OpenAI’s Sora is a new AI tool designed to expand the possibilities of artificial intelligence applications. As a product of OpenAI’s ongoing research and development, Sora aims to make advanced AI technologies more accessible to a broad range of users, including those in education, healthcare, and entertainment sectors.
Sora distinguishes itself with a focus on adaptability, learning from complex data to offer predictions and insights with high accuracy. It incorporates advanced machine learning algorithms, highlighting its capacity for continuous evolution and improvement.
Key to Sora’s development is an ethical framework that prioritizes privacy, security, and fairness, addressing some of the most pressing concerns in AI deployment today.
Overall, Sora represents OpenAI’s commitment to advancing AI in a responsible and user-friendly manner, offering a tool that combines innovative technology with a strong ethical foundation.
When it comes to ensuring the security of our homes and businesses, installing a burglar alarm is a crucial step. While there are various options available for DIY installation, opting for professional burglar alarm installation offers several distinct advantages. In this article, we will explore the benefits of choosing expert installation for your burglar alarm system.
Enhanced Security Features and Configurations
Professional burglar alarm installers have extensive knowledge and expertise in the field. They are well-versed in the latest security technologies and can recommend the most suitable burglar alarm system for your specific needs. By choosing professional installation, you gain access to advanced security features and configurations that may not be readily available with off-the-shelf DIY alarm systems.
Expert Advice and Customization
One significant advantage of professional installation is the expert advice and customization that comes with it. Professional installers have in-depth knowledge of security principles and can assess your property to identify any vulnerabilities or specific requirements. They can tailor the burglar alarm system to meet your unique needs, including zoning, sensors, and control panels, ensuring optimal protection.
Quality and Reliability
When it comes to the security of your property, quality and reliability are of utmost importance. Professional burglar alarm installers work only with reputable suppliers and manufacturers, ensuring that the system they install is of the highest quality. Additionally, they have the expertise to install the system correctly, minimising the risk of malfunctions or false alarms.
Certifications and Compliance
Professional burglar alarm installers are well-versed in local regulations and standards regarding alarm system installations. They ensure that the system they install meets all compliance requirements, including relevant British Standards and industry certifications. Choosing expert installation ensures that your burglar alarm system is installed in accordance with all applicable regulations, providing peace of mind and avoiding any potential legal issues.
Expertise in Wiring and Integration
Proper wiring is crucial for effective and reliable burglar alarm systems. Professional installers have the expertise to handle complex wiring and integration tasks. They can seamlessly integrate the alarm system with other security features, such as CCTV cameras or access control systems, providing a comprehensive security solution for your property.
Maintenance and Support
Choosing professional installation ensures that you have ongoing maintenance and support for your burglar alarm system. Professional installers offer regular maintenance services to ensure that the system remains in optimal working condition. If any issues arise, they have the expertise to identify and resolve them promptly. Additionally, they typically offer support services, including troubleshooting guidance and emergency response, further enhancing the security of your property.
Insurance Benefits
Many insurance providers offer discounts on premiums for properties with professionally installed burglar alarm systems. By choosing expert installation, you may be eligible for these insurance benefits, potentially reducing your insurance costs in the long run. Professional installers can provide the necessary documentation and certifications to support your insurance claims, ensuring a smooth process and maximising your savings.
The Bottom Line
Opting for professional burglar alarm installation offers numerous benefits for your home or business. From enhanced security features and customization to expert advice and ongoing support, professional installers are well-equipped to provide you with a reliable and effective burglar alarm system.
Additionally, complying with local regulations, integrating security features, and potentially lowering insurance costs are added advantages of choosing expert installation. When it comes to the security of your property, investing in professional installation is a decision that pays off in terms of peace of mind and comprehensive protection.
IoT, or the internet of things, has taken the world by storm. In 2018, the smart devices market value is estimated at a whopping $164 billion and will grow exponentially in the next few years.
Every discerning business owner might be wondering whether IoT is ideal for their business and what they stand to lose by not investing in it.
Well, here is all the information you need to decide whether to invest in IoT.
What Is the Internet of Things?
Simply put, IoT refers to all the devices that collect and transmit data over the internet. Also known as smart devices, these appliances help to make life more convenient for users.
For example, IoT devices include smart fridges that regulate temperature independently and smartwatches that double as health devices.
What Are the IoT Advantages for Business Owners?
