Cyber Security ⯀  

It's common to hear about a new cyber attack taking place. Data breaches are incredibly common these days and can impact very nearly any company. Ironically, small business owners seem to think they are immune to this ever present threat. 

In 2015, more than half of all small businesses didn't have a threat to prevent cyber attacks.

Small Business Risks

Large companies, like Amazon or Walmart, spend millions on cyber security every year. They have dedicated staff and managed detection and response services to combat threats. If a threat is detected, it can be quickly identified and addressed, reducing risks.

Small businesses are at a much greater risk. Their information is easier to access and they simply don't have the funds to track down the cyber criminals responsible. Ask yourself this question; If you were a hacker, which attack would be more likely to succeed?
Small Businesses are Vulnerable

Small businesses are increasingly at risk of an attack. In 2015, 43 percent of cyber attacks were targeted at small businesses with less than 250 employees. Why is this happening? Let's take a look at five of the major risk factors for small businesses.

The Element of Surprise

According to Phil Goldstein of BizTech, the Ponemon Institute state that 58 percent of small businesses don't consider cyber attacks a threat. This creates gaping holes in cyber security, making it easy to breach their defenses.

No Policies in Place

Large companies often have extensive policies is place, while only 36 percent of small businesses have any data security policy. This means that small businesses are woefully unprepared in the event of a cyber attack or data breach.

Phishing Schemes Work Better

Employees of small businesses are not trained to identify phishing schemes. Phishing attacks usually occur via email or other software programs and are disguised to look official. They try to trick employees into releasing sensitive information, which is then used for nefarious purposes. Employees of small businesses simply don't recognize or report the attack due to their lack of awareness.

Ransomware is on the Rise

Earlier this year, ransomware such as WannaCry and NotPetya was used to attack companies and hold their information hostage. Once the ransom was paid, the information was released. However, those that didn't pay the ransom suffered from devastating data breaches. These major attacks shut down entire governments and put millions of people in danger. This trend is expected to continue and increase in the future.

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Small Businesses Go Out of Business After Attacks

Whereas large companies can afford the costs of a breach, most small businesses cannot. The average cost of recovery stands at $690,000. This causes nearly 60 percent of small businesses to fail within six months of a cyber attack.

What You Can Do

Since the cost of recovery often exceeds what a small business can withstand, it is vitally important to be prepared. Preventing an attack in the first place should be a priority. The following tips will help your company survive potential attacks.

Create a Cyber Security Policy

Policies let employees know exactly what do and who to report to if they suspect a phishing scheme or cyber attack. These policies are in place to minimize the damage of an attack and stop it quickly.

Train Employees

Employees who undergo training, especially in phishing attacks, will be aware of the threat. If an employee is not aware of a threat, they can't recognize it.

Don't Rely on Software

Software is a valuable tool, but it is important to have live monitoring and detection to respond quickly to threats and prevent damage.

Small businesses are at a much greater risk than many believe. It is important for a small business to actively prevent an attack for the company to succeed.

By  Mark Palmer	Embed
Author Bio - Mark Palmer is a small business expert and has a passion for helping entrepreneurs make the most out of their company. As a freelance writer, Mark hopes to influence others so they can have a positive business experience.

Internet ⯀  

There a lot of things that have changed the face of the business world over the years but few have had a bigger or more permanent impact than the internet. It's hardly a surprise that the internet has caused such a fundamental shift in the way in which many businesses function, there isn't really a single part of life that hasn't been changed in some way by the internet so there's no reason why business should be an exception.

The vast majority of these changes have, of course, been positive. Businesses are now able to grow with much more ease, reaching markets that were never accessible before, connecting with employees no matter where they are, and increasing the efficiency of many businesses tenfold. However, while there are many positive aspects to the internet, there are also some unique risks that come with it. In order to help you avoid these dangers, here are some things that you can do to keep your business secure in the internet age.

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Anti-fraud methods

Fraud has always been an issue for many businesses, but the anonymity of the internet means that it's now easier than ever for opportunistic criminals to take advantage of lax security measures. Because of this, you need to make sure that you're thinking very carefully about how to prevent fraud. Not only that but you should think about friendly fraud as well. Friendly fraud is when the fraud being committed is not against you but against your customer. While it might be tempting to turn the other way when it comes to that kind of thing, customers will feel much more connected to your business if you help to protect them as well as yourself. Companies like Netverify offer fantastic services to protect against fraud. Things like facial recognition might sound like they're straight out of science fiction, but they can be incredibly valuable tools for you and your business.

Digital security

For a very long time, if you wanted to keep your business secure all you needed was a thick chain and a large padlock. However, the internet age, things have become significantly more complicated. If you're not thinking about digital security as well, then you're going to end up leaving your business incredibly vulnerable to attack. You need to make sure that you are not only using antivirus and firewall software but that you're keeping them constantly updated. Cyber criminals work tirelessly to try and break through these kinds of defenses so keeping them up to date is the best way to prevent that from happening.

