The cyber-attack landscape has changed drastically. Broad, scattershot attacks designed for mischief have been replaced with advanced persistent threats focused on acquiring valuable data from an organization. The cyber-criminal community has evolved from pranksters, lone wolves, and organized gangs to hacktivists, cyber criminal groups, and state-sponsored threat groups.It's a more dangerous world. 97 per cent of the organizations that FireEye has evaluated globally have been breached. India isn't an exception. FireEye recently revealed a decade-long cyber espionage campaign based in China targeting India and Southeast Asia. This attack group, called APT30, focused on targets in the public and private sector which hold key political, economic, and military information about the region. Its operations went undetected for a decade until we published the report, which doesn't speak highly of organizations' abilities to fend off targeted attacks.Today no progressive country including India can afford to not acknowledge the gravity of the situation. Both IP and national security are at risk. Intellectual property fuels modern economies. If a nation's businesses can't secure their IP, their customer and supplier details, or their other internal information, they become less competitive in the global economy. Equally important concern is national security while increasing bilateral relations with the neighbouring countries like China. Information held by businesses and governments can be very valuable to adversaries to gauge military readiness, capabilities, vulnerabilities, and more. India cannot afford the status quo.With the Prime Minister's vision for Digital India and Smart Cities in the years to come, we can anticipate increased avenues for attacks by the threat actors seeking sensitive government information and consumer data. From small sized businesses to large enterprises all kinds of organizations are susceptible to these data privacy intrusions.Traditional defense-in-depth security measures, such as next-generation firewalls, antivirus, web gateways, and even newer sandbox technologies only look for the first move. This doesn't cut it. Today's advanced cyber-attacks are created to evade traditional network security.Adopting A Proven ApproachThere is no easy solution to shore up our cyber security. To succeed, we must adopt a different approach across three areas.Technology is the first step. Coupling it with sophisticated technology and intelligence will go a long way in ensuring the companies are covered at the cyber security front. Proprietary virtual machine technology that can detect unknown threats, along with the intelligence and expertise needed to detect, prevent, analyze and respond to the threats of today and tomorrow should be the way that the companies should embark upon. Overall, it's not just about deploying a product but also providing resources to customers to help detect breaches. This proven approach has been adopted successfully by various organizations around the globe.But technology can't do it alone. Shared threat intelligence is one of the most important weapons in our arsenal. Unlike other countries where the public learns of breaches thanks to breach disclosure regulation, most Indian breaches stay below the radar. This not only leads to a false sense of security, it makes us less safe. Today when a threat group breaches one organization, they can take the credentials from one theft to break in elsewhere - because people often reuse passwords.Breach notification requirements would help the public take stock of the impact, and provide threat intelligence to help public and private sector organizations better defend against tactics which have been successful elsewhere.Finally, expertise is required. According to a study done by EC-Council, a global certification body for information security professionals, nearly 86% of student IT talent pool in India display no awareness of cyber security basics. What's more, traditional cyber security skills are no match for today's targeted attacks. FireEye finds that breaches go undetected for an average of 205 days, clearly attesting to the shortcomings of traditional approaches. This is why organizations all over the world are increasingly turning to outside firms like FireEye to manage their security as a service. While this makes use of a limited skilled labor pool, we still need more skilled cyber security professionals to help defend organizations from attacks.All too often, organisations approach cyber security reactively. In the face of escalating attacks, India can no longer afford this approach. It's time to step up our game plan to secure the future. The author, Ramsunder Papineni, is regional director (India and Saarc), FireEye
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"Data business is booming and the global data market that is available for data platforms to tap is a whopping $1.6 Trillion. Real companies make real products and real solutions based on data. Microsoft Data Strategy would be to maximise the value derived from all such accessible data. The strategy would be to go Cloud First with other things following. Microsoft data platform is evolved, reliable and people-focused and will be more productive and easily accessible to customers," T. K. Rengarajan, Corporate Vice President - Data Platform, Cloud and Enterprise, Microsoft Corporation, said, at the SQLServerGeeks Annual Summit 2015.The 3-day SQL and Data Conference being attended by hundreds of SQL professionals will run till the 29 August. Organised by SQLServerGeeks.com and sponsored by Microsoft, HP, SanDisk, Melissa Data and S&P Capital IQ.The summit is featuring SQL Star Speakers such as Denny Cherry, Benjamin Nevarez, Praveen Srivatsa, Alberto Ferrari, Joey D Antoni, Dave Dustin, Vic Parmar, Andreas Volter, Stuart Padley, Lara Rubbelke, Scott Klein, Microsoft SQL Data Platform among others. The Data Business at Microsoft manages 1.5 million databases and collects 70 TB of data daily. The key focus for the data platform would be to make data simpler and more capable. Till date SQL has been one of the greatest releases of Microsoft. At Microsoft we have assembled an incredible data platform and this is the beginning of another two decades of impressive data technology' he added.Amit R. S. Bansal, Chairman of the Conference & Director of eDominer Systems, said, “Today, Data is the key to an organisation’s success. With the right data, we can do wonders. Asia has a huge talent pool of data professionals. This summit, for the first time ever, has brought all SQL & Data professionals under one roof and will facilitate skills up-gradation and offer immense networking opportunity.”(BW Online Bureau)
