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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:dc="https://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"> <channel> <atom:link href="https://www.itpro.com/feeds.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <title><![CDATA[ ITPro RSS Feed ]]></title> <link>https://www.itpro.com</link> <description><![CDATA[ ]]></description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 14:06:45 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Huawei emphasizes energy efficiency, storage at IDI 2024 Berlin as firm looks to address AI data boom ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p>At Huawei’s Innovative Datacenter Infrastructure (IDI) Forum in Berlin, Peter Zhou, president, Data Storage Product Line at Huawei, outlined his vision for the future of the storage market in the <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/28181/what-is-ai"><u>AI</u></a> era.</p><p>Asked what the company sees as the main drivers of the storage market in the upcoming years, Zhou says Huawei is focused on two core concepts: cost efficiency and <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/three-ways-sustainability-tech-is-helping-businesses-meet-climate-goals">sustainability</a>.</p><p>He gives the example of paper as a transformational technology that radically changed how humanity transfers information, by making knowledge cheaper and easier to share. In the age of <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/digital-transformation/digitalization-driving-surge-in-operational-technology-roles-as-firms-tackle-skills-shortages"><u>digitalization,</u></a> Zhou likens data storage to paper and asserts that Huawei wants to become the paper manufacturer of the AI era.</p><p>This is a slightly meaningless slogan, but it does highlight a shift in the attitudes of customers in recent years, with data now regarded as a valuable commodity.</p><p>As firms continue down the path of digital transformation and AI drives up data center demands, Zhou claims data has taken on new meaning and no longer simply refers to an information store.</p><p>“That’s why some people say data is somehow equivalent to oil in the current industry,” Zhou explains, stating that, “we definitely see data really becoming an asset for the future”. </p><p>As digitalization marches on and data’s critical role in every business continues to expand, Zhou says there is a growing concern among businesses over a general lack of useful data.</p><p>This has been exposed by the rapid adoption of AI technologies following the introduction of generative AI systems in late 2022, Zhou says, arguing that it’s a concern that continues to shape business attitudes. More and more, organizations are looking to collect and process large amounts of accurate data, both to play catch-up with breakthrough technologies like large language models (LLMs) and to be better prepared for future breakthroughs.</p><p>Much has been made of the fact that to be AI-ready, enterprises need to implement a robust data strategy, and Huawei announced it has updated its data management engine (DME), the Omni-Dataverse global file system to help enterprises set up their <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/big-data-analytics/34532/structured-vs-unstructured-data-management"><u>data lake</u></a> more easily.</p><p>Data lakes are integral for AI workloads, acting as the centralized repository for various types of enterprise data that help businesses efficiently manage vast stores of data. </p><h2 id="being-data-ready-for-the-ai-era-is-only-part-of-the-story-2">Being data-ready for the AI era is only part of the story</h2><p>Beyond ensuring their data strategy is in a good place to harness the power of AI, Zhou adds that a primary concern for customers looking to embrace AI is how their business can contend with spiraling costs associated with AI’s energy-intensive workloads and the industry’s <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/infrastructure/data-centres/demand-for-european-data-centers-is-skyrocketing-and-providers-cant-keep-up"><u>surging demand for data center capacity</u></a>.</p><p><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/infrastructure/data-centres/global-power-shortages-mean-data-centers-could-struggle-to-shoulder-the-burden-of-energy-intensive-generative-ai-demands-in-2024"><u>Global power shortages are putting unprecedented strain</u></a> on data center infrastructure around the world, as their power and storage requirements grow exponentially with AI adoption. Goldman Sachs forecasts that data center power demand will accelerate in the next five years and will more than double by 2030 after showing flat growth between 2015 and 2020.</p><p>Zhou adds that storage accounts for nearly 30% of a data center’s energy consumption, so addressing the energy intensity associated with the data storage for the infrastructure that underpins AI technologies will be vital if businesses are to keep up with the projected spike in energy demand.</p><p>Huawei is right to focus on the sustainability and cost-efficiency of its storage solutions, the two main themes of the event. It announced two new hardware devices in line with this, a new SSD and the OceanStor 800 storage solution.</p><iframe width="100%" height="200px" frameborder="0" data-lazy-priority="low" data-lazy-src="https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=59045718&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=true&hide-likes=true&hide-comments=true&hide-sharing=true&hide-download=true"></iframe><p>According to Huawei, the SSD will consume 92% less energy than a rival competitor’s SSDs for every PB of data stored on the drive. In addition, the OceanStor A800 storage system promises to increase AI cluster utilization by 30% and provide new scalability up to exabyte-level capacity. Zhou says Huawei’s most energy-efficient storage solution to date and the lowest power consumption on the market. </p><p>These products are expected to be available later in 2025, with prices unconfirmed at this time.</p><p>While these are welcome steps, it’s clear Huawei still needs to flesh out its product lines to meet its goal of mitigating AI-driven energy demands. The piecemeal approach is some way away from the end-to-end solution that will be necessary to mitigate customer concerns.</p><p>But there’s every sign that Huawei is focused on incremental additions to the product line, which will slowly lead to a more joined-up approach.</p><p>On stage during the keynote presentation, Zhou says “Now is the right time to define a next-generation data storage”, and believes Huawei’s data awakening product line will be a vital part of this new generation of storage solutions. </p><p>It is promising to see this amount of stock being put into ensuring their products can be part of the solution. Huawei can help to address ever-growing concerns over the energy demands AI will levy on data center infrastructure around the world. </p><p>All eyes are now on whether or not these solutions will be implemented widely enough to make a meaningful impact on AI’s power requirements, or if customer data demands will outpace hardware innovations entirely.</p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/infrastructure/data-centres/huawei-emphasizes-energy-efficiency-storage-at-idi-2024-berlin-as-firm-looks-to-address-ai-data-boom</link> <description> <![CDATA[ As data takes on a new importance, Huawei hopes its energy-efficient storage solutions will help businesses leverage the power of AI without succumbing to its exorbitant costs ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">tJd9Ck2A5dV7uAMpqdg7iG</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6Mx4wDvBn4M7aPfgmdMR5G.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 13:45:13 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Data Centres]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category> <author><![CDATA[ solomon.klappholz@futurenet.com (Solomon Klappholz) ]]></author> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6Mx4wDvBn4M7aPfgmdMR5G.