Intel’s Russian operations resulted in nil profit last year as a result of sanctions and restrictions imposed within the country by Western governments following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, according to a recent Abachy report.
In a similar vein to its rocky year globally, the company’s two Russian entities, Intel AO and Intel Technologies, operated at a loss last year.
More broadly, the entire Intel business saw revenue drop by 14% to $54.2 billion in its financial year 2023, down from $63.1 billion in 2022.
Intel in Russia may as well not exist
Having boasted 741 employees in 2022, Intel AO reported just one employee and director last financial year – Alina Klushina. Intel Technologies, previously operating with 47 employees on the books, also ended up with just Klushina remaining.
In the weeks and months that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Intel started to wind down operations in the country to support affected citizens and adhere to newly imposed sanctions. However, more recently the company started to offer certain driver downloads on its Russian site, which it said was in line with fulfilling its warranty obligations.
Besides being a commercial opportunity for the California-based company, Russia also served as an important home for its Nizhny Novgorod research and development center – a site that became known for its work in software, AI, machine vision, 5G and IoT. After a 2020 revamp, the site alone employed around 1,000 workers.
Moreover, Intel’s cessation of trade in the country has not had the effect the company and sanctioning governments had hoped, with Russian customers still largely able to import from countries that have not imposed such sanctions.
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Businesses are looking to invest more in rugged devices as they seek to get more for their money, new research has found.
The Getac-commissioned IDC InfoBrief found that rugged devices can lower the total cost of ownership while helping companies meet their ESG goals.
The figures come from 990 IT decision-makers from different industries globally and reveal an anticipated increase in spending on the emerging category of hardware.
Companies are preparing to spend more on rugged devices
Two in five (43%) also said that rugged devices with advanced sensors and connectivity capabilities helped them gather operations data, which in turn helped them make better-informed decisions about energy consumption and waste reduction.
Paul Waddilove, UK & Nordics MD for Getac, commented: “These survey results show rugged devices are playing a transformative role in industrial operations by improving TCO and productivity and driving sustainability.”
Currently, one in five (21%) are spending 20% of their budget on rugged devices, however half (49%) plan to increase spending in this category within the next 12-18 months.
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Organizations claim to have improved worker productivity, reduced equipment failure and enhanced communication and collaboration among employees with rugged devices.
Waddilove added: “Organisations across Europe are increasingly realising the operational benefits that rugged technology offers, from improved worker productivity and field communication to better data collection and more informed decision making in challenging work environments.”
Mre generally, recent statistics from IDC and Canalys have indicated a resurgence in the PC market, with shipments reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels imminently.
Several emerging Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools are available in the market that are becoming increasingly reliant on artificial intelligence. These tools not only streamline a company’s workflow but also effectively enhance its content’s ranking potential.
For SEO tools to be successful, they must cover all aspects, be user-friendly, reasonably priced, and offer a feature or two that is missing from most competitors. How does Clearscope compare to them? Let’s find out.
Features
(Image credit: Clearscope)
Clearscope is a powerful tool that caters to writers’, marketers’, and SEO strategists’ needs. It empowers its users to create content captivating to their target audience and optimized for search engines, such as Google Search. With some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Intuit, Adobe, Shopify, and YouTube, among its clients, Clearscope seems to be gaining in popularity.
Clearscope’s features should sound familiar for anyone already familiar with SEO optimization techniques. It employs latent semantic indexing (LSI) keywords, which are terms and phrases closely related to your target keyword, to grade the relevance and comprehensiveness of your online content. Additionally, it provides Search Engine Results Page (SERP) analysis, giving you invaluable insights into user queries and the strategies you can use to optimize your content for better search rankings.
But that’s not all – Clearscope is also an excellent planning tool. It suggests headings and terms that can be used to structure your content outlines, making your articles or blog posts more readable and SEO-friendly.
Clearscope recommends conducting a content inventory before getting started. This tool enables you to keep track of existing online content’s performance. The Content Inventory section also empowers you to take preventative measures to maintain or improve crucial metrics such as Content Grade, clicks, average position, and SEO value for your current content.
How does Clearscope use AI?
Using natural language processing (NLP), Clearscope generates a report of keywords and suggested headers to optimize your content.
This tool also provides real-time data from Google to help you write more relevant and comprehensive content. It gives you actionable recommendations to improve your content and track its performance over time, which can help enhance your SEO strategy.
