A couple of years ago, the United States Government Accountability Office released a report revealing that hackers can break into US weapon systems with minimal time required. “In one case, it took a two-person test team just one hour to gain initial access to a weapon system and one day to gain full control of the system they were testing,” the report wrote.

Unfortunately, this alarming revelation failed to get the response it deserved. Government institutions and private organizations have not exerted the extra effort and investment to improve their cybersecurity posture. Some continue to be cavalier with the way they defend against cyber attacks.

Recent high-profile incidents such as the SolarWinds, Colonial Pipeline, CNA Insurance, and the Florida Water Supply attacks prove that vulnerabilities can exist in all kinds of organizations and cybercriminals are hell-bent on taking advantage of these. In some cases, the attacks take a long time but in others, successful penetration of cyber defenses can happen in less than an hour.

Successful cyberattacks in under an hour

A newly identified cybercrime group called SnapMC was reported in early October to pose an alarming threat to organizations worldwide. This group is said to be capable of rapid extortion attacks without using any ransomware. The full attack cycle can be completed in thirty minutes or less.

The attack takes advantage of vulnerabilities in unpatched VPNs and web server apps. As Threat Post describes it, victims fall prey to a “quick-hit extortion in less time than it takes to order a pizza.” The breach allows the attacker to steal sensitive data and demand a ransom in exchange for not publicizing the critical information. Blatantly straightforward extortion, this low-tech attack works because many organizations still do not pay that much attention to strengthening their cybersecurity.

It is important to highlight the duration of the consummation of the attack because it shows that even organizations with “decent” cybersecurity posture, including security validation, can still end up falling for these rapid extortion attacks. The best way to deal with these risks is to make sure that the right security controls are in place and that they are tested continuously. Continuous security validation is vital to a reliable security posture as it ensures that vulnerabilities are spotted and addressed before they are exploited.

As mentioned, the SnapMC group exploits vulnerabilities in webserver and VPN applications, which are quite commonplace nowadays. Organizations that validate their security controls only periodically or every once in a while will inevitably have periods of vulnerability. These periods could be a day, a week, or even months since security testing is not continuous, so organizations are unaware if they are already having cracks in their defenses.

The human factor in security weakness

Security weaknesses are often considered the biggest factor in persistent cybersecurity weaknesses. Experienced cybersecurity expert Mus Huseyin says that the biggest threat to cybersecurity lies within the company: people. This point is virtually impossible to contradict. Almost all cases of successful cyber attacks can be traced to carelessness, the error of omission, naivete, and other weaknesses of the people responsible for the cybersecurity posture of an organization.

A recent study about passwords by Safety.com suggests that passwords could be hacked in under an hour. This is because most computer or web-enabled device owners do not take password setting and account protection seriously.

According to the study, 67.3 percent use passwords that are eight characters long or fewer. People in the 25 to 55 age bracket, or those who use digital devices and the internet most often, are the ones who tend to use the shortest passwords. Short passwords are unsurprisingly easier to predict, especially when they are not random and composed of combinations of alphanumeric characters with different cases and symbols.

Additionally, many still refuse to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) in securing their accounts. At some point, around 90 percent of Gmail users still failed to take advantage of MFA, which has compelled Google to make it compulsory. Twitter users are also known to be unbothered by multi-factor authentication. 

When it comes to enterprises, the tendency to use weak passwords, ignore MFA and wittingly or unwittingly commit human-centered security weaknesses mistakes. That’s why many companies now have cybersecurity orientation or training programs. Employees are being considered as vital players in the effectiveness of an organization’s security posture, so they are equipped with the right knowledge and skills, so at the very least they do not become part of the problem.

The importance and challenges of continuous security testing

No matter how small the window of opportunity for an attack is, relentless cybercriminals will stop at nothing to make the most out of it and land a successful assault. The good thing is that cybersecurity professionals and organizations are now working together to concertedly broaden threat visibility and share the most up-to-date information to as many users as possible to help in promptly and effectively detecting, mitigating, remediating, and preventing cyber attacks.

The globally accessible cyber threat tactics and techniques knowledge base MITRE ATT&CK, in particular, is helping organizations in dealing with the ever-evolving and worsening cyber threats at present. Many incorporate the MITRE ATT&CK framework in their cybersecurity management systems as well as the security posture management platforms provided by third parties.

ISACA, an international IT-focused professional association, fully supports the adoption of continuous security validation, as it increases the cyber resiliency of enterprises. Additionally, it allows organizations to develop cyber threat models that suit their specific situations to focus on higher risk areas and key information assets. It also makes it possible to undertake a methodical analysis of identified security observations.

The problem with continuous security validation, however, is that it is time- and resource-intensive. It is virtually impossible to undertake manually. As such, cybersecurity experts turn to automation and machine learning. Effective cybersecurity platforms nowadays automate many of the tasks involved in security validation and utilize artificial intelligence to evaluate threats and automate responses and prioritization.

Closing the gaps

By now, it should be clear that cybercriminals do not need long hours to defeat cyber defenses. In many cases, there are no adequate defenses to talk about in many organizations. Bad actors just need to find a vulnerability they can exploit and they can achieve their felonious goals in less than an hour. To make sure that does not happen, it is crucial to adopt continuous security testing and promptly address security weaknesses as they are spotted.

Written by Adam Eaton

Source: TG Daily – Less than an Hour of Vulnerability is Enough for Cybercriminals to Succeed in Their Attacks

House Democrats’ proposed tax-and-spend package would subject digital assets to two anti-abuse rules that already apply to stocks and other securities.

The change would restrict tools crypto investors can currently use to hedge against potential losses and lower their capital gains taxes.

The rules would kick in when investors take offsetting short and long positions on an asset to reduce the risk of losing money.

The new rules for digital assets are part of a host of tax code changes Democrats are looking to put into effect quickly, leaving individuals and corporations without much time to react.

Congress’s official tax scorekeeper, the Joint Committee on Taxation, estimated Thursday that the changes would collectively bring in about $16.8 billion over the next 10 years. But there is at least a small window, which is more than investors got in 1997 when the rules were first enacted on a retroactive basis, experts say. 

Crypto Traders Have Short Window to Avoid House Tax Plan

Cryptocurrency investors would have little time to plan against possible tax increases under legislation advancing in Congress to treat digital assets like stocks and other securities.

Continue reading on MSN

The major tax myths about cryptocurrency debunked

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is still very much on the hunt for taxpayers not paying taxes on crypto.

Continue reading on Cointelegraph

Build Back Better Act would close tax loophole for crypto investors

Bitcoin, ethereum, dogecoin and other cryptocurrency transactions would be subject to wash sale rules if the latest version of Democrats’ plan succeeds.

