in terms of performance moving through the application. As you can see, migration between pages using the GTconsult solution (which makes use of Rest API) was swifter as opposed to a page refresh. There is a lot of benefit in all data being managed in a single location,” said Tarr.

Simplification of workflows, particularly when it comes to admin, allows companies to focus their strengths in other areas. Doing the basics well means that you will have a solid foundation to build business plans around that will benefit your company in the long run, particularly in a world that is being defined by the Fourth Industrial Revolution where almost every aspect of everyday life is being driven by technology.

“GTconsult is committed to enabling productivity and helping its clients grow by simplifying workflows and taking stress away from its clients. Contact us today to find the solution that will benefit your company,” concludes Tarr. 

The dust has barely settled from the New Years celebrations and we are already into our first drama of 2021. Whatsapp has decided to update its privacy statement which apparently allows it to sell certain information to Facebook.

Predictably, this has left a sour taste in many peoples mouths with a significant number of Whatsapp users exiting stage left. The world is being run by data and we are very protective of our privacy. So, what are the alternatives to Whatsapp and are they any better? Let us unpack this debate.

Go back to the beginning

To fully appreciate the issue, we need to start at the beginning. I read an interview on Moneyweb where Moneyweb journalist, Dudu Ramela, spoke to Arthur Goldstuck, CEO of World Wide Worx, to unpack the issue. The written transcript of the interview, as well as an audio version, can be found here.

Ramela: What is it that one needs to know to make an informed decision about whether to stay or to go?

Goldstuck: Thank you, Dudu. The first thing to know is that, if you do go, it means that you will not be able to keep in contact with most of your connections – family, friends, contacts – using WhatsApp as the main communication channel. If you use email primarily, if you use SMS or voice, or even Facebook Messenger for that matter, you will find that WhatsApp in South Africa is used by more than half the population. So, you have got to consider that before looking at all the other issues.

There are two main issues that people are concerned about. The one is that people think this means Facebook would have access to the content of the chat – and that is not true. Facebook cannot access the content of any WhatsApp chat because it is encrypted. There are exceptions if you are involved in criminal activity, or [authorities] believe that you are a suspect or a person of interest in a terrorism case. Then they have the right to use various tools and techniques to access those messages. But besides those extreme circumstances, the contents of your messaging are completely secure.

The real issue here is that they are going to allow Facebook and WhatsApp to combine information about usage of the apps and your smartphone. So, if you use WhatsApp, for example, it automatically has access to your entire contacts list. And, in effect, that is what Facebook is telling you to share – from WhatsApp to Facebook – so they can target you more accurately based on how many people you are in touch with, what kinds of communication you have with those people, not what is in it. But the fact that you are involved in video communication, for example, could be used to target advertising at you.

But, generally speaking, they can access your location data, the speed of your phone, or the battery level of your phone, to tell you are the kind of person who often lets your phone run down, for example, or who your real mobile operator is. All of that kind of information starts adding up to create a profile that allows their advertisers to target you more precisely.

Ramela: Is it just WhatsApp, or are there plenty of other applications that actually do this? Dies it really matter.

Goldstuck: If you consider the extent to which you have been giving permission to Google over the years, then you could say that it does not make a difference because, if you use an Android phone, really Google has access to all your phone information and your current behaviour – not the contents, but certainly the activity. And then if you combine that with Google Search, for example, and Gmail and Google Maps and YouTube, suddenly they have a vast picture of who you are, what you search for, and what you buy. That is where you have really given up your privacy. So, it is the same situation that applies now with Facebook and WhatsApp and Instagram, combining all the data on you so they start taking a big picture.  So, to avoid that, you have got to go to a completely independent messaging app.

Ramela: Facebook has been hacked on a number of occasions. A lot of people are also worried about privacy in terms of security.

Goldstuck: Security of the contents of your messages tends not to be an issue. It is the security of your personal data that becomes an issue. Facebook has not plugged the hole that allowed hackers, for example, to send you a link pretending, for example, that it is a video that includes something about you, or something embarrassing about you. You click on that link and what you really do is give permission to access your account, and that then starts giving access to deeper levels of information about you. Ultimately, they are looking for bank-account information and the ability to access your financial data as well as the actual money.

Ramela: What are the alternatives?

Goldstuck: Of two alternatives on the market at the moment the best known one is Telegram, which was started by Russian developers and in fact is not what you might call a pro-Russian app, because the Russian authorities banned it for two years because they refused to co-operate with them. That is perhaps the most widely used of the more secure apps. It does not share your information with any other application, so it does not allow any advertisers to build up a profile about you. You also have a desktop version of it, for example. So that is a little trick that WhatsApp introduced not too long ago.

The other big one is Signal. Signal was developed by, among others, the person who created WhatsApp, so he understands what it takes to create this kind of application, but also what the issues were. The reason that he left Facebook was because he disagreed with the direction of WhatsApp. And Signal is partly in response to that. So Signal is probably the most secure and the least likely to share your information or make your information available to any other application.

Ramela: Who is regulating all of these social media platforms in terms of making sure that users’ data is not abused, if you will.

Goldstuck: Here is the real problem. Regulators have been asleep at the wheel because it is technology and regulators tend to be the establishment’s real old-timers, even running governments around the world. They tend to have the courts behind the times in terms of the significance of these apps and also how widespread their use is. Only now, for example, are American antitrust authorities starting to look at the issue of whether Facebook should be allowed to integrate Instagram into its services. Because Instagram goes way back to 2011, at that stage the transaction was approved because the regulators had no idea of its significance.

The same with WhatsApp in 2014. So, Facebook is now arguing, hey, this is a moot issue because you already gave us approval back then. The difference is back then they had no idea of the extent to which so much information could be aggregated across all of these apps.

Ramela: Interesting. It has got a lot of people talking, and we will see what happens come February 8, whether people will leave or stay with WhatsApp.

Greener pastures?

So where to from here? It does sound a bit dodgy that Facebook does not want to read your messages but wants to access our personal information such as contact lists and geolocations.

So, what are the alternatives? There are two that seem to be very popular in South Africa, and one that may prove to be popular going forward. A recent article by the Indian Express discussed these in detail.

Signal

The article points out that, currently, the best alternative to WhatsApp if one were to consider the security features and the fact that this is run by a non-profit firm.

-  Security Features. It has end-to-end encryption based on the Signal protocol, built by American cryptographer Moxie Marlinspike, who is also the CEO of Signal. It means no third-party or even Signal can read your messages. The Signal protocol is open source, which is another good thing. Signal does not support third-party backups either, which is actually a good thing. All data remains stored locally on the device, and if you do lose access to the device and try to set up Signal on another phone, your previous chat history is lost;

-  Cross-Platform. Yes, the private messaging app can be used across platforms from Android, iOS, iPad, Mac, Windows and Linux as well. Signal is quite easy to use. The app shows the name of the contacts that are on Signal, which makes it easy for you to connect;

-  Free or paid? Ads? Signal is totally free. The app is run by a non-profit. Former WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton helped found the Signal foundation along with Marlinspike, and has also poured in $50 million to fund the app. It does not sell your data or monetise it and does not have advertisements;

-  Groups, video, and audio calls. Yes, it supports Group features with a maximum of 150 members. It has recently added Group video calls. The app also supports regular video and audio calls, which are also end-to-end encrypted;

-  Disappearing Messages. Yes, you can turn on disappearing messages for each chat, which is great. The time can be set by you ranging from five seconds to one week;

-  Screen Lock, Other features. Yes, there is a screen lock feature. You can also set a PIN to the Signal account to keep your account secure. There is also an incognito keyboard option, which basically does not allow your keyboard to save what you are typing. Other features include fingerprint lock, read Receipts, location sharing, relay calls, archive chats, and more. There is also a feature called Message Requests, which gives you the option to block, delete, or accept messages from an unknown person. Signal lets you react to any message with emojis. You also get the option to not allow a user to take chat screenshots. In order to add anyone in a group, the individual will be required to accept the group invitation, unlike WhatsApp. The storage management of the app is really good and quite similar to WhatsApp. You can clear messages, remove videos or images, and check different files in the storage management tool;

-  Data collected. The key priority of Signal is user privacy, which is why the app does not collect any user data, as per the privacy labels provided on the App Store. The app only stores your phone number or contact information.  When it comes to data collection, this is one of the most minimal apps out there. You can learn more about the Signal app here.

Telegram

The Indian Express article adds that Telegram is another popular alternative Whatsapp and you will likely find a lot of your friends there. A user will not really find it difficult to switch to this app as it is simple to use and has most of the WhatsApp users. In fact, some of the Telegram features are not present in WhatsApp.

-  Security features. Telegram is encrypted, and it is open source, though in the past issues have been raised about its encryption. While normal chats are not end-to-end encrypted, as they are on Signal and WhatsApp, if you start a secret chat on Telegram, it is secured and does not get saved. You can also set a timer to destruct these secret chat messages. To protect the data that is not covered by end-to-end encryption, the company uses a distributed infrastructure. Regarding the issue over end-to-end encryption, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov wrote in a blog, “We rely on our own distributed cross-jurisdictional encrypted cloud storage which we believe is much more protected,” compared to say Apple or Google;

-  Cross-platform. Yes, it is a cross-platform app, which is available on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows. Given it relies on its own cloud backup, Telegram ensures that when you set up the app on a different device, the entire chat history is retained;

-  Free or paid? Ads? Telegram is free. It is an ad-free service for now. But Telegram recently announced its monetisation plans as the company says the project of this “size needs at least a few hundred million dollars per year to keep going.” The service also confirmed that the advertisement interface will be user-friendly, and it will respect user’s privacy, which means no data will be taken. As per Telegram, it will soon launch premium features for business or power users. The current features will remain free for all the Telegram users, but the new ones might fall in the premium plan. The company will also add ads in massive public channels. Note that one-on-one and private group chats will not have ads;

-  Groups, video, and audio calls. Telegram is really popular for groups and allows more than 200,000 users in a group. It also supports audio and video calls as well. Interestingly all video calls are end-to-end encrypted;

-  Disappearing Messages. Disappearing messages are part of the Secret Chat feature and you can set a timer for messages. The time range offered is one second to one week;

-  Screen Lock, Other Features. The best part about Telegram is it is a cloud service, which is why you do not need to worry about backing up chats to other servers to restore them on a new device. With Telegram, you can access your data from any of your devices as the data is synchronised across all your registered devices through cloud-based service. The good part about Telegram is you can send up to 1.5GB of files, create channels, add up to 2 lakh users in a group, forward files without downloading them, schedule messages, archive chats, and more. Telegram allows users to find anyone by username or phone number. Further users can edit messages as well. Telegram even displays the name of the original source from where you have forwarded a message and once you tap on it, you will be redirected to that group or channel. Telegram supports Picture-in-Picture mode, which means that you can video call while using other apps like Instagram. On Telegram, a group admin can set different permissions for every user. Telegram offers really cool and fun animated stickers, which you will not find on any other messaging app. In order to create an account, you just need to provide your mobile number and some basic information;

-  Data collected. The data collected by Telegram includes name, phone number, contacts, and user ID, according to the privacy label on the Apple App Store.

Viber

Viber is the wild card in the South African market as it has not received massive amount of airtime in terms of an attractive alternative to Whatsapp. However, the Indian Express article points out that it may be more attractive than we think.

-  Security Features. This is yet another privacy messenger app, which supports end-to-end encryption. All types of messages, photos, videos, voice and video calls and group chats are encrypted. The company says that everyone will have to make sure that they are using the latest version of Viber to get maximum protection. Similar to WhatsApp, all your chats can be backed up to Google Drive, from where you can restore your chats. Viber says that once you upload your chats to Google, it will not be responsible for your data protection and privacy will depend on Google’s policy;

-  Cross-Platform. Yes, Viber can be used across platforms from Android, iOS, and Windows as well;

-  Free or paid? Ads? Like all the other apps, Viber is also free. However, you will witness a few ads in the popular messaging app. The company says, “Showing you these tailored and relevant offers help us keep the app free for you to use.” “Since we do not have access to your chats, neither advertising providers nor brands can access your chats. The content of your chats stays in your chats always and never will be used for showing your relevant ads,” Viber said in a blog post;

-  Groups, video, and audio calls. Yes, it supports Group features with up to 250 members. One can only add members by sending an invitation to a Viber user. This feature works similar to Signal. The app also supports regular video and audio calls that are also end-to-end encrypted;

-  Disappearing Messages. Similar to Telegram, you get a secret chat mode here too. You can set the timer, and screenshot/forwarding feature is disabled. The time can be set by you ranging from one second to one week;

-  Screen Lock, Other features. The screen lock feature is available, but not for the mobile version. You can send stickers and GIFs, delete, or edit messages, share location, voice messages, and share files. You can create your own GIF, search, and send YouTube videos in the app itself and do a lot of other things. However, the privacy features that Signal offers are not present in both Telegram and Viber;

-  What data does Viber collect? Viber collects location and device ID identifiers. It also collects device ID identifiers. It collects phone numbers, user ID, product interaction, purchase history, other contact information such as email ID, name, and contacts.

In the end, privacy matters

Privacy does matter. We want to be able to use these social media platforms confident that we can do so without any concerns about where Big Brother is watching. Privacy does matter.

There are a few interesting questions that need to be asked at this juncture.

The first is, can we live without Facebook and other social media platforms in the modern age? While there are a lot of people in the world without a social media presence at all, there is a reason why Facebook has so many users. If Facebook were a country, it would be the third most populous country in the world. Facebook is mostly used to communicate with people in far flung corners of the world, to provide people with a platform to publicise their lives (vomit), and for people to consume news. It is also increasingly being used for people to do business and to connect with small businesses. If this is the case, why does Facebook have such an obsession with a free user model. Let us answer this. Facebooks current user base is 2,7 billion users. If Facebook charged its users $0.50 a year, it would generate an annual income of close to $1,3 billion. This is significantly less than what it made from advertising revenue in 2019, which was $69 billion. To get close to the last benchmark, Facebook would either have to reach 7 billion users, which is impossible considering that the world population is 8 billion (as of 2020), or it would have to charge its 2,7 billion users about $25/year.

Therefore, the advertising model is significantly more profitable. So how long will Facebook get away with this. In order to get more advertising revenue, advertising needs to be more relevant. In order for it to be more relevant, it needs to be targeted. In order for it to be targeted, it needs data.

Facebook could just ask people about what their expectations are when it comes to advertising. But would they get a genuine answer? No. They only way to guarantee proper data is to use the methods discussed earlier in the blog. So, when will Facebook finally stop this? When the US will finally catches up with the rest of the world and entrenches the right of privacy as a Constitutional Right thereby forcing Facebook to take data privacy seriously. The UK led this with the GDPR, and many countries followed in its wake. By entrenching this right into the constitution, you are guaranteeing that companies cannot take advantage of the public’s right to privacy and it is punishable by law. Companies who do not comply with the GDPR face massive fines and a restraint of trade that is debilitating. A recent report showed that Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined Twitter €450 000 (around $546 000) over a data breach it disclosed back in January 2019, the regulator announced today. The security flaw exposed some supposedly private tweets from the service’s Android users for over four years. Twitter was found to have violated the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) because it failed to notify the regulator within 72 hours of discovering the breach, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The fine is notable because it is the first time a US tech giant has been hit with a GDPR fine in a cross-border case, meaning one in which the Irish regulator consulted its EU counterparts as part of the decision. The investigation was headed by Ireland’s DPC because Ireland is where Twitter’s international headquarters are based.

The major problem

There are a few problems which sees Facebook, and Whatsapp, sitting in the pound seats.

The first is that Whatsapp are technically not doing anything wrong. Whatsapp is owned by Facebook and until the US has privacy laws which governs what companies can do with private data, companies will do what they like because they are not breaking any laws. Further, Whatsapp is telling you that this is happening and that you have to agree to these new updates (opt in), failure to do so will see you deleted from Whatsapp (forcibly opted out). This is taking compliance to a new level.

The second problem is that almost half of the world’s population uses Whatsapp. Teleporting all of your contacts to a single platform is going to be a mission. The strength of Whatsapp – and they know this – is that the public has proven that Whatsapp is the best messaging software in the market, and until another platform can make same claim, the userbase will be fragmented in terms of multiplatform as opposed to the current single platform we see now. People also do not like having to communicate with half of their contacts on platform and half on another, so we will probably see a lot of people accepting the new terms come February 8.

What is the fuss about?

What is Facebook going to try and do with this information? Sell you stuff? Put more adverts on your timeline for stuff that you never told Facebook you were looking for? I have been doing some research for my wife on my birthday present for this year and guess what, Facebook placed adverts for those items on my timeline. So, Facebook does not need Whatsapp to spy on people. People would also like to think that their data is not being used in advertising. The spoiler alert here is that Facebook and Google are using your data for targeted ads.

People are also waiting in anticipation for smart devices that help you live your life. Run out of milk, your fridge will send you a message about this and will inform you about all of the specials that grocery stores are having regarding milk. Will these devices not be using your data for targeted advertising purposes? Will it be ok for these advertisements to be targeted but others not? MMMMM…

Data is running the world. It is what is making technology smarter, more convenient and life changing. Yes, companies will be chomping at the bit to get hold of this kind of data, and that may not be a bad thing. Would you rather see 100 worthless advertisements on your Facebook timeline of items that you do not actually want, or would you rather see 10 advertisements about things that you want and will make a difference in your life? And if you have such an issue with how Facebook uses your data, delete Facebook. Whatsapp is just doing what its owner is telling it to do. 

Welcome back from the Festive Season break. GTconsult would like to take this opportunity to wish all of its employees, clients, and business partners all the best for 2021.