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Huawei]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[Peter Zhou, president, Data Storage Product Line at Huawei on stage at IDI Berlin 2024. ]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Peter Zhou, president, Data Storage Product Line at Huawei on stage at IDI Berlin 2024. ]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Apple M3 MacBook Pro review: Opt for the lower spec sets and you have an affordable powerhouse with heaps of battery life ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p>The Apple M3 MacBook Pro came as a surprise at the end of 2023, particularly to those who had picked up an M2 MacBook much earlier in the year. The pace of change is relentless as we are already talking about M4 chips in iPads, but it is worth holding on to M3 for a moment, if only just to appreciate the sheer quality of this latest MacBook Pro. </p><p>It comes in a wide range of price points and specifications. As well as a slick new shade – 'Space Black'. The basic option is $1,849 for a 14in model but you can max it out to 16in and 8TB storage, though that will cost you over $7k. For this review, we've got a more modest 14in Pro M3, with 18GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but it has at least come in that fancy new color. </p><h2 id="apple-m3-macbook-pro-review-design-2">Apple M3 MacBook Pro review: Design</h2><p>At face value, there isn't a lot of change for the new MacBook, aside from the lovely black finish. It is almost exactly like the M2 model, which isn't a problem, as that still means you get an attractive laptop with a solid aluminum chassis. The lid is particularly pleasing as it is quite stiff and sturdy. </p><p>The design is solid, overall, and there is a great selection of ports. You get a full-size SDXC card slot, HDMI 2.1 output, and a MagSafe charging port. There are two USB-C ports on the left-hand side of the machine, which support Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4 data transfers, charging, and DisplayPort video output. Understandably, those ports bulk out the MacBook Pro, resulting in a chunky chassis that weighs 1.55kg. But this isn't much bigger than you would expect from a <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/laptops/358203/apple-macbook-pro-13in-apple-m1-2020-review">MacBook Pro</a>. </p><h2 id="apple-m3-macbook-pro-review-display-keyboard-and-trackpad-2">Apple M3 MacBook Pro review: Display, keyboard, and trackpad</h2><p>Apple's 14in liquid retina XDR display is very nice. It has a 3024 x 1964 resolution, 254 pixels per inch, and an exceedingly bright panel. We can't say it's the best of the best – it's no <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/samsung-galaxy-book3-ultra-review-almost-as-good-as-a-macbook">Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra</a> – but it is one of the most vibrant and color-accurate screens we've seen on a Mac. One thing that does stand out as a fault is the notch at the top; this was introduced with the M2 MacBook Pro and it really does need to go. </p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4080px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="Tnz4qKrHDYQB6D4NXUv7ta" name="M3_MacBookPro_Apple.jpg" alt="The Apple logo on the M3 MacBook Pro" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Tnz4qKrHDYQB6D4NXUv7ta.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4080" height="2295" attribution="" endorsement="" class=""></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Otherwise, this is an amazing display. With our calibrator, the M3 MacBook Pro scored 98% for color accuracy and 120% for volume. Both are impressive scores but again, slightly below the impressive Galaxy Book3 Ultra – though it does have a higher peak brightness, 633cd/m2.</p><p>The webcam, which is housed in the notch, produces nice, crisp images, and seems adaptable to most lighting conditions. And the six-driver speaker system is very clear. It makes the Pro is great for video meetings, though there isn't anything that's better or worse than previous MacBooks in that regard. </p><p>The keyboard is decent, though it does tend to rattle when you pick up speed. That being said, the keys themselves are nice, large, and well-spaced, so typos are very few and far between. </p><p>The glass-topped Force Touch touchpad is very good; a highly responsive control with plenty of room to swipe. You can click pretty much anywhere on the pad and get the same response – something that isn't always the case with Windows machines. </p><h2 id="apple-m3-macbook-pro-review-specs-and-performance-2">Apple M3 MacBook Pro review: Specs and performance</h2><p>The MacBook Pro review unit we were sent has the Apple M3 16-core CPU and it is as rapid as we have come to expect from the M-series. We also have 18GB of <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/31661/what-is-ram">RAM</a>, which seems like a strange amount, and 1TB <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/ssds/29480/ssds-solid-by-name-solid-by-nature">SSD</a>, which is very welcome.</p><p>M3 and the M-series, in general, have a huge advantage that comes from the way they are developed with a standardized architecture that has more and more cores wrapped around. This gives it stellar performance levels, no matter what size and spec set you opt for.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4080px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="2BADVnpMPtKUjp8iR7dwaK" name="M3_MacBook_Pro_Ports.jpg" alt="The port selection on the M3 MacBook Pro" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2BADVnpMPtKUjp8iR7dwaK.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4080" height="2295" attribution="" endorsement="" class=""></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Under GeekBench 5, the M3 MacBook Pro hit 3,184 for single-core and 15,704 for multi-core scores. Here Apple is looming over <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/laptops/367774/windows-laptops-or-macbooks-which-is-better-for-business">Windows-based machines</a> as there is nothing that can match the power of M3, except other Apple laptops. Even the brilliant <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/laptops/dell-xps-13-plus-2023-review-a-design-classic">Dell XPS</a> range pales in comparison. </p><p>We gave the M3 MacBook Pro as stringent a test as we could – 50 tabs, intensive video loops, lots and lots of Adobe edits – and it came through them with barely a whimper of complaint. What's more, Apple promises 22hrs of battery life and to be fair it isn't far off if you do the bare minimum with the machine. Under our looped video test, the Pro lasted 15hrs 44mins, which is very impressive – far longer than the 9hrs and 53mins of the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra. Again, no Windows machine can get anywhere near the latest Macs when it comes to battery life. </p><h2 id="apple-m3-macbook-pro-review-is-it-worth-it-xa0-2">Apple M3 MacBook Pro review: Is it worth it? </h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4080px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="sSjL2uFm57M7E8NF8MQFRi" name="M3_MacBookPro_lid.jpg" alt="The lid on the M3 MacBook Pro" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sSjL2uFm57M7E8NF8MQFRi.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4080" height="2295" attribution="" endorsement="" class=""></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>There are many spec sets and sizes of MacBook Pro on offer and these include the suped-up M3 Max versions. The higher you go, the more dizzying the prices get. Small businesses can use Apple Financial Services to find a flexible payment plan, which is probably best for newer businesses. You can also work out upgrades and trade-ins here. Similarly, the Apple for Work service can also help with after-sales support. </p><p>However, even with the most affordable variants, the M3 MacBook Pro is a brilliant laptop. It has a premium feel regardless of RAM size or color. If you're after a professional-looking machine, that's innovative and reliable, the Apple M3 MacBook Pro should be top of your list.</p><h2 id="apple-m3-macbook-pro-specifications-2">Apple M3 MacBook Pro Specifications</h2> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/hardware/laptops/apple-m3-macbook-pro-review-opt-for-the-lower-spec-sets-and-you-have-an-affordable-powerhouse-with-heaps-of-battery-life</link> <description> <![CDATA[ A well-built M3-powered MacBook that your small business can rely on – just be careful with your configuration choices ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">ku86NirWfqXZAT88X5jZcA</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dqcVcuWhY3SvEWyU8s6N8o.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 13:12:48 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Laptops]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hardware]]></category> <author><![CDATA[ itpro@futurenet.com (Bobby Hellard) ]]></author> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dqcVcuWhY3SvEWyU8s6N8o.