Continue reading on MSN

Source: TG Daily – Crypto Traders Have Short Window to Plan Against Possible Tax Increase

Old windows and doors allow a lot of noise into the home, are less energy-efficient, and can be hard to operate. When you notice drafts into the house and a rising energy bill, consider replacing the windows.

Buying replacement windows can be challenging, especially if you don’t know what to consider when buying the windows. Energy efficiency, style, and window materials should be on the top of the list. This replacement windows and doors buying and replacement guide will help you as you plan to make a significant investment. 

1. What To Consider

Color

Your windows and doors add aesthetics to your home, and choosing a color that blends well with the interior or exterior of the house is essential. Some windows cannot be repainted like others, and knowing this enables you to choose a color that you know you can endure for many years. Also, note that the color you choose will stay with it for a long time, and therefore choose the hue that you will not get bored with after a short time.

Grinds

One way of ensuring the window invites enough natural lighting and provides an unobstructed view is by reducing the number of grinds. Buying a window with an entire glass frame gives you a more contemporary look. 

2. How To Find The Best Window

Before settling on a type of windows and doors, you need to get a type that will match your home. First, know the house’s architectural design before making a trip to a window or door dealer. Buying a modern window for a traditional house will reduce the home’s aesthetics. 

Consider also window materials that fit well with your home’s climate. For example, if you live in a rainy environment, avoid wood materials. These absorb water, swell, and rot, which weakens the entire window. 

Researching on the best window for the type of your home’s climate will help you before making the final decision. You can also get advice from contractors. They have better knowledge of windows. 

3. How To Save With Replacement Windows

Replacing windows and doors is a massive project that most homeowners are not ready to undertake. However, besides being expensive, the project comes with many benefits like repairing drafts and improving energy efficiency. 

Although replacement windows are expensive to buy, there is a way in which you can save. For example, check if your frames are in good condition. If they are, you can buy the window only without a frame. This way, you save on the extra cost you would spend on a frame. 

Also, some window styles are not hard to install. If you have the skills of installing a window and have the experience of installing that particular type of window, you can save on labor costs by DIY. 

Buy energy-efficient windows. They are expensive to purchase, but you will get the benefits by paying less on energy. A house with energy-efficient windows is also likely to get a buyer faster, and you can give it a higher quote. 

4. Find The Right Installer

Most homeowners do not know that a wrongly installed energy-efficient window will not perform well. You should get a qualified installer to do the job for you. You can source for one over the internet or ask your friends for referrals. 

Before hiring the installer, ask for their documents to ensure they are qualified and eligible to be operating. Ensure they are licensed, and they have insurance to prevent you from expenses in case of an accident. 

5. Choose The Materials Well

Many window materials in the market will confuse you in your selection. Research on the characteristics, pros, and cons of each material to ensure you get them correctly. 

Wood windows are standard because of their aesthetics, durability, and sturdiness. You can also get the windows in many wood species like mahogany and pine. Although these windows are energy efficient, they are prone to water and infested by insects like termites. Wood is also expensive to buy and maintain. 

Vinyl and fiberglass are known for energy efficiency. These windows are affordable and easy to maintain. They are also available in different colors, shapes, and different glass types.

Written by Harlow Sweeny

Source: TG Daily – A Guide to Replacing Your Windows and Doors

Google owner Alphabet has launched an artificial intelligence company to discover new drugs.

UK-registered Isomorphic Labs will use technology from sister company DeepMind to find cures for some of humanity’s most devastating diseases.

AlphaFold2 technology could be used to predict the shape of every protein in the human body with almost perfect accuracy. Its speed could cut the time to discovering innovative treatments, although the process of clinical trials is still likely to take several years.

The company will partner with pharmaceutical and biomedical companies and hopes to use the technology to try to find treatments for Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis, two of the most deadly diseases in the world.

Alphabet is launching a company that uses AI for drug discovery

AI tools could speed the process of finding new drugs

Continue reading on The Verge

AI drug discovery platform Insilico Medicine announces $255 million in Series C funding ? TechCrunch

Insilico Medicine, an AI-based platform for drug development and discovery, announced $255 million in Series C financing on Tuesday. The massive round is reflective of a recent breakthrough for the company: proof that its AI-based platform can create a new target for a disease, develop a bespoke molecule to address it and begin the clinical trial process.

Continue reading on TechCrunch

Code Ocean Selected by Lantern Pharma to Power A.I. Focused Computational Research Environment for Oncology Drug Development

Code Ocean, the leading computational research environment for sharing scientific discoveries, today announced a collaboration that will power AI-driven computational research for oncology-focused drug discovery with Lantern Pharma, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company using its proprietary RADR artificial intelligence (“A.I.”) platform to transform the cost, pace, and timeline of oncology drug discovery and development.

Continue reading on

Source: TG Daily – Google Owner Alphabet Launches Ai Driven Startup to Discover New Drugs

Fortnite has stopped accepting registrations for new players and was no longer available for download as of Monday.

Its servers will be shut down November 15, meaning players will no longer be able to log into the game.

The blockbuster multiplayer battle title, developed by Epic Games, was launched in China in July 2018 in partnership with Tencent. The game had more than 350 million registered players as of May 2020, according to Epic Games.

Tencent declined to comment when asked for more details about the Chinese version of the title and the reason for shutting it down.

In August, China barred online gamers under the age of 18 from playing on weekdays and limited their play to just three hours most weekends, state-run news agency Xinhua reported. In September, authorities had called in Tencent, NetEase and other companies to discuss restrictions around the streaming and playing of video games among minors.

Why Fortnite is getting shut down in China – CBBC Newsround

China is shutting down their version of the Fortnite video game.

Continue reading on

China’s regulatory crackdown has wiped billions off tech stocks — here are the risks ahead

China has introduced a slew of new tech regulation. With most landmark legislation passed, investors are wondering if it’s time to jump into Chinese stocks.

Continue reading on CNBC

China really doesn’t want young people to play online games

New regulations mean gamers under 18 will no longer be allowed to play online games through the week.

Continue reading on pcgamer

Source: TG Daily – Chinese Version of Fortnite is Shutting Down in November

While next week’s big event, NVIDIA’s GTC (GPU Technology Conference), will provide a deep foundation for anyone wanting to learn about the now far more topical Metaverse, the most exciting segment for me is the automotive segment.  Cars will be changing a lot, both by going electric and by learning to drive themselves.  The Metaverse plays a huge role here because, using NVIDIA’s Omniverse platform, these ever smarter and more capable vehicles are trained in a digital twin of the real world.  

Let’s talk about what to look forward to at GTC next week and why you might want to carve out some time to check out this free event. GTC starts on November 8^th and will first feature the DRIVE Developer Day for anyone working on creating autonomous vehicles. Then you’ll want to see Jensen Huang’s keynote on the 9^th first thing in the morning.