I have no doubt in my mind that there not one single person who can comfortably say that Covid-19 did not impact their lives in some way or another. From remote work to self isolation and the loss of many family members and loved ones, 2020 is a year that most people will want to forget.

There are a lot of people who are very optimistic about 2021. While optimism is goo, there is a fine line between being optimistic and unrealistically so. Most if the world is dealing with a second wave of Covid-19 infections, and until a viable vaccine is produced, the first half of 2021 may just be the third episode of 2020.

Fortunately, tech is changing the world and is making it easier to do your job. With the South African governments plans to increase access to spectrum, we are positioning ourselves as a country that could find itself at the epicentre of the explosion of the Gig Economy in Africa.

Tech will obviously play an important part in this and I read a few interesting articles about the tech that will shape the world in 2021.

A massive step

We will start in India which has long been a country that has been at the forefront of digital innovation. The Indian Express points out that some of the tech that will shape the future will be a massive step for mankind.

The article points out that We will be pushing the envelope in optimism if we expect to be back in office soon. Even with a vaccine, work from home has got acceptance across the world and businesses have not really seen a drop in productivity. So if last year #WFH was an act of desperation, in the new year you will see more technologies that act as enablers for remote employment at scale. We already have a host of companies that help collaboration among colleagues in real time, but we could see startups emerge with out-of-the-box ideas on creating virtual offices that take away the requirement for being in a physical space.

There is already lot of talk about extended reality, or XR, being extended to fill the gaps in our work environment. XR is a mix of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) that combine the realms of the real and virtual. In a few months, you could be back sitting next to your colleagues in office, though they are spread all over the country, thanks to a 5G-powered XR headset you are wearing to work from home. Or explaining a new project to customers in a virtual boardroom as they walk around scaled-down models, moving them with virtual swipes. Companies like Qualcomm are already close to this rather confusing reality, which is already used to train people before they get to work on high-value assets.

The article adds that then a lot of bells and whistles that are impacting the very experience of work from home could get polished. For instance, laptop makers might finally start making a Full HD camera a standard feature because it has suddenly become the most important feature in the device. You could also see laptops with wireless connectivity become more common as these try to unfetter from Wi-Fi and offer a connectivity backup to those working remotely. This is where 5G could become an important part of enterprises in the coming year.

Better homes

The article points out that as people the world over spend more time at home, there is a huge opportunity to offer them indoors what they are missing outside. This is why you could see a boost in how home entertainment technologies improve in the coming months. Television screens could become larger, offering immersive experiences and theatre-quality sound. We have already seen a bit of this with projectors that can create cinematic sound. This push will also come with increased affordability of better technologies. While this would mean curtains on many cinemas, new streaming services will try and cater to all kinds of content demands to cash in on the urge to be entertained.

A lot of the smart home technology so far has been worked around scenarios where the residents would want to control gadgets from their places of work. Now with all these users stuck inside the homes, smart home software will have to improvise and improve the experiences of people who have nowhere to go, keeping them entertained, informed and healthy.

Also, expect gaming to enter our homes like never before. And no, it will not be limited to the younger ones. The segment is already in the midst of a boom thanks to the pandemic and now there will be new consoles and services that make gaming the vent for all your indoor frustrations, irrespective of age.

Health for all

The article points out that your doctor is now more accessible than before, often just a tap away on an app. But these virtual consultations hit a hurdle as soon as there is a need to look at data. While smart watches and other gadgets now offer more data on different aspects of the user’s health and wellness, the quantified self is going to get more attention now. In early 2020, for instance, the Consumer Electronics Show had a lot on show around sleep technology. These products are now becoming available to people, tracking their vitals as they sleep and alerting them of anomalies as they wake up.

Expect more wearables and smart gadgets near your body keeping a tab in not just the vitals, but also alerting you of what could be the early symptom on an underlying condition. There will also be a lot more assistance in the wellness space, especially with stress management.

Boutique tech

The article adds that, as our dependence on technologies increases, at least those who can afford it will start pulling out of the mainstream to subscription-based services that are niche, but offer a better quality and experience because of this. Companies are already working on products that offer a different experience from what the Internet offers for free. So you will see companies like Neeva that offer an ad-free search service and more publishers and production houses offer premium content behind a paywall.

The movement towards niches will also be a reaction to big tech, which is slowly losing user trust. While governments try to regulate how big and powerful these companies can be, the lack of trust is already moving users to scaled down environments where they are more confident of not being exploited as just a data binary.

Intelligent data

The article points out that, while we have been hearing about artificial intelligence for decades, the pandemic has presented these models with use cases at unprecedented scale. As countries try to figure out how to vaccinate sizeable chunks of their populations, intelligent systems like IBM’s Watson will come into play in helping figure out the rollout of the vaccines. Since we are literally talking about everyone in the world, these are not figures that are easily manageable without help of AI-driven models. And it is not just about the vaccines: AI is already being used to alert about new Covid-18 hotspots based on early trends that are plotted against patterns seen elsewhere. Also, when there will be the question of how to tackle the surge in information demand from people as vaccinations starts, here too it could be computers that answer queries because of the sheer scale.

A new set of gadgets

the Indian Express article ends off by predicting what may change when it comes to gadgets. 2020 has been a weird year of makers of smartphones and other technologies. After a few weeks when sales dried up, most experienced a surge because of the pent-up demand. There was also the new opportunity created by online education. At the same time, a lot of the product thinking went out the window at least for a couple of years as it went down in the priority list.

In 2021, expect smartphones and all other devices to pack more computing power because that will be what they need to focus on, more than cameras and battery life — which are not such big pain points if you are not stepping out. With Apple entering the silicon space with its M1 processor, you will see the personal computing segment undergo some revolutionary changes with rivals trying their best to catch on the processing power and battery life this new entrant can offer. So by end of the year, expect more laptops to offer all-day battery life.

You will see folding, rolling, swivelling smartphones in the new year too, but they will stay well within the fringes and the consumers will be more bothered about the devices that will work long hours without tiring, offering good screen clarity and front cameras for video calls. There will also be a spate of affordable computing devices that try and offer a viable alternative to the budget smartphone that is now being used for online education in many households. Clearly the focus will be on the functional and not the gimmicky.

An article on livemint.com has pointed to the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has inspired tech innovation.

The article pointed out that one key area, better webcams for our constant video calling, was significant. Samsung has already announced that its forthcoming Galaxy smartphone, expected in early 2021, will improve video recording and calling. We anticipate laptop makers will do the same and finally ditch their crappy, low-resolution webcams.

Portable versions of UV sanitizers for cleaning your phones and gadgets are on the way to keep in your car or your pocket. Another thing we may eventually never leave home without? High-tech masks. Expect a range of built-in features: Bluetooth and microphones (see Maskfone), a fan-powered wearable air purifier (see LG PuriCare), a mask with a UV LED (see the UV Mask). Look for air-quality sensors, contact-tracing assistance and more.

Laptops Arm Up

The article pointed out that, suddenly, laptops aren’t the most boring gadget in the world. Our reliance on them for at-home work and school spurred demand the category hadn’t seen in years. (“Children, let me tell you about the Great Chromebook Shortage of 2020.") Then, in November, Apple released a MacBook Air and MacBook Pro that ditched Intel inside for Apple’s own M1 chips. The result? Machines that have never been so quiet and cool, and lasted so long on one charge.

The move from chips based on Intel’s x86 architecture to ones based on lower-powered Arm technology, like the ones inside phones, is setting the entire computing industry on a new course. Lenovo, Acer and Microsoft have begun releasing Windows or Chrome OS laptops with chips from Qualcomm, whose processors power the most popular Android phones. This will only accelerate in the coming year, with nearly every major Windows PC maker working with Qualcomm on laptops and some models even gaining 5G, said Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon.

The article added that Apple, which plans to transition its entire Mac lineup to its own processors by 2022, is also expected to release a long-anticipated new iMac, among other things. And it won’t come as a surprise when more tech giants, including Amazon and Microsoft, embrace their own custom chips in everything from laptops to servers to wearables.

Reality: Assisted, Not Augmented

Remember the ambitious Google Glass concept. The world was either so excited for it that they were prepared to invest heavily in a pair, or the world was bemoaning how tech was becoming massively intrusive.

Ultimately, the Google Glass project failed, but that didn’t mean the end for artificial intelligence (AI). The Live Mint article rightly points out that AI will only get better over the years. When will Apple release a pair of smart glasses? Probably not 2021. And while Google made a big step in this category this summer by acquiring North, a pioneer in projection glasses, it canceled the second version of North’s glasses as it plots its future. It’s actually Facebook that declared it will launch smart glasses in 2021—and they’ll be Ray Bans.

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerbergsaid in September these glasses will be “the next step on the road to augmented reality." They won’t feature virtual objects that appear to interact with the real world. AR headsets like Microsoft’s HoloLens might deliver an immersive experience, but they’re still expensive and cumbersome.

The article adds that assisted reality glasses—which project text, images and even video feeds into a person’s field of view—are of more value now, says Brian Ballard, CEO of remote-expertise company Upskill. Businesses have found utility in remote video conferencing that hovers in workers’ field of view, or turn-by-turn directions they don’t have to look down to follow.

E-commerce ≠ Amazon

The article pointed out that the pandemic packed 10 years of consumer e-commerce adoption into a single quarter, and forced every company that wasn’t Amazon—especially those with large retail footprints—to scramble to offer consumers new and better ways to shop from home.

Target saw an explosion in curbside pickup from online orders, while warehouse retailer Costco reported unprecedented growth in e-commerce. Walmart launched a Prime-like membership program called Walmart+, and rapidly added features to keep up the competition. (Walmart recently eliminated order minimums and shipping fees on Walmart.com orders, and provides no-fee delivery on grocery carts totaling $35 or more.) Shopify, which powers payments for many small businesses online, expanded its own network of fulfillment centers so those businesses could get goods to customers more quickly and efficiently, without turning to Amazon.

The article added that, now that fast, free shipping is table stakes and retailers recognize they won’t see the foot traffic they counted on pre-pandemic, consumers finally get an online version of an old retail staple: comparison shopping. In 2021, Amazon’s value proposition—that if it isn’t always the least expensive way to shop, it’s at least the most convenient—will be tested. Meanwhile, its market power—along with Google’s, Facebook’s and Apple’s—will continue to be the focus of regulatory scrutiny.

Return of the Trust Fall

Remember doing these exercises at work team building outings. You would spend a significant amount of time praying that you didn’t have to do this exercise with the creepy man/woman four desks down from you.

The Live Mint article points out that while remote work has many advantages, building trust between employees isn’t one of them. Online, there is no water cooler, no nearby coffee shop for informal brainstorms, no place to grab a drink after work. But companies whose employees worked remotely long before the pandemic already had a solution: the off-site retreat.

Buffer, a fully remote company, gets its entire, globe-spanning team together at least once a year. Dozens of other companies whose employees work mostly or entirely at home do the same thing, which has led to a cottage industry of firms that will plan these retreats for you.

The article adds that one reason companies have embraced remote work is that it makes employees happier, but another is that it saves companies money on office space. In 2021, expect to see many of the millions of employees who have permanently shifted to remote or hybrid work piling into party buses, doing group yoga and seeking inner peace in the presence of their bosses—for far less than the cost of the rent on the offices they left behind.

The platform contributor

We have given significant focus to the gadgets what with shape 2021, and the innovation that certain companies are planning, but we cannot forget the role that technology based platforms played in 2020 and the influence that they will have in 2021.

Blockchain

The article points out that it has taken a long time for blockchain to shift centre stage, but as people increasingly trust algorithms, which it’s based on, its time has come. Decentralised finance will continue to grow over the next few years because of the increased demand for online financial products, but it will need to continually address the balance between decentralisation, security and scalability.

Increasingly, government bodies are leveraging blockchain for their activities, moving from incredulity to embracing the technology. With this, we’re going to see regulation surrounding blockchain become ever more pronounced. Our client Block.one reported this year that Google Cloud is taking steps to become a network block producer, a sign that the world’s largest companies are committed to ensuring that information on public blockchains is secure. In five years time, using blockchain could feel about as edgy as banking with HSBC.

Customer learning experience

The article adds that consumer sales have seen major disruptions in 2020 due to Covid-19 and new restrictions the pandemic has brought to in-person interactions. Businesses have been pushed to accelerate adoption of digital solutions as replacements for traditional aspects of the sales cycle. Attracting and educating customers on the benefits of specific products and features has required a digital-first approach, with e-commerce solutions integrating video, webchat and even augmented reality.

For complex products that require training, including consumer electronics, automotives and software, companies are investing in Learning Management Systems - or tailored equivalents designed to meet the goals of their specific learning experience- to provide customers with instructive content. These LMS solutions allow businesses to create custom branded courseware, training programs, documentation and video guides to deliver complete digital learning experiences. The article adds that, with big data and analytics, companies can implement in-depth tracking of customers on their learning journeys to rapidly gain insights and improve their offerings.

As restrictions on in-person shopping and in-person learning begin to relax in the post-pandemic future, digital learning experiences for customers will continue to grow in popularity, with new opportunities to enhance e-commerce and post-purchase experiences.

Cloud-based tech

The article points out that the world shifted irreversibly in 2020 as so many of us migrated from our old workspaces to predominantly work from home. Beyonders scattered far and wide; I now head up technology from our Lisbon hub. That, of, course, is only possible with greater use of cloud-based technology, including workplace applications.

With the rise in ecommerce we’re seeing cloud-based platforms pushed and we’ll see their full potential through 2021 and beyond. Cloud native technology will continue to power digital transformation: by the end of 2021 60 per cent of companies will leverage containers on public cloud platforms and 25 per cent of developers will leverage serverless, according to predictions from ForresterNow Predictions 2021: Cloud Computing report.

The article adds that technology design is evolving in tandem and we’re building modular, composable architectures that can shift and transform in an agile way, not dissimilar to how we build multi platform, multi stack software. As Google Cloud Partners, we design our composable architectures with plenty of flexibility, but primarily with people in mind.

Cautious optimism

We mentioned at the beginning of the blog post that most people will need to manage their expectations of 2021. And this is not a bad thing as it is likely going to be a challenging year. However, there are some global tech leaders who feel that 2021 will be a good year for tech innovation.

Magdalena Balazinska, professor and director of the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington

How will this year’s events — the pandemic, social justice movements, economic recession — affect the technology industry in 2021? While the COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out and providing us with hope that 2021 will be a better year than 2020, we are not out of the woods yet and we should plan for 2021 being fundamentally a highly disrupted year.

That said, if we consider 2021 and perhaps a little beyond, I would say that:

-  2020 really demonstrated that working from home can be effective in many industries. I expect that the tech industry will be rethinking their long-term policies regarding working from home and hiring remote employees;

-  Diversity, equity, and inclusion will remain high priorities for the technology industry, and for academia;

-  The tech industry has contributed to polarization through the various social media platforms that we developed. Our next step in 2021 needs to be on developing tools to help bring people together;

-  The tech backlash is real. The industry needs to take this challenge seriously — to become a rising tide that lifts all boats, not just the captain’s barge.

Software engineers will increasingly question the technology they are developing and the business models of the companies they are working for. Graduates will consider not just the salary but also the type of product that a company is creating, their DEI statement, and more when they choose their employment.

Leslie Alexandre, president and CEO of Life Science Washington

What will be the most pressing issue facing the tech industry in 2021? Again, speaking from a biotech/life science perspective … we are witnessing breathtaking innovation in new treatments — and even some cures — for horrible diseases and conditions thanks to a new generation of platform technologies, such as gene editing and other cell therapies. These treatments are improving the quality of life for thousands of Americans every day, but come at a very high price tag, commensurate with the costs of their development.

As a society, if we want broad access to these life-saving treatments, we must figure out how to pay for them. And as an industry, we must come to the table with sound policy options that facilitate continued investment in innovation and a resolution to drug pricing issues that are becoming barriers to that investment.

Peter Lee, CVP of Research and Incubations at Microsoft

The most overhyped technology of 2021: I guess three of the technologies that are always mentioned on these “most overhyped” lists are blockchain, virtual reality, and self-driving cars. Blockchain and VR are getting a lot of new hype, with blockchain mentioned in areas like vaccine credentials, and VR to make home isolation more fun. But as great as they are, both probably need more time to flip from hype to hot. And self-driving cars, well, while we may actually see some really interesting products hit the market in 2021, there is a lot less driving going on nowadays. We’ll want to revisit all three in 2022…

Advice to startups and entrepreneurs for 2021: Think of the three phases of a global crisis: Response – Recovery – Resilience. If 2020 was about Response, 2021 will be about Recovery. Your company/investment needs to be relevant to that. But even more important is to think about the technologies you are developing for the next long phase, which is about Resilience for the future.

GTconsults view

From a GTconsult perspective, we are convinced that Cloud Computing and AI will be big innovators during the year. With this comes the need to increasingly trust technology and see it as innovative and enabling rather than intrusive and overbearing. We applaud Governments view on spectrum and hope that this project can gain significant momentum. This will see new tech startups and entrepreneurs who can not only grow our economy, but provide a future for their families.

We also hope that technology will improve access to healthcare as well as innovative ways to diagnose and treat diseases. We are seeing how tech is playing a role in the Covid-19 vaccine, but we need to see these advancements take place more rapidly.

Finally, technology must play a role in education. We have already seen the beginning of it in remote teaching and many students have adapted well to the new normal that has been placed on them. We now need to advance this. Coding needs to be taught at school and students need to be given the skills to prosper in the Gig Economy. If we can get this right, 2021 will be a good year. 

People have gone through a lot in 2020. Its scary to think that just a year ago, people were standing up proclaiming loudly that 2020 was going to be their year. I have not heard any similar proclamations about 2021.