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Future]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[The Apple M3 MacBook Pro on a desk ]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The Apple M3 MacBook Pro on a desk ]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Currys eyes cloud overhaul in a bid for generative AI adoption ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/policy-legislation/data-protection/354492/currys-pc-world-parent-firm-hit-with-ps500k-fine-over">Currys</a> has announced plans to embark on a large-scale <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/29899/three-reasons-why-digital-transformation-is-essential-for-business-growth">digital transformation</a> project in partnership with Microsoft and Accenture, with the firm looking to overhaul its cloud capabilities to spur <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/28181/what-is-ai">AI</a> adoption. </p><p>The consumer tech retailer says it aims to implement the latest AI technologies to enhance operations and improve customer shopping experiences, as well as improve staff experience for its 25,000 employees. </p><p>Accenture and Microsoft will assist the firm as it looks to “modernize, secure and simplify its technology estate”, helping to enable the adoption of Microsoft’s <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/microsoft-azure/34048/microsoft-azure-review-competitive-cloud-pricing-takes-a-bite-out-of-aws">Azure</a>-based AI services and systems.</p><p>“By leveraging these Microsoft AI technologies, Currys can unlock value across every part of the business,” Microsoft said in a blog post. </p><p>With regard to Currys customers, this value will be generated by two key improvements to the customer experience and product purchase processes, the retailer said. </p><p>Currys aims to make it “easier to shop” through the creation of personalized product information and tailored customer suggestions generated by AI.</p><p>AI will also be used to support post-sales experiences for customers and streamline warranty services. </p><p>From a staff perspective, the retailer aims to provide colleagues with a greater level of task-related information, granting “faster and easier access” to details on product availability, delivery costs, and add-on services. </p><p>This will also help improve customer experience by better placing staff to serve the needs of customers, as well as gaining Currys access to more advanced cross-selling and up-selling opportunities.</p><h2 id="ai-will-x201c-drive-growth-x201d-at-currys-2">AI will “drive growth” at Currys</h2><p>As part of the firm's strategy, Currys also said it will use AI to drive “future growth and profitability” through the implementation of AI into marketing, HR, finance, and legal processes. </p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">RELATED WHITEPAPER</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' ><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="4CnRiSfJ3o8xZAQJZorWsB" name="Customer operations for dummies.jpg" caption="" alt="Dark background and white text that says Customer operations for dummies" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4CnRiSfJ3o8xZAQJZorWsB.jpg" mos="" link="" align="" fullscreen="" width="" height="" attribution="" endorsement="" class="pinterest-pin-exclude"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=""><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: ServiceNow)</span></figcaption></figure><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/digital-transformation/customer-operations-for-dummies"><em>Create a CX journey that integrates services and operations</em></a></p></div></div><p>This will increase productivity across the firm’s “core business functions,” and the retailer said AI will also help “improve omnichannel experiences”.</p><p>“Building a strong digital core will enable Currys to take its customer service and employee experience to the next level, and more quickly harness the potential of AI and generative AI to drive its ongoing reinvention,” Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, said.</p><p>“Together with Microsoft, we are helping Currys raise the bar in the retail industry, reach new frontiers of performance and efficiency, and create new value and growth,” she added. </p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/currys-eyes-cloud-overhaul-in-a-bid-for-generative-ai-adoption</link> <description> <![CDATA[ The consumer tech retailer has been focused on improving its staff and customer experiences alike ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">4g2wxu4Vhyq6RaL3JEdzBa</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/i6tJBYYrV3wGBH2WBiAMx3.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 12:51:25 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category> <author><![CDATA[ george.fitzmaurice@futurenet.com (George Fitzmaurice) ]]></author> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/i6tJBYYrV3wGBH2WBiAMx3.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[Currys External Store Sign on May 2023 in London, England.]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Currys External Store Sign on May 2023 in London, England.]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Dell says data breach affecting 49 million customers poses no 'significant risk’ ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/tag/dell">Dell</a> has contacted customers warning of a <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/data-breaches">data breach</a> containing purchase information related to 49 million individuals.</p><p>The <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/dell-unveils-generative-ai-solutions-and-services-in-collaboration-with-nvidia">technology giant</a> said it was currently looking into a security incident involving a Dell portal, which contains a database storing “limited types of customer information” linked to recent purchases of <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/30649/dont-expect-many-amd-chips-in-our-products-says-dell">Dell products</a>.</p><p>Its investigation indicated the information compromised in the breach was limited to customer names, addresses, their Dell <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/24582/amazons-drone-delivery-might-track-customer-location-info">customer info</a>, and product information related to their purchase.</p><p>Dell said it immediately implemented its <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/cyber-security/361593/cisa-unveils-government-cyber-security-response-playbooks">incident response procedures</a> once it was aware of the breach, taking a number of steps to contain the incident and notifying <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/ransomware/lockbit-mastermind-unmasked-by-law-enforcement">law enforcement</a>.</p><p><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/357638/jm-bullion-hack-payment-details-stolen">Financial or payment information</a>, email addresses, and telephones, were not included in leaked data, according to Dell, who claimed there was not a “significant risk” to customers as a result.</p><p>On 29 April 2024, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/software/28109/what-is-open-source">open source</a> intelligence resource Daily Dark Web <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://twitter.com/DarkWebInformer/status/1788580657548914732" target="_blank">reported</a> a threat actor with the name ‘Menelik’ was selling access to a database containing 49 million customer records on a hacking forum hosted on the dark web.</p><p>The listing stated that the database for sale contained information related to systems purchased from Dell between 2017 - 2024, and the countries with the most systems included in the breach were the <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/625237/how-do-uk-and-us-mobile-consumers-compare">US</a>, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/policy-legislation/361408/what-is-chinas-personal-data-protection-law-pipl">China</a>, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/infrastructure/servers-and-storage/hpe-plans-to-spend-dollar1-billion-on-high-volume-servers-in-india">India</a>, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/policy-legislation/359523/australia-steps-closer-to-enabling-cross-border-data-transfers">Australia</a>, and <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/cloud/360466/deloitte-canada-acquires-sap-consultancy-firm-clockworkhttps://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence-ai/359848/canadian-mounted-police-broke-law-with-clearview-ai">Canada</a>.</p><p>Around 7 million entries were related to individual or personal purchases, with 11 million pertaining to consumer segment companies. The rest of the information was linked to <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/cloud/363065/aws-says-tech-legacy-vendors-dont-care-about-enterprise-customers">enterprise customers</a> including partners and <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/358013/microsoft-warns-of-growing-digital-divide-between-state-and-private-schools">schools</a>.