 There will be 40 automotive sessions, but there are three that are the most interesting for me.

Driverless cabs

The first automotive session is with Guillaume Binet, VP of Software Infrastructure at Motional, and it will begin at 12:30 PST on the 9th. He’ll talk about Motional’s journey to a fully driverless cab.  For most of us, driverless cabs will be our first experience with autonomous cars that will eventually replace services like Uber, which currently uses human drivers. These mostly electric automated people movers should ensure, at least initially, a decrease in the issues (distracted driving, driving under the influence, poor personal hygiene, etc.) we’ve had with human-driven cars during the pandemic.  

These vehicles will mostly drive on local streets and work a lot like horizontal elevators. You’ll bring up an app, call for a car, the closest in that service will be routed to you, and, once it arrives, you are off to your next destination.  The lack of a driver should open up the interior and allow for some unique designs that should be far more comfortable at any given size than a human-driven one. At GTC, expect to hear how close we are to deploying this solution, likely initial use cases, and why the emerging services will eventually be better, faster, and cheaper than the human-driven alternatives.  

Driverless trucks 

The next session starts at 1 PM PST on November 9^th and will cover autonomous trucks.  These vehicles have been fast-tracked given we are short over 100K semi-truck drivers in the U.S. and Canada, and it appears the only way to close that gap meaningfully is to automate semi-trucks.  While the deployment of these trucks at scale remains a few years out, this may be one of the few sustainable ways we can meaningfully address the land transportation staff shortages.   

Expect this session to cover the difficulties of rolling this solution out, the clear substantial benefits (including fuel savings), mitigating the driver shortage, increased safety, and driver retention.  We likely won’t be losing drivers near-term because of theft concerns (uncrewed trucks could be forced off the road and robbed), but one driver should cover more trucks and do other things while the truck is en route, given it will mostly be driving.

For drivers, the result would be more personal time, the ability to enjoy entertainment or catch up on paperwork en route, and maybe even sleep on long-haul routes.  And all of that comes with increased safety and reduced risk to the driver and the load.  

DRIVE Sim on Omniverse

This one is at 4 AM PST on November 10^th, and I’ll likely watch it on delay because I won’t be up at that hour.  Simulations aren’t just being created to train automotive AIs; they will also be used for digital test drives allowing prospective buyers to experience the car they are interested in more deeply before buying it.   This session will discuss the blending of digital twins via NVIDIA’s Omniverse offering and how this technology will change car ownership and the car buying experience. Omniverse is also being used to train robots, and it remains one of the most interesting holodeck-like services.  The use of virtual reality in general and Omniverse to train the growing number of autonomous solutions is a game-changer. This session will demonstrate how far this technology has come and how critical it is to the automotive industry.

Other sessions

Those are the three sessions that intrigue me the most. Other talks will look at things like Drive Hyperion for developing autonomous vehicles, scale ML Ops for AV development, overcome AV challenges with 4D imaging radar, and cloud strategies to accelerate AV development.  This list is by no means exhaustive — you can drill down more deeply on the technology in even more sessions. I think you’ll be amazed at how far they have come in the last decade to get cars and trucks to drive themselves.  

Wrapping up:

Suppose you want to see how the coming wave of autonomous machines and especially autonomous vehicles is evolving. In that case, the autonomous vehicle sessions at GTC should provide the ideal opportunity to see the state of this industry.  You can register here for free.

We are getting ever closer to the day when our cars will drive us, not the other way around. I only question whether they’ll have autonomous flying cars at the event (they are coming, too); we’ll see next week.  

Source: TG Daily – NVIDIA’s GTC – Discovering the Near-Term Future of Ever Smarter Cars

80% of deer in Iowa tested positive for coronavirus. The good news is that it can’t be passed to humans from animals.

Researchers found COVID-19 antibodies in deerskin samples which led them to the discovery.

Deer are safe to eat as long as it’s cooked to an appropriate temperature, the Iowa DNR says. The DNR suggests using extra caution like wearing gloves or a mask to harvest the deer, and testing the deer for CWD before consuming it.

Deer identified as widespread carrier of coronavirus: study

Scientists worry the virus could eventually travel back to human populations if not eradicated in the wild.

Continue reading on New York Post

Iowa study finds humans gave COVID-19 to deer | Post Bulletin

Finding suggests population could act as a reservoir for viral mutation; uncertain whether deer can reinfect humans

Continue reading on Post Bulletin

New study suggests SARS-CoV-2 spreading widely within wild deer population

Hunting season came as human cases were spiking, which may have been a bad combo.

Continue reading on Ars Technica

Source: TG Daily – Research Shows Covid-19 is spreading through Iowa deer population

Scalping is one of the more well-known and popular trading strategies you can adapt to fantasy finance contests, and one that has been around for almost as long as day trading has been possible. The basic idea of scalping is to buy and sell stocks multiple times within a day, making a small profit each time from minor fluctuations in price.

While other strategies aim to ride a price change as far as possible, scalping involves getting out of the trade as soon as it turns into profit. Scalpers are usually looking to collect that profit and get out as quickly as possible, potentially executing the entire trade in a matter of minutes if not seconds. 

As scalping strategies aim to complete trades in very short timeframes, this raises the question of whether they can be applied to fantasy finance. One would think so given that some fantasy finance platforms such as StockBattle offer fantasy contests that take place over a brief window of time, sometimes 15 minutes or less. These are similar timeframes to scalping trades. Scalping in fantasy finance even carries the advantage that, unlike in day trading, you can scalp downward trends with no additional risk compared to buying.

The Basic Rules of Scalping Strategies

While there is a wide variety of scalping strategies, almost all of them can benefit from following a few basic rules and tips:

• Create a watch list of stocks that you follow and only draft the most likely to show major moves based on your news sources and personal analysis
• Buy during breakouts and look for an immediate upward move
• If none occurs, immediately get out of the position
• As soon as the trade is in profit, start selling while adjusting your exit point

Of course, some of these are not relevant or need to be adjusted depending on the fantasy finance platform you are competing on. 
Some fantasy contests, like StockBattle, ask you to draft a team of stocks at the start of a match and you can’t change your picks after that. Timing is a major part of most scalping strategies, and this needs to be taken into consideration if you are participating in fantasy contests that start at fixed times.

For example, in this scenario, players have two days to watch the list of stocks and learn about their behavior before they have to finalize their choices.

While day traders can watch their list for the right conditions to execute their strategy, to apply this strategy in a fantasy contest you would need to make a last-minute decision about the hottest stock at the moment the match begins. Alternatively, you could watch the markets for the right time to use your scalping strategy and quickly try to join a fantasy contest when they occur. However, this adds an extra layer of prediction to a strategy that already relies on tight timing. If you can’t make a good snap assessment of the market under pressure, this style of scalping may not be for you.