Obviously, the main event of the year has been the Covid-19 Pandemic. This had an inadvertent impact on the tech industry as it fast tracked adoption and growth in many areas. But, it also opened the door for cyber crime to become a major problem.

Below are some of the biggest stories of the year.

Total Cyber Protection

In the 1970s, Ajax Amsterdam and the Dutch Football Team changed the way the world saw football when they won nearly every trophy on offer by playing Total Football. The concept of Total Football is that every player on the field can play any position with relative ease. It meant that teams who were very structured had little to no answer to the attaching flair that the Dutch displayed.

This means that football teams who played total football had very little weaknesses. Perhaps this is the approach that companies need to take when developing a cyber security policy/protocol.

A report by the World Health Organisation points out that, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt global health, economic, political and social systems, there's another unseen threat rising in the digital space: the risk of cyberattacks that prey on our increased reliance on digital tools and the uncertainty of the crisis.

Here are three reasons robust cybersecurity measures matter more than ever.

- A heightened dependency on digital infrastructure raises the cost of failure. In a pandemic of this scale - with cases of coronavirus reported in more than 150 countries - dependency on digital communications multiplies. The Internet has almost instantly become the channel for effective human interaction and the primary way we work, contact, and support one another. Businesses and public-sector organizations are increasingly offering or enforcing “work from home” policies, and social interactions are rapidly becoming confined to video calls, social media posts and chat programmes. Many governments are disseminating information via digital means. For example, the UK has made digital the default mode of communication, instructing citizens to rely on official websites for updates to avoid flooding phone-based information services with requests. In today’s unprecedented context, a cyberattack that deprives organizations or families of access to their devices, data or the internet could be devastating and even deadly: In a worst-case scenario, broad-based cyberattacks could cause widespread infrastructure failures that take entire communities or cities offline, obstructing healthcare providers, public systems and networks;

- Cybercrime exploits fear and uncertainty. Cybercriminals exploit human weakness to penetrate systemic defences. In a crisis, particularly if prolonged, people tend to make mistakes they would not have made otherwise. Online, making a mistake in terms of which link you click on or who you trust with your data can cost you dearly. The vast majority of cyberattacks - by some estimates, 98% - deploy social engineering methods. Cybercriminals are extremely creative in devising new ways to exploit users and technology to access passwords, networks, and data, often capitalizing on popular topics and trends to tempt users into unsafe online behaviour. Stress can incite users to take actions that would be considered irrational in other circumstances. For example, a recent global cyberattack targeted people looking for visuals of the spread of COVID-19. The malware was concealed in a map displaying coronavirus statistics loaded from a legitimate online source. Viewers were asked to download and run a malicious application that compromised the computer and allowed hackers to access stored passwords;

- More time online could lead to riskier behaviour. Inadvertently risky Internet behaviour increases with more time spent online. For example, users could fall for “free” access to obscure websites or pirated shows, opening the door to likely malware and attacks. Similarly, there could be hidden risks in requests for credit card information or installation of specialized viewing applications. Always, and especially during the pandemic, clicking on the wrong link or expanding surfing habits can be extremely dangerous and costly.

Where do we go from here?

Another report by the WHO suggests that COVID-19 is changing everything. Along with social distancing, obsessive sanitisation, broken supply chains, fragmented workforces and the rise of video meetings, the pandemic is driving acute systemic changes in consumer and business behaviour. These changes are causing an outbreak of new and unanticipated business moments. The resolve to transform is palpable.

Businesses know they must rapidly innovate, take advantage of new digital tools and leverage cloud services to emerge from the crisis ahead of their competitors with momentum for the long-term transformation of their business in the altered global landscape.

This innovation is good news, but it is coming at a cost. As digital spreads its roots deeper, it also increases the risk and impact of cyberattacks.

The report adds that the WHOs COVID-19 Risks Outlook found 50% of enterprises were concerned about increased cyberattacks due to a shift in work patterns alone. These concerns are merited. Hasty and unplanned decisions related to digital transformations will add substantially to the spate of cybersecurity issues.

Cybersecurity matters even more given the increased dependency on digital infrastructure to ensure collective resilience. Many of the industries which are transforming serve critical functions – and a break in their supply chains could affect the movement and availability of life-saving drugs, components, equipment, and raw materials.

A feature of these vehicles was that they were autonomous. While we are not flying our cars around, we are making strides towards autonomy. However, it this beneficial for everyone?

The major problem with these vehicles is that they are run by artificial intelligence (AI); and AI is highly susceptible to cyber-crime. Will this kill the AV dream? Hope for the best, plan for the worst, Guidehouse Insights’ Sam Abuelsamid told Motor World adding that the cyber threat to AVs is real, but the industry can take steps today to ensure resilience

The article points out that there was a time when the only real security concern for vehicle owners was that someone would pop their lock and either steal the stereo or hotwire the engine and drive off. However, as we add increasing connectivity and the electronic controls that will eventually lead to full automation, the risks become exponentially greater. Cyber security is a very real concern that all automakers and suppliers deal with daily.

There was never much cause for concern around cyber security until the late 1990s; even then, it was closer to 2010 before most people really started paying attention. In the early days, most electronic control units (ECUs) in vehicles were not even reprogrammable. The algorithms that ran on those relatively primitive microcontrollers, which powered systems like antilock brakes, were actually encoded right on the silicon dies.

The article adds that in some cases, a chip could be replaced with modified calibrations for the engine management or transmission. Even when reprogrammable flash memory became available, someone would need physical access to the vehicle and a proprietary diagnostic tool to make changes. At that point, you were more likely to break—or ‘brick’—the ECU than accomplish a malicious hack.

The article points out that, fast forward to 2020, and the majority of new vehicles have an embedded LTE data modem, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and many reprogrammable safety critical ECUs. Within the next few years, nearly all new vehicles will be connected in some way with 5G and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) joining the communication suite. At the same time, more sophisticated, partially automated systems are becoming commonplace.

As we deploy highly automated vehicles (AVs) that can operate without any human intervention, connectivity becomes essential. After all, how can you tell a car to go park itself, or return from the parking garage, or summon a robotaxi if you cannot communicate with it? AVs will also need to download map updates, traffic and road conditions, enable teleassist capability, and more in real time.

Who is likely to attempt a hack on a car, and why? There are those who will attack a system just to see if they can do it, and what they can accomplish. Similarly, the vandal may simply be out to cause some seemingly minor trouble, like disabling a friend’s car. The more troubling cases could involve active attempts to steal data or otherwise commit financial crimes, and those involving state actors.

The article points out that the first confirmed hacks shared with the public came out in 2015, and both were executed by security researchers. A team from the University of Washington managed to get into GM’s OnStar telematics system and show how they could manipulate steering, braking, the engine, and other systems remotely. GM was notified of the vulnerability and corrected it before it was made public. A similar attack was famously executed by Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek on a Jeep Cherokee using vulnerabilities in the Chrysler Uconnect system and wireless provider Sprint. That incident led to the recall of more than one million vehicles to have their telematics systems updated.

Imagine a scenario in the not too distant future where thousands of AVs roam around a large city, and millions exist worldwide. Each is continuously connected to the others, as well as data centres. What if those vehicles suddenly came to a stop, and a message appeared on infotainment screens demanding payment of one million bitcoins to release the cars? There would be instant gridlock across countless cities.

The article adds that this is an example of a ransomware attack, which in truth is probably the least of the industry’s worries. What if someone found a way to infiltrate a data centre and send a command to the entire fleet to accelerate as quickly as possible? Or to tell every AV to turn left immediately? The potential casualties in cities around the world could be enormous. This is an unacceptable outcome of the move to take human drivers out of the loop.

The article points out that the first step to a solution is admitting there is a problem. When the first demonstrations of security vulnerabilities in vehicles occurred around 2009 and 2010, automakers publicly denied a problem existed. By 2015, that had changed. GM appointed its first chief product cyber security officer, Jeff Massimilla, and began creating a team entirely focused on security within its product development organisation.

Several automakers including Tesla, FCA and GM established responsible disclosure or bug bounty programmes, while others had less formalised processes. Responsible disclosure programmes have proven essential in many industries, such as technology, financial services, and aviation. These programmes provide security researchers like Miller and Valasek a pathway to report any vulnerabilities they discover to the manufacturer before they are disclosed publicly. This gives the manufacturer an opportunity to correct the problem, hopefully before bad actors can exploit it. Increasingly, security researchers that have demonstrated an ability to find vulnerabilities receive job offers from the very companies whose products they infiltrate. Miller and Valasek are now responsible for security engineering at Cruise, the GM subsidiary developing its automated driving system.

The article adds that, like many other industries, the auto industry formed an information sharing and analysis centre (Auto-ISAC). ISACs provide member companies with an organisation where they can share information about security threats and best practices in a non-competitive environment. In the auto industry, the challenge with cyber security is the long value chain where potential attacks can happen or vulnerabilities can be implemented. Any given vehicle programme has thousands of engineers working on it, with an ever-increasing number of them focused on software and electronics development.

One of the changes within the industry is the implementation of new development, review, and test processes. Rather than approaching security as an afterthought, it must be designed from the ground up for software and hardware. The new verification tools used to continuously test flaws in the software could be exploited to inject malicious instructions. Access to code repositories must be controlled and changes must be documented, maintaining a chain of trust. That documentation is important for engineers working on the software and for regulatory purposes. In Europe, software is included in the type approval process before vehicles can be sold, as well as for after-sales service. Once a vehicle has received its type approval, any software changes that affect regulated systems must go through an amended type approval process.

Notably, this has affected Tesla, which pushes out regular and frequent updates to its customers for many features including its Autopilot driver assistance system. Some features distributed to Tesla owners in North America are not available in Europe because Tesla has not submitted them for amended approval. New development tools are becoming available to automate this process of documenting what has changed.

The article points out that systems are needed in vehicles to maintain security. With most ECUs now being reprogrammable, it is crucial to establish that only verified updates are ever applied. A number of suppliers now offer systems for encrypting and digitally signing software update packages. In the vehicle, the digital signatures must be verified before the updates are applied. Another solution is to continuously check the software against known encryption hashes to make sure it has not been tampered with.

Monitoring systems embedded in the vehicle can continuously monitor all of the message traffic across the vehicle network, looking for anomalies that might indicate either an attack or even just an error. When these anomalous messages are detected they can be blocked, the system can go into a fail-safe mode, and the driver or control centre alerted.

AVs will feature levels of redundancy and diversity in the actuation, electronic, and software systems never used in automotive industry before. With no human driver in place to take over if something fails, backup compute platforms are required. AVs will likely be using backups with distinct hardware architecture and software algorithms that execute similar functionality. This can be used as a verification that the primary compute is functioning properly and also to get the vehicle to a safe, minimum-risk condition if a serious problem is detected.

The article adds that it is not just the developers and the vehicles that need to be secured: the network infrastructure that manages AVs must be too. Control centres will most likely be the primary attack surface for bad actors. Many networks have been breached over the past decade, from banks and manufacturing to retail and movie studios. If attackers found a vulnerability in a remote operation system or a dispatch platform or map updates, it could spread to the entire fleet.

Best practices need to be implemented at every level of the chain when deploying AVs. This includes designing data and control centres for security from the ground up.

Strategy eats culture for breakfast

We have spoken extensively about the effective approach towards cyber security and that there needs to be an effective culture that is built and developed so that employees know what standard operating procedures (SOPs) are needed in specific situations.

The problem with developing a culture is that it takes a long time and the cyber threat is immediate. When facing a clear and present danger, nothing beats strategy. After all, Strategy eats culture for breakfast.

I recently read a Forbes article which pointed out how this can be done effectively. Especially when it comes to remote working, which is something that will gain in prominence in the future.

-  Encourage cyber ‘social distancing.’The article points out that companies need to encourage employees to adopt the same strategy for cyber viruses they use in the real world. Cyber “social distancing” is about recognizing risk and keeping your distance. The article adds that helpful technology solutions should include a secure email gateway to detect phishing attacks and spam, a VPN solution to secure remote connections or a secure access solution to ensure that only authenticated devices access the network;

-  Use a cyber-intelligence approach.The article points out that, to truly strengthen an organization’s cybersecurity posture, look for external signals of impending attacks. The article adds that the ability to predict an attack and prioritize remediations accordingly is key. Go to the hackers’ trenches (e.g., deep/dark Web, hackers’ communities, and closed communities), decode threats that are relevant to the organization and understand the context of the attack;

-  Employ cloud-based solutions.The article points out that cloud-based cybersecurity solutions that protect the device, cloud, and identity of the user—that is the ticket for secure remote working. The article adds that the new generation of cybersecurity solutions, optimized for secure remote work, are deployable in seconds, cloud-managed, silent to the user and invasive to the attacker;

-  Secure the perimeter.The article points out that businesses need to secure the corporate perimeter when moving to a remote workforce. This means tying VPN to Active Directory and enabling multifactor authentication to make sure the right people are accessing networks, apps, and data. The article adds that businesses should mandate VPN use on public Wi-Fi and remind employees to avoid opening emails and clicking on URLs from unknown senders and to keep passwords safe;

-  Consider virtual desktop environments over VPNs. The article points out that companies must ensure employees can securely access everything they need to do their jobs effectively from home. The article adds that using VPNs has been the traditional method, but it limits access to a small number of internal company applications and cannot secure many of the online apps employees need. Companies should consider testing and bolstering a virtual desktop environment to provide a great user experience;

-  Trust, but verify.The article points out that when working remotely, it is easier to be misled by fake requests from people you know (spearphishing). The article adds that companies should teach their team how to spot the signs, as well as how to verify any requests. The easiest way is to always use another channel, like calling them or jumping on a video call;

-  Carry security protocols over to home offices.The article points out that it is not just about the security platform that the CISO has put in place but how employees continue that business continuity into the home office. The article adds that it’s critical that as users move to remote working the security team has a plan in place to carry all of the security protocols and policies over to ensure that home users are just as secure as if they were in the corporate office;

-  Deploy mobile security software. The article points out that the most effective cybersecurity measure is the implementation of an agile mobile security platform that can be installed on any device accessible by the employee—regardless of the operating system or manufacturer—and that is built around a model of data-centric security. The article adds that without those key elements, companies risk slower deployment times, lost company data and extensive overhead costs;

-  Remind employees to guard their home routers. The article points out that we have seen with smart cities and enterprises that remote contractors and staff may have the greatest VPN, but their home router may be the weakest link. The article adds that many people buy home routers and never change the default password. Botnets are out seeking these open doors—once they gain access, they infect the worker’s PC and enter the organization through the VPN. This is an area not managed by IT;

-  Know your access points. The article points out that the rush to work from home is a situation in which the prepared do better. It is critical to keep an up-to-date network map to handle whatever comes along. For example, show where your VPN access points are and whether they have the correct access. The article adds that most organizations struggle to maintain a reliable map of their changing world, but it can be automated;

-  Remember that temporary pain will bring long-term advantages. The article points out that the COVID-19 crisis is accelerating many developments that will improve the cybersecurity posture of organizations. Security teams are looking for SaaS security applications that can be deployed with ease and with no disruption to productivity. The article adds that many organizations are still far away from this, using only on-premises solutions, and the crisis is forcing them to change their approach;

-  Create a specific action plan for critical functions. The article points out that, like any new service, secure remote working needs organizations to define and implement security policies, procedures, and controls. However, in most companies, the challenge is that a few critical functions are not designed to work offsite. The article adds that those need a quick process redesign and risk assessment to come up with a short-term action plan followed up with a sustainable long-term control framework;

-  Do not wash your hands of cyber hygiene. The article points out that the most significant threat to cybersecurity is still employee negligence. Anticipate a substantial increase in malicious cyber-targeting of remote workers. That article adds that, no matter the location, you must establish a culture of security, protect mobile devices, maintain computer cyber-hygiene, properly deploy and maintain firewalls, have current antivirus software, and, most importantly, plan for the unexpected;

-  Focus on endpoint security and VPN use. The article points out that companies need to ensure robust endpoint security and VPN use on all devices, including personal devices that may now be accessing company systems and data. Using a cloud-managed solution enables streamlined centralized control, visibility, and policy enforcement;

-  Assess your company’s threat model work. The article points out that a good rule of thumb that easily translates to remote work, VPN use, etc. is to view all traffic and actors as nefarious until proven otherwise. The article adds that, in the end, cybersecurity measures ultimately come down to a company’s threat model work, which is the primary key to driving their cybersecurity risk assessment and countermeasures.

The focus on cyber security peaked in 2017 as the world realised that any defence against this growing threat needs to be formalised and not piece-meal. Roles such as Chief Information Officers were established in companies and they started to hold board positions and are now involved in some of the most intricate planning within companies.

These departments grew as strategy required feet on the ground. I recently read on article on Security Boulevard which pointed out that as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), your cyber security strategy plan drives data protection for the organization across every aspect of business processes including new hires and onboarding.

The article points out that it is not uncommon for an organization to have an HR step where the hiring manager requests network account credentials and permissions for a new employee. Without the right procedures in place, hiring managers could ask for extensive permissions and violate the principle of least privilege. High-privilege accounts should be given with caution including virtual and physical access. With the right strategy plan in place, a CISO can maintain hardened cyber security compliance and still offer managers a smooth onboarding transition.

It has certainly been a year full of highlights and lowlights. GTconsult would like to take this opportunity to wish all of its employees, and clients, a happy and restful Festive Season. We look forward to seeing you in the new year where we will see where technology will take us.

We have learned a lot of things over the past 12 months. If 2020 has taught us anything, it has showed us that the world has become more connected through technology, and that technology enables productivity.