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Sreeraman Thiagarajan of Publicis Beehive says being mobile first is not equal to app only, especially when the category is built on the pillar of discounts With 70 per cent out of the 50 million Flipkart customers buying from its app, they were all set to go ‘app only’ from September 2015; a move that Myntra, owned by Flipkart, did in May 2015. However an official announcement made in last week of August says they are stalling that idea and will be available on desktops for time being. They cited the reason as “We haven’t assessed how this will affect the sales of white goods and appliances” and also mentioned some of these sellers are not convinced about this move. Whether or not this is the only reason for putting the app only strategy on hold, there are many speculated guesses doing its rounds including, maybe they heard the sentiments of customers who, protested on social media to stop buying from Flipkart if they forced them to install the app by shutting down their website. One other opinion was that, Myntra going app only was a bad move and they want to avoid the same fate for Flipkart; and here’s the interesting one - they wanted to throw the competition off guard by misdirecting about the whole app only move!. India is poised to have over 250 million smartphone by 2016, surpassing the desktop penetration by a huge count. Does mobile first really mean app only? What must brands grappling with this dilemma do? A few thoughts Chasing the bell curve:At one end of the spectrum, there are about 16 per cent of people who are the first movers and early adopters who’d be comfortable living a digital life through the way of apps, if they are the 80 per cent of your customers, then go for it and disregard the desktop site. After all, the advent of app ecosystem gave birth to Tinder and WhatsApp of the world. Context of your business:App that doesn’t want to ask you obvious question like where you are located can’t do much in absence of their app on your phone. Location based services such as taxi hiring and food delivery depends a lot on your smartphone’s sensors to know where you are and then provide relevant & hyper-local service. In this case, websites are cost heavy for brands and poor user experience for customers.The context differs drastically for marketplace of services such as Timesaverz or Zimmber. When we have a leaky pipe and need a plumber to fix it, we tend to search online for a nearby service provider, at that instance, forcing us to install an app is a bad idea. A mobile friendly website can be the first point of discovery by customers. The reality of mobile realty:A ‘mega’ retail store means it’s got a thousands of square feet of real estate space on land – showrooms. On a mobile phone, the space is measured in pixels and brands can’t pay more to buy more of them! Since everyone gets the same space, this may look like a level playing field, but in reality, it hard for categories like white goods, large appliances and furniture to solely rely on mobile. This is the very reason Flipkart has cited for deferring their app only strategy. In India, if you buy a microwave oven, they send a technician home to give you a demo, with this level of tech savviness, it’s a long way to go for many categories to go solo on mobile and ditch the website completely.The debate of space is just doesn’t end at screen, the storage capacity of phones add another dimension of limitation for app only strategy. Beyond the obvious:For Flipkart, out of the 70 per cent sales from app, what percent was driven by ‘exclusive discounts when you buy from our app?’ I do not know the figure, but if you look deeper, we Indians are proud of saving money, so tomorrow if a brand gives additional discount for standing in the sun for ten minutes, a huge crowd will do it. Just look at any sale of Big Bazaar or even Zara’s sale at Phoenix mall and you’ll know what’s obvious about the 70 per cent traffic source of Flipkart. Stop saying app only is cost effective:Going app only lets brands save cost is a myth, a costly one in fact. Any brand in the e-tail or m-tail business first has to have the technology, data processing and all those algorithms in place, this is further adapted to fit a container called app. Even if the app is built ground up for each of the mobile OS, the heart of it remains the same. To run an e-commerce / m-commerce, the saving of any cost in form technology is pittance compared to the cost of logistics, return logistics and of course, the amount of discount thrown at customers to allure them dwarfs the cost of maintaining a website. ConclusionDon’t let the 800 pound gorilla starve you out, it can even afford to hibernate. What works for the market leader doesn’t do well for the followers. Being mobile first is not equal to app only, especially when the category is built on the pillar of discounts which has weakened brand loyalty towards sellers. (Views expressed in the article are the author's and do not reflect those of his agency / employer.)