IoT use is highly prominent in the personal sphere. However, the past few years have seen increased use of this technology in the corporate and manufacturing world. Some of the benefits that organisations enjoy by employing this technology include:
Lower Operational Costs
Smart devices can help businesses save a lot on their utilities. An innovative HVAC system, for instance, maintains a building’s temperature to a suitable degree. This minimises unnecessary heating or cooling that often leads to energy wastage. Over time, you will end up saving a substantial amount of money.
Additionally, you can use IoT devices to reduce your labour costs. For instance, voice assistants can competently accomplish most tasks that assistants do, like organising your calendars, connecting with customers on live chat video software and reminding you of when projects are due.
Offers More Convenience
IoT devices make life much easier for everyone at the office. Take a smart printer, for example. Rather than deal with disgruntled employees inconvenienced by a lack of ink in the printer, you can have smart printers that detect ink levels and inform you when you are running low.
Some devices even pinpoint issues as they arise, thus giving you ample time to rectify them. This can save your company a lot of inconvenience and worry.
Smart locks are yet another IoT device that offers incredible convenience. With them, you don’t need to carry keys around all day. Additionally, since you can use an app to open the door, it is easier to access buildings when you are in a hurry.
Improve Your Competitiveness
There is no denying that the IoT is the future of business. Therefore, a company that fails to take advantage of this new technology will lose its competitive edge in the coming decade.
For instance, in the manufacturing field, IoT for automation can tremendously improve a company’s efficiency. The more efficient an organisation is, the better it will be at handling its customer’s needs. This enables it to retain its current customers and attract new ones.
IoT Concerns
Granted, IoT has its fair share of concerns. However, the most prominent one is the security risk the devices pose due to their susceptibility to hackers.
By and large, the pros of using IoT in your company far outweigh the cons. However, before you decide to invest in it, ensure that it will help you meet your company goals. If it will, do not hesitate to incorporate it into your entity.
The start of the pandemic has seen a sudden surge in home-based work and, almost simultaneously, a sharp increase in cybersecurity attacks. For businesses of all sizes, cyber incidents became a top concern around the world. Experts estimate that the worldwide cost of cybercrime will rise to $6 trillion by the end of 2021. It goes with saying: the pandemic has caused major disruption in the workplace and the security around the workplace.
Additionally, hackers have seized the unique opportunity to create pandemic-related scams, capitalising on pandemic anxiety and fear. Some hackers targeted stolen information from individuals and companies by creating a global map of COVID-19 cases with malware embedded inside it. Others targeted work-from-home individuals with brutal cyberattacks and phishing content, gaining protection to confidential files, work and home networks. Yet, as cybercriminals doubled their efforts, businesses and their teams rapidly learned to identify vulnerabilities and suspicious content. But cyber vulnerabilities can come in different shapes, some of which may be unexpected. Here are the most surprising things that can put remote workers’ data at risk.
An unsafe backpack
Do remote workers still work from home? Recent surveys reveal that people are looking for new work environments, such as co-working spaces and their local coffee shops. Thankfully, many employees are familiar with the dangers of public connections. Therefore, many have been adding a VPN to their work routine. However, what they have not considered is the role their laptop bag plays. Indeed, a secure backpack makes it difficult for thieves on public transport to gain advantage of the crowd. Theft-proof backwards design means that nobody can access the content of the bag when you’re carrying it. Laptops, smartphones and other personal devices are unlikely to end in the wrong hand.
Not using tech support to its full extend
We get it. Sometimes, you accidentally press the wrong button or pick the wrong option, and things can go out of control. This is especially frequent when downloading important documentation or using new tools without proper understanding. More people don’t realise that IT supportprofessionals can help read between the lines and keep your data protected. Ultimately, the biggest vulnerability for your laptop is not the network or the digital solution; it’s the user. We are prone to make mistakes, so it’s helpful to gain tech guidance when needed.
Long working hours
Working remotely tends to increase the average working day by up to two hours. The pandemic has boosted the UK’s reputation for being the “unpaid overtime capital of Europe” to new records. Unfortunately, working longer hours is no productivity miracle. It’s the opposite. The long-hours culture affects productivity, concentration and creativity, making overworked employees more likely to make mistakes. Phishing emails and scams can become believable communication when you’re too tired to think clearly.
An unexpected compliment
Working from home can be tiring and stressful. Many employees agree that they’re having frustrating days when they feel that nobody is noticing their efforts. When you are isolated from your team, you could be more vulnerable to flattery. A scammer who pays a compliment, either on the phone or via email, is more likely to gain someone’s trust.