Predicting Breakouts

Predicting a breakout of a stock’s price is hardly a tactic unique to scalping strategies. However, scalping day traders have an approach to spotting profitable breakouts that is more in line with fantasy trading contestants than other trading strategies. Scalpers do not need breakouts to turn into major price rises to make their profits. A few seconds or minutes of upward movement are enough. This means scalpers can trade on minor or uncertain breakouts and be profitable.

This is one of the reasons that if you want to bring a scalping strategy to your upcoming fantasy contests, becoming an expert in how your watch list of stocks behaves is vital to spotting and utilizing these smaller breakouts that don’t get the attention of competitors using other tactics.

Large Numbers of Small Wins

Besides their approach to entering and exiting trades, another lesson fantasy contest participants can learn from scalping day traders is their approach to winning and collecting profits. While many people who are interested in the stock markets want to score some big wins that they can brag about to their friends, scalpers are looking for the opposite. 

Scalping strategies can rack up a lot of wins, but they only take a small profit from each one. This might not have the allure of winning big, but settling for a consistent stream of minor profits has its benefits too. 

This approach of sacrificing the scale of your winnings in order to win more often can also be applied to choosing which fantasy contests to compete in, as well as which stocks to draft. For example, a match with fewer contestants might have a smaller prize pool, but you also have a higher chance of being the one to walk away with it. Watching your fantasy finance platform for those low-risk, low-reward matches can help you maximize your win rate. 

Maximizing win rates is a key part of scalping strategies since they don’t take a lot of profit from each trade. While many other tactics aim for win rates well below 50%, most scalping strategies need to win more than half of the time to be profitable. The average day trader using a scalping strategy aims for a win rate of around 80%. This means that their individual wins only need to be slightly bigger than each of their losses.

This approach works for people who want to compete in fantasy contests throughout the day, racking up lots of small wins over time. It also works for people who are only able to compete at times when the market is quiet or want to be able to keep competing despite a choppy market. In fact, a quieter market can be beneficial in some ways, as fewer competitors entering matches means less competition for smaller profits, the ideal conditions for scalping.

Scalping As a Secondary Strategy

The fact that scalping works when there are no big prizes up for grabs can make it a good go-to strategy when the market’s condition isn’t right to use your main tactic. For example, if you usually aim to take part in longer matches, you can switch to scalping in shorter matches when you aren’t able to spot any long-term trends you can make use of.

Scalping Effectively Can Lead to Consistent Fantasy Finance Profits

Consistent profits are one of the main benefits of scalping for day traders, and the same is true for fantasy finance platform users. While they lack the glory of taking big prizes, they can often pay off in the long run for those who have the patience. They have other advantages too, such as enabling you to compete in fantasy finance contests more frequently.

Written by Ruben Denton

Source: TG Daily – Scalping Strategies That Work in Fantasy Trading Contests

Facebook is changing its name to Meta, which sounds like the Hebrew word for “dead”.

Facebook isn’t the only company to be ridiculed over translations of its branding.

Rolls-Royce changed the name of its Silver Mist car as mist which translates as “excrement” in German.

Nokia’s Lumia phone is a synonym for a prostitute in Spanish, but it apparently only appears in dialects with a heavy gypsy influence.

KFC arrived in China during the 80s when its motto was “finger lickin good”. In Mandarin, this translates as “eat your fingers off”, but didn’t go down well with the locals.

Honda almost named its new car the Fitta, which is a vulgar description for vagina in Swedish. 

Facebook’s metamorphosis – will it work?

Will Mark Zuckerberg’s bet on a new name and the metaverse succeed?

Continue reading on

Opinion | Behind Facebook’s scary metamorphosis

Regardless of what name it goes by, the company formerly known as Facebook has many problems it must fix.

Continue reading on MSNBC.com

Opinion: Meta ? different name, same mess | DW | 29.10.2021

Facebook is now Meta, but the name change won’t resolve the company’s many problems. Until Mark Zuckerberg addresses those, his lofty ambitions will remain barely credible, writes DW’s Martin Muno.

Continue reading on DW.COM

Source: TG Daily – Hebrew Speakers Make Fun of Facebook’s New Name

This month Dell launched two new rugged laptops, the Latitude 5430 Rugged Laptop and the Latitude 2330 Rugged Extreme Laptop.  Currently, there are only two large companies in this rugged space, Panasonic and Dell.  For years, Panasonic was the market maker for this class of product. Still, a few years ago, it cut most marketing, and the interest in this class dropped off even though the three areas where the products are sold in volume—police, petrochemical, and military—still purchase this class of product in volume.  

Panasonic has one huge disadvantage: It mostly exited the PC space outside of Asia. It was never much of an IT supply company; even with regular PCs, it mainly focused on the consumer space.  As a result, it lacked the economies of scale, management tools, and consistent global presence of the major PC vendors like Dell.  Dell stepped into this space, promising similar performance levels and certifications to Panasonic but with lower prices, better and more consistent support, and the economies of scale of a global business and consumer-focused PC vendor.  Dell has not yet become the market maker for this class of product. Still, with Panasonic giving that position up, Dell has an opportunity to dominate but has so far failed to fund an effort sufficient to make that happen.  

Let’s talk about these two new laptops and whether this market will collapse if no one fulfills the market maker’s role.  

Market makers

A market maker is a company, or companies, that do most marketing to drive buyers who otherwise wouldn’t know about the product class to that class.  Historically, the market makers for PCs, in general, are Apple, Intel, and Microsoft, which assure there is, either directly or through MDF (market development funds), that someone is driving interest in the class.  A market maker becomes critical at two points in a product class’s life cycle.  First, to establish the class, and second to defend it if alternatives show up.  

Alternatives to rugged notebooks are products like the Lenovo ThinkPad that promotes similar capabilities but in a more mainstream product, thin clients that are naturally more rugged due to their more solid-state nature, and an increasing wave of a connected smartphone or wearable devices that may be better suited to specific tasks than clamshell notebooks.  This list isn’t exhaustive, as I’ll cover in a moment. 

Currently, the market is experimenting with head-mounted displays, advanced military-grade smartwatch-like products, and rugged tablet variants, which could, but so far, haven’t displaced this class of offering.  HP has played around with rugged smartwatches in the past, Lenovo is currently looking at head-mounted displays, and there have been rugged cases for iPad-like products in the market for some time.  Without a market maker, this segment remains vulnerable to displacement.

Dell vs. Panasonic

Panasonic has a more extensive line and far more experience with this class of product. Still, Dell is vastly more visible overall and more likely to be the preferred vendor for all other computer products in the verticals looking at rugged computers.  Panasonic lacks the product breadth to move against Dell in a big way. Most of Panasonic’s other markets (industrial displays, POS, automotive, in-plane entertainment, etc.) have little or no relation to the PC market except in Japan, where the company has a broader product set.  