“This was an important foundation that GTconsult was built on. We will continue to strive for excellence and make sure that we are at the forefront of this innovation,” says Aaron Blair, GTconsult COO.

What does the future hold for the growth of productivity? I recently read a few key articles which provided some valuable insight into these developments.

I’m here boss, I’m just working from bed

The days of calling in sick are perhaps a thing of the past. The pandemic has shown that employees do not need to be physically present at their jobs to do their work. Remote working is here to stay and mobile offices can offer employers a lot more benefits outside of saving on rent. A recent article by ZDNet shows that working in your PJs has advantages. But be warned, it could be bad for your mental health.

The article points out that a new study by the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, together with the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney, has uncovered that while working from home in pyjamas during the COVID-19 pandemic did not lower productivity, it was linked to poorer mental health.

According to the study, 41% of respondents said they experienced increased productivity while working from home, while more than a third of respondents reported that working from home resulted in poorer mental health.

The article adds that when the study examined the effects wearing pyjamas had on productivity and mental health, it found that wearing pyjamas was associated with more frequent reporting of poorer mental health. For 59% of participants who wore pyjamas during the day at least one day a week, they admitted their mental health declined while working from home, versus 26% of participants who did not wear pyjamas while working from home.

"While we cannot determine whether wearing pyjamas was the cause or consequence of mental health deterioration, appreciation of the effect of clothing on cognition and mental health is growing, as observed in hospital patients: Encouraging patients to wear normal day clothes can reduce the severity of depression," the study said.

"The simple advice to get changed before beginning work in the morning might partially protect against the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health, and would be less expensive than the 'fashionable' sleep or loungewear gaining popularity as working from home becomes the norm."

The article points out that the study also examined the impact children had on people while they worked from home. Unsurprisingly, the study found 63% working from home with a toddler reported reduced overall productivity. Similarly, people who had primary school children at home while they worked agreed that their productivity was hindered.

However, by far the most frequent causes of disruptions to teleconferences were internet connectivity problems, the study showed. Other frequently reported interruptions were by colleagues' infants or toddlers, or other members of their colleagues' households, which according to the study included "anecdotes of colourful behaviour by housemates not suitable for publication".

"One respondent was interrupted by somnambulism, although it is unclear whether this was during a daytime nap or a night meeting," the study said.

The article adds that the findings, which were published in the Medical Journal of Australia, were the results of a survey that was carried out between April 30 and May 18 with staff, students, and affiliates of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research including the Garvan Institute, Children's Medical Research Institute, Centenary Institute, and Brain and Mind Centre.

The study also looked at people's working arrangements during the pandemic. For 42% of respondents, the kitchen or dining table was their choice of work-from-home setting. Meanwhile, 3% said they resorted to working in their bathrooms.

“Before I continue with the next part of my statement, I must categorically state that I do not go to bed in a suit like Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother (even though I am a massive fan!). While working from home has become the norm, I feel that it important to get dressed in office attire even if your office is in the adjoining room of your house. Dressing in office attire switches your brain into business mode and keeps you focused on the task at hand. Sometimes even the smallest of changes brings about the biggest results,” says Blair.

Cutting the fat

The pandemic put a lot of businesses in distress in the sense that they were severely disrupted. Most countries around the world were forced into a hard lockdown and homes became offices. The problem with this is that company owners were still facing rent on their office premises. Paying rent not only became a grudge payment, but it became the departure point of trying to make sense of a cost cutting exercise that was gargantuan in nature.

“You cannot grow or turn your business simply by cutting costs. In terms of turning your business around, cost-cutting mistakes are some of the most devastating that are made by consultants and entrepreneurs. If you simply keep cutting costs, you very soon find yourself in the position where your business can no longer function properly. Even more concerning is that the most popular cost-saving method is to cut staff; often removing the most valuable of your business’s assets.  It is important that you remove any waste. However, concentrate on growth rather than cost saving. You can only cut so much. You need workers to help your company grow,” says Blair.

I recently read an article that was published by the Bus and Motorcoach News, which pointed out that paper trails may be a good place to start cost cutting measures.

The article points out that If 10 hourly employees spend 15 minutes per shift doing paperwork at $30 per hour, it can add up to $18,750 a year. When managers spend 3.5 hours per week on paperwork. It costs a month of productivity annually.

There is a better, more efficient and cost-effective way, according to Trisha Fridrich, self-described operator-turned-tech-nerd.

“Anything you write on a piece of paper or put into a spreadsheet can be automated,” said Fridrich, who shared her insights with motorcoach colleagues during a recent UMA Town Hall.

The article adds that Fridrich, in her role as Technology Solutions Architect at the L&W Team, is passionate about data and finding ways to “use technology to turn that data into dollars.” When operators empower their teams with technology to automate processes, they make those employees more productive.

She says everything from expenses and reimbursements to driver pay calculations and employee health questionnaires can be automated. Those parts of management that require empathy are not suited to being automated, she said, but most other things are.

Fridrich encouraged operators to “be creative and open to change” when approaching automation, and to “start with the worst processes first.”

The article points out that Fridrich encourages businesses to begin by seeing how technology can resolve some of the biggest issues taking up staff time. Automation can particularly be useful for compliance.

In addition to cost savings, technology is one way to assure that a process is done the same way every time.

“Technology completes tasks the exact same way every single time — humans don’t do that, but robots do,” she said. “A lot of our processes in the transportation industry should happen the exact same way every time.”

Fridrich has put her tech skills to work organizing grassroots lobbying efforts on behalf of the industry during the pandemic.

The article adds that she predicts that those companies that harness the power of technology to make their companies more lean and efficient will be in the best position as business begins to pick up again.

“I know that the industry is going to recover because people love to travel,” she said. “I think operators who invest in technology now will recover quickly and more profitably than people who continue to do things the way that they used to.”

These sentiments were affirmed in an article on workplaceinsight.net which pointed out that nearly seven in 10 business leaders and decision-makers say that investments in digital technologies in 2020 have enabled their organisations to increase revenue, save money and improve productivity, according to a new survey released by Randstad US.

The article pointed out that while many organisations face budget challenges during the pandemic, investments in digital technologies have positively affected organisations’ bottom lines for 64 percent of respondents to the survey. Additionally, 69 percent of respondents said their organisations have saved money as a result of those investments.

These findings are part of new research efforts by Randstad US entitled “what we know now: the state of digital transformation today,” a survey of 276 C-suite executives, directors, department heads and other decision-makers responsible for technology services, including hardware and/or software purchasing for their organisations.

“The pandemic has accelerated our transition into the digital age, and a change of this magnitude presents both challenges and opportunities for businesses,” said Graig Paglieri, Group President of Randstad Technologies Group at Randstad US. “Our findings suggest there is a silver lining to this upheaval: executives report that embracing digital transformation is increasing revenue, boosting productivity and changing the way they think about organisational structures. It is a sign that leveraging the latest technology, forming strategic partnerships and shifting organisational structures can help companies emerge from the crisis stronger than ever before.”

The article added that the importance of strengthening an organisation’s commitment to the new digital environment is clear, as nearly two thirds (63 percent) of respondents reported making a greater investment in technology. Organisations are also growing their internal technology talent pools, as nearly half (48 percent) of all business leaders surveyed said they are increasing staff in key tech areas to address challenges surfaced by the pandemic.

The survey also claims that business leaders are making structural changes to their organisations, with 62 percent stating that it is important to adjust their internal structures to replace traditional hierarchies.

 The article pointed out that other key findings included: 

-  64% of respondents reported that their organisations have experienced positive ROI from investments in digital technologies;

-  78% of respondents expect that the investments they are making right now in digital technologies will pay off in the long run, and 71% said they feel a need to embrace digital technologies now or risk falling behind;

-  45% of respondents said they can’t implement new digital tools at the speed expected of them by management, with 42% saying they lack the resources required to be considered an industry leader;

-  42% of respondents said they currently lack the knowledge needed to become a digital leader; and

-  86% of executives said it was “very” or “highly” important to partner with digitally proficient vendors.

Highway to the dangerzone

While there are a lot of advantages when it comes to working from home, there are some pitfalls as well. A recent article on ZDNet points out the inefficiencies of key pieces of technology.

The article points out that amidst the turmoil and tragedies of 2020, the way that businesses and households responded to the disruption has demonstrated the pervasive power of technology. For it was technology that allowed many office-based workers to switch to remote working with surprisingly little fuss (although the often-overlooked tech workers who faced a race against the clock to kit out workers with laptops and productivity apps deserve a shout-out).

While some organisations and workers were already comfortable with this modus operandi, many more were forced into the world of remote working for the first time.

The article adds that it wasn't just about the switch to working from home: old PCs, smartphones and more were pressed into service to keep us entertained, educated and connected during a period of isolation that many had never expected or experienced.

If the COVID-19 crisis had arrived 15, or even 10 years, earlier the situation would have been quite different.

Working from home would have been all but impossible for the majority, either because home computers were much less common or because the relevant applications and services could not be accessed remotely. There would have been no video chat with lonely relatives, and no contact-tracing smartphone apps to help slow the rate of coronavirus infection.

The article points out that, day-to-day, barring outages, we now barely register the presence of broadband, Wi-Fi, cloud services and cheap computer hardware. Without that familiar infrastructure, 2020 would have been even more cruel.

However, this year has also highlighted the limits of technology.

The article adds that while Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Slack have seen a huge boost in popularity, there's also a recognition that the tools we have for collaboration are still frustratingly limited. There is still a long way to go before these applications can replace the richness of face-to-face collaboration.

Remote-working tools may have kept us productive, but they have done less to keep us inspired, and being more digitally connected than ever before has not prevented people from struggling with isolation and loneliness.

The article points out that it's also worth noting that cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality, which have promised to bring us together virtually when physically apart, have proven less than effective.

Then there's the fact that the events of this year have worsened the economic divide between knowledge workers who can comfortably work from home and others – in front-line services like nursing or teaching, or in hospitality and retail – who cannot, and have been forced to continue to risk physical contact.

The article adds that, furthermore, digital technologies will only deliver benefits to those who can afford them; for children at home without access to a connected PC, 2020 has been a year of lost education on top of all the other deprivations. No wonder there are calls for a new tax on working from home.

The past year has demonstrated how reliant we have become on technology, but it has also reminded us that the benefits are neither absolute nor shared evenly. As we look towards 2021, we must deal with these challenges rather than ignore them in the rush to return to normality.

“Again, this speaks to the mental side of the pandemic which has possibly had the most significant impact on society. Yes, the days of working from the comfort of your home are here, but the flipside to that is limited interaction with co-workers who perhaps inspired you. Some employees – particularly those in creative fields – need constant engagement with management, and clients, to see if they are on the right track. If we can get technology to bridge this gap, then we will see a completely new side to the productivity debate,” says Blair.

Changing the world

Risks aside, technology is here to stay and can deliver a lot more good than bad. I recently read an article on accountingtoday.com which highlighted some of the future tech that will change the world:

-  Cloud, cloud, cloud. It isn’t secure.We can’t afford the time required for the project.Our systems are paid for, why move to a subscription? This list of excuses to justify avoiding the migration to the cloud are long and varied. Legacy systems that “just ran” triggered complacency and the cloud was kicked down the road. When COVID-19 hit us in 2020, those that weren’t in the cloud lost employee productivity, potentially causing millions or more in lost time and work. Where was the “Global Pandemic” section in the business continuity plan? The prioritization of digital transformation efforts hastily moved from the low column to the high column. At the very center was pervasive access to applications and, of course, the cloud. The upshot: Digital transformation in the cloud will continue as companies prepare for uncertainty and tackle their legacy on-premises applications as the distributed work-from-home culture persists through 2021 and beyond;

-  AI is the new reality. Artificial intelligence is real and helping leading-edge companies gain an advantage in the market through improved automation, enhanced decision-making and improved productivity. Whether it’s a simple algorithm that enhances reporting, a cloud-based AP automation suite or an ERP module your accounting department can leverage, AI point solutions are available and built to solve specific business problems. We recently sponsored a well-attended webinar panel with Accounting Today discussing AI in accounting. During the webinar, we took several polls with a sampling of about 200 financial and accounting professionals responding, revealing very telling statistics: Only 11% of the participant organizations use artificial intelligence today; and, 40% have no plans to implement AI technology. Moral of the story: If we put you and your top competitor in the same room, one is gaining an advantage with AI and one isn’t. Which one are you? The upshot: AI will become more pervasive and necessary as companies look to automate their processes and improve remote worker productivity.

-  Rise of the citizen developer. Over the past few years, there have been major advances in "no-code/low-code” platforms that enable everyday users to build their own applications, workflows and automations without IT support or a development team. They have gone from requiring a technical background to intuitive platforms that do the complex work behind the scenes, making configuration easier. Did you ever think an accounts payable clerk could configure an AP workflow in a few minutes? Software vendors are now offering recipes that can be fired up in minutes and start servicing your automation needs. The upshot: Citizen developer apps will continue to penetrate the workforce and provide powerful tools for any user;

-  Eliminating shadow processes. We all know they exist — the work just gets done miraculously. A "shadow process" is a closely held process, usually performed in a clunky, ineffective manner by one or a handful of individuals. I call it “business by email and spreadsheet.” That sales order backdoor through Becky in Sales Ops, or the handful of vendors that send Tom in Accounting their invoices directly to process. COVID-19 exposed many of these as the workforce moved to the home office and personal interaction was halted. Hunting down these non-trackable processes that are typically completely manual is becoming a target for businesses. robotic process automation was thought to be the game-changer in this area, but it mostly automated bad processes. The upshot: Organizations will continue to focus on refining and improving legacy, shadow processes and improving overall efficiency for remote work;

-  Enable productive remote work. The first half of 2020 was completely reactive, with IT struggling to procure hardware, enable remote access for office workers and figure out a plan for legacy application access. Then came the questions: how do we process mail? We scan invoices from the department copier and a desktop scanner, how can I do that from home? We typically collaborate on projects via in-person meetings and whiteboard sessions, how can we start those up again? Although the majority of businesses have adapted to using online conferencing, outsourcing mail processing and digital document submission methods, many companies are a work in progress and still implementing strategic technologies to enable full productivity of the remote workforce. The upshot: In the first half of 2021, organizations will continue to complete WFH projects focused on digital transformation and automation.

Gamification

Gamification may be a way in which tech helps us break our productivity barriers. Below is the reproduction of an article from Forbes where tech influencers gave their input on the subject. Comments were supplied to Forbes.

Reward the achievement of goals

We created a raffle where every department gets tickets for success at a particular objective and key result. At the end of the month, we run a raffle for a prize. This way everyone buys into overachieving at something our business needs to accomplish. Just make sure the prizes mean something to everyone (e.g., a trip or a cool gadget). - Tarek Alaruri, Fairmarkit.

Encourage participation in unpopular but necessary tasks

I have found that integrating gamification into meetings leads to productive cadences, and employees want to attend versus have to attend. I have had specific success with integrating gamification around employee reporting systems, which most employees do not enjoy but which are essential. Creating competition with prizes for use has increased effectiveness and employee satisfaction. - Steve Taplin, Sonatafy Technology

Identify security training gaps

We know that cyberthreats keep tech leaders awake all night. There are many internal processes, software and systems in any tech organization that have security loopholes or vulnerabilities. Gaming can offer an effective method for identifying and remedying team members’ inexperience with security, be it an insider threat or software security. This can help make the workplace and the organization safer and more secure. - Jyoti Prasad Bhatt, ImpactQA

Improve your image as an employer

Gamification makes all processes more fun. Make sure to leverage it to improve your image as an employer. It will help your business become more attractive as a workplace for professionals from different industries and of different skill levels. In general, it will improve morale, make your office atmosphere friendlier and bring new people to the team. - Daria Leshchenko, SupportYourApp Inc.

Add a positive user experience to customer forms

We make our best effort to utilize gamification in customer forms or other areas where extensive data entry is required. Long forms are boring and not very user-friendly. Gamification provides an opportunity to create a positive user experience while also increasing the quality of data captured. An example of gamification could be as simple as the portal registration form. - Jahn Karsybaev, Prosource IT

Encourage the adoption of new tech

With our Industry 4.0 application, we are dealing with C-suite managers who are excited about new visibility into manufacturing and acquiring data from remote sources, while the machine operators and shop floor managers are often reluctant to cooperate with new technologies that change the way they are used to working. We use gamification to motivate and encourage the latter group to adopt and embrace the new technology. - Ariel Rosenfeld, 3d Signals

Help prevent employee burnout

The tech industry has an immense issue with burnout. Teams are asked to innovate, iterate and improve at a constant and rapid pace. Companies should mandate gamification to give professionals much-needed and well-deserved breaks. Sometimes a pause is all we need to get back on track, reset or find that next inspiration. Use gamification to prevent burnout—our professionals are not machines. - Ryan Chan, UpKeep Maintenance Management

Promote skill-based learning

Gamifying skill-based learning is a great way to incentivize folks within the company as well as individual teams to learn and master new skills. Not only does this provide friendly competition, but it also increases collaboration and gives individuals a deeper appreciation of the different roles within the organization. - Abishek Surana Rajendra, Course Hero

Encourage improved quality and productivity among devs

Gamification has proven extremely effective when applied to the software development lifecycle. When deployed effectively, it builds a community of developers, encourages healthy competition and improves productivity and quality. Implementing gamified solutions increases motivation and attention to detail. This pushes developer teams to learn more, and it makes it fun. - Frank Palermo, Virtusa

Improve vital metrics

A simple way tech leaders can leverage gamification is through transparency in metrics across an organization. For example, a leader could position mitigation of risk factors as a competition among departments. The department with the most mitigated risk vectors wins. This just requires transparency in tracking and a domain to share the information. - Matt Kunkel, LogicGate

Encourage exercise and well-being

We conducted an internal “Get Fit Challenge” for our team to encourage good vibes, fun competition and a healthy lifestyle. Employees were invited to join by forming a team, selecting a preferred sport and tracking their results for a predefined period. It was a nice way to engage teammates and encourage them to work out, have fun together and, of course, get rewards in the end. - Ivailo Nikolov, SiteGround

Place unpopular tasks in a new light

Gamification can cast unpleasant tasks in a new light. We've taken a gamified approach to security awareness training and to bug-bashing product issues. Offering rewards, recognition and healthy competition can motivate employees and improve remote team morale. - Shiv Sundar, Esper

“It will be interesting to see what 2021 has in store for us. It may be the year that the debate around tech and productivity gets settled once and for all,” concludes Blair. 