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1368px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.29%;"><img id="8KEogM8ecUbAKhYtym8EdH" name="A5AC2EEC-A946-4765-8E8F-CCC8567BE45C_1_201_a.jpeg" alt="Notification email from Dell warning customers their information was leaked in a data breach" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8KEogM8ecUbAKhYtym8EdH.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1368" height="770" attribution="" endorsement="" class=""></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Notification email from Dell warning customers their information was leaked in a data breach. </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>The type of information Menelik stated was included in the compromised database aligns with what Dell said was exposed in the data breach disclosed on 9 May. </p><p>Notably, however, a twitter account dedicated to providing intel on dark web activity, <em>DarkWebInformer</em>, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://dailydarkweb.net/threat-actor-claims-sale-of-dell-database-containing-49-million-customer-records/" target="_blank">claimed</a> the listing created on the underground forum no longer exists, but suggested the post may still be legitimate.</p><p><em>ITPro</em> contacted Dell for clarification on whether this data was the same, but at the time of writing the company has yet to respond.</p><h2 id="why-dell-customers-should-be-wary-2">Why Dell customers should be wary</h2><p>Although Dell claimed it did not consider the incident exposed its customers to ‘significant risk’ as the leaked data did not include particularly <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/data-breaches/33307/disaster-victims-sensitive-information-exposed-through-fema-data-breach">sensitive information</a> like <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/630922/recruitment-site-hack-leaks-400000-email-addresses">email addresses</a>, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/privacy/356000/whatsapp-exposed-users-phone-numbers-in-google-search-results">phone numbers</a>, or <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/cyber-attacks/370335/latitude-financials-data-policies-questioned-more-than-14-million-records-stolen">financial data</a>, it did advise customers to exercise caution.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">RELATED WHITEPAPER</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' ><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="bWurxLbTdfXtvtbkqiA7tX" name="Customer Insights_ Customer Experience Testimonials.jpg" caption="" alt="Blue background and white text that says Customer Insights: Customer Experience Testimonials" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bWurxLbTdfXtvtbkqiA7tX.jpg" mos="" link="" align="" fullscreen="" width="" height="" attribution="" endorsement="" class="pinterest-pin-exclude"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=""><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: ServiceNow)</span></figcaption></figure><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/customer-insights-customer-experience-testimonials"><em>Drive seamless experiences while reducing costs</em></a></p></div></div><p>Dell’s breach notification recommended customers impacted by the incident to take steps to protect themselves against <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence-ai/370366/social-engineering-attacks-generative-ai-soar-135">social engineering attacks</a> using information compromised in the breach, providing tips on how to detect <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/28656/ftc-cracks-down-on-tech-support-scams">tech support scams</a> in particular.</p><p>The threat from social engineering attacks has grown in recent years, in April IT security specialist <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/acquisition/zscaler-boosts-ai-capabilities-with-dollar350-million-avalor-acquisition">Zscaler</a> <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://ir.zscaler.com/news-releases/news-release-details/zscaler-research-finds-60-increase-ai-driven-phishing-attacks" target="_blank">reported</a> it had blocked around 2 billion <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/security/phishing/salesforce-based-phishing-attacks-surge-109-since-the-start-of-2024">phishing attempts</a> in 2023, marking a 60% increase year on year (YoY).</p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/security/data-breaches/dell-says-data-breach-affecting-49-million-customers-poses-no-significant-risk</link> <description> <![CDATA[ Dell claims customers aren’t exposed to significant risk in the wake of a major breach, but they should be wary of targeted social engineering attacks. ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">Kutbdwm58yc3bysjZxLVo7</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YpugDRJFp4uv7Ux7XzKc3.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 10:46:59 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Data Breaches]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Security]]></category> <author><![CDATA[ solomon.klappholz@futurenet.com (Solomon Klappholz) ]]></author> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YpugDRJFp4uv7Ux7XzKc3.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[Dell logo on mobile phone screen]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Dell logo on mobile phone screen]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ UK’s first national security center to open in Wales ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p>The UK's first national security operations center is launching in Wales, aimed at protecting Welsh local authorities and fire and rescue services from cyber attacks.</p><p>Led by the Welsh government, together with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, Cymru Security Operations Centre (CymruSOC) will focus on making sure that key organizations can continue offering critical services without disruption in the event of an attack.</p><p>"The challenges people across Wales have faced in recent years due to the pandemic have shown the importance of digital in our lives. It has become central to the way we learn, work, access public services and do business,” said first minister Vaughan Gething.</p><p>“However, our reliance on digital has also led to a stark increase in the risk of cyber attacks which are becoming ever more common and sophisticated.</p><p>"CymruSOC is a first-of-its-kind solution with social partnership at its heart – ensuring we take a ‘defend as one’ approach. It’s a vital part of our Cyber Action Plan for Wales, which – one year since its launch – is making good progress to protect public services and strengthen cyber resilience and preparedness.”</p><p>The SOC service will be managed by Cardiff-based firm Socura, which will monitor for potential threats such as phishing and ransomware from its 24/7 remote SOC.</p><p>Working with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), CymruSOC will also share threat intelligence information to ensure awareness of emerging risks.</p><p>"People rely on their local council at every stage of their life. It’s where they register a birth, apply for schools, housing, and marriage licenses, which makes them a prized target for financially motivated cybercriminal groups as well as nation state actors seeking to cause disruption to critical infrastructure," said Socura CEO Andy Kays.</p><p>"It is our job to ensure that these critical services remain unaffected by cyber criminals’ attempts to steal data and cause disruption."</p><p>The creation of the center follows the Welsh government's publication of a Cyber Action Plan for Wales in May last year, aimed at growing the cyber sector, building a talent pipeline, boosting resilience, and protecting public services.</p><p>An All-Wales Cyber Technical Advisory Cell (CTAC) has already been set up, with volunteers from police forces, the health service and industry, while the Welsh Government has also funded a Cyber Resilience Unit for the NHS in Wales.</p><p>Earlier this year, the Welsh government’s iShare Connect portal was reportedly hacked, although it said there was no evidence that any sensitive information was accessed.</p><p>And, last November, Harlech Community Council in North Wales was tricked into handing over £9,000 - 10% of its annual budget - to online fraudsters.</p><p>"By sharing a SOC, and threat intel, across all Welsh local authorities, even the smallest Welsh town will now have the expertise and defenses of a large modern enterprise organization," Kays said.