This lack of product breadth means that Dell can incrementally grow into rugged from a base of PCs, servers, and storage products while Panasonic has no similar synergies.  Dell can blanket the organizations with consistent support, provide that one throat to choke that IT likes in a vendor, and provide far more consistent support globally than Panasonic, which generally has to work through resellers to gain broad geographic coverage.   What keeps Panasonic alive is that Dell isn’t funding a significant displacement effort. It’s growing into the market organically, but if Dell decided to displace Panasonic entirely, it has the resources and capability to do so.  And it wouldn’t be hard to argue that Panasonic is in the process of exiting the segment, given it has cut back support for it sharply.  

But the more significant threat for both companies is that alternatives are appearing, which could render the class redundant.  Law enforcement is looking at robotics, the military is looking at integrated technologies like exosuits, and IoT may shift the Petro-Chemical market away from PCs in the field entirely as they move to cut costs and automate (not to mention the global effort to move away from fossil fuels which could eliminate the entire segment).  And, of course, we have Microsoft, one of the PC market makers, surfacing their Hololens as a potential PC replacement. 

Dell’s new Latitudes

Dell’s rugged products are being used in emerging markets like vertical farming (AeroFarms), existing markets like law enforcement (Shenandoah County Sheriff’s office), the military, Ford, and even SpaceX (arguably the most exciting aerospace company at the moment).  Even the Penske racing team uses them.   

Dell’s line has become far more complete over time with two highly rugged tablets, one extremely rugged Laptop, and two semi-rugged laptops (lighter and less expensive but still able to be used outside in the weather).  

The new Dell Latitude 5430, which is due in early December, is a capable laptop ideal for fieldwork and law enforcement where extreme capability isn’t needed. Still, a lower cost and lighter weight make it more attractive than a fully rugged product.  It weighs 4.35 pounds with an 11^th generation Intel processor, discrete graphics (NVIDIA T500), and Dell’s proprietary AI-driven optimizer.  

The new Latitude 7330 Extreme Laptop is a fully rugged laptop, still priced under its competition, and it is more designed for military use.  Though it is only around a pound heavier, it is built like a tank and should work better in extreme situations that military units and first responders experience.  It also has 11^th generation Intel power but lacks the NVIDIA graphics.  

Both products support 5G and WiFi 6E and have integrated TMP 2.0 security (required for Windows 11, the most secure Microsoft OS) and carry the EPEAT-Silver certification for sustainability.  This set of advanced components should allow them to function without becoming obsolete early like many products in this class often due to using legacy hardware.  

Wrapping up:

While Dell represents a strong and less risky alternative to Panasonic, the risk to this class of product is displacement by one of several emerging technologies over the next ten years.  Without a market maker, this class remains at high risk of becoming redundant. If a new market maker for these new technologies emerges, like Microsoft, things could get dicey.  Between Dell and Panasonic, Dell remains the safer choice for now because of its much higher commitment to PCs and IT technology in general but, if the rugged segment pivots, either individually or collectively, which seems likely, then these segments will again be up for grabs.  

Source: TG Daily – Dell Rugged Laptops Move on Panasonic ToughBook, but the Segment Is at High Risk

A general belief is that men are not as much concerned with their looks as the ladies are, however, what can certainly be said about men is that they are obsessed with their hair. One sad truth associated with men’s hair is that the majority (as high as 85%) of them experience a major hair loss by the age of 50. But thank god for the expert doctors like Martin Maag M.D., who come to the rescue of men who want to revert the effects and regain their hair.

Reasons for Hair Loss in Men

• Smoking- Smoking cigarettes is very closely linked with pacing up the speed of male-pattern baldness; a man who smokes heavily might experience it earlier than they normally would.
• Deficiencies- It is important that your food intake is balanced and fulfills the requirements of your body because any deficiency of substances like protein, iron, or zinc shows on your hair and causes hair fall.
• Medications and illnesses- When you are taking several medications, there might be some medicines that may be the cause of your hair fall. Some illnesses and their treatment lead to hair loss, for example, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc.
• Androgenetic alopecia- It is a condition that is responsible for hair loss in men and women; in men, this condition is called male-pattern baldness. It causes men to lose hair in a well-defined pattern and is characterized by the shape of the letter M.
• Hormones- There are hormones in our body that are directly linked with hair loss, for example, increased levels of DHT lead to the shrinking of hair follicles, these follicles become so small with the time that hair fails to grow in them.
• Stress- Stress can be the underlying issue in many diseases, and studies point out that it can lead to excessive hair fall in both men and women.

What Are Some Treatments That Are Available?

Though hair loss is a common problem among men, luckily there are a lot of treatments that one can choose from. If you consult a good doctor, they can help you get your hair back, either through prescribed medicines or through medical procedures. There are also some over-the-counter products that are available to help you in regrowing your lost hair. Making some lifestyle changes, quitting smoking, and taking a balanced diet also goes a long way in curbing hair fall.

Source: TG Daily – Hair Loss: A Very Common Problem in Men

Today, old methods of selling online are becoming obsolete. Many marketing executives have come to rely on techniques like search engine optimization (SEO), whitelists, and behavioral targeting. As the landscape surrounding customer data changes, it is likely that these methods will fall by the wayside.

What will replace the traditional methods of gaining ad traffic and visibility online? AdMedia explains how Contextual Targeting Advertising works and why it will continue to thrive even after the demise of third-party cookies. The unique capabilities of contextual advertising and the benefits of switching over to this system of reaching customers are discussed.

Contextual Targeting vs. Behavioral Targeting

Behavioral targeting refers to placing ads based on the consumer’s activities online. From their browsing history to purchase history, behavioral targeting can pinpoint the user’s likes and dislikes. However, behavioral targeting relies heavily on the collection of cookies, particularly third-party cookies.

Many consumers are dissatisfied with the amount of tracking that third-party cookies represent. They may feel that overly targeted ads that follow them everywhere online, from social media to web browsers, are creepy and intrusive.

Contextual targeting uses only first-party cookies or those stored on the website where the ads will be placed to construct its ad strategies. This provides some behavioral clues but does not lower itself to the level of chasing a consumer everywhere they go online.

Behavioral targeting and contextual targeting both have high levels of effectiveness. Still, companies should stop relying on mass behavioral targeting because the major data source in the third-party cookie is about to be eliminated in the coming years.

Upcoming Changes in Customer Data Collection

The third-party cookie is set to disappear. It is already being written out of popular browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. The reasons why third-party cookies met their downfall are many. Many customers balked at the idea of being tracked across the web by marketers who could build a complete picture of their buying and browsing habits. Privacy advocates were instrumental in convincing the big three browser companies to eliminate the use of third-party cookies.