Cybercrime is obviously a topic that GTconsult is quite find of. Because our focus is on technology and how it enables productivity, we are also aware of how technology is also a hotbed of criminal activity. The challenges that we currently face is that this new breed of cyber criminals is highly motivated and are very hard for authorities to catch because they can basically hide in plain sight.

We talk about cybercrime on a frequent basis, but we do not always have access to information that quantifies the nature of the risk. And if we cannot quantify the risk, our readers will start asking questions about how serious the risk actually is.

Massive impact

I recently read an article on ITWeb which references a McAfee report. The report points out that Cybercrime losses have exceeded $1 trillion. Please do not say that with a Dr Evil voice with your pinkie finger in your mouth and a cat on your lap. You are not in an Austen Powers Movie.

The ITWeb article points out that cybercrime costs the global economy over $1 trillion, or just more than 1% of global GDP, a figure which is up more than 50% from a 2018 study that put global losses at close to $600 billion.

This was revealed by a new report by McAfee dubbed The Hidden Costs of Cybercrime, which examines the financial and unseen impacts that cybercrime has around the world. The report, conducted in partnership with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), was compiled from interviews of 1 500 IT and line of business decision makers. The report explored the damage reported beyond financial losses, finding 92% of companies felt effects beyond monetary losses.

A wider attack surface

The article points out that Steve Grobman, SVP and CTO at McAfee, says the severity and frequency of cyber-attacks on organisations increases as adversaries hone their techniques, new technologies widen the attack surface, and work expands into home and remote environments.

“While industry and government are aware of the financial and national security implications of cyber-attacks, unplanned downtime, the cost of investigating breaches and disruption to productivity represent less appreciated high impact costs,” he says.

The article adds that, in South Africa, organisations had to scramble to establish work-from-home infrastructure for their staff to ensure business continuity through the COVID-19 lockdown, but compared to more developed markets, few company’s security infrastructure was up to the job for this shift,” adds Carlo Bolzonello, country manager for McAfee SA.

“While many managed the shift, they were unwittingly vulnerable to security breaches, whether they were accidental data leaks, private data being maliciously shared by disgruntled employees, or targeted hacks from global crime syndicates. Organisations equipped with a cloud-based advanced threat management solution that offers complete coverage across the attack lifecycle, would have had the ability to prioritise and protect what matters, easily and efficiently,” he adds.

Hidden costs

The article points out that the report also scrutinised the hidden costs and the lasting impact and damage cybercrime can have on a business, including system downtime, which is a common hazard for around two thirds of respondents’ organisations.

The average cost to organisations from their longest amount of downtime in 2019 was $762 231, and a third of respondents stated IT security incident resulting in system downtime cost them between $100 000 and $500 000.

The article added that another hidden cost emerged as reduced efficiency, as system downtime saw organisations losing, on average, nine working hours a week leading to reduced efficiency. The average interruption to operations was 18 hours.

Then there’s incident response cost. The report highlighted that it took an average of 19 hours for most businesses to move from the discovery of an incident to remediation.

Finally, the report looked at brand and reputation damage and found that the cost of rehabilitating the external image of the brand, working with outside consultancies to mitigate brand damage, or hiring new employees to prevent future incidents is another cost, with 26% saying they had suffered brand damage from the downtime experienced due to an incident.

Ill prepared

The article points out that, unfortunately, the report also uncovered a lack of organisation-wide understanding of cyber risk, which makes businesses vulnerable to sophisticated social engineering tactics and, once a user is hacked, not recognising the problem in time to stop the spread.

According to the report, 56% of the participants admitted to not having a plan to either prevent or respond to a cyber incident. Out of the 951 organisations that actually had a response plan, only 32% believed the plan was effective.

“Why are there still companies who are ill prepared for cyber threats?” asks Craig Tarr, CEO of GTconsult, “if we looked at the situation five years ago, we could have argued that access to cyber protection was limited to larger companies because those were the only solutions available at time. Those products were also very reactive in nature. We have come a long way from these times. Products in the industry are proactive and seek to negate the threat before it becomes an issue. Further, companies offer a range of products that offer protection to large, medium, and small companies. There are even companies that offer consumer-based solutions. We need to be aware of the protection we have access to.”

Areas of concern

The McAffe report points out that, based on survey data, spyware, and malware (including viruses, worms, spyware, keyloggers, and Trojan horses) cost organizations the most in 2019.

The report adds that malware facilitates a range of criminal activities, from ransomware and data exfiltration to the active disruption of networks. Illicit Cybercrime-as-a-Service dealings have allowed malware to simultaneously become more advanced and also more accessible to those without deep technical expertise.

As cybercrime markets have grown increasingly sophisticated, they have seen the emergence of specialized vendors who are experts at not only designing malware, but also setting up the necessary infrastructure for an attack. The article points out that they offer to lease malware to would-be cybercriminals for a fee, creating an environment where a small group of technically minded criminals can focus their full attention on the development of new attack capabilities, and where a large group of less sophisticated actors can easily take advantage of them.

The report adds that in the first half of 2019, more than 3 800 data breaches were reported, exposing more than four billion records to cybercriminals. One particularly concerning subset of data breaches are those affecting personal health data. This data can often be one of the most valuable forms of data for criminals because of the way it allows for the precise targeting of fraudulent schemes to vulnerable individuals based on their medical histories.

As of August 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was investigating more than 550 cases of personal health information breaches caused by theft, hacking, IT incidents, or unauthorized access. These cases involve the data of almost 35 million individuals.

The report points out that data breaches are mostly the result of external actors, but a recent study found that many are the result of insider attacks. One recent example was the 2019 breach of more than 100 million Capital One records by a software engineer working for Amazon Web Services, who hosted the bank’s database.110 Insiders can also pose a threat to sensitive corporate intellectual property (IP). An example of this was the case of Tesla in 2018, when an employee abused his/her access to make “damaging” changes to the source code of Tesla’s manufacturing operating system, and exported gigabytes of information about Tesla’s manufacturing processes to a third party.

Phishing

The report points out that according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), in the first quarter of 2020 more than 165,000 unique phishing sites were recorded. Phishing has become easier in recent years, as Phishing-as-a-Service offerings have emerged on cybercrime markets. Thanks to these offerings, cybercriminals no longer need to have expertise in designing a phishing infrastructure before sending out their campaigns. Instead, criminals can simply buy from vendors who offer their own kits and hosting and focus on victims (whose contact details are also easily available from the same markets).

The report adds that one research group found more than 5,000 turnkey phishing kits available in the first half of 2019 alone.

Ransomware

The report points out that ransomware remains the fastest growing part of cybercrime. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ransomware attacks in general have increased 148% from the baseline levels reported in February 2020.

The report adds that one of the most concerning trends in ransomware is the shift towards targets in the manufacturing industry. Security researchers are beginning to see the emergence of ransomware strains targeting industrial control systems, and millions in ransom has already

been paid by industry victims who have fallen prey to these variants.

This trend is likely to continue as factories and other industry operators prepare to expand their deployment of vulnerable IoT devices throughout their premises—broadening the attack surface of their network and creating new targets for malicious actors.

Financial cybercrime

The report points out that cybercrime continues to impose heavy costs on financial institutions. Today, there are five billion unique user credentials (for example, username and password combinations) available on the darknet to cybercriminals.118 These pilfered credentials can grant

access to corporate networks or bank accounts.

The report adds that there are more than 15 billion pilfered credentials for sale on the darknet, five billion of which are unique first-time identifiers. The FBI’s “2019 Internet Crime Report” states: “Some criminals buy credentials on darknet marketplaces, where a single account costs on average $15.43. But the more sought-after banking credentials sell for an average of $71.”

The report points out that financial institutions have also come under attack by nation states. In 2016, North Korean hackers managed to steal $81 million from Bangladesh’s central bank by taking advantage of stolen credentials and submitting false money transfer requests to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.122 More recently, in 2018 the same group of hackers managed to steal $20 million from the Mexican bank Bancomext.123 The scale of the threat facing financial institutions can be most clearly seen in the 2018 arrest of a cybercrime gang leader whose group stole $1.2 billion from more than 100 banks over a period of five years.

“Phishing has always been a major concern when it comes to cybercrime. In the beginning, you could easily spot a phishing email because the design of the email (logos) was wrong and the spelling in the email was incorrect. Criminals have now become smarter and are producing emails where you cannot tell the difference if it is genuine or not. If you are unsure about an email that you receive, call the company that sent the email and ask if it is genuine or not. It is important that you do not become a victim,” says Tarr.

Who Are the Criminals?

This is a question that was asked by the Trump administration when they accused China of launching focused cyber-attacks on the country. The real answer is that it is often difficult to pinpoint who the criminals are because they lurk in the shadows.

The McAffe report points out that cybercrime is now a specialized “professional” activity. There are still many unsophisticated new entrants, but if they live in countries where the rule of law is strong, they usually end up in jail. Cybercriminals thrive where law enforcement is weak, whether it is because many countries have still not developed the necessary capabilities to fight cybercrime or because their government decided to turn a blind eye to the activities.

The global reach of the internet means criminals and victims do not need to be located in the same place. As FBI Director Christopher Wray explained at the 2020 National Cybersecurity Summit,133 We’ve got to change the cost-benefit calculus of criminals and nation states who believe they can compromise U.S. networks, steal U.S. financial and intellectual property, and hold our critical infrastructure at risk, all without incurring any risk themselves.

The report adds that, for most countries, the vast majority of cybercrime losses will be attributable to actors outside of their jurisdiction. Cybercrime has become among the most lucrative activities, with data trading and ransomware becoming increasingly popular tools. From January to June of 2020, the victims of the 11 most significant ransomware attacks in Europe and the U.S., in both the private and public sectors, have incurred financial losses of $144.2 million connected to rebuilding infrastructure, paying ransoms, and the creation of new security

structures.

The report points out that organized cybercrime teams are highly regimented, with team leaders, coders, network administrators, intrusion specialists, data miners, and even financial specialists leading vast organizations of multinational hackers. More recently, some previously unconnected groups have started collaborating with each other in order to increase their activities and profit. In China alone, an estimated 400,000 people work in rapidly growing organized cybercrime networks.

The report adds that some countries are hotbeds for cybercrime. A weak rule of law, lack of specialized law enforcement agents, and inadequate resources allow cybercriminals to enrich themselves with impunity. In Nigeria, for example, unemployment, poor implementation of laws, and inadequately equipped law enforcement agencies help explains why cybercrime can flourish.

The report points out that criminal cyber activity from Vietnam has increased in the last few years, with consensus that the situation has been aggravated in recent years.140 Rapid economic growth and an inability to absorb talent have led to Vietnam to be considered a “mid-tier cybercrime hub.”

The report adds that other states, however, have a permissive environment for cybercriminals and use them for state purposes when needed. In Russia, for instance, the complex and close relationship between the state and organized crime makes it into a sanctuary for the most advanced cybercriminals. Allowing criminal groups to pursue their financially motivated schemes and protecting them from law enforcement comes with a price; they are expected to use their skills to support the government’s interests.

The report points out that John Carlin, former assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, said, Increasingly, you cannot tell which is which when it comes to the criminal and the intelligence agency. So, one day, the same crook may be doing something purely to make a buck. But that same crook may be directed by a trained intelligence operative using the same tools and techniques to steal information from them for the goals of the state. When issuing sanctions against Maksim Yakubets, leader of the cybercrime group Evil Corp, U.S. officials highlighted his “direct assistance to the Russian government’s malicious cyber efforts,” in addition to his financially motivated crimes.

The report adds that this symbiotic relationship seems to also be the case in Iran, where cybercriminals act, in many cases, both for private gain and for the government. Recent charges against two Iranian hackers found that in the same cybertheft campaign, there were instances in which they acted at the behest of Iran, and sometimes only for financial gain.144 Mabna Institute hackers stole research from universities, governments, and companies around the world, costing the organizations more than $3 billion.

The report points out that some states have directly engaged in cybercrime for their own financial gain. North Korea uses cyber-enabled theft and money laundering, extortion campaigns, and  cryptojacking to fund its projects.146, 147 The hacking initiative is orchestrated by the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea’s intelligence agency, and reportedly has 6 000 agents carrying out operations in more than 17 countries.148, 149 North Korea may have funnelled up to $2 billion from cybercrimes against banks and cryptocurrency exchanges to its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) research. Cryptocurrency exchanges are a favoured target for North Korea, since

they allow the state “to generate income in ways that are harder to trace and subject to less government oversight and regulation than the traditional banking sector.”151

The report adds that two 2019 hacks represented the theft of $250 million in cryptocurrency.152 Ransomware is another preferred tool. By making the ransom cheaper than the cost of backup and restoration, they seek to force companies to pay. We have discussed how IP theft, as a hidden cost, can represent a significant loss to agencies and companies, as well as pose a national security risk. This form of crime is harder to fight when it is state backed. Economic espionage to benefit national industry has long been a hallmark of China’s economic policy. China accounts for roughly 80% of all economic espionage cases in the U.S., and it has cost the U.S. economy around “half a trillion to a trillion dollars of damage.”154, 155 Cyber-theft plays a significant role in making this a successful policy. Typical targets of state-linked Chinese hackers include defence and technology firms, engineering companies, and pharmaceutical and medical device developers spread  out across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.156 For example, so as to benefit its aircraft industry, China has leveraged its underground hacking scene, Ministry of State Security or MSS Officers, company insiders, and state

directives.

The report points out that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting of healthcare and medical research facilities has increased. The president of the EU Commission suggested that China might be behind these operations and remarked that this would not “be tolerated.”158 In a related event, the U.S. Justice Department issued an indictment last July against two Chinese hackers targeting IP, including COVID-19 research. The document alleges they sometimes “acted for their own personal financial gain” and, in some cases, they acted for government agencies.

The report adds that, overall, China has a flourishing cybercrime network but this may be a consequence of its massive state surveillance program, since many of the hackers caught by the Chinese police are offered a choice: work for the state or go to jail.

The important bit

“At the end of the day, you can have the best cyber security protection in the world and a motivated cybercriminal may still find a way to penetrate your defences. While a well-established cyber security protocol is important, your response to a cyber-attack is equally important,” says Tarr.

The McAffe report points out that the survey found that organizations in different countries assess cyber risk differently. While many of the findings hold true across the world, some outliers help us better tailor plans for increased efficiency. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to cyber risk.

The report adds that, although the findings of the report is limited by the locations surveyed (the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, Australia, and Japan), they provide useful snapshots of variations across countries.

Conducting IT security investigations and the impact of downtime

The report points out that organizations conducted an average of 18 IT security investigations in 2019. German, U.S., and UK organizations conducted above average investigations, with French organizations at the lower end of the spectrum, conducting around 15. This might suggest that organizations in France face less of a risk or that they have less regard for it. Thirty-two percent of French organizations report that they did not experience a cyber incident that caused downtime when that was only true for an average of 26% of the total respondents.

The report adds that, with downtime being a common consequence for around two thirds of respondents’ organizations, location appears to make a difference. Forty percent of the companies or agencies in Japan experienced no downtime, while this was only true for 18% of them in the U.S. This could be explained if Japanese organizations implemented better preventative measures—but they do not seem to be doing differently from others in developing prevention and response plans. Another plausible explanation is that organizations in the U.S. are more tempting and lucrative targets.

The report points out that, although, in some instances, there seemed to be a link between the duration of downtime and the costs associated with it, this was not always true. The average cost of the longest downtime for organizations in both Japan and Germany was above $1 million, and, although Japan’s downtime duration was slightly above average at 19 hours, Germany was in the lower spectrum at 14 hours.

Incident response

The report pointed out that it took an average of 19 hours for most organizations to move from the discovery of an incident to remediation. This typically entails restoring IT services back to normal capacity, removing the threat from the system, and retrieving lost data. In some cases, however, organizations will not consider an incident to be remediated until the source of the incident has been identified or some measure has been implemented to prevent the incident from reoccurring in the future.

The report added that, during the average longest IT security incident, 15 hours elapsed before the compromise was discovered. This time of extreme vulnerability was even longer for organizations in Japan, the U.S., and Canada. In the case of Japan, companies and agencies took significantly longer than their counterparts did in other countries to move to remediation, taking 48 hours—20 hours longer than the total average.

Prevention and response plans

The McAffe report pointed out how the lack of plans for both preventing and responding to IT security incidents is widespread, with only 44% of our respondents stating their organization has both. French organizations scored even lower, with only 26% of institutions boasting prevention and response plans. It is uncommon for an organization to not have any sort of plan in place.

The report added that, even if they did not have plans for both preventing and responding, they would have one of them in place. Only in Japan did we find a larger percentage of institutions that had neither kind of plan: 4% against an average of 1%. Limited involvement of the C-suite in developing plans is also a shared experience across the countries. However, it is interesting to note who they decide to involve. While the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. lead in involving the CEO or the board, organizations in France and Germany tended to bring on the CIO, CISO, and CTO to a larger extent.