</p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/security/uks-first-national-security-center-to-open-in-wales</link> <description> <![CDATA[ CymruSOC will work to protect the country's key public organizations from cyber attack ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">wxAuRpqpthmJ2jT9Eiu4Hi</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ST2VhSAha6XdUbKbo8PXaS.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 10:39:48 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Security]]></category> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ST2VhSAha6XdUbKbo8PXaS.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Socura]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[Vaughan Gething at the launch of The Cyber action plan for Wales ahead of the CymruSOC launch]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Vaughan Gething at the launch of The Cyber action plan for Wales ahead of the CymruSOC launch]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Embracing soft skills for AI integration ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <iframe width="100%" height="200px" frameborder="0" data-lazy-priority="low" data-lazy-src="https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=59961263&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=true&hide-likes=true&hide-comments=true&hide-sharing=true&hide-download=true"></iframe><p>Some experts will tell you the first step in adopting AI is making sure your data is in order. But what about your skills? </p><p>When it comes time to put AI in the hands of their workforce, leaders need to know that they’ll be able to hit the ground running and unlock productivity benefits without delay. Achieving this will involve investing in AI skills – but where should businesses begin and how far-reaching does this AI training need to be?</p><p>In this episode, Jane and Rory speak to Arun ‘Rak’ Ramchandran, president and global head of consulting and GenAI practice at Hexaware, to explore how businesses can ensure their internal AI skills can meet growing demands and challenges.</p><h2 id="highlights-2">Highlights</h2><p>“Not too many people are familiar with how prompt engineering can work, how jailbreaks can happen, how some of these can actually inject data which is not harmless. So how do you actually control that? More awareness is needed.”</p><p>“Just like you deal with human colleagues right now, you will be dealing with AI colleagues in the future. That will require a different kind of soft skill understanding.”</p><p>“I think there will be a soft skill, in terms of just understanding the limitations of this technology, the potential, and how to deal with it properly. And how do you deal with other human beings who do deal with it? When you are in front of a customer chatbot, when you're in front of an agent, the agent is obviously using AI to help you. But then how do you deal with that agent in that form, because it's not just a human being anymore. It's a human plus AI agents.”</p><h2 id="footnotes-2">Footnotes</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/28181/what-is-ai"><u>What is AI?</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence-ai/369959/what-is-generative-ai"><u>What is generative AI?</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/the-ai-skills-gap-is-prompting-a-widespread-rethink-on-workforce-upskilling"><u>The AI skills gap is prompting a widespread rethink on workforce upskilling</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/the-risks-of-shadow-ai-and-what-leaders-can-do-to-prevent-it"><u>The risks of shadow AI and what leaders can do to prevent it</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/business/careers-and-training/with-talent-pipelines-pushed-to-their-limits-google-just-launched-an-ambitious-new-ai-training-program-in-europe"><u>With talent pipelines pushed to their limits, Google just launched an ambitious new AI training program in Europe</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/business/careers-and-training/ai-skills-are-the-ticket-to-the-best-paid-tech-jobs-in-2024"><u>AI skills are the ticket to the best paid tech jobs in 2024</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/can-ai-code-generation-really-replace-human-developers"><u>Can AI code generation really replace human developers?</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/youre-going-to-have-an-ai-copilot-for-everything-you-do-and-youll-probably-hate-it"><u>You’re going to have an AI copilot for everything you do – and you’ll probably hate it</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/business/careers-and-training/the-changing-role-of-the-cio"><u>The changing role of the CIO</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/does-your-business-need-a-chief-ai-officer"><u>Does your business need a chief AI officer (CAIO)?</u></a></li></ul><h2 id="subscribe-2">Subscribe</h2><ul><li><a href="https://apple.sjv.io/c/221109/473657/7613?subId1=itpro-gb-1243831151189624600&sharedId=itpro-gb&u=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fgb%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-itpro-podcast%2Fid1483810154"><u>Subscribe to The ITPro Podcast on Apple Podcasts</u></a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7HpYehTy752KmtbwpOAgRZ"><u>Subscribe to The ITPro Podcast on Spotify</u></a></li><li><a href="https://www.itpro.co.uk/newsletter-signup"><u>Subscribe to the ITPro newsletter</u></a></li><li><a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/company/itpro-uk"><u>Join us on LinkedIn</u></a></li></ul> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/embracing-soft-skills-for-ai-integration</link> <description> <![CDATA[ As leaders look to integrate more AI tools, support for soft skills could decide how successfully their workforce engages with the new technology ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">xsRSDgUbAhoNHkLBuEZqBM</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PhHW9E3RNSU53ePyrdtnP7.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 10:35:52 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category> <author><![CDATA[ rory.bathgate@futurenet.com (Rory Bathgate) ]]></author> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PhHW9E3RNSU53ePyrdtnP7.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Future/Unsplash - Jason Goodman]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[The words ‘Embracing soft skills for AI integration’ overlaid on a lightly-blurred, dark image of colleagues collaborating in an office. Decorative: the words ‘soft skills' and 'AI integration' are in yellow, while other words are in white. The ITPro podcast logo is in the bottom right corner.]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[The words ‘Embracing soft skills for AI integration’ overlaid on a lightly-blurred, dark image of colleagues collaborating in an office. Decorative: the words ‘soft skills' and 'AI integration' are in yellow, while other words are in white. The ITPro podcast logo is in the bottom right corner.]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Stack Overflow hailed its OpenAI partnership as a boon for developers — but now disgruntled users say they're being banned for deleting posts ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p>Stack Overflow users are pushing back against the company’s <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openais-deal-with-stack-overflow-just-landed-it-goldmine-of-developer-data-heres-why-itll-transform-llm-development">recent deal with OpenAI</a> by attempting to delete or alter contributions, prompting a slew of suspensions. </p><p>The deal, which grants OpenAI access to a large volume of developer data through Stack Overflow’s OverflowAPI, has caused outrage from the outset among developers.</p><p>The crux of the community backlash regards an alleged lack of consent given by developers who have contributed to the platform, with some angry that their data will be used without permission to train OpenAI’s <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/three-open-source-large-language-models-you-can-use-today">large language models</a> (LLMs).</p><p>An initial <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/399619/our-partnership-with-openai"><u>release of the news to Stack Exchange</u></a>, a Stack Overflow-focused forum for platform users, garnered a flurry of angry responses from the community.</p><p>“I hate this. I'm just going to delete/deface my answers one by one,” one member commented. </p><p>Stack Overflow users are not able to delete posts but are able to edit answers, which some users have attempted to do to change their contributions to protest messages. </p><p><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://m.benui.ca/@ben/112396505994216742"><u>One user commented</u></a> about their experience doing this, changing their “highest-rated answers to a protest message”. This, the user claimed, led to the suspension of their account.