Tackling cybersecurity threats further in a post-pandemic environment requires a deep understanding of human psychology. Criminals act when they see an opportunity, which means it’s essential for business and professionals to maintain a strong approach to their work routine.
You’ve got a business, and you’ve got plenty of customers milling in and out of it every day you’re open and operating. Even when you’re closed, you’ve got an ecommerce website that allows people to order what they want from you whenever they want, allowing you to ship out products or services as soon as you’re next able to. It’s a great element to have to your business, and increases your exposure, outreach, and potential sales from these by tenfold.
But that means you’ve got a lot of data to keep track of at the same time. And this data is very important, so you need to keep it safe. So here’s just a couple of details to remember about storing customer data, in the safe and right ways.
Always Give Customers an Option
Whenever a customer comes through your ecommerce site, give them plenty of choice over how their details are used. Let them know how their information will be used whilst they’re on the site. Let your customers know they have the option to store their credit or debit details when they use your site, and that they also have the option for the system to forget all about their card. After all, it’s completely up to the person shopping with you whether or not you have their details on file, and you shouldn’t want it any other way.
Move On From Physical Storage
If you’re using physical storage to keep a track of your customer details, you might be missing a trick here. Not only do things like hard drives, USB sticks, and filing cabinets all have a maximum capacity to them, but they’re also quite hard to sort through. Flash drives alone have a huge risk to them, in that the data stored on them can be lost at any moment, and pieces are chipped away every time you log one in and out of your computer. And then you’ll have to look up a guide like https://setapp.com/how-to/usb-data-recovery.
So use cloud storage, or server based storage, instead. There’s a lot more room for expansion, and you can invest in private storage that only you have access to. End to end encryption, as well as the ability to search for the right files in seconds – it’s a real upgrade to have a look into at least.
Keep Outside Connections to a Minimum
If you’re looking to stay safe and secure in the modern day and age, you need to be sure as few people as possible have access to your company files. Especially the customer details you have stored for ease of access on both sides of the screen. So make sure only a select few people have the passwords or keys to the storage, and make sure only secured WIFIs have access.
Customer data is a priority. Security is a big part of maintaining business longevity, so it needs to be something you prioritise in your quest to take your company higher.
We are living in an increasingly technological age and there are all sorts of different gadgets that you have probably already considered incorporating into your business. But for now, let’s focus on surveillance gadgets! Sure, Orwell might have foretold that we’d end up living in an age where “Big Brother” is always watching – but surveillance gadgets have proven indispensable for small business owners time and time again. Here are a couple you might like to consider investing in.
CCTV
Top of the list when it comes to surveillance gadgets, of course, is CCTV. CCTV stands for “closed circuit television” and is a form of surveillance camera system that has become commonly used by small business owners, large business owners, and even domestic households alike. Now, CCTV can be used in a very obvious way. It can be placed outside of your commercial property to prevent would-be vandals from defacing your store front, smashing glass, or causing other damage to your commercial property’s exteriors. It can also be placed inside your commercial property, reducing theft (people have been found much less likely to steal when they feel they are being recorded) and general shoplifting. But CCTV can have other benefits too! Studies have determined that many business owners, unfortunately, lose profit from staff theft. So, you could place CCTV in important areas such as stock rooms or overlooking cash registers too. This, again, deters crime, but can also be used as evidence if you find yourself in the sad situation of having to prove a staff member’s guilt. Finally, CCTV can be used to draw up footage if there is ever any incident in your commercial premises. If someone is hurt, the footage can determine whether it was an accident or whether someone was at fault. This could come in extremely useful during court cases. If this interests you, you can find facts about security cameras here.
Voice Recorders
Of course, you can’t just record people without their permission. You really will have to have consent to record conversations that you hold with anyone. But voice recorders can come in extremely useful when you are conducting important meetings with members of staff. Employees, of course, have rights, and it’s extremely important that you meet requirements when dealing with them. But it also serves well to have a recorded copy of important issues that have been discussed in meetings with HR. These can include one to one meetings where progression is noted and targets are set out, meetings where concerning behaviour is brought up, or any other formal discussion that you might need to refer back to at a later date. Just make sure any recordings are stored confidentially.
These are just two different surveillance gadgets that you might want to consider when it comes to running a small business successfully. Having footage of particular scenarios can serve you well in the long run! So, don’t hesitate to look further into these options that you have and invest where you need to!