Communication strategies

The report pointed out that agencies and companies in Canada and Germany were less likely to share information about their most severe IT security incident with anyone outside of their organization.

The report adds that one could hypothesize that increased media reporting would be an incentive for organizations to get ahead of the story and inform the public.

The reports that that, however, that is not the case. Although, incidents that occur in the U.S. garner the most media attention—24% of the organizations there responded that their most severe IT security incident was covered by the media (and this was true for an average of 16% of the total

surveyed institutions)—22% of U.S. companies and agencies interviewed reported they did not share any information. This was well in line with the average across regions. Communicating with clients and customers does not appear to be a priority in most countries, with no significant discrepancies among the interviewees: only 345 out of 1 332 companies informed their clients that they had experienced a cyber incident.

Important points

Tarr points out that there are a few important things to take note of.

The first point to take note of is that South Africa experienced two major data leaks this year (Experian and Absa) and that in both cases, there was a lot of communication with the public and the companies acted swiftly to get to the source of the leak. “This proved to play a key role in the management of the incident and the possible retention of customers following the incident. These were perfect case studies on how to respond to an incident once it occurs,” says Tarr.

The second important point to note is that GTconsult offers key protection when it comes to cyber exposure. “One of the most popular offering that we have is Penetration Testing. GTconsult will penetrate your system in the same way that cyber criminals do. We will then make recommendations about what needs to be done to improve your protection,” says Tarr. 

I was at school when the age of the computer started. Yes, I know that I am old. But no jokes, I still remember computer lessons where we were using floppy, then stiffy disks. In high school the core of our computer training centred around the proper hand position when typing and how to use the Microsoft suite of programmes effectively.

Currently, kids are being taught topics such as robotics and coding at school. We have come a long way in 20 years. This will only gain momentum in the future as new skills become necessary to enable the youth of today to be equipped for jobs of the future.

Coding the future

I recently read an article which points out the importance of teaching coding to children from primary school levels.

The article points out that learning coding has always been a cup of tea for tech enthusiasts and IT professionals. But for kids, it may seem like an impossible endeavor. Recent advances and research in technology put coding at the forefront of one of the future careers. Simply put, coding is the practice of understanding the computer language by using a series of inputs and outputs. By learning coding, students can grasp insights into the inner workings of the technology and determine how that can be leveraged to solve a particular problem.

Coding can also enable young minds or students to enter the realm of modern technology. It provides them the power to create interactive apps and games.

Why Coding is Imperative for Students?

The article adds that, as coding is a computer language, it will strengthen students’ verbal and written skills. They will be exposed to different languages at an early age, helping them to understand the world around them better. With coding, children will reap valuable skills of computational thinking that involve a mechanism to logically crunch complex problems into simple and manageable bits and step ahead to solve them. Entering into STEM discipline itself gives students a lot of innovative ideas. And getting started with coding will help them to bring these ideas to reality by creating apps or games, for instance that will be beneficial for the mass. This means that coding ties the rope between an innovative idea and its execution.

Many STEM programs have already included coding to help children to be able to visualize abstract concepts at an early age. It gives them the ability to apply math to real-world situations and make this discipline more fun and creative. Coding is also significant for your minds as it provides logical thinking. Kids who learn coding understand how to plan and organize thoughts. They will be able to formulate a step-by-step procedure to produce the desired outcomes. This significantly leads to better writing skills that can be built upon as coding skills develop over time.

The article points out that students can become good decision-makers by learning coding that helps them develop critical thinking skills. They can improve their results or themselves upon what they have already done without worrying about failing.

While this stream can help children to understand and prepare for the ever-growing technology landscape, governments around the world realize the potential of teaching coding at a young age. Putting efforts towards this, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 introduced Coding for the students from Class 6^th onwards to enhance the exposure to technology and create a path to a new world of innovation and creativity.

Coding Tools for Elementary

The article points out that there is a broad range of tools and resources available helping kids to learn coding by targeting the foundations of programming, such as problem-solving, logic, and critical thinking. However, choosing the best will make difference in learning.

Here are some top platforms that teach students how to code:

-  Scratch. Scratch is one of the best coding platforms that teaches students to code their own interactive stories, animations, and games. Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It teaches young minds to learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively. It is provided free of charge;

-  Tynker. Tynker, a coding platform for kids, provides everything needed to learn computer programming in a fun way. It powers the creativity of over 60 million kids and serves thousands of schools and educators worldwide. Designed to help kids learn to make anything from Web apps to custom games and actual hardware, Tynker is a great interactive resource that teaches kids to code;

-  Microsoft MakeCode. This coding platform makes computer science more fun projects. It creates engaging computer science learning experiences that support a progression path into real-world programming. Microsoft MakeCode involves the diverse application of computer coding. Simulator, for instance, provides students with immediate feedback on how their program is running and makes it easy to test and debug their code;

-  WhiteHat Jr. WhiteHat Jr is an online coding class for kids from Grade 1-12. In this online class, students will learn fundamentals of coding-logic, structure, sequence, and algorithmic thinking to generate creative outcomes like animations and apps. The courses offered by WhiteHat Jr. are designed to teach kids to code with core programming skills, and then improve the proficiency of the kids coding languages.

Word of the mouth

Children have been blessed with the kind of innocence that, if you want the truth about something, ask a child. It makes sense therefore that if they are excited about coding, and how it will impact their future, then it must be a subject that every child should have access to.

The Guardian recently published an article where it spoke to a number of children from around the world about their experience with coding and how it has impacted their future. Below is an extract of that article and was not written by GTconsult.

Adarsh Ambati, 15, San Jose, California

I started getting interested in coding when I was about 11. I joined a local community lab where biologists and computer scientists come together and conduct experiments. I wanted to join the lab because my brother was really into biology and at the time I wanted to be exactly like him. I was too young to participate in the experiments, so my mentor pushed me more towards coding.

Then a couple of years ago my mum had a third-degree heart block and had to go to hospital where she was hooked up to so many different wires to monitor her health. But the wires ended up hindering her health because they stopped her moving around. I wanted to make something that could help her and other people feel better by having their mobility restored, while still being able to monitor their vital signs.

That’s when I came up with an idea for a contactless vital signs monitor. It took me around nine months to develop the device and build an app with notifications so doctors could use it, but also regular people. Because it’s contactless and relatively portable it could even be used to detect infectious diseases such as Covid-19. My mum got better before I finished the project, so unfortunately I couldn’t use it on her, but I did test it on a lot of other people. I had 40 participants in my pilot study and did over 1,000 tests.

In the past, coders have been thought of as nerds and social pariahs, but technology has become a lot more interactive and social than it used to be.

At school there are a lot of kids who are really interested in computer science. I think about 25% of people want to pursue it in some way as a career. A lot of young people now associate tech with the sleek, beautiful campuses of Apple and Facebook in Silicon Valley.

I made my monitor because I saw a problem with my mum’s heart, but I also did a project about an eco- sprinkler system when I saw that a lot of water was wasted on my neighbours’ lawns. I want to combine my passions of environmental science and computer science and build a product that will make conservational biology much more efficient. Preserving biodiversity is something we’re struggling with as a planet; hopefully one day I can develop a device that can make that go more smoothly.

Raphaël Wreford, 13, London

My technology career started when I was four and my dad showed me how to make a PowerPoint. I was really bad at drawing, so I would use it to make cool shapes and animations. I began making one every week about the most boring subjects, like my house, and presenting them to my primary school class. I think I started a trend because so many people started doing it after that.

Soon after, my friend’s dad, who made video games, realised I was interested in computers and started teaching me about coding. He showed us the things he had made and I was fascinated because I realised with code you could make anything you want. I would play around with an old spare computer at home and mash the keys, hoping it would produce a good output – that’s how I lost my first computer to a million viruses.

Initially, I only wanted to learn code so I could make my own video games. My parents were quite strict with technology. I didn’t have a games console and I knew if I asked to play video games, most of the time the answer would be no. But if I asked to make one, they would let me because it was educational. It was a great way of bypassing the rules.

For about three years my friend and I used the library computer at school to work on game ideas. My first creation was very boring – and my family definitely expressed that. I really wanted to do something unique and helpful. I had an idea to make a video game for blind people. I always knew the game should be shaped around sounds, so a blind person could hear it. I spent a whole summer talking to my dad about it and when I started making it, it ran really smoothly.

I want to make it available on Android game apps soon and eventually add some of the adverts that allow you to get paid a little. Once you’ve got the skills it’s quite easy to make money from coding – even when you’re just 13.

I think 20 years ago coding seemed like a geeky thing to do, but now you have drones that rescue people in mountains, robot surgeons and AI that is a million times smarter than humans. Young people are realising they can save the world with code.

Fiona Geary, 13, West Cork

When I was seven my parents saw things on the TV about coding and took me to a local coding club. I liked that you could write a set of instructions to the computer and it carried out your wishes: you could create any idea that popped up in your head. I started experimenting with mini-games. I made one where you had to save an alien planet from climate change. We always get lectures about climate change and I wanted to create a fun game with aliens to do a unique spin on the concept.

When I was 12, I made an animation about a refugee who travels to Ireland from Syria. I had heard about it so much in the news and I wanted to use my skills to get the message out there because people my age might not know about these things.

My current project is a website about mindfulness, the name is TeenBeo – beo is the Irish word for life. I think that every young person can get nervous sometimes and growing up in 2020 there is a lot of chaos with social media and living up to certain ideals. There are notifications coming at you all the time. The internet can be very hectic. That’s why it’s important to take a break sometimes. On my website there’s a stress ball you can click on when you are angry, there’s music, there’s a breathing exercise, there’s also an area where you can write down all your worries.

I haven’t shown it to my friends yet as I was keeping it a bit of a secret until I was comfortable with it. If I do put it up publicly, people could share their artwork and recordings on there. I don’t think there’s anywhere in life that so many people can come together as a community like the internet.

A lot of teenagers don’t get into coding, which is a shame, because it’s very helpful. It’s way harder to connect with people without technology – without it lockdown would have been a disaster: no online meetings, no online school, we would have basically done nothing the whole time. It’s hard to imagine a world without tech. I guess you would have to have a power cut to know what it’s like.

At the moment I’m dreaming of learning JavaScript and maybe some Python as well, and I would also love to program a robot. That would be really cool. Eventually, I’d like to work somewhere like Google, especially with all the slides, but I’m only 13 so I’m keeping my options open.

Elana Monaghan, 16, and Saibh Malcolm, 15, Galway

Elana: You can do anything with code; you can make an app or a website about anything, whether that’s about books or design. We’re both pretty creative and I think that’s one of the things that attracted us to code.

Saibh: For me the problem-solving side very appeals as well. There is so much to actually coding a website and there is always something more to learn. If you are creative, finding something that you can use your imagination with is so cool. You can think of anything and then go ahead and make it into something.

E: In Ireland, you get a choice of a few schools in your area and when it came to picking secondary schools I picked the one that was most convenient, but last year I transferred to Saibh’s school and now I’m much happier. After that experience, we came up with an idea for an app called Exploring Schools, to help primary school kids choose the right secondary school for them.

S: If I was still in primary school and had the app, I would definitely look at the number of people in the school: my primary school had about 40 students, and then I moved to a secondary school that had more than 800 students – and that was a big change.

E: Our app evolved as we got more focused and started getting the information together – that was definitely the longest part. There are 47 schools in Galway and we had to go through every school’s details.

S: We talked to our friends’ younger brothers and sisters and they all said they thought it would be really helpful. Most of the schools have their own websites, but they’re hard to navigate and find the information that you want. We want to help kids compare schools and have all the information in one place so they make the right choice.

E: We definitely want to expand the app. At the moment we only have it for one county in Ireland, but we’re hoping to have it for all of Ireland soon. We probably have to find a more efficient way of collecting the information – at the moment we’re just Googling the schools one by one.

S: Coding still isn’t very big, especially among girls, but I think people are definitely getting more into it. In our school we’re probably the only two people who are really into coding, but it’s becoming more popular.

E: In 10 years’ time everyone will want to learn how to code. It will definitely help us in the future.

Nico Papamichael, 13, London

There are so many things you can do with coding, it’s fun to explore and see what you can create. I enjoy trying things and seeing if it works – if it doesn’t, I try it a different way.

I’ve always been interested in things like computers, phones and technology, so I saved up and bought myself a couple of computers – I don’t spend my money on anything else, really. I started playing around with programming. I like to experiment with things that already exist. For example, I used to go to a swimming pool and they had contactless key cards that they gave us. When I stopped going I decided to reprogram the card so that I could tap it on to my iPhone and it would turn the flashlight on. It was pretty useful, actually.

I also spend more time messing around with video games than I spend actually playing them. I like to see how a game is written and do something with it that makes it easier to play or makes you invincible. I made a new world on MineCraft where I changed the icon and I changed how many points I had – you can change the colours and characters until it’s basically a new world. Once you know how to do it, it’s not really very hard. I’m just really interested in how I can improve things and make them more interesting.

I find it quite surprising that no one I know really enjoys doing the things that I do. We go to digital literacy classes at school, which is basically IT, and we learn coding. I tend to get through it in 10 minutes instead of an hour and then I just make my own stuff up. Everyone always asks me for help all the time. I think it’s because I see it as a hobby rather than a lesson that I have to do. They don’t see it as that much fun.

Code is like a language; once you learn it from the beginning you can only learn it more and more and more. One day, when I’m really good at it my plan is to create something that no one has ever made – I want to come up with a computer that no one has ever seen before.

The changing job landscape

When I was in university, this article has now graduated from school, there were a number of careers that were very popular. These included accountants, lawyers, and engineers. However, research has shown that jobs that exist today will either not exist in 10 years time, or will be completely autonomous.

This creates space for new jobs as technology cannot be completely independent of humans. I recently read an article which pointed out that the best career change that someone could make during the Covid-19 pandemic is towards coding.

The article points out that the most future proof career switch that allows post-pandemic jobseekers to climb back up the pay scale quickest has been identified as software developer, research reveals.

This is the profession that offers the shortest route to the best salary but is least likely to be taken on by a robotics revolution over the next half century, and best placed to benefit from a working-from-home revolution, according to analysis by developer recruitment platform CodinGame.

The article adds that becoming a developer was only beaten in the rankings by the legacy professions of bus and HGV driver, which are under threat from advances in driverless vehicle technology and won’t appeal to people who want the flexibility of working from home.

CodinGame researched the average salaries of over 50 core careers1 and then ranked them according to how financially rewarding they are in relation to the length of time it takes to retrain.

Software development is one of the most popular second career choices for a host of reasons. It can take as little as 15 weeks to reach the point that you can start applying for jobs.

The article points out that the number of job opportunities in this sector are extensive, and likely to continue increasing in the future. Every company in every sector relies on software developers, even if they aren’t employed in-house. In fact, there’s more demand for software developers than any other profession, according to recruitment company Michael Page.

Age and previous experience are not barriers to retraining to be a coder, and you can work from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. It’s not expensive either — anyone can learn to code using free online courses and videos before sharpening those skills on platforms like CodinGame.

The article adds that Aude Barral, co-founder of developer recruitment platform CodinGame, said in a press release that: the world is your oyster when it comes to retraining but some professions get you back up the income scale quicker than others. It’s telling that software developer ranks highest among those professions that are most future proof. Switching to a career in coding is incredibly popular already, because there are so few barriers to entry, it’s cheap and quick to learn, and it’s a job that offers unrivalled flexibility. Coronavirus has been the catalyst for a working-from-home revolution, and careers that allow people to choose where they work, such as coding, are going to benefit from this cultural shift we’re seeing. The pandemic is going to force many people out of their jobs, and give others yearning to do something different, pause for thought. It’s never too late to retrain.

I recently read another article on LinkedIn which discussed what the job market in 2030 could possibly look like. Below are the Top 5 jobs that could be available:

-   Organ Creator. New Zealand–based website, Crimson Education, speculates that the shortage of transplantable organs will, eventually, lead scientists to create organs and body parts from stem cells and other materials, including some that may not even exist yet. Recruiters will be searching for candidates with a background in molecular biology, tissue engineering, or biomedical engineering;

-  Augmented-reality journey builder. Starting with notions developed in Total Recall (memory implants of vacations) and Westworld (an android-staffed amusement park), AR journey builders will allow customers to experience virtually anything they wish. The AR journey builders will, according to Cognizant’s 21 Jobs of the Future, “design, write, create, calibrate, gamify, build, and — most importantly — personalize the next generation of mind-blowing stories and in-the-moment vignettes” for well-heeled clients. The position will demand a film school degree as well as experience with massively multiplayer online role-playing games, Cognizant says, and “exceptional knowledge of and familiarity with leading head-mounted display equipment;

-  Biofilm installer. Biofilms — collections of microbial cells attached to wet surfaces — are icky, sticky, and tricky. They are literally slime and pond scum and the source of 80% of microbial infections. But they are also a remarkable tool for sewage treatment, oil spill cleanup, and generating power. “By coating certain surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen of homes, they will become key tools for environmentally friendly buildings,” says the Canadian Scholarship Trust (CST), which also sees a big role for biofilm installers in “retrofitting smart, energy-efficient buildings.” It’s possible that biofilm installers will fit showers with microbes that attack bathroom mildew or, more broadly, equip homes with a living organism to process the garbage;

-  Earthquake forecaster. Many of the jobs on this list would have been inconceivable even a few years ago, but the role of earthquake predictor has been a job of the future for at least 40 years. In the 1970s, many scientists said that accurate, timely earthquake prediction was just around the corner. Four decades later, that’s where it remains — just around the corner. Crimson Education dismisses those who say such forecasting is impossible by noting that “some people would have said the same thing about weather forecasters less than a hundred years ago.” Clearly, a background in geology and geophysics will come in handy, but so might a little abracadabra;

-  Makeshift structure engineer. The days (not so long ago) of using 3D printing to create keychains and Yoda heads have been replaced by the technology being employed to produce prosthetic hands and prototypes of jet engines. In the future, makeshift structure engineers will deploy 3D printing to construct temporary buildings for those in need after natural disasters or armed conflict (can’t we manage to get rid of that by 2030?). “3D printing will be able to print the parts needed to create small housing units, similar to trailers, in several hours or days, so that they can be assembled quickly for those in need,” CST says. Makeshift structure engineers will have a background in industrial design and structural engineering.