A workplace culture of safety

In the end, you can have all of the right security methods in place, but if you can't trust your employees to implement them properly, then it's all going to be as good as useless. You need to create a workplace culture that values security and safety in your business as much as it values productivity and efficiency. This isn't always easy to do, but it's a lot less complicated than a lot of people assume. The best way to do it is simply to lead by example. Make sure that your employees always know what their responsibilities are and show them that you're following those same responsibilities as well. Being able to see you practicing what you preach allows your employees to see just how important it is to be safe and secure in everything that they do while at work.

Protected data

Image source

The shift from physical to digital storage has been something of a godsend for many businesses. It's now easier to store information than ever before as well as much more convenient for anyone to access it. However, there's also the issue that your data is a lot more vulnerable than it was before. It's not just a matter of cyber criminals trying to access your data, but keeping such a large amount of data on a dedicated server means that if that server fails, your business could find itself grinding to a complete and total stop. Things like cloud storage are a fantastic option because your data is still just as easy to access, but it's a great deal more safe and secure than keeping it all on a single server.

While many of these methods use techniques that would have been practically unheard of even a decade ago, it's important to remember that they are very much based on the same fundamental ideas as all security measures. The need for constant vigilance, the right equipment, and a commitment to security from all of your employees are far from being new concepts. Make sure that you don't forget those security fundamentals, even when you're trying to defend against some extremely modern threats.

By  33rd Square	Embed

Cyber Security ⯀  

From backing files to encouraging the culture of caution, there are different ways in which SMEs can protect themselves against hacking threats. Unlike most of the large corporation, small businesses usually operate without dedicated IT professionals, and this makes them an easy target for cyber attack.

Here are some of the key aspects that small businesses need to consider if they want to prevent cyber attack.

Set up and pay attention to alerts

Most banks credit cards have got alerts that can be set and later reverted inform of text when a transaction exceeds the required limit. You can also set email alerts on your credit card so as to get notifications when the balance it hits a certain limit. It's ironic that some business owners receive notifications on social media, news and sports scores but would hardly spare time for important transactions.

The anti-theft service

Some small businesses hate the idea of anti-theft companies because they believe that they are out to manipulate customers' sentiment which encourages the customers to sign up for their services. However, it only takes a single violation to demonstrate the effectiveness of such companies.

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Secure password combination

It's important for businesses to have both a unique and strong password combinations for each of their accounts. To achieve a strong combination, the enterprise should consider a standard password theme or algorithm that makes it easier for them to remember their complicated passwords quickly. Also, all the financial apps need to have facial recognition and fingerprint features, and it's important that you take the time to set them up.

Never ignore threats

The cyber threat attack is a common phenomenon even on bigger co operations. While it might be easier to conclude that large companies are a primary target for an attack; smaller businesses are still at risk of an attack just like their larger counterparts. Additionally, most of the small and medium sized companies don't adequately protect themselves, and this is cause for alarm.

Get your vendors and employees on board

Most of the security related incidences are as a result of employee behavior. This is the main reason why your employees should be well trained and be aware of the company's' cyber security. Additionally, the existing security policies should be stated within and thought the business. Also, your business partners, as well as vendors, should be vetted and they are to uphold a strict internet security protocol. In fact, not all the vendors might be willing to comply but showing your willingness to make cyber protection a priority will live up to its importance.

Consider insurance

If your business undertakes large financial transaction online, communicates electronically or stores sensitive information, it's important to discuss with your insurance company the potential loss that might occur as a result of a major data breach in your business. Enterprise data loss prevention is paramount for small business and should be a standard liability just like companies vehicle insurance.

Check banking activities frequently

It's important to ensure that your business can consolidate all the banking activities as part of public key infrastructure, which can either be personal or business related. This, in turn, makes it easier to check transactions daily or every few days when you have time. Taking advantage of services such as quicken and mint can aid in monitoring transactions across all your accounts. What's more, such services come with mobile applications that you can use on the go.

Avoid public Wi-Fi

One of the easiest avenues that hackers use to get sensitive business information is unsecured public Wi-Fi. That said, it's important that all businesses that require logins and password authentication to carry out their transactions on secure networks. Other than the public Wi-Fi, you could consider mobile phone data networks as an alternative.

By  Mark Palmer	Embed
Author Bio - Mark Palmer is a small business expert and has a passion for helping entrepreneurs make the most out of their company. As a freelance writer, Mark hopes to influence others so they can have a positive business experience.

3D Scanning  

The bust of Queen Nefertiti, an Egyptian artwork famously residing in Berlin has been secretly 3D scanned and the data released online as a torrent, providing completely free access under public domain to the an object in the museum’s collection that is currently off-limits to photographers. Now, anyone can download even create 3D prints of the piece.