The Shift to Contextual Targeting

Contextual targeting is coming to the forefront as one of the best methods for advertisers who used to rely on third-party cookies. Contextual targeting is a strategy that has been used since the beginning of advertising, and it involves placing the right ads in the right context. It can be used across all media, from online to TV and print.

For example, popular brands still buy advertising spots during shows that are relevant to what they sell. During sports programming, brands advertise beer and sports betting. During cooking shows, brands advertise supermarkets and food products. The central concept is that the right customer sees the right message.

How Contextual Targeting Works

Contextual targeting involves having the ability to select what type of programming that a company’s ads can appear beside. It also involves the use of keywords and keyphrases to a limited extent.

AdMedia’s system uses first-party commerce data to associate transactional data with URLs rather than depending on third-party cookies. This system is more efficient than the scattershot targeting methods used in the past, and it is privacy-protected for consumer safety and peace of mind.

The company uses a method known as Semantic Logic, which scans URLs, categories, images, and text to understand a webpage fully. This information is combined with first-party commerce data belonging to an existing audience to discover their preferences. When these two data sources have been assembled, ad specialists from AdMedia can choose the best tactics for producing useful messages.

Areas Where Contextual Targeting Advertising is Productive

Contextual targeting can be used across a number of different platforms. Email marketing, social media, search networks, TV, radio, and print ads can all be brought under the same umbrella.

Contextual targeting is especially effective for online ads and display advertising. It helps to fight ad fatigue, which happens when ads are continually placed out of context. Ideally, ads and content complement each other and add to the overall message.

Contextual Advertising is Privacy-Friendly

Consumers appreciate the use of contextual advertising because it does not rely on aggregate data collected about their personal preferences. The only information that the person placing the ad uses is the webpage’s content, analyzed via the proprietary process of Semantic Logic. This is how the advertising firm finds the best possible ad to put on the page.

Why Switch to Contextual Targeting?

One of the best reasons to use Contextual Targeting Advertising is that it is a fully dynamic system. As the content on the website changes, the ads will change as well. This means that the company placing the ad has a unique level of flexibility in controlling the message they wish to present to the public.

Another important reason to switch to contextual targeting, as explained earlier in this article, is that a major data source for behavioral advertising is going away for good. The third-party cookie will disappear in most major browsers, meaning that advertisers will no longer be able to use it to track the activities of web browsers online.

Working with a Dedicated Specialist

Your company may need to know how to update its advertising strategy, but you may not know where to start. Using a provider like AdMedia, which has been in operation for over 20 years, is a great place to begin. The company will be able to walk your marketing specialists through switching to contextual advertising and let them know how much customization of their ads they can expect.

Understanding Contextual Targeting

When you build a solid understanding of how contextual targeting can help your company and how you can take advantage of its unique capabilities, you will have a better idea of how it can help your company thrive online.

Written by Joan Bennet

Source: TG Daily – AdMedia Explains How Contextual Targeting Advertising Works

Photo booths have gained much popularity in recent years and they play an instrumental part in any wedding ceremony today. A photo booth station is not just a perfect place for taking pictures; it also offers a form of entertainment for those attending the event. A unique photo booth station can act as a dance floor or even a stage for a live performance by the band. But, how do you select the best photo booth company?

Make a List of Potential Companies:

Firstly, ask your friends, colleagues, and family about their opinions regarding a particular company. You can get valuable information from these sources. Make a list of potential Toronto photo booth rental companies that meet your requirements and then compare these with the prices they have to offer. Also, ask for quotes from a few of the companies. So that you can have an idea about their charges. If you are not comfortable making calls on the phone, then you can consider looking up their physical address on the net.

Unique Combination of Services:

The next thing you need to look out for is a unique combination of services. For instance, if you are planning to hire a photographer then you should look for one that offers both high-quality photos as well as affordable rates. The same goes for the audio-visual system; you must ensure that all the equipment required for the event is present as part of the package. Also, you should check out for a unique combination of services and facilities offered by the company.

Make sure that you get to pick up the equipment that will be used at the next event. A good combination should include items like…

1.    A unique…

You should see to it that all the accessories used on the photo booth are unique and appealing. This is what will make your guests feel that they were there in the photo booth with the celebrities when they pay a visit. The lighting, background, and props should be such that the photos get captured effectively. The color combination, as well as the arrangement of the red carpet, should be such that the guests feel that they have been transported to another dimension.

2.    Affordable…

Guests cannot afford to spend a fortune on this equipment. It is therefore essential that you find a company that provides affordable photo booth rentals at a reasonable rate. The price range for a photo booth rental depends upon its make and model. A general rule of thumb would be… cheaper the better. If the equipment is more costly then that means you are also getting more value for your money.

3.    Works With Your Budget…

This is the most important factor that you need to look out for when planning a party or event. The best way to find out if the photo booth rental company offers the best deals is… read reviews about them! You can do this by reading reviews about different companies and seeing what people are saying about the prices, delivery time, and after-sale services.

4.    Works With Your Image…

You will be using the photos which you have taken to promote your business at the next event. You, therefore, want a system that will enable you to seamlessly insert the photos into your marketing campaign. The best way to do so would be to order a custom-made photo booth unit. Most such companies can be found online and you can even place an order online. They are relatively easy to assemble and deliver making them a great choice for businesses who want to give their next event a touch of elegance and class.

Source: TG Daily – What to Look for When Selecting a Photo Booth Station

China Telecom Americas must now discontinue U.S. services within 60 days.

China Telecom, the largest Chinese telecommunications company, has had authorization to provide telecommunications services for nearly 20 years in the United States.

The FCC found that China Telecom is subject to exploitation, influence and control by the Chinese government.

A spokesperson for China Telecoms America said the FCC’s decision was “disappointing.”

The FCC has taken other actions against Chinese telecoms and other companies. In March, the FCC designated five Chinese companies as posing a threat to national security under a 2019 law, including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. 

US government bans China Telecom from operating in the country

Washington is barring a major Chinese state-owned telecommunications firm from operating in the United States over national security concerns, an action that threatens to once again increase tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Continue reading on CNN

The US ban on China Telecom is an act of petty hypocrisy in the global battle for the domination of phone networks & the internet

Washington’s stripping of China Telecom’s licence to operate in the US due to fears of espionage is revealing, illustrating just how much America fears losing its own covert capabilities in a domain in which it has long dominated.

Continue reading on RT International

US cranks up Beijing tensions again with ban on China Telecom

US FCC voted 4-0 to cancel permission to operate.. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Continue reading on The Straits Times

Source: TG Daily – US Bans China Telecom from Operating in the Country Due to Security Concerns

North Korea is already starving to death because of skyrocketing food prices.