“For a long time, we have been a proponent that technology will change the world and enable productivity. It makes sense therefore that tech based skills should be taught to kids at school and that we should be marketing tech based careers as ones that are profitable and attractive. If we ignore this, we will move towards a future where technology influences our lives in the wrong way. Remember, garbage in = garbage out. Lets teach the right skill set,” says Craig Tarr, GTconsult CEO. 

One of the best forms of protection that a consumer can have against cyber crime in the modern age are apps that secure their mobile devices.

Digital.com recently published a blog post which ranks the best password managers in the industry at the moment. More information on these password managers can be found here.

There is specific criteria that Digital.com used to get rank these products:

-  Security. Security is the most important criteria when choosing a password manager because you’ll be using the tool to store your account credentials. We looked for password managers with the highest level of encryption available, along with secure password generators and password reports to let you know if your passwords are too weak, have been reused on multiple sites or have been compromised. We also checked to see if each password manager works with biometric authentication, which adds an extra layer of security when logging in to your accounts;

-  Device Compatibility. Compatibility across a wide range of devices is important because many people use mobile devices and tablets to log in to their online accounts. We reviewed each password manager to determine if it’s compatible with the most common operating systems, browsers, and mobile platforms;

-  Unlimited Storage. Storage capacity is critical if you have many online accounts, so we prioritized services with unlimited password management. With so many people signing up for email, streaming services, online banking and other online services, it’s easy for one person to have dozens of accounts to manage. A password manager with unlimited storage makes it possible to keep them all secure; and

-  Added Features. Extra features can make it even easier to manage passwords and share credentials with trusted family members or colleagues. We looked for password managers that offer password audit tools and password sharing.

The Best Password Manager Companies of 2020

- 1Password

- Bitwarden

- Dashlane

- Enpass

- F-Secure

- Intuitive Password

- Kaspersky Password Manager

- KeePass

- KeePassXC

- Keeper

- LastPass

- LogMeOnce

- NordPass

- Password Boss

- RememBear

- RoboForm

- SplashID

- Sticky Password

- True Key

- Zoho Vault

1Password

1Password offers individual and family accounts with 256-bit AES encryption to prevent unauthorized access to your accounts. The built-in password generator enables users to automatically create secure passwords, and the automatic form-filling function eliminates the need to fill in form fields manually.

1Password also offers biometric authentication, which enhances security by requiring a unique identifier before anyone can log in to your account. Another important security feature is the password report, which informs you if a password is weak or has been compromised. Individual and family accounts also include automatic syncing and password sharing.

Automatic syncing updates data changes across every device, ensuring that you always have access to your current passwords. Password sharing also makes it possible for trusted contacts to log in to shared accounts without seeing your credentials. Both versions work with unlimited devices and are compatible with multiple platforms, making it easy to manage passwords on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

What Customers Are Saying

Users love that 1Password is dedicated to keeping their data safe. One user writes, “The attention to detail when it comes to 1Password’s security is incredible.” 1Password also receives praise for how easy it is to use. The interface is intuitive, and it’s easy to organize dozens of passwords.

Bitwarden

Bitwarden offers a free version for personal use as well as team and enterprise accounts with additional options for business users. The free account can be used on two devices at a time, and the team and enterprise accounts work on unlimited devices. Storage capacity also depends on whether you use the free version or a paid version; the free version stores up to 50 passwords while the paid versions have unlimited password storage.

To keep your data secure, Bitwarden uses 256-bit AES encryption and offers a secure password generator to help you generate strong passwords that are difficult for hackers to guess. Users also have access to a tool that identifies weak passwords. Additional features include device syncing, password sharing, and automatic form-filling. Bitwarden is compatible with multiple platforms and devices, including the Android and iOS mobile platforms, making it possible to manage passwords at home, in the office, or on the go.

What Customers Are Saying

Bitwarden customers love how easy it is to manage passwords across multiple devices. One user reports that there are plugins for “Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, Edge, Vivaldi and Tor Browser,” while another comments that creating secure passwords is “easily accomplished” with Bitwarden. Users also appreciate the clean, uncluttered interface.

Dashlane

Dashlane offers free and paid accounts with a wide range of features. The free account works with one device and stores up to 50 passwords, but the paid options offer unlimited password storage on an unlimited number of devices. Dashlane protects user data with 256-bit AES encryption, which is the industry standard for preventing unauthorized access to online accounts. It also includes a secure password generator to help users create strong passwords that are difficult for hackers to guess.

This password manager also has a tool that conducts password audits and lets you know if your passwords are vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Users can also use the password tool to determine if their passwords have been reused. Dashlane also offers data syncing across multiple devices, an automatic form-filling function and password sharing, which enables users to give trusted individuals access to their online accounts without revealing their usernames and passwords.

What Customers Are Saying

Dashlane is well-regarded for its intuitive user interface and premium features. One reviewer writes that Dashlane is “well-designed and well-executed,” making it easy to start managing passwords immediately. Dashlane has also been praised for offering additional security features, such as VPN protection and automatic scans of the Dark Web.

Enpass

Enpass offers a free version as well as a paid subscription that costs just $0.50 per month. For $41, users can also upgrade to a lifetime subscription. The free account stores up to 25 passwords and works on one device, while the premium version stores unlimited passwords and works with an unlimited number of devices.

In terms of security, Enpass uses industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption to prevent unauthorized access to user credentials. Enpass also supports biometric authentication, has a secure password generator and offers a password audit tool that helps users create strong passwords that aren’t as vulnerable to hacking attempts as weak passwords are. For users who want to share accounts with friends and family members, Enpass offers password sharing, which makes it possible to allow other people to log in to streaming services and other online accounts without having access to the account credentials.

What Customers Are Saying

Enpass receives high marks for security, with one user commenting that his favorite feature is that “my data is all stored securely and encrypted locally,” which means no one at Enpass ever sees your passwords. Users also praise Enpass for seamless syncing between desktop and mobile devices.

F-SECURE

F-Secure offers a single paid version priced at €29.90 per year for unlimited password storage. The password manager also works with a wide range of platforms and devices, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets. To protect user credentials against unauthorized access, F-Secure uses 256-bit AES encryption and supports the use of biometric authentication, which uses a unique identifier to verify a user’s identity before allowing access to any accounts. The built-in password report highlights potential security flaws, alerting users when their passwords aren’t strong enough to resist brute-force attacks by hackers.

F-Secure also offers automatic form-filling, which saves users time when they log in to websites and mobile applications. Additional features include a secure password generator and automatic syncing across multiple devices. F-Secure doesn’t offer password sharing, however. F-Secure works with the Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems, the iOS and Android mobile platforms and the Safari, Opera, Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers.

What Customers Are Saying

F-Secure performed well in third-party tests, making users feel confident in its ability to keep their passwords secure. One reviewer commented that F-Secure performed well in antimalware tests and “includes special protection for banking sites…to foil man-in-the-middle and other attacks.” F-Secure also receives high praise for its parental controls.

Intuitive Password

Intuitive Password offers a free version and three paid plans: Express, Advanced and Pro. The cost of a paid plan ranges from AUD $2 to $7 per month for access to features such as syncing across multiple devices and unlimited password storage. The free version offers limited storage and only works with one device. Several security features protect user data from unauthorized access, including AES-256 encryption and a secure password generator that helps users choose strong passwords. Intuitive Password also supports biometric authentication for added security, reducing the risk of third-party access to account credentials.

Password sharing enables users to give account access to trusted contacts without revealing their usernames and passwords, making it easier to use shared streaming accounts, online banking services and other online resources. Intuitive Password also offers automatic form-filling, which reduces the amount of time spent typing usernames and passwords into online forms.

What Customers Are Saying

Users appreciate the high level of security offered by Intuitive Password. One user comments that Intuitive Password’s “robust options go beyond the basics” to protect user data. Users also claim that Intuitive Password offers more two-factor authentication options than many of its competitors, making it even more difficult for third parties to gain access.

Kaspersky Password Manager

Kaspersky Password Manager offers a free version that offers unlimited password storage and works with a single device. The paid version, which costs $14 per year, also offers unlimited storage, but it works with an unlimited number of devices. AES-256 encryption protects user data by adding extra characters to online credentials, making it difficult for hackers to guess your password or crack it with an algorithm. Like many password managers, Kaspersky Password Manager is also compatible with biometric authentication for added security.

Kaspersky Password Manager allows premium users to sync across multiple devices, including tablets, smartphones and computers. This tool also works with a variety of browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, Edge and Internet Explorer. One potential drawback of Kaspersky Password Manager is that it doesn’t offer password sharing, which may cause users who want to share accounts to give out their usernames and passwords, making their data a little less secure.

What Customers Are Saying

Users often comment on the tool’s advanced security features, such as the ability to encrypt image files. Kaspersky also receives high marks for its visually appealing user interface. One reviewer praises Kaspersky for its “effective design, with a pleasing green, white, and gray color scheme and clearly outlined elements.”

KeePass

KeePass is an open-source password manager that’s a little different from traditional password-management tools. Rather than using 256-AES encryption, KeePass uses SHA-256 encryption, which is one of the most secure hashing algorithms due to its ability to generate a 256-bit hash. Although a 256-bit hash isn’t completely unique, it’s strong enough to prevent many hackers from gaining unauthorized access to a user’s accounts.

KeePass also offers a secure password generator, a password report that alerts users when their passwords should be stronger and support biometric authentication. What sets KeePass apart from many of the other password managers on the market is that it’s free for life. Many free versions have limited features, but KeePass users have access to unlimited storage and can use the password manager on an unlimited number of devices. KeePass also makes it easy to import passwords from other sources, which can reduce the amount of time it takes to set up.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers love KeePass for its strong commitment to security. The password manager has received several certifications from international authorities for its commitment to security. One reviewer says KeePass only stores “the minimum [amount of data] needed to make the site function,” giving users additional peace of mind.

KeePassXC

Like KeePass, KeePassXC is an open-source password manager that offers a variety of features for free. This version of KeePass uses AES-256 encryption, which is the industry standard for protecting user accounts from unauthorized access. KeePassXC also offers unlimited password storage at no cost to users.

In addition to AES-256 encryption, KeePassXC has several features to enhance the security of a user’s accounts. One is support for biometric authentication, which requires the user to provide a fingerprint or other unique identifier to gain access to any credentials. Another is a secure password generator, which helps users avoid choosing weak passwords. KeePassXC also has a password report that points out potential problems with existing credentials.

Although KeePassXC doesn’t offer password sharing, it does include device syncing and automatic form-filling for the user’s convenience. KeePassXC works with Windows, Mac and the Chrome, Vivaldi, Chromium and Firefox browsers, but it’s not compatible with mobile platforms like iOS and Android.

What Customers Are Saying

Users love that KeePassXC is an open-source solution to password management. One user raved, “If you want total control over your sensitive data, this is for you.” Customers also appreciate the option to sync data with Dropbox, flash drive and other tools, which isn’t offered by many other password managers.

Keeper

Keeper offers a free version of its password manager as well as a paid version that costs $1.66 to $4.99 per month depending on the type of account selected. The free and paid versions work on an unlimited number of devices and have no limit on the number of passwords that can be stored. Keeper also has a number of standard security features, including 256-AES encryption, support for biometric authentication and a secure password generator that makes it easier to create strong passwords.

For users who want to share account access without giving out their usernames and passwords, Keeper also offers password sharing. When a password is shared with a trusted individual, that person can log in to the account without knowing the user’s credentials. Syncing across devices also ensures that users always have access to their current credentials. Keeper works with desktop and mobile platforms, giving users additional flexibility.

What Customers Are Saying

Users rave about Keeper’s cross-platform compatibility, with one reviewer writing that Keeper “delivers an excellent experience across a ton of platforms and browsers.” Customers also appreciate Keeper’s secure password generator, which one reviewer claims can increase productivity by “cutting out the time and frustration of remembering or resetting passwords.”

LastPass

LastPass has a free version that offers password storage on an unlimited number of devices. What makes LastPass stand out is that it has a package designed for families. This family account costs $4 per month and comes with six Premium licenses to make it easier for family members to share passwords.

LastPass also takes security seriously, offering 256-AES encryption, support for biometric authentication and a password audit tool to alert users if their passwords are weak. The secure password generator offers extra protection against unauthorized account access by making it easier for users to create strong passwords. LastPass also offers automatic form-filling and syncing across multiple devices to help users save time and avoid having to make manual updates when they switch from a computer to a mobile device. This password manager works with a variety of platforms and devices, including iOS and Android.

What Customers Are Saying

Users appreciate the availability of a “feature-rich” free account that offers unlimited storage on a single device. LastPass also offers “many ways to trigger account recovery,” which makes it possible to access your account even if you forget your master password. Most password managers have no account recovery options.

LogMeOnce

LogMeOnce offers a free version and three premium versions: Pro, Ultimate and Family, which range in price from $2.50 per month to $4.99 per month. The free version offers unlimited password storage, but it only works on one device. Users who upgrade can use LogMeOnce with an unlimited number of devices. The Ultimate and Pro plans have similar features, but the Ultimate plan offers 10GB of encrypted storage compared to the 1GB of encrypted storage included with the Pro Plan.

LogMeOnce keeps user data secure with AES-256 encryption, a secure password generator and support for biometric authentication. This password manager also has an audit tool to help users determine if they need to make their passwords stronger. LogMeOnce works with the Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems, the Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Safari and Internet explorer browsers and the iOS and Android mobile platforms.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers love that LogMeOnce offers proprietary features that aren’t available with other password managers. One user even commented that LogMeOnce “has one of the most impressive lineups of features on the market.” Users also appreciate how easy it is to import passwords into LogMeOnce from other sources.

NordPass

NordPass offers a free version and a premium version that costs $2.49 per month. Both versions offer unlimited password storage, but the free version works on one device, while the premium version works on up to six devices at a time. NordPass protects user data with a XChaCha20 algorithm, which makes it more difficult for hackers to use algorithms to decrypt usernames and passwords. This password manager also supports biometric authentication and offers a secure password generator to help users strengthen their credentials.

Many password managers aren’t compatible with Linux, but NordPass is, giving users more control over their online credentials. NordPass also offers password sharing and automatic syncing across multiple devices. Automatic syncing means that password changes are updated immediately, eliminating the need for users to make manual changes, while password sharing enables account owners to grant access to their online accounts without sharing their credentials.

What Customers Are Saying

NordPass users love the tool’s easy-to-use interface, which has an intuitive design that makes it easy to start managing passwords, even for users with little technical experience. Customers have also commented on the affordability of the NordPass tool, with one reviewer commenting that it’s a “budget-friendly” solution for managing online credentials.

Password Boss

Password Boss offers three versions of its password-management tool: a free version with unlimited password storage on one device, a premium version that costs $2.50 per user per month and a family version that costs $4 per month. The family and premium versions both offer unlimited password storage across an unlimited number of devices.

This password manager works with MacOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera and Internet Explorer, making it possible for families or business users to use Password Boss without having to upgrade their devices or download different browsers. Password Boss uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect personal data, has a password audit tool to make users aware of flaws in their existing passwords and offers a secure password generator for added convenience. Automatic form-filling, device syncing and password sharing are also available with the free and paid versions of Password Boss.

What Customers Are Saying

Password Boss has a reputation for being easy to use and having an intuitive user interface, prompting one reviewer to state that the password manager is “extremely easy to use.” Password Boss also receives high ratings for reliability, with one user writing that “you can hardly find any flaws in the program.”

RememBear

RememBear has a free version, which works with one device, and a premium version, which costs $3 per month and works with an unlimited number of devices. What makes RememBear a little different from other password managers is that animated bears appear when account owners use certain functions. RememBear also offers automatic form-filling and syncing across multiple devices.

This password manager uses AES-256 encryption to prevent unauthorized account access, helps users create strong passwords with a secure password generator and has an auditing tool that points out potential problems with users’ current credentials. The password auditor alerts users when they should change their passwords to make them stronger, enhancing online security. In terms of compatibility, RememBear works with many platforms and browsers, including the iOS and Android mobile operating systems. It’s important to note that RememBear doesn’t offer password sharing, even with a premium account.

What Customers Are Saying

RememBear is known for its well-designed user interface, which prompted one reviewer to praise the “excellently designed UI and UX.” Users also love the animated bears that appear when it’s time to capture new passwords, sync updates across multiple devices and perform RememBear’s many built-in functions.

RoboForm

RoboForm was one of the earliest password managers on the market. Since its early days as a form-filling tool, RoboForm has added many additional features, including unlimited password storage for both free and paid accounts, a secure password generator, password sharing and device syncing for premium accounts. Like many of its competitors, RoboForm uses AES-256 encryption to safeguard users’ personal data. It also offers a password audit tool to help users understand how they can improve their online security.