In what they are calling an 'artistic intervention,' two German artists Nora Al-Badri and Jan Nikolai Nelles 3D scanned the head of the Neues Museum Berlin's famous Nefertiti without permission of the Museum and then released the 3D data under a Creative Commons Licence.

The original bust is a 3,300-year-old painted stucco-coated limestone sculpture of Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. The piece is believed to have been crafted in 1345 BC by the sculptor Thutmose, because it was found in his workshop in Amarna, Egypt. It is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt.

Partly because of the piece, Nefertiti has become one of the most famous women of the ancient world, and a symbol of feminine beauty.

A German archaeological team led by Ludwig Borchardt discovered the Nefertiti bust in 1912 in Thutmose's workshop. It has been kept at various locations in Germany since its discovery, including the cellar of a bank, a salt mine in Merkers-Kieselbach, the Dahlem museum, the Egyptian Museum in Charlottenburg and the Altes Museum. It is currently on display at the Neues Museum in Berlin, where it was originally displayed before World War II.

The Nefertiti bust has been the subject of an intense argument between Egypt and Germany over Egyptian demands for its repatriation.

"From today on everybody around the world can access, study, print or remix a 3D dataset of Nefertiti's head in high resolution. This data is accessible under a public domain without any charge," claim the artists on the Nefertiti Hack website.

"With the data leak as a part of this counter narrative we want to activate the artefact, to inspire a critical re-assessment of today’s conditions and to overcome the colonial notion of possession."

The artists themselves used the 3D data to create a 3D printed, one-to-one polymer resin model they claim is the most precise replica of the bust ever made, and are permanently displaying it in the American University of Cairo.  The project called "The Other Nefertiti" serves as a stand-in for the original artwork.

The artists' 3D Print exhibited in Cairo is the most precise scan ever made public of the original head of Nefertiti. The artists' intention is to make cultural objects publicly accessible. The Neues Museum in Berlin until today does not allow any access to the head of Nefertiti nor to the data from their scan. “With the data leak as a part of this counter narrative we want to activate the artefact, to inspire a critical re-assessment of today’s conditions and to overcome the colonial notion of possession in Germany” the two artists say.

Al-Badri and Nelles leaked the information at Europe’s largest hacker conference, the annual Chaos Communication Congress. Within 24 hours, at least 1,000 people had already downloaded the torrent from the original seed, and many of them became seeders as well.

Since then, the pair has also received requests from Egyptian universities asking to use the information for academic purposes and even businesses wondering if they may use it to create souvenirs.

Nora Al-Badri and Jan Nikolai Nelles with the 3D bust in Cairo

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“The head of Nefertiti represents all the other millions of stolen and looted artifacts all over the world currently happening, for example, in Syria, Iraq, and in Egypt,” Al-Badri said. “Archaeological artifacts as a cultural memory originate for the most part from the Global South; however, a vast number of important objects can be found in Western museums and private collections. We should face the fact that the colonial structures continue to exist today and still produce their inherent symbolic struggles.”

The artists hope their actions will place pressure on not only the Neues Museum but on all museums to repatriate objects to the communities and nations from which they came. Rather than viewing such an idea as radical, they see it as pragmatic, as a logical update to cultural institutions in the digital era: especially given the technological possibilities of today, the pair believes museums who repatriate artifacts could then show copies or digital representatives of them.

Many people have already created their own Nefertitis from the released data; the 3D statue in the American University in Cairo stands as such an example of Al-Badri and Nelles’s ideals for the future of museums, in addition to being one immediate solution that may arise from individual action.

With 3D scanners shrinking in size and price, they are already common apps and modifications to smartphones and other mobile devices. More and more museums around the world can expect their artefacts to be 'liberated' like the Nefertiti has been. Other institutions are already embracing sharing such data. Should they all?

SOURCE  Hyperallergic

By 33rd Square

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Cyber Security  

Summary There are ways to be safe with your money online, despite much of what we hear in the media about hackers and cyber crime.

Many individuals choose not to conduct their financial business online, largely because of the perils inherent in conducting said business on the World Wide Web. It is commonplace to hear news about hackers compromising different systems or institutions; this makes the average individual wary, even if no identifiable information was stolen.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and protect personal finance information on the internet. This article will share some ways in which to do such.

Use Different Passwords and Change Them Frequently

It cannot be emphasized enough how important is for an individual to use different passwords on different financial sites. According to an April 2014 survey from Harris Poll, 25% of American internet users who have password-protected accounts use no more than three passwords in total. This is despite the fact that 56% of Americans have more than ten accounts requiring a password. It is imperative to use complex passwords-- at least eight characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols-- on financial account sites.