Following on from the ongoing Facebook / Cambridge Analytica scandal, I was invited to be a guest on James Hazell’s show on BBC Radio Suffolk. We talked in depth about how social networks and apps are using our data.
Please listen in by clicking the ‘play’ button above. Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe, Comment and Share.
Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation – USB Memory Stick deletion scene – image credit: Paramount Pictures
If you watch Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, you will find a scene near the end of the movie where Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) hands a USB drive to her ‘handler’ Atlee (Simon McBurney), he then proceeds to surreptitiously erase the contents of the USB stick using an combination of distraction, slight of hand, a Nokia 930 smartphone and a copy of the Financial Times. Thus Faust is oblivious to the smoke and mirrors that has just taken place and continues on with her mission (should she choose to accept it!).
All of the above just seemed completely unnecessary and it was with this still in mind that I began testing and reviewing the Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z, a storage device which not only hardware encrypts your data but also includes a self destruct option for those most inconvenient moments when your only option is to completely destroy the data!
The majority of disk encryption is at software level which means that you can access the information, but it is in effect ‘scrambled’ using a password or code. Try enough times using either brute force or dictionary attempts and you may just crack the key and thus give yourself access to the information.
Additional technology is simply not required to secure your data with the Aegis Secure Key 3z
The Secure Key 3z uses a hardware based encryption, namely 256-bit AES XTS. AES is an acronym for “Advanced Encryption Standard”, originally invented in 2001 as the “Rijndael Cypher” after it’s creators Daemen and Rijmen. AES is a widely used encryption standard able to be resilient against attacks. It is in fact so highly respected, it has become to ‘go to’ encryption method for security agencies, banks and governments to trust it with their highly sensitive information and state secrets. The 3z uses 256 bit encryption, which gives a hundred thousand billion billion billion billion billion billion billion billion combinations of keys. With the further addition of the XTS cypher, it renders data stored on the device effectively impossible to access or decrypt.
Out of the box, the Secure Key measures in at 81mm x 18.4mm x 9.5mm and weight 22 grams and has an internal rechargeable battery. Once unpacked, you will need to set up your Admin pin number straightaway as there is no pre-programmed key. This must be between 7 and 16 digits, you cannot set consecutive numbers or numbers which are all the same, this pin is users to set up the Secure Key allows to to manage other features, but more of that later.
As soon a you’ve added your admin user, you can then (if you like) add a standard user. You would use this feature if you were going to manage the Secure Key and were going to issue it to another person to use. Again, this is a fairly straightforward and covered in the ‘quick start guide’.
In its locked state, the Secure Key is is not recognised when plugged into a PC, Mac or mobile device
Whilst locked, the USB is effectively useless, plug it into a computer’s USB port and you will find the computer won’t even recognise the device as it is hardware disabled, in other words it’s switched off. This is indicated by a ‘red’ led illuminating on the device. To unlock the device, you press the green padlock key and then enter either the user or admin pin number and press the green padlock again. The red LED will switch off and the green LED starts flashing, this indicates that device is unlocked and ready for use, it is simply a matter of plugging it in to a spare USB port.
The Aegis Secure Key’s FIPS 140-2 validation covers 11 areas of its cryptographic security system, including physical security, cryptographic key management and design integrity.
The key itself is USB3.1 but is backwardly compatible to v3, v2 and v1.1. This gives it a surprising turn of speed of to 190MB/s read and 80MB/s write.
OK, so the key performs really nicely and had government grade encryption, what happens if I lose the key and it gets into the hands of an enemy?
Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z
First off, the key is encased in a IP58 Dust and Water Resistant tough metal shell with polymer coated wear resistant keys. Inside the electronic components are protected by a filling of hard epoxy resin, making a physical attempt to access the electronics virtually impossible without causing catastrophic damage.
PIN entry ‘brute force’ protection means that if you enter the code number incorrectly more than 3 times, the space between entry of subsequent pins slows down, if the incorrect entry of keys hits 10, the red light on the key will start flashing rapidly, at this point you have 10 more attempts left, if you fail to enter a correct pin within these last attempts, the key will consider itself as under attack and will delete it’s data as a precaution.
Should you be left in the position of Faust and Atlee in Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation, there is in fact a better option for destroying the data on the card (or in fact having a third party do it for you). Yes, the Secure Key supports the entry of a ‘self destruct key‘, a key which is designed to delete all data on the key and reformat the device, this key is then assumed as the standard key for the device and it will behave as a brand new drive.