RoboForm has a free version, a premium individual version priced at $23.88 per year and a family version priced at $47.75 per year. The free version offers unlimited password storage on an unlimited number of devices, but it omits some of the features available with premium plans, such as device syncing, cloud backup, two-factor authentication and priority 24/7 support. RoboForm works with six browsers, three computer operating systems and two mobile platforms.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers love how easy it is to set up RoboForm and start using it immediately. One user writes, “I find it easy to set up and then let Robo do its job. It’s so nice not to fill in all the info.” Customers also report a positive experience with RoboForm’s audit tool.

SplashID

SplashID offers a variety of features to keep data secure and make password management more convenient. This password manager has a security dashboard, which is similar to the password auditing tool offered by many of its competitors. The dashboard gives users feedback on the security of their stored credentials, highlighting weak passwords and other potential security issues. Two versions of SplashID are available: a free version that works with one device and a premium version that works with an unlimited number of devices at a price of $1.99 per month. Both versions offer unlimited password storage.

To keep user credentials secure, SplashID uses AES-256 encryption and gives users access to a secure password generator. It also offers device syncing for premium users, an automatic form-filling function and password sharing. The intuitive interface makes it easy to set up SplashID and start using it right away, even if a user has little technical knowledge.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers praise SplashID for its strong security features, prompting one user to write, “All the credentials are encrypted and safe.” SplashID also has a strong reputation for having an elegant user interface that’s easy to use. Based on these features, SplashID has been called a “must-have productivity improvement tool.”

Sticky Password

Sticky Password offers free and paid accounts, all of which come with unlimited password storage. The premium version offers access to additional features, such as syncing across multiple devices, password sharing and automatic backups. What makes Sticky Password unique is that the company takes a percentage of the proceeds from every premium license sold and makes a donation to a nonprofit organization that helps manatees.

Sticky Password uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect user credentials against hackers. Users also have access to biometric authentication, a secure password generator and a password report to assess the strength of each password. Sticky Password works with Windows, Linux and MacOS; 16 browsers, including Internet Explorer and Opera, and the iOS and Android mobile platforms.

What Customers Are Saying

Users love Sticky Password’s security features and password-sharing capabilities. One reviewer explains that password sharing, biometric authentication, and other features make for a “liberating experience.” Sticky Password is also well-regarded for offering the ability to sync data without using the cloud, which enhances security and gives users more control.

True Key™ BY McAfee

True Key has additional security features that set it apart from its closest competitors. Because True Key is offered by McAfee, it comes bundled with most of McAfee’s security suites, giving users an extra layer of protection when accessing websites and mobile applications. True Key also has several types of multifactor authentication to make it more difficult for hackers to access users’ accounts. In addition to these extra features, True Key offers the standard AES-256 encryption and supports biometric authentication.

The free version of True Key stores up to 15 passwords, while the premium version offers unlimited password storage at a cost of $19.99 per year. True Key also offers additional features, such as automatic form-filling, device syncing, and a secure password generator, but neither version comes with password sharing. For users who like to switch between desktop and mobile devices, True Key also works with a wide range of browsers and platforms, including Linux and Opera.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers love that True Key comes bundled with McAfee’s antivirus software and has “excellent MFA (multifactor authentication) options.” True Key has also been recognized for its easy-to-use interface and robust password audit tool, which enhances security by helping users create strong passwords that are less vulnerable to attacks.

Zoho Vault

Zoho Vault offers a robust free version as well as three paid versions. The Standard version costs just $0.09 per user per month, the Pro version costs $3.60 per month and the Enterprise version costs $6.30 per month. Standard accounts come with password sharing, the ability to set up user roles, a centralized panel and the ability to transfer passwords to new users. The Pro account includes everything in the Standard plan, along with the ability to manage user groups, view activity reports and share folders. Enterprise accounts can be integrated with Active Directory or business help desk software.

Zoho Vault provides access to a password report that gives users guidance for strengthening their credentials and making them less vulnerable to attacks. This password manager also uses AES-256 encryption, supports biometric authentication and offers a secure password generator to protect sensitive data against unauthorized access.

What Customers Are Saying

Zoho Vault is known for delivering excellent value at an affordable price. One user comments that Zoho Vault is “priced extremely competitively,” and another notes that it is an “excellent tool to manage credentials.” Customers also like that Zoho Vault makes it easy to organize passwords and create new password entries.

About a year in Donald Trumps Presidency, he found himself embroiled in a major war of attrition with China. While no violence was committed, relations between the two countries was precariously balanced on a knife edge with major allegations (from Trump) that China was embarking on a major espionage campaign that was being driven by Huawei. Later, there were allegations of coordinated cyber attacks from Beijing that affected high level US targets.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping, denied all of Trumps accusations saying that the reason behind the war of attrition is vastly different from the presented facts. Xi pointed out that the war of attrition was over China’s Made in China 2025 programme. At this stage, China had become the worlds second biggest economy and the country laid out a growth plan that would sustain the economy’s growth. Part of this plan was that 80% of the worlds technology would be produced and distributed by Chinese companies by 2025. This obviously has major ramifications for Silicon Valley which is a significant driver of the US economy. Xi went on to add that Huawei was being targeted because it was pioneering tech that Apple and Samsung were not; the fact that the company faced opposition in Australia and New Zealand over its 5G expansion plans suggests that Xi was not far off the mark. Would Apple or Samsung have faced similar opposition had they been the pioneers?

US sanctions aside, the Chinese economic beast is large enough to be self sustaining and Chinese companies have the whole of Asia as a possible market to drive its ambitions. Where to now for the Made in China 2025 programme?

Shadow games

One of the ways that China is approaching its world domination is through subliminal influencing. Changing behaviours and making it acceptable is almost a passive way of asserting your dominance and not drawing attention to the fact that you are influencing the global market. I recently read an article by the BBC which showed how this is taking place.

The article points out that for more than 30 years, a small parcel of land covering about 45 square miles (116sqkm) has had an outsized impact on the way we work, live and play.

California’s Silicon Valley shapes our lives. From the websites where we do our household shopping to the video-streaming services we watch to the companies which provide our email, almost all are based in this corner of the United States.

The article adds, until recently, that is. The rise of TikTok, an app whose parent company is the Chinese firm ByteDance, has struck at the heart of Silicon Valley’s supremacy. Along with other digital products coming out of China, TikTok has the potential to reshape the future of technology – a future in which the culture, and the interests, of Shanghai or Beijing could mould the industry more than that of San Francisco Bay.

It’s hard to overstate just how much of a switch this is.

“The narrative previously was about China coming up with its own versions of [Western] digital products,” Elaine Jing Zhao, Senior Lecturer in the School of the Arts and Media at the University of New South Wales in Australia told the BBC.

“Nowadays, you see the narrative shift towards how Western social media platforms are learning from Chinese social media platforms.”

And Chinese apps, platforms and services currently look quite different from those in the West.

The rise of Chinese tech

The BBC article points out that the most famous, of course, is TikTok – which has 690 million monthly active users worldwide, 100 million of whom are in the United States and a further 100 million in Europe.

Like other apps of Chinese origin, TikTok’s owners have tried to downplay the app’s background. “They want to give international users the impression they are not Chinese platforms, but global platforms,”  Jian Lin, Assistant Professor at  the University of Groningen in the Netherlands told the BBC, an author of multiple books on the Chinese influencer industry and technology platforms. “They really want to transmit this impression to the public that they’re not necessarily Chinese. They’re just like others, a global platform.”

The article adds that their fear of backlash has been borne out by the hard stance US President Donald Trump has taken against the app, who claimed without significant evidence it’s a national security risk. Other countries to oppose TikTok include India, where the app was banned in June 2020, and Pakistan, which banned it for 10 days in October.

But these challenges seem unlikely to dissuade other Chinese tech companies from following TikTok’s lead, Lin told the BBC. “I do believe Chinese companies will become even more ambitious and stronger in the coming years,” he says.

The article points out that he also expects these companies to increase their global ambitions: since the Chinese domestic tech market is highly saturated, with strong levels of competition, they may see more opportunities coming from the overseas market.

Changing Western tech

The article points out that, already, the way Chinese-launched apps interact with users, and the services they offer within the apps, are influencing Western platforms. One example: the “superapp”.

“In China it’s very common to become a superapp, where you do a lot of different things within the same app,” Fabian Ouwehand, Founder of Many, a Dutch social marketing agency that advises companies and influencers on how to use TikTok and its Chinese version, Douyin told the BBC.

Perhaps the most popular combination? Social media and commerce. “In China people are used to the commercialised version of social media entertainment, and do a lot of ecommerce and business through their apps,” says Lin.

The article adds that, on Douyin, for example, users can buy products directly from the app as they watch the shortform videos that creators post onto the platform – something TikTok in the West is mimicking through the introduction of integration with online shopping platform Shopify, launched in October 2020. WeChat, which is often described solely as a chat app, is far more: it’s also a payment platform and a way to keep up to date with friends.

The reason superapps have become so popular in China is simple, says Zhao. “People feel it’s really convenient to have every part of their life organised by social media platforms and superapps,” she says. “From shopping online to hailing taxis, socialising with friends and meeting up with strangers, everything you can do within one app.”

This kind of approach requires handing over more data to link up disparate systems into a single, convenient place for users – something that not everyone might be comfortable with. But experts believe that the demographics are on the side of app developers. “Younger users will accept it quicker than the older generations, who are a little bit wary,” says Ouwehand. “They value convenience over privacy.”

The article points out that western companies are taking note. Platforms like Facebook have begun to bring various features and services under a single umbrella: in recent years, Facebook has integrated online video (Facebook Watch) and shopping (Facebook Marketplace) into its core social network. Instagram, owned by Facebook, has added TikTok-like shortform repeating videos, called Instagram Reels, in recent months, and also has a connection with Shopify so fans of influencers can buy products their favourites wear directly in the app..

“I’m seeing more and more companies trying to add more features into their apps,” Rui Ma, a Chinese Tech Expert based in Silicon Valley told the BBC. “That’s probably the biggest overt move that looks a little bit more like Chinese tech.”

Enhanced moderation

The article points out that, behind the scenes, there are other differences that could also make meaningful change.

TikTok has been criticised for its approaches to disabled and overweight creators, whose videos it has been alleged to de-prioritise – a legacy of moderation policies drawn up by staff in China. The app says it has since redrawn its policies on moderation to accommodate a more open, less censorious Western taste and culture.

The article adds that, despite localising its content moderation policies, TikTok remains much more proactive than Western social platforms in intervening where it sees potentially troubling content. The company’s September 2020 transparency report shows that, of the 104 million videos removed from TikTok in the first half of 2020, 90.3% were removed before they received any views – and 96.4% were taken down by the app itself, before being alerted to infringing content by another user.

Compare that to the content moderation policies of, say, YouTube. Until the coronavirus crisis compelled YouTube to rely far more on automated moderation rather than human intervention, the app lagged a little behind TikTok on its proactive takedowns of videos. In the three months between April and June 2020, the most recent data available, 95% of videos were taken down by “automated flagging”, though only 42% had no views before they were removed.

Algorithmic recommendations

The article points out that another way in which Chinese social media platforms are influencing Western ones is in how they present and filter information.

While Facebook and Twitter recommend posts based on what your friends are posting and sharing on your news feed, TikTok and other Chinese apps like it try to learn as much as it can about you, and then direct content to you they think you’ll like. “In China you see a lot of different platforms coming up that are way more focused on exploration, and here it’s a lot on your social circle,” says Ouwehand.

The article adds that this model understands our preferences based on prior behaviour with videos we’ve already seen, rather than assuming our interests based on those we interact with or via our past search terms. It’s a meaningful difference that is shaping the way we consume information, and changes the economics of those creating the content.

Under the Chinese model of algorithmic exploration and recommendation, users are less beholden to the individual content creators they follow. On YouTube, for examples, big personalities have become celebrities because of their ability to build a loyal fanbase. But on TikTok, anyone can become a star overnight because of a single video that proves popular with the app’s algorithm – and that fame can disappear almost as quickly when the next big video is surfaced through the app’s code.

The article points out that, given how popular that strategy has been, it could signal a broader change among other social media platforms, as well.

The future of tech

The article adds that if Chinese companies continue to play an increasingly influential role in tech, our online world could look very different by, say, 2030.

For one, it could be much more diversified than the Silicon Valley standard we still, largely, see now. And while Chinese apps are best-known right now, that could change. “It’s not just Chinese companies, but other companies in Asia,” says Zhao. “These regional giants might want to have a slice of the global market pie as well. We’re seeing Facebook and Google competing for a slice of the Asian market, but at the same time local giants are entering the US market as well.”

The article points out that we might also see apps having an increased emphasis on localisation, something we already see with TikTok. “If you want to be a global company, you’re serving different consumers with different cultural tastes,” Zhao told the BBC.

And we may see Western products taking more of a lead from successful strategies or services out of China, and the rest of Asia. “That’s where the West is going to copy a lot,” says Ouwehand. “In terms of functionalities and the expansion of their own apps to do more.”

The article adds that the future of technology in the next decade will certainly look a lot less like the Silicon Valley-designed ideal we’ve been used to in the last 20 years. But it seems likely it will evolve through small steps and minor influences – as evidenced through the way TikTok differs from Douyin, and the lag in changes in the Chinese version of the app making their way to the Western one.

This is, after all, how a globalised world works, Zhao told thew BBC. “It’s an example of cross pollination. Doing business is always about drawing inspiration from each other,” she says.

More insight

What more can we expect form this plan? An article by Al Jazeera provided some additional insight.

Dual circulation; the Al Jazeera article pointed out that this is a concept Xi first mentioned in May, and has now become part of the plan for the next five years.

In essence, Beijing is saying it wants its future growth to be based mostly on internal cycles of production, consumption and distribution of goods and services.

The article added that, faced with a punishing trade war with the US and a government that wants to contain the rise of Chinese technology giants like Huawei – the global leader in the latest generation mobile telecommunications equipment – it is little surprise that China is turning inwards for its economic progress. With a middle class of about 400 million people, it can afford to do so.

The article pointed out that it acknowledged that China now faces a “complicated international situation”, something that is unlikely to change whoever wins the US presidential election on November 3.

But China is also keen to stress that it is not turning its back on the outside world and that it wants to continue to engage in international trade, the now de-emphasised, less well-defined second part of the dual-circulation strategy.

Technology

The article added that a cornerstone of the current 13th plan has been “Made in China 2025”, a push to nurture and develop high-tech industries.

The new plan calls for a continuation of that strategy, putting innovation at the heart of China’s modernisation drive.

“Making major breakthroughs in core technologies in key areas, China will become a global leader in innovation,” Xinhua said.

The article pointed out that developing homegrown technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence is at the heart of China’s shift towards greater self-reliance [File: Aly Song/Reuters]According to analysts at global banking giant HSBC, the 14th plan will aim to strengthen industrial supply chains that were disrupted during the early stages of the pandemic, using technology to become more self-reliant in this respect.

“In our view, this means there will be more of a policy push for higher [research and development] spending in the coming years, especially in strategically emerging sectors such as biotechnology, semiconductors and new energy vehicles,” Qu Hongbin, chief China economist at HSBC, said in a research note sent to Al Jazeera.

A new frontier

If we are being honest, Chinese tech has already taken over the majority of the world and is having a major influence on the way that we do things and live our lives. In this space, China has achieved its goal and we will use Chinese tech if it is safe, well made and comparable to tech that is produced elsewhere in the world.

So where does China go next? I recently read an article which points out that Beijing is targeting the automotive sector. 

The article points out that China aims to have vehicles with partial self-driving technology account for 50% of all new-auto sales by 2025, double its previous goal, as the country encourages local companies to pull ahead of the U.S. in the field.

Under a plan released Wednesday, new vehicles with "level 2" or "level 3" automation are to make up 70% of sales by 2030. Level 2 assists the driver with steering, acceleration and braking, while level 3 means vehicles drive themselves under certain conditions such as on highways.

The article adds that China in 2017 called for level 2 and 3 vehicles to make up 25% of new-car sales in the world's largest auto market by 2025. Beijing considered raising the target to 30% last year, but is hitting the gas pedal now as China positions autonomous and "new energy" vehicles as a strategic emerging industry.

About 10% of new vehicles sold in China during the first half of 2020 carry level 2 automation, local media report.

The new plan also seeks to have level 4 autonomous vehicles, which require no human input except in emergencies, on the market by 2025 and account for 20% of sales in 2030. China looks to expand use of high-level self-driving technology nationwide by 2035 and integrate such vehicles into so-called smart cities.

The article points out that China will enact policies and legislation based on this road map, released by the National Innovation Center of Intelligent and Connected Vehicles at the direction of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Beijing is counting on Chinese tech companies to make this vision a reality.

Search engine company Baidu has received state support for its Apollo self-driving technology project, launched in 2017. Trials of an autonomous taxi service are underway in Hunan and Hebei provinces and parts of Beijing. Didi Chuxing, China's largest ride-hailing company, is testing a similar service in Shanghai.

Tech names ranging from startups like Pony.ai to giants such as Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings are increasing development in the field.

The article adds that though Tesla and Toyota Motor have led the way among automakers, Chinese players such as Geely Automobile Holdings, part of the group that owns Sweden-based Volvo Cars, are pushing into the fray as well. Nearly 100 new models with level 2 technology reportedly were rolled out in the first nine months of 2020, according to Chinese media.

On the regulatory side, with the commercialization of level 3 vehicles on the horizon, China is considering easing rules as early as next year to allow self-driving vehicles on public roads.

The reason why the US went to war in Vietnam, and the reason that it engaged in the Cold War, was that it was vehemently opposed to communism. For that, the US was seen by many as a beacon of hope and freedom. Is this not influence?  Throughout history, there have been international influencers that have shaped the way that we live. Perhaps it is China’s turn.