Clearscope’s AI-driven algorithm goes beyond just grading your target keywords. It suggests the best LSI keywords, content length, readability, and more. Additionally, it analyzes the top 30 content articles for a particular keyword to help drive search traffic to your website.
Installation, setup, and compatibility
Using Clearscope is a breeze and straightforward. All you need is a web browser; no fancy software is required. To kick things off, head over to the Clearscope website. Sign up by clicking either the “Get Started” or “Request a demo” button on the homepage. Fill in your company details, email, and team size on the form. Once you’ve entered your info, hit “Submit” or “Schedule a Demo,” depending on your preference.
Once you’ve selected a plan and made the payment, it’s time for the real fun to begin. Log into your Clearscope account. Navigate to the dashboard. Take some time to explore the interface where you can create reports, connect with Google Docs, and more.
Linking Clearscope with your content creation platform is a crucial step. This integration is key to optimizing your content within these platforms, making your work more efficient. The process is seamless if you’re using Google Docs or WordPress.
To access Clearscope, go to the “Integrations” section on the Clearscope website in Google Docs. Choose Google Docs. Follow the steps to install the Clearscope add-on. Once it’s installed, Google Docs. Locate the Clearscope add-on under “Add ons” in the top menu. You’re now set to optimize your documents from Google Docs using the add-on.
Download the Clearscope plugin from your dashboard or the WordPress repository if you use WordPress. Install and activate the plugin, then connect it to Clearscope using your API key from the dashboard. With Clearscope integrated, you can start crafting content.
When creating content, generate a report on your dashboard by entering your target keyword. The report will provide insights into keyword usage, content grade, and readability score. Utilize these insights to shape your content creation process and ensure it aligns with SEO practices.
As you write and enhance your content, Clearscope provides invaluable real-time feedback. Keep an eye on your content grade to ensure it meets SEO requirements. Implement suggested changes, such as adding keywords and enhancing readability, to optimize your content.
Plans and pricing
(Image credit: Clearscope)
Clearscope is a powerful tool suitable for anyone who wants to take their content to the next level regarding SEO optimization. Yet, its target audience isn’t necessarily freelancers or small companies. Instead, its pricing clearly shows it’s targeting corporations, or at least larger companies, for better or worse.
Three plans are available for would-be Clearscope users: Essentials, Business, and Enterprise. The first package is $199/month for unlimited users working on unlimited projects. Its limits include 100 content inventory pages, 30 keyword discover credits, and 15 content reports per month.
At $599/month, the Clearscope Business plan features a dedicated account manager. Monthly limits with this plan include 500 content inventory pages, 100 keyword discovery credits, 50 content reports, and AI content generation. Finally, the Enterprise plan includes everything on the Business plan but adds a custom data pipeline, crawler allowlisting, geo-targeting, and a single sign-on. You must contact Clearscope to discuss pricing for this plan.
One area of contention I have had when reviewing SEO optimization tools is pricing and its relationship to limits. Dashword, for example, could have received a five-star rating in my review. However, I knocked this down considerably because its cheapest plan had too many monthly restrictions. Clearscope’s plans also contain restrictions, but there are fewer severe ones. For example, none of its plans limited the number of users using the system or the number of reports that may be generated. In other words, no points are lost here.
One area of contention I have with Clearscope is that there’s no free trial available. Instead, you must first request a demo, which is somewhat evasive. However, because Clearscope clearly targets teams instead of individuals, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Final verdict
Like other tools used for SEO optimization, Clearscope has pros and cons. However, the pros outweigh the cons.
The algorithm of Clearscope is finely tuned to provide suggestions for using keywords, which can significantly enhance the likelihood of a piece of content ranking well on search engines. Additionally, the platform offers a user interface that suits experienced SEO professionals perfectly. It’s also commendable that Clearscope integrates seamlessly with two used software products: Google Docs and WordPress. Notably, Clearscope is appreciated for its reports and how real-time feedback can assist in crafting search engine-friendly and relevant content.
One major deterrent for some individuals might be the cost of using Clearscope. Providing a trial could attract a more extensive user base regardless of Clearscope’s pricing structure. Moreover, beginners in SEO optimization might find it challenging to navigate Clearscope despite its user design. There is still a learning curve involved in using Clearscope.
Another downside is that AI content outline generation is exclusively available to customers on the business plan with Clearscope. This limitation may seem unreasonable, especially considering the pricing tiers, particularly for the essentials package.