</p><p>“Within an hour mods had changed the questions back and suspended my account for 7 days,” the user commented. </p><p>Other people are reporting similar issues, with one user taking to Twitter to reference the ongoing deletion of accounts by Stack Overflow, as well as the reported changes in Stack Overflow’s terms and conditions.</p><p>“It's important to note that the "right to forget" no longer applies to your answers, as per StackOverflow's Terms and Conditions, which grant them special permission to retain all answers,” the user posted. </p><p>Attached to the post is a screenshotted email from Stack Overflow to a platform user which suggests the level of control the platform exerts over developer posts.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">RELATED WHITEPAPER</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' ><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="mMtyHdVotmNM8jyyjVnwa4" name="Deliver experiences customers crave.jpg" caption="" alt="Woman smiling on her laptop and text on the left hand side that says Deliver experiences customers crave" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mMtyHdVotmNM8jyyjVnwa4.jpg" mos="" link="" align="" fullscreen="" width="" height="" attribution="" endorsement="" class="pinterest-pin-exclude"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=""><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: ServiceNow)</span></figcaption></figure><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/deliver-experiences-customers-crave"><em>Empower customers to navigate their own journey</em></a></p></div></div><p>“You have recently removed or defaced content from your posts. Please note that once you post a question or answer to this, those posts become part of the collective efforts of others who have also contributed to that content,” the email reads. </p><p>Though this email cannot yet be legitimately linked to Stack Overflow, it does seem to align with similar conditions laid out in the company's public terms of service. </p><p>Stack Overflow T&Cs state that users “cannot revoke permission…to publish, distribute, store, and use such content and to allow others to have derivative rights to publish, distribute, store, and use such content”. </p><p><em>ITPro </em>has approached Stack Overflow for comment.</p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/software/development/stack-overflow-hailed-its-openai-partnership-as-a-boon-for-developers-but-now-disgruntled-users-say-theyre-being-banned-for-deleting-posts</link> <description> <![CDATA[ Stack Overflow users have pushed back against a new partnership with OpenAI by altering contributions ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">jp6qnBePmHCiqQVgHw2Wc6</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SwxYiWwEGvWwuHPkaorfPn.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 10:22:18 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Software]]></category> <author><![CDATA[ george.fitzmaurice@futurenet.com (George Fitzmaurice) ]]></author> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SwxYiWwEGvWwuHPkaorfPn.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[Software developer using Stack Overflow on a desktop computer with screen reflecting in spectacles.]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Software developer using Stack Overflow on a desktop computer with screen reflecting in spectacles.]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Royal Academy of Engineering launches Scottish engineering hub ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p>The latest addition to Scotland's ever-increasing list of tech hubs is a new venture from the Royal Academy of Engineering.</p><p>Enterprise Hub Scotland will focus on helping local entrepreneurs to commercialize deep tech innovations, spin out companies from universities and attract further external investment.</p><p>It follows similar initiatives from the Royal Academy of Engineering in Wales and Northern Ireland, and will involve collaborating with other organizations to help engineers and innovators to develop their commercial skills.</p><p>Meanwhile the Academy’s network of expert Fellows, funders, business leaders and policymakers will also work to help attract investment for local entrepreneurs.</p><p>Based in Glasgow, it's supported by Glasgow City Council, Glasgow City Innovation District, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, and Scottish Enterprise, and has been awarded £1.6 million in total grant funding to date. The academy has already supported 35 early-stage entrepreneurs in Scotland.</p><p>"Opening our first Enterprise Hub in Scotland marks an exciting step in the Academy’s journey to support ambitious, high-potential engineering and <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/what-is-deep-tech">deep tech</a> entrepreneurs across the country," said Professor Sir Jim McDonald, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering.</p><p>"This is another bold strategic investment by our Academy and I look forward to seeing the innovative, home-grown talent that this exciting venture will support in the future."</p><p>According to recent Academy research, the engineering economy accounts for more than a quarter of all Scottish jobs, with particular engineering employment hotspots found in Aberdeenshire and West Lothian.</p><p>Nearly one-third of the UK’s deep tech companies are based in Edinburgh, according to the Academy, with Scotland also leading the UK in investment in spin-out companies operating in critical technology sectors such as <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/hardware/360023/can-the-uk-semiconductor-industry-help-solve-the-global-chip-shortage">semiconductors</a> and telecoms.</p><p>However, it said Scotland only produces spin-outs at half the rate of the rest of the UK, relative to the amount of research funding received.</p><p>Meanwhile, British Business Bank research has found that the average equity deal for small to medium enterprises in Scotland is smaller than the UK average, and the Scottish National Investment Bank cites a funding gap of between £217 million and £1.5 billion for Scottish scaleups.</p><p>To help counter this, Enterprise Hub Scotland will offer programmes for entrepreneurial engineers at different career stages, with equity-free funding, flexible training, access to the unique mentoring capability of the and access to the engineers and business leaders that make up the Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship.</p><p>"The Enterprise Hub can provide a shop window for local innovators to a global network of investors who specialize in sectors where Scotland is strong," said Gillian Gregg, the Royal Academy of Engineering's lead of regional engagement.</p><p>"We look forward to collaborating further with other organizations within Scotland’s dynamic innovation ecosystem to support local commercialization and investment in engineering and technology."</p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/technology/royal-academy-of-engineering-launches-scottish-engineering-hub</link> <description> <![CDATA[ Enterprise Hub Scotland will help local businesses commercialize tech and engineering innovations and attract investment ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">gE6PS3GGN7abJqFby7nAyE</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xWW2QwWq2LRzYuaAnUffhf.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 09:17:10 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xWW2QwWq2LRzYuaAnUffhf.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[Glasgow City Center pictured during day time with cars parked on street and pedestrians walking.]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Glasgow City Center pictured during day time with cars parked on street and pedestrians walking.]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ Path traversal vulnerabilities have been ‘unforgivable’ for decades — developers still haven’t got the message ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p>A common security failure that has been considered ‘unforgivable’ for more than two decades is still allowing attackers to compromise vulnerable systems.</p><p>Directory traversal — or path traversal — flaws remain a persistent problem, even though the vulnerabilities have been long documented and there are ways to eliminate them.