The country has closed its Sino-Korea border early last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. There is only a slim chance of it reopening before 2025. 

It has has blamed the pandemic, natural disasters, and U.N. sanctions for its inability to provide for its people.

Trade between China and North Korea has begun to pick back up in recent months but only at a fraction of pre-COVID-19 levels. It is not clear whether the country will be able to produce enough food for its own people. 

The country of 25 million is led by Kim Jong Un, who has been looking slimmer in recent weeks.

North Korea tells citizens food shortage will last through 2025: Report

North Korea’s totalitarian government has told its people to tighten their belts literally for at least another three-plus years before Pyongyang plans on reopening the country.

Continue reading on New York Post

Kim Jong Un’s North Korea may soon face ‘starvation risk’: UN

Due to the on going Covid restrictions and several sanctions on the country, the ordinary people of North Korea may soon face an acute food crisis, a UN expert has warned

Continue reading on MSN

Report: Starving North Korean Workers Killing People for Food

North Korean construction workers have resorted to robbery to secure enough money to buy food, Radio Free Asia reported Wednesday.

Continue reading on Breitbart

Source: TG Daily – Starving North Koreans ordered to eat less until 2025

Everyone aspires for that perfect Hollywood smile with a perfect set of dentitions. While some may have it naturally, others need to work a little on their smile. This includes people with misalignment issues such as overbites, underbites, gaps, or crooked teeth. Not all of these issues require traditional braces, extractions, or surgery to fix them, as most misalignments can easily be handled at home with clear aligners. Overbite is one of these conditions.

What are Overbites?

Most people develop overbites due to sucking their thumb or pacifier for an extended period of time. Children can also develop overbites by frequently chewing on objects like pens, pencils, etc. Overbites basically refer to a condition where the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth in a significant manner, ranging from 2-6mm or more. Overbites are of two types – Vertical overbites (upper teeth overlap the lower teeth significantly) and Horizontal overbites (upper teeth protrude outwards over the lower teeth). Both need realigning as they can lead to oral injuries. While many people live with small overbite issues, it doesn’t really affect them in any way. In others, it might range from mild to moderate severity, and in such cases, clear teeth aligners are very effective for overbite correction. Severe overbite issues might need other forms of treatment.

What are Clear Aligners?

Clear aligner trays are made of invisible BPA-free clear plastic and fit snugly onto the teeth. They are easily removable at home, unlike traditional braces. They can be snapped off when it’s time to eat, which also means there are no dietary restrictions. After brushing and flossing, you can pop the aligners back on again.

Treatment with clear aligners includes the creation of an impression of the teeth after which a 3-D image is created and a series of aligner trays are made, with each one creating slightly more pressure to shift the teeth in position. Each tray needs to be worn for around 22 hours daily and after 2 weeks, another tray will be posted to replace it. Treatment can range from 10-24 months depending on the extent of alignment needed.

How do Clear Aligners fix an overbite?

Clear teeth aligners, also known as invisible aligners, work by creating constant gentle pressure on the teeth. Over time and with consistent wearing, this gradually increasing pressure is sufficient to move the teeth involved in the overbite, to their natural positions. Do note that clear aligners are only effective in realigning mild to moderate overbite issues. 

For treatment to be effective, strict discipline is required when using clear aligners and they should be worn for 22 hours religiously, even when sleeping. Each tray should be changed every 2 weeks or so when the next tray gets delivered to you. Noticeable changes are usually seen within 6 weeks or so.  

One of the best clear aligner brands in the market is OrthoFX; it’s known for producing faster and more efficient results by virtue of the unique design and material used. 

Source: TG Daily – Can Clear Aligners Fix an Overbite

German-born Jennifer Wenisch, 30, was charged with crimes against humanity after refusing to help a 5-year-old her husband left to die in the scorching heat.

Wenisch and her husband, Taha al Jumailly, bought the girl and her mother in 2015 while living in ISIS-controlled city of Fallujah, Iraq.

The prosecutor recommended that Wenisch receive a life sentence, which the court decided against. The court found Wenisch only had a limited amount of power to prevent the enslavement of the Yazidi girl.

Yazidis are a Middle Eastern religious group that shares a mixed set of beliefs incorporating tenets of Islam and Christianity.

In 2014, the ISIS terrorist group seized control of Yazidi hometown Sinjar, leading to the deaths of thousands of men and the capture of more than 6,000 women and young girls, many of whom were forced into sexual slavery.

German ISIS bride jailed 10 years for letting slave girl die of thirst

Jennifer Wenisch, 30, was found guilty of ‘two crimes against humanity in the form of enslavement’, as well as aiding and abetting the girl’s killing and being a member of a terrorist organisation.

Continue reading on Mail Online

ISIS and sexual slavery

ISIS kidnaps women and girls and uses them as sexual slaves and “rewards” for their fighters and allies.

Continue reading on TheHill

Opinion: IS bride sentence an important sign to Yazidis | DW | 25.10.2021

The Munich trial of a German IS bride wasn’t just about the death of an enslaved 5-year-old Yazidi girl in Iraq. It was about justice for genocide, says Matthias von Hein.

Continue reading on DW.COM

Source: TG Daily – ISIS Bride Sentenced to 10 Years imprisonment For the Murder of a 5 Year old Yazidi Girl

Assets are resources with economic value that the company owns or controls to provide a future benefit. The assets can either be tangible, intangible, operating non-operating, current, or fixed assets.

With so many data breach cases and other cases about the loss of company assets, ensuring that the company adopts better security measures is essential. Here are different ways of keeping your company assets secure through robust security measures.

Use the proper equipment

Investing in stronger firewalls and other equipment or software that encrypts the company’s data is vitally important in securing its assets. The major ways through which fraudsters can gain access to the company assets’ either by telecommunication applications, should be sealed to ensure that no one gets the information.

Data belonging to the clients, visitors, or the staff should also be highly safeguarded to ensure that it doesn’t leak into the wrong hands. Using visitor management software helps to increase security and compliance by keeping track of the guest’s information. Greetly visitor management system offers an attractive and easy-to-use interface that takes advantage of leaving a positive impression on the visitors.

Use strong antivirus application

Antitrust applications are important lines of defense against viruses, malware, and hackers. They should be prioritized to be installed on your systems and kept updated. Unfortunately, the problem with most of these applications is that they need to be manually updated, which sometimes can be a lengthy process.

Hackers often produce new advanced viruses as per the existing programs or methods for exploiting the current security holes in a company’s applications. A slight mistake; switching off the antivirus may lead to loss of assets data or interfering with programs that help run the company’s assets.