Clearscope, it would benefit all your customers to access your AI tools.
Although Clearscope provides a variety of content optimization tools, it lacks some features that other comprehensive tools offer, such as backlink analysis and technical SEO audits.
Overall, Clearscope is a tool for individuals and organizations looking to enhance their content SEO potential with data-driven insights and optimization suggestions. While the pricing and learning curve may deter some users, the platform’s accurate recommendations, user-friendly interface, and immediate feedback make it a valuable resource for content creators and marketers striving to create content that performs well in search engine results.
The constant rush to adopt new technologies can quickly have an adverse effect on business networks – hindering bandwidth, connectivity, and eventually their bottom line. To overcome this problem, forward-thinking companies are now embracing the network edge. But what exactly is the edge? And how can it improve your operations without compromising latency, performance, or security?
Understanding edge architecture
In general terms, the edge of a network is the boundary between your business network and the public internet. It’s the zone where traffic from the internet enters your private network and vice versa. This zone is of critical importance because it defines your network security boundary and is the first line of defense against threats from the public internet. This includes firewalls, routers, switches, sensors, and other access points that exist at the boundary of networks.
Your network edge exists wherever there is an edge device or ‘thing’ that facilitates traffic crossing from one network to another. These edge devices can include mobile phones, laptops, data centers, company offices, home routers, and all manner of emerging applications that will become more commonplace as more users make up the rise of ‘the internet of things’.
Of course, the sheer volume of data produced by these multiple devices can seriously hinder a company’s IT infrastructure, which can only process so much data without problems arising with bandwidth and lag time.
That’s where edge networking comes in. This is a data management system that supplies digital resources to your users by merging edge devices with your business network to process and interpret data close to the source without the need for huge data centers.
Consequently, moving to the edge has become a key investment for businesses looking to deploy innovative technologies such as generative AI because they can now process data where it happens – at the boundary of edge devices – as opposed to in the cloud where latency and security issues abound. This not only helps to accelerate business decisions but also gathers valuable information at the point of origin to improve both product offerings and customer experiences.
What’s more, businesses can vastly reduce data transfers over external networks, minimizing the threat of data breaches while maximizing bandwidth usage, and ultimately improving customer outcomes.
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Paul Gampe
Chief Technology Officer, Console Connect.
Benefits and drawbacks
A well-configured edge network can significantly improve the performance of applications that are hosted in the cloud. By placing edge devices closer to the users of these cloud-based applications, the distance that data must travel is greatly reduced, which means lower latency.
By placing security controls closer to this cloud-hosted data, it also reduces the risk of your private network being compromised by outside attacks. Furthermore, a well-configured edge network can overcome congestion problems that might occur with devices and applications by rerouting traffic to the correct destinations and ensuring that your network is not overloaded.
Then there’s the cost savings. By deploying devices on the edge and thereby offloading the processing and storage requirements to the edge, businesses can reduce the costs they would typically incur to purchase from cloud services.
That said, not all edge networks are created equal, and a poorly configured edge can turn all these benefits into disadvantages.
First and foremost are the security risks. Businesses need to make sure their edge is ultra-secure and can respond to threat incidents emerging from different devices or locations. Secondly, without the correct knowledge and training, your IT team may quickly be overwhelmed by having to manage the multitude of devices, locations, and applications that make up the edge.
A third challenge is the upfront cost. Implementing edge networking into your business can be expensive as it requires the purchase and deployment of suitable devices and systems that achieve the desired aims without sacrificing security.
Enter the automated edge
Unsurprisingly, the technology behind edge networking is evolving all the time, and a recent advancement is the automated edge. In simplified terms, the automated edge is intelligence that is embedded into edge devices which takes care of networking tasks like configuration, responsiveness, provisioning, and even monitoring all by itself.
As your daily operations shift and change, it will automatically optimize network performance by intelligently steering traffic through different pathways to reduce lag time and interruptions while providing greater reliability and security.
Best of all, the automated edge can work hand-in-glove with your generative AI models to improve connectivity and real-time decision making from different devices, locations, and applications. This not only accelerates the analysis of your data close to the source, but also speeds up customer interactions and provides further opportunities for growth and innovation.
Additionally, if your business relies heavily on low latency – which most businesses do – then your IT team will no longer have to constantly manage any blockages in your network and then figure out the best solution. The automated edge does it for you.