</p><p>The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI have now issued an alert about the problem of directory traversal flaws, which they said is in response to recent incidents which saw attackers exploit directory traversal vulnerabilities to target healthcare organizations.</p><p>“Software manufacturers continue to put customers at risk by developing products that allow for directory traversal exploitation,” the agencies said.</p><p>CISA said there were 55 directory traversal vulnerabilities currently listed in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.</p><p>The agencies highlighted two recent examples, including CVE-2024-1708, a path traversal vulnerability found in ConnectWise ScreenConnect 23.9.7 and prior versions.</p><p>This flaw could have allowed an attacker to execute remote code or directly impact confidential data or critical systems.</p><p>The second was CVE-2024-20345, a vulnerability in the file upload functionality of Cisco AppDynamics Controller could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct directory traversal attacks on an affected device.</p><p>CISA and the FBI said software company execs should make sure testing is carried out to see if their products contain similar flaws, and advised customers to ask vendors if they have conducted robust testing.</p><p>“Should manufacturers discover their systems lack the appropriate mitigations, they should ensure their software developers immediately implement mitigations to eliminate this entire class of defect from all products,” the agencies said. The easiest way to prevent such problems is to build security into products from the beginning.</p><p>The agencies noted that vulnerabilities like directory traversal were called 'unforgivable’ as long ago as 2007 by Mitre.</p><p>In the original Mitre paper, flaws qualified as unforgivable if they were well-known, well documented, obvious, easy to use in an attack and could be found with five minutes of a code review or manual testing.</p><p>“If a vulnerability discovery seems to match all five criteria, then it is highly suggestive of the developer’s lack of security awareness… combined with a lack of security testing,” the original paper said.</p><h2 id="what-are-path-traversal-vulnerabilities-anyway-2">What are path traversal vulnerabilities anyway?</h2><p>These flaws allow users to change elements like input parameters or file paths to access application files and directories that the developer did not intend them to. </p><p>That might seem trivial, but according to CISA and the FBI, the impact can be devastating.</p><p>“These exploits can allow malicious cyber actors to access restricted directories and depending on the scenario, read, modify, or write arbitrary files. Exploitation of a directory traversal vulnerability may expose sensitive data and/or allow actors to further pivot and compromise systems,” they said.</p><p>These flaws exist when developers fail to treat user supplied content as potentially malicious.</p><p>“All but the most simple web applications have to include local resources, such as images, themes, other scripts, and so on. Every time a resource or file is included by the application, there is a risk that an attacker may be able to include a file or remote resource you didn’t authorize,” warns the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP), a nonprofit tech security foundation, in its explanation of the flaws.</p><h2 id="how-can-developers-stop-path-traversal-vulnerabilities-2">How can developers stop path traversal vulnerabilities?</h2><p>Developers should consider generating a random identifier for each file and storing associated metadata separately – such as in a database – instead of using user input when naming files. </p><p>Alternatively, developers should set a strict limit on the types of characters that can be supplied in file names and should also ensure that uploaded files do not have executable permissions.</p><p>And it’s worth remembering that directory traversal vulnerabilities aren’t just a problem for legacy software. They can also affect cloud services, which means software vendors also need to use these approaches when building for the cloud.</p><h2 id="where-do-we-go-from-here-2">Where do we go from here?</h2><p>More broadly, the FBI and CISA said software companies should consider adopting a secure-by-design approach to development.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">RELATED WHITEPAPER</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' ><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="ssmzJmnYHzd6VmbJS85DiQ" name="Customer Experience (CX) Trends.jpg" caption="" alt="bar chart with image of woman on her laptop in the background" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ssmzJmnYHzd6VmbJS85DiQ.jpg" mos="" link="" align="" fullscreen="" width="" height="" attribution="" endorsement="" class="pinterest-pin-exclude"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=""><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: ServiceNow)</span></figcaption></figure><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/customer-experience-cx-trends"><em>Deliver exceptional customer experiences</em></a></p></div></div><p>“There are key security areas manufacturers should invest in to protect their customers as well as the public. These include providing safe building blocks for their software developers to ensure that a single developer error does not compromise the data of millions of users,” they said.</p><p>The old cycle of relying on customers or security companies to find vulnerabilities and patching them is not an effective approach to security, they argued. Ways to prevent classes of vulnerabilities already exist, so software developers should implement them as early in the development cycle as possible.</p><p>The agencies said software company execs should continually conduct reviews to detect common and well-known vulnerabilities, as some flaws may change or develop over time.</p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/software/development/path-traversal-vulnerabilities-have-been-unforgivable-for-decades-developers-still-havent-got-the-message</link> <description> <![CDATA[ 27 years of warnings over path traversal vulnerabilities are apparently still not enough for some people ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">JttcimUEf7tEUwz56NVYDc</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gKLTvnANq7qVnyR2s8pvxK.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 09:05:39 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Software]]></category> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gKLTvnANq7qVnyR2s8pvxK.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[Software security concept image of path traversal vulnerabilities showing binary code with errors.]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Software security concept image of path traversal vulnerabilities showing binary code with errors.]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ How to grow your business potential while shrinking your procurement expenditure ]]></title> <dc:content><![CDATA[ <p>From sole-traders to the largest corporations, effective procurement is a fundamental component of every successful business. Whether it’s cleaning supplies or IT equipment, organizations are on a perpetual journey to find the tools they need to deliver on core objectives in a way that can scale as they grow.</p><p>While businesses have certainly placed greater importance on maintaining healthy procurement budgets in recent years, economic conditions have made this challenging. In many cases, rising prices have outpaced procurement budgets, with as many as 29% of businesses now citing rising costs across the supply chain as a major risk, according to <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://business.amazon.com/en/work-with-us/enterprise/state-of-procurement-data-report-2024" target="_blank">Amazon Business’ State of Procurement 2024 report</a>.</p><p>This has created enormous demand for modern systems and processes that are able to get the most out of a business’ supply chain – to manage supplier lists, their prices, reduce inefficiencies, and better understand buyer behavior. Companies have found they’re able to absorb these rising supplier costs with smarter investments, but how are they achieving this?</p><h2 id="the-power-of-ai-2">The power of AI</h2><p>AI has proven a game-changer for many areas of business, although uptake differs markedly between industry verticals.</p><p><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://business.amazon.com/en/work-with-us/enterprise/state-of-procurement-data-report-2024" target="_blank">Research from Amazon Business</a> has found that some industries are more comfortable engaging with the technology than others. Over half (52%) of those in the technology sector are already embracing AI, followed by telecommunications (51%) and pharmaceuticals (49%). By contrast, heavily-regulated verticals such as government services (39%) and healthcare (38%) were some of those least-likely to embrace AI.