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Reliance Communications (RCom) on Thursday (27 August) announced a partnership with global Internet of Things (IoT) platform leader Jasper to enable enterprises throughout India to launch, manage and monetise next-generation IoT businesses. This partnership pairs the capabilities of RCom's 11 data centre facilities and its Global Cloud Exchange platform with Jasper's global IoT services platform to enable enterprises to capitalise on IoT services, the company said in a statement. In collaboration with Reliance, the Jasper Control Centre platform will enable enterprises throughout India to deliver IoT services that create value for customers and unlock new and recurring sources of revenue for business.
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Videocon Mobile Phones has launched Z55 Dash smartphone. The Smartphone priced at Rs 8499, is exclusively available on Flipkart at Rs 6,490.Z55 Dash features a 5-Inch HD IPS Capacitive Touch Screen the stunning display features including 5-Point Multi Touch with Anti Fingerprint Coating and robust touch panel with Dragontrail X Glass to protect against scratches, damage, and eliminate the need of screenguard. On efficiency part, lucid Android KitKat 4.4.2 and 1GB RAM, 5MP front camera and Camera Lens made of Corning Glass with Dual Anti Reflective Coating to enhance picture quality..With huge 8GB internal storage, expandable upto 32GB, the device provides enough space for photos, most favourite apps, videos, songs and movies. Ensuring smooth user experience, the smartphone comes with sophisticated network and utilities including Dual SIM Support, 3G-network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, G-Sensor, Proximity Sensor and light Sensor. A powerful 2200mAh battery ensures long on-the-go connectivity thus eliminating the need for constant battery charges and worries of a dead phone. Videocon Mobiles is offering a 90 days free subscription of antivirus software, V-Secure and GPS-powered personal safety app, V-Safe with Z55 DASH.Jerold Pereira, CEO, Videocon Mobile Phones said, “Videocon Mobiles understands the pulse of new-age consumers hailing from metro as well as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. By manufacturing the handsets locally, Videocon Mobile Phones endeavours to offer affordability and stylishness to Indian consumers and bring in a unique and never before seen mobile experience in Indian mobile market.”(BW Online Bureau)
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Alcatel Onetouch has entered the tablet market in India with the launch of its flagship tablet – POP 8S, in a association with Flipkart for Rs 10,499.POP 8S comes with a compelling 1.2 GHz Quad Core processor, encased in a slim 7.9mm design featuring an 20.32 cm (8) screen with 1280 X 800 WXGA, IPS display. Weighing only 327 grams, the POP 8S runs Android 4.4 KitkatTM on a 1GB RAM with 8GB storage, expandable up to 64GB.The phone is super thin & light, 4G LTE, SIM enabled Voice Calling, 802.11 B/G/N, MIRACAST support, 8’’ IPS 1280 x 800 display, Quad-core 1.2GHz, 5 Mpxl rear camera, 3MP (By Software Interpolation). The phone is 7.9mm thin, 327 grams comes with Android 4.4 Kitkat version, 1 GB RAM and 8 GB ROM, Expendable Micro SD supported and 4060 mAh battery.Michael Chen, Marketing Director Alcatel Onetouch, said: “The phone POP 8S offers a great balance of features, performance and design and has been a very successful product in the global markets.”(BW Online Bureau)
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Symantec has secured more than one billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including everything from televisions and cars to smart meters and critical infrastructure. With IoT devices expected to number 25 billion by 2020, Symantec is leading the effort to protect consumers from hacks against their always-on, Internet connected devices.“As IoT innovation and adoption continues to grow, so has the opportunity for new cyber security risks. This is the next frontier. In the automotive industry, hackers can literally steer the car and ‘hit the brakes’ from their keyboards,” said Shankar Somasundaram, Senior Director of Internet of Things Security, Symantec. “Symantec is partnering with manufacturers in the automotive, industrial control, and semiconductor industries, in addition to our work in healthcare and retail markets.”Symantec expands security portfolio with new Embedded Critical Systems Protection, designed to defend IoT devices against zero-day attacks, and signs ATM manufacturer Wincor Nixdorf as one of the early adoptersTo further fuel innovation in IoT security, Symantec recently announced a partnership with Frost Data Capital to incubate early-stage startups with funding, resources and expertise. Frost Data Capital underpins the incubator with seasoned entrepreneurs, proven innovation methodology and process, and deep expertise in big data analytics, IoT, industrials and healthcare. These startup companies will have the opportunity to collaborate with Symantec to solve the most complex challenges shaping tomorrow’s threat landscape.