It was quite fiddly to set up, but I was successful in testing the ‘Self Destruct’ mode, it worked as documented and didn’t give me any indication that it was taking place.
Apricorn have made a very solid product with the Secure Key 3z, it looks and feels the part, it worked very well and the security features were exceptional.
I loved the fact that a company is working SO hard to make the theft of data so difficult. In times of cross border data theft, the counter-measures employed by the Secure Key 3z are both impressive and comforting.
Matt Porter
The Gadget Man
Starting at £74 for the 8GB to £228 for 128GB models, the USB Storage Key is reassuringly priced for the corporate market.
There’s been quite a lot of coverage in the UK media overnight regarding the supposed ability for Samsung Smart TV’s to listen in to our private conversations. It all makes great headlines I guess, but after being prompted to comment on BBC Radio Suffolk about the story, we decided to look into the matter a bit more closely.
The story was originally brought to the media’s attention after publication on the online news site The Daily Beast (view) which highlights a particular portion of the Smart TV Privacy Policy (view). The specific section states (important bit in bold):
Voice Recognition
You can control your SmartTV, and use many of its features, with voice commands.
If you enable Voice Recognition, you can interact with your Smart TV using your voice. To provide you the Voice Recognition feature, some voice commands may be transmitted (along with information about your device, including device identifiers) to a third-party service that converts speech to text or to the extent necessary to provide the Voice Recognition features to you. In addition, Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features. Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition.
If you do not enable Voice Recognition, you will not be able to use interactive voice recognition features, although you may be able to control your TV using certain predefined voice commands. While Samsung will not collect your spoken word, Samsung may still collect associated texts and other usage data so that we can evaluate the performance of the feature and improve it.
You may disable Voice Recognition data collection at any time by visiting the “settings” menu. However, this may prevent you from using all of the Voice Recognition features.
Again, we looked into the technology behind the TV and found the that these specific Smart TV’s work in two modes of operations
1) The viewer can operate basic features of the TV by saying ‘Hi TV’ out loud. The TV wakes up and can be told to “Change Channel”, “Volume Up” etc. These commands are very basic and no online communication takes place at all.
2) This mode of operation can only be triggered by depressing the ‘Mic’ button on the remote control. whilst depressed, the view can ask natural language questions such as ‘What shall I watch tonight?’. It is at this point that your words are being recorded, when you finish talking those words are transmitted securely to third party natural language translation company Nuance (You might have heard of Nuance as they make the very popular dictation software Dragon Naturally Speaking). Upon arrival at Nuance’s servers, the spoken phrase in converted to text, the recording discarded and the text returned back to the TV for processing. Using a 3rd party means that the accuracy of the translation is much higher and less errors are likely to come about due to difference accents or dialects being used.
So, put simply. Unless someone with very advanced decryption abilities is permanently listening in to your internet connection on the vain hope that you might (whilst asking your TV to find you something to watch) divulge some deeply private secret, the chances of any kind of security breach is very low indeed.
I contacted Samsung for comment and a spokesperson issued the following statement:-
Samsung takes consumer privacy very seriously and our products are designed with privacy in mind. We employ industry-standard security safeguards and practices, including data encryption, to secure consumers’ personal information and prevent unauthorized collection or use.
Voice recognition, which allows the user to control the TV using voice commands, is a Samsung Smart TV feature, which can be activated or deactivated by the user. Should consumers enable the voice recognition capability, the voice data consists of TV commands, or search sentences, only. Users can easily recognize if the voice recognition feature is activated because a microphone icon appears on the screen.
If a consumer consents and uses the voice recognition feature, voice data is provided to a third party during a requested voice command search to execute the command. At that time, the voice data is sent to a server, which searches for the requested content then returns the desired content to the TV.
Samsung encourages consumers to contact the company directly with any product concerns or questions.
So, should we be concerned? Well, yes we should always be concerned about our privacy and where possible take every step we see fit to ensure it is maintained. We are at constant threat of having our privacy interfered with under the veil of protection by companies and possibly governments, so we should shown caution.
However, an obvious legal statement to protect a manufacturer from litigation is perfectly acceptable in our over litigious world and I think in this case, it has been taken out of context.
I would be very interested in what you think, so please feel free to comment as you see fit.
Artificial Intelligence, Technology, News and Gadget Reviews on air, online, in print and in person
Following on from the ongoing Facebook / Cambridge Analytica scandal, I was invited to be a guest on James Hazell’s show on BBC Radio Suffolk. We talked in depth about how social networks and apps are using our data.