</p><p>Procurement is better placed than most to take advantage of the advanced analytical capabilities that AI provides. Teams already deal with vast quantities of data, from people and product details, to suppliers and pricing, all of which is connected in an end-to-end workflow. In each step of the procurement process, AI has a place, whether that’s finding new suppliers, managing contracts, or even predicting market trends.</p><p><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/28181/what-is-ai">AI</a> is particularly good at giving businesses greater visibility and control over their supply chains. Tracking the movement of products, monitoring communications, managing inventories, and visualizing disruption is all done in real-time. AI is then able to make decisions off the back of this data, such as adjusting inventory or delivery rules to respond to fluctuating demand.</p><p>Beyond simple automation, businesses are also finding that AI is incredibly powerful when it comes to data-intensive tasks, such as supply chain analysis. The technology is able to build a nuanced understanding of your suppliers and their habits by drawing on a vast array of data sets, creating an accurate picture of what is happening across your network in real time.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">RELATED WHITEPAPER</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' ><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="uKqTp8UmzMmNygrh33qczN" name="The small and medium business guide to buying.jpg" caption="" alt="The small and medium business guide to buying" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uKqTp8UmzMmNygrh33qczN.jpg" mos="" link="" align="" fullscreen="" width="" height="" attribution="" endorsement="" class="pinterest-pin-exclude"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=""><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Amazon Business)</span></figcaption></figure><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/business/the-future-of-business/the-small-and-medium-business-guide-to-buying"><em>Discover why purchasing leaders are reshaping how they buy</em></a></p></div></div><p>Let’s use the example of a product shortage. Through techniques like pattern recognition and trend analysis, AI can detect shortages in products far earlier than would be otherwise possible. If a shortage is detected, a variety of alternative product sources will be suggested based on the reliability of their supplier. <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/29282/what-is-predictive-analytics">Predictive analysis</a> takes this a step further, allowing teams to set proactive buying policies for products that either regularly go out of stock, or are most susceptible to disruption. It’s this sort of dynamic analysis that’s proving critical for businesses with complex logistical networks, where even the smallest efficiencies can create enormous cost savings.</p><p>It’s important to remember there’s no silver bullet for transforming procurement in this way, however; using technology like AI requires constant maintenance to ensure systems are aligned with business goals. Accurate <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/who-owns-the-data-used-to-train-ai">training data</a> is critical for building effective AI, and feeding poor quality data into a model will inevitably produce blind spots across your network. This in turn will undermine your <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.itpro.com/strategy/29899/three-reasons-why-digital-transformation-is-essential-for-business-growth">digital transformation</a> efforts.</p><h2 id="auditing-through-e-procurement-2">Auditing through e-procurement</h2><p>E-procurement has become one of the most effective ways of modernizing the management of purchasing and supply chains. E-procurement platforms allow businesses to ditch most manual tasks in the procurement process, whether that’s managing contracts, supplier evaluations, or dealing with purchase orders.</p><p>Compared to AI, the technology is arguably more accessible to those businesses looking to digitally transform their operations with little risk, although there are still plenty of opportunities for automation. This allows businesses to scrap manual data entry almost entirely, improving efficiency across a network.</p><p>However, where e-procurement really shines with saving businesses money is in its auditing tools. Modern systems are designed to log every single interaction between your business and your suppliers. You can gain visibility over who did what and when, allowing you to identify erroneous orders or repeat purchases that you no longer require.</p><p>It’s also far easier to manage ‘maverick’ spending, which often occurs when a lack of effective oversight allows staff members to make purchases outside of approved supplier lists or negotiated terms. Maintaining a robust, automated audit trail is an effective way to spot and deter this type of behavior.</p><h2 id="managing-data-effectively-2">Managing data effectively</h2><p>Effective procurement relies on data transparency and visibility, and the ability to share this information throughout an organization. The most capable procurement systems include tools that make purchasing easier, cheaper, more efficient, and less wasteful.</p><p>Most systems employ some form of visibility tool. These typically make it easier for employees to locate and scrutinize the data they need, and simplify the process of sharing this data with others in an organization. For example, Amazon Business provides <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/b2b/aba/spend-visibility" target="_blank">Spend Visibility</a>, a suite of capabilities that allows users to build custom reports and dashboards, build in KPIs, and assign teams of collaborators if required. These can then be quickly replicated in the future to reduce the time it takes to make decisions.</p><p>Data fragmentation is another issue many businesses encounter when trying to modernize. Without a centralized system, it’s easy for data to end up siloed and scattered across a variety of databases and endpoints, making it difficult to locate. To make things worse, it’s common for information to be held in different formats, for there to be inconsistencies in metadata, or even for data to go missing entirely. It’s no wonder, then, that modern systems have developed robust tools for consolidating data, including the use of third-party integrations.</p><p>For example, Amazon Business allows for full integration across a number of common third-party platforms, including Quickbooks, Emburse, Zoho Expense, and SAP Concur. This type of cohesive integration is critical for uncovering valuable insights across your existing data, as well as highlighting potential cost savings.</p><p>Although it’s impossible to neutralize every risk, modern systems make it possible for businesses to flourish regardless of market challenges. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and so for a solid return on investment it’s essential that businesses choose a platform that fits their core objectives.</p> ]]></dc:content> <link>https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/how-to-grow-your-business-potential-while-shrinking-your-procurement-expenditure</link> <description> <![CDATA[ Difficult economic environments have forced many businesses to streamline expenditure, and place greater importance on ROI– but limiting expenditure does not have to mean limiting ambition ]]> </description> <guid isPermaLink="false">KeqrCT3hANeQVYHnV9BSC3</guid> <enclosure url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w5vKX7ZXMCdSwhqPQWKqH.jpg" type="image/jpeg" length="0"></enclosure> <pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2024 15:46:37 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business Strategy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <author><![CDATA[ dale.walker@futurenet.com (ITPro) ]]></author> <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w5vKX7ZXMCdSwhqPQWKqH.jpg"> <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit> <media:text><![CDATA[A woman sat at a table next to a large window, while using a laptop]]></media:text> <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A woman sat at a table next to a large window, while using a laptop]]></media:title> </media:content> </item> </channel></rss>If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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