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An open, mobile platform environment and a cultural shift can help you deliver a seamless digital customer experience across every brand touchpoint, writes Priyadarshi MohapatraDigital and mobile technologies have fundamentally changed how everyone does business. Whether it's a Silicon Valley startup, a global manufacturing company or a local retail chain, thanks to the Internet and mobile devices, every company is becoming a technology company.The expectations of customers have fundamentally changed. Customers today expect to engage with vendors and retail brands seamlessly across a variety of touchpoints, including social media, mobile applications, websites, traditional telephone, and face-to-face, on their terms. They expect that every touchpoint will be fully functional, whereby they can search for products, scan reviews, get support, provide feedback, and complete their purchase regardless of where they are in the buying process.Few companies, however, have mastered the art of delivering this effortless and coherent customer experience across multiple channels. Indeed, a 2014 Economist Intelligence Unit survey shows that only about one-fifth of small-business leaders believe their company delivers a seamless omni-channel experience to their customers.A 2015 report from Aberdeen shows that 96 percent of companies struggle to make effective use of customer data in their engagements. Digital transformation is complex, requiring massive change in underlying technology and business processes, along with a shift in corporate culture."A lot of people define the digital transformation as being about technology alone," says Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research, a research and advisory firm focused on the transformative power of disruptive technology. "But what it is really about is the business model shift that allows you to change the way you engage with customers."Wang points to Uber as an excellent example. The peer-to-peer company changed the business model around ride services by integrating mobile apps, automated processes, and data analytics to more rapidly connect drivers with customers, track usage rates and align pricing with demand. "They didn't just add on a mobile tracker to schedule drivers more efficiently, they used a technology-enabled business model to disrupt the industry," he says.Of course, Uber had the benefit of starting fresh with no legacy systems, which gave them the opportunity to build an entirely cloud-based service leveraging customers' mobile devices as their storefront. For companies with millions of dollars invested in legacy systems and those with rigid business processes, the transformation is a lot more complicated.Open your mindsSo, what do established companies using older technologies do to adapt? A good first step would be to deploy an open, mobile platform as a cloud service to help orchestrate existing on-premises systems and extend their services into a mobile paradigm. One of the biggest challenges companies face in the digital transformation journey is that their data lives in multiple isolated systems that are not readily integrated. An open, mobile platform provides the freedom to develop orchestration across channels without worrying about integration issues, even if you are working with multiple vendors. As a result, data will become more easily accessible regardless of how it was collected and stored."The open-source model is the plumbing that enables the digital transformation," says Jim Zemlin, director of the Linux Foundation, a nonprofit consortium supporting Linux developers and users. "It allows people to get the benefit of integrated capability faster and to connect all of your data sets underneath." He encourages business leaders to look at modern computing architecture to determine how it can support the goal of transforming the business model and creating continuity across the user experience.Another key component of that transformation is the integration of mobility into the customer experience. Mobile access has become the most important digital connection customers make with a brand as more of them do their brand assessment, shopping, purchase, and reviews via mobile devices.According to a March 2014 Nielsen survey, more than 40 percent of consumers consider their mobile device to be the most important resource they have for making purchase decisions, with more than one-third of mobile shoppers turning to mobile exclusively.That trend is only going to increase, according to Goldman Sachs, which estimates that m-commerce sales (sales made entirely via mobile devices) will hit $626 billion by 2018-roughly equivalent to all sales made via computer in 2013. This should be a wake-up call for companies that have not yet invested the time or resources into building out their mobile customer experience. This includes apps that let customers engage with the brand, and mobile-enabled websites that make shopping a quick, easy, and branded experience. In addition, the customer experience becomes more contextual as companies can leverage information from the mobile device, such as securely identifying the customer and their location.No more silosIn addition to investing in technology and open, mobile platforms, business leaders also need to address the cultural obstacles that stand in the way of digital transformation, says Alan Fuller, director of Full Works, a London-based cloud consultancy. In most organizations, different departments "own" different customer touchpoints and the related data and are often unwilling to give up control. "Fuller suggests building a road map for your digital transformation that includes where you are today, where you want to go and how aggressively you want to pursue getting there. Then identify which transitions are the highest priority to the business and what technology and process changes are necessary to make that happen. "Customer relationship management and social media monitoring are the obvious places to start," he says, though he notes that every company is different.Regardless of the projects you choose, be sure you understand the goals and who is responsible for implementing them, then set performance measures for success-e.g., improving customer engagement scores, lowering costs or increasing sales. You have to be able to measure the impact of the transformation to know whether it worked.The author is managing director, India & SAARC at Avaya
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