Educate your staff on security

It would be a waste of time to have the best equipment to prevent data loss and have poorly trained staff on security issues. Apart from training them on the available security threats, they need also to understand the actions that should be taken to secure the company’s resources from a possible threat.

Sometimes the threats may be physical, and it calls for legal action against the intruders trying to steal the company’s resources. So, too, educate your employees on how to handle the company’s sensitive data without exposing it to the other employees in other sectors who might mishandle it.

Surveillance

Surveillance is among the best ways that you can use to secure the company’s physical assets from being stolen. Any form of surveillance can be a strong deterrent against fraudsters on the organization’s premises. The best option is to opt for a CCTV camera. CCTV cameras will not only provide you with some footage on the criminal activity that was committed, but they also act as a deterrent to a lot of criminal activities.

The clear signage will clearly show the intruders entering the premises and raise the alarm if they are fitted with motion detection appliances. You can also opt to use the round-the-clock surveillance from a professional security firm.

Strict permissions for the cloud

Nowadays, many companies are storing their transaction data and all other company’s related information on the cloud. That’s why there is a need to lock down the cloud-based data to ensure that no unauthorized access can access the data. Unfortunately, human error is one of the main ways cloud data has been exposed in the past through misconfigurations.

Many clients’ information gets exposed through it, and it can later be used for criminal activities. To prevent such issues from happening to your company, there is a need to adopt better security measures that grant read/write permissions to only specified personnel.

Source: TG Daily – Keeping Your Company Assets Secure Through Robust Security Measures

Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, on set of the Western indie Rust on Thursday.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, which occurred during the filming of a scene.

A source says there were two misfires on the prop gun and one the previous week.

The film’s camera crew walked off the set in protest of their working conditions before the accident, according to reports.

Actor Jensen Ackles, who stars in the film alongside Baldwin, addressed gun preparation on set just days before the tragedy last weekend.

Opinion | The unusual legal circumstances surrounding Alec Baldwin’s firing of a prop gun

Alec Baldwin fires prop gun, killing Halyna Hutchins on ‘Rust’ move set. But who’s responsible?

Continue reading on NBC News

Alec Baldwin was told firearm was unloaded, search warrant says: report

An assistant director on the New Mexico movie set of the movie “Rust” was unaware that a gun being handed to actor Alec Baldwin on Thursday contained live rounds, a search warrant filed in a Santa Fe court said, according to reports.

Continue reading on MSN

‘He’s supposed to check guns, he’s responsible’: Panicked 911 calls

Audio recordings from the 911 calls made from the set of Rust have shown panicked attempts to get ambulances on the scene. A cinematographer was killed and the film’s director injured.

Continue reading on Mail Online

Source: TG Daily – Alec Baldwin Fired a Prop Gun on Movie Set Killing Crew Member

Climate Change is a critical problem for the world. At a recent conference for The World Talent Economic Forum, we highlighted that fighting Climate Change requires a global effort.  These efforts must also address inequality so that solutions don’t unfairly hurt emerging countries while benefitting rich nations.  To address this joint issue, Cisco is partnering with COP26, the UN-backed Global Climate Conference occurring in Glasgow beginning on October 31st.  

Given the pandemic increases the risks, particularly for most older politicians likely to attend this event, Cisco’s technology will be critical to providing safe forums for discussion and secure debating and voting tools at the event.  These technologies will be critical to any progress in creating inclusive solutions or mitigation policies that can result in meaningful worldwide change.  

Let’s talk about how Cisco is uniquely enabling one of the most powerful debates on climate change on a global level ever to occur.

The need for safe collaboration

When debating a highly controversial and economically divisive topic like climate change, particularly during a pandemic, a great deal of care has to be taken to secure communications tools so activists and agencies that stand against the majority can’t corrupt the process.  Regardless of their negative impacts on climate change, many existing petrochemical companies and countries tied tightly to this market want to limit or eliminate any progress that would adversely impact their revenues.  

In addition, activists who believe the process is inherently corrupt or want to bring attention to their unique view of this problem are motivated to break in very high authentication accuracy is critical to the success of the event and related technical solution  Finally, we live in a time when those who want to disrupt events like this for monetary gain or just visibility are at an all-time high. Some of these hostile entities, governments or large companies, have considerable resources they can call on to disrupt this effort.  

Therefore, the partner company(s) must have the scale to deal with over 25K active delegates at the event and secure it against aggressive attackers, some operating at a national level.  This dynamic requires a company that is trusted broadly by many attendees and has proved capability in line with the exposure so that the related risk is not unreasonable.  

Why Cisco is the ideal (only?) choice

Cisco’s CDA (Country Digital Acceleration) program is the only program of its type that focuses both on establishing trust at a national level and on prioritizing that trust over revenue.  This program has created an unmatched level of trust that extends internationally. Most of the related deployments have focused on communications between large government organizations needing an exceptional level of security and reliability.  

This combination has created not only an extraordinary level of trust between a large number of governments and Cisco but focused that trust on Cisco’s communications tools, making them uniquely both the most capable and least risky vendor to partner with for an event of this scale and type.  

Cisco’s Legislate for Webex is the version of the Webex platform that focuses on security hybrid discussions between government policymakers.  This unique government-focused solution assures those remote policymakers protecting their health are not disadvantaged and can participate equally with their on-premise peers.  Cisco partners ITGL and Davra were instrumental in helping modify Legislate for Webex to meet the unique needs of COP26.  

One of the issues with conferences like this is that the remote attendees can’t participate in ad-hoc discussions.  This lack of side conversations is a weakness in almost every solution.  But Legislate for Webex uniquely facilitates ad-hoc discussions with secured break-out Webex sessions. Live interpretation and closed captioning will also be available as required, ensuring everyone can participate in their language. “Cisco has developed the most inclusive platform for participants of meetings and events to interact, whether they are attending in-person or virtually,” explained Wendy Mars, Cisco’s President for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Russia, and that is not an overstatement of Webex’s state-of-the-art security combined with Legislate for Webex’s customizable design makes it the ideal platform to host COP26’s future-defining talks.

Other aspects of the solution include live moderation by “digital clerks” that focus on assuring inclusion across all members by using Slido to enhance the live interaction.  While Cisco is providing state-of-the-art video hardware for this event, in the spirit of sustainability, this hardware will be repurposed to eliminate any related technology waste after the event concludes.  

Wrapping up:

There is a critical need for the world to step up and counter climate change while mitigating its effects locally.  For the world to step up, there must be collaboration. Of the available vendors, Cisco was chosen because it has done, through its CDA program, the most work establishing a worldwide foundation of rust critical to this effort. Fran Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer leads the CDA program and this team has proved itself uniquely suited and ideally positioned to help with this critical worldwide effort at COP26. 

Source: TG Daily – Cisco Partners with COP 26 To Counter Climate Change