But, you may ask: how will I remember a bunch of different passwords? One solution is to use a password manager such as Dashlane. Another strategy is to use the first letters of words in a sentence that holds significance to you-- i.e "Bob went to the market to fetch eggs," would formulate "Bwttmtfe." (From here, you can always substitute certain characters for others.) Experiment with different solutions.

Review Financial Statements

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In 2012, the Department of Justice (DOJ) found that existing account fraud was the most common type of identity theft, with over 15.3 million people affected, half of whom through their bank accounts. Victims of bank account fraud have been shown to be twice as affected as those who have been affected by credit card fraud.

Check your bank account statements on a regularly basis—daily, if possible. You will want to verify that every transaction posted is accurate. It is important to do this regularly because criminals will frequently "test" you by charging small transactions before racking up bigger fraudulent charges. You want to catch the fraud before it escalates.

Don't Do All Transactions Online

Check your bank account statements on a regularly basis—daily, if possible

If you're very concerned about security on the internet, one solution is to do only some transactions online. Physical checks can be used for some transactions; there are many places to order checks online.

Cash is also a solution in the sense that your personal information will never be associated with it. For the very concerned, crypto currencies such as Bitcoin, may be an option.

Subscribe to All Opt-In Notifications

Most credit cards and bank accounts offer alerts for when there is suspicious activity. Sometimes it'll be easy to opt-in, but other times it takes more effort-- you will have to look for said notifications.

Some options allow for one to be emailed when a card is charged without being physically present, while others allow for a notification every time a card is charged. Many individuals look at constant reminders and notifications as being a nuisance, but they are very helpful in preventing fraud.

Shred Physical Statements

Although you can opt to have digital statements, physical statements are still commonplace. When and if you do have a physical statement, shred it before you throw it out. People will find account numbers and confidential information if you make it accessible.

The World Wide Web era has brought many advances to the financial world, but it has also brought many more perils. It is much easier to access identifiable information should you not protect it, but measures can be taken to protect said info. It is all about being informed and smart, with which hopefully this article helped.

By Lizzie Weakley

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 Self Improvement  

There are many scientifically proven ways to improve your memory. Here a few hacks that can help you take your memory to the next level.

F

orgetfulness is usually a normal part of life, especially if you're getting older. The good news is that there are lots of scientifically proven ways to improve your memory and make remembering things come more easily. Take a look at the following tricky hacks to help you improve your memory day by day:

Do Crosswords and Play Brain Games

Using your brain for fun activities like crosswords and teasers can have a beneficial effect on your memory. Marcel Danesi, PhD, researcher and author of Extreme Brain Workout, theorizes that these types of activities keep synapses in the brain active, including those that are used to form new memories and recall information. Playing these kinds of games during your leisure time is an easy way to help give your brain a workout and your memory a boost, with only putting in a little time.

Want a challenge?  Try a map from Mike Bostock's algorithm

Use Your Words

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By saying things out loud, you help commit them to memory, according to Cynthia Green, Ph.D., president of Memory Arts LLC. So when you meet someone new, repeat their name throughout the conversation. If you're trying to remember where you parked, say the name of the streets or a landmark out loud. This simple exercise will help you commit things to memory early on, which is especially helpful if you are bad with names.

Eat Nutritiously

You've probably heard that fish is brain food—that's because it's chock full of omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts and avocado are also great sources of these brain boosting antioxidants. Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Memory Clinic, fruits and vegetables, especially berries, are also great for your memory. A study conducted by the University of Reading also touted the benefits of berries for improving recall. With the proper fuel, your mind and memory will feel much sharper throughout the day.

Invoke Your Senses

According to John M. Grohol, Psy.D., founder and CEO of Psych Central, using your senses when you're trying to remember something makes it easier to recall. For example, try chewing a certain type of gum when you're studying for a test, and the same gum when you actually take the test. To boost the sensory recall, wear the same perfume or a soft scarf.

Get on Your Feet

Research shows that regular exercise improves memory and prevents age related cognitive decline. Exercise enlarges the hippocampus, which is part of the brain responsible for memory recall. Regular exercise has countless benefits for both brain and body, so if your memory needs a little help, consider amping up your workout routine.

Really want to enlarge your hippocampus? Build yourself this hamster wheel standing desk.

By trying these five hacks, you may find that it's much easier for you to remember names, passwords, parking spaces, and all the other facts that seem like they slip through your fingers when you need them most.

SOURCE  The information for this article was provided by professionals who offer a bachelor degree in psychology for students who are interested in human behavior and brain function.

By Dixie Somers

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Author Bio - Dixie is a freelance writer who loves to write about business, finance and self improvemet. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.

In the video below a demonstration of NAO movement by using Kinect by NAO Developer Zecloud and Taylor Veltrop from Aldebaran Robotics at the Microsoft Tech Days, Paris on 7th February 2012.  Not quite as impressive as the cat grooming demo, but impressive nevertheless.