The simple solution to edge automation
The sheer complexity of the automated edge has led many companies to seek out partnerships with network-as-a-service providers to give them a fast, flexible, and competitive advantage. Network as a service, or NaaS for short, provides companies with an efficient end-to-end solution in the operational management and performance of their networks on a subscription basis.
The beauty of this business model is that removes all the complexity. A NaaS provider helps you to build your own private network on your own terms, one that can be scaled and configured to meet your needs. It also takes care of security issues and protects your network from attacks through constant network monitoring and early detection.
But crucially, a tried and tested NaaS provider will have already embedded their platform with the latest automated edge capabilities to interact and interface with all manner of edge devices and applications. This not only allows you to deploy new technology tools safely and efficiently, but also frees up your IT team to concentrate on other mission-critical tasks.
As for network management, your business will have total visibility of your network infrastructure from a single user-friendly dashboard, allowing you switch-up performance and agility on demand. Meanwhile, all your network maintenance concerns are taken care of 24/7 by an expert team of engineers.
If businesses truly want to harness the potential of ‘the internet of things’, they must first consider moving to the edge. Indeed, by laying the foundational groundwork today for what is surely to come tomorrow, they can take full advantage of future advancements in network edge innovation.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
In the wake of the sustainability deal signed by nations at COP28, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) has never been as important to organizations as it is now. However, for many companies, abiding by ESG regulations feels like an administrative burden, instead of an initiative designed to deliver business value.
Nevertheless, customer awareness of corporate sustainability and climate-responsible business is increasing, and so are the number of businesses consumers can pick and choose from, leaving manufacturing firms struggling to differentiate themselves. If they want to attract customers and investors, and in turn stay ahead of increasing competition, manufacturers must look beyond merely fulfilling sustainability regulations, and make tackling sustainability issues an imperative part of their business model.
Moreover, sustainability goals are rallying points manufacturing organizations can use to accelerate projects that modernize process and supply chains – thereby improving cost, quality, flexibility and revenue on the road to achieving them.
Manoj Mathew
VP and Head of Sustainability Services and Engineering, Cognizant.
The recipe for sustainability success
For many organizations, it is difficult to design and deliver on a consistent sustainability transformation, as various areas of the business struggle with attention and decision-making capability. For example, the sales department of a company may be wondering what environmental claims can be made about different products, the engineers may be wondering what material they should be using to reduce the carbon footprint about said products, and the procurement teams may struggle with the challenge of supplier collaboration.
Faced with siloed information, disconnected systems and unstructured, low-quality data, many manufacturers are finding it difficult to answer practical questions about product or manufacturing processes – let alone optimise these for sustainability outcomes. Most companies just don’t have access to the necessary data (though it may exist), decision points or people capabilities available to deliver sustained transformation. There are various drivers that impact changes in product strategy, such as flexibility, resilience, and quality, but often they are cost-driven, and usually come with the price of additional stress to the logistics and supply chain, which hinders the ability of manufacturers to balance their sustainability ambitions with revenue and profit goals.
Sustainability competitiveness requires certain capabilities that companies must prioritize, including operational efficiency, responsible material and supply chain management, as well as the development of circular business models. For example, operational efficiency could involve ensuring raw materials are transported at the right temperature, reducing energy waste in the supply chain, and ensuring production costs don’t exceed the cost of the end product. Likewise, circular business models require manufacturers to start thinking ahead to what happens to products after their primary use. For instance, electric car batteries can often still have 70-80% residual capacity at the point they are deemed as no longer meeting electric car standards. However, there are options for manufacturers to reuse them in lower intensity areas after they are replaced in the car, such as storing power from grid networks.
The key to meeting these requirements is leveraging data, decision points and skillsets within the organization. However, all too often data is concentrated in a few hands, meaning other teams can’t make the most of it. To overcome this manufacturers need to develop systems of tracking data across their organization, and then use tools like generative AI to enable teams to find and understand the data they need to do their jobs.
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The Twin Transition
For businesses to meet ESG obligations, while ensuring business needs such as the optimization of resource use and maintaining a sustainable business model are met, there needs to be a major overhaul of current processes, systems and solutions.
Enter the ‘Twin Transition’ – the idea that for an organization to successfully prioritize sustainability, Net-Zero related transitions and digital transformation need to go hand in hand. One cannot exist without the other – whether it is driving better business decisions using data assets, or prioritizing tech capabilities to enable scalability. It’s critical for businesses to understand where their capabilities fall short—and to build a pathway to uplift these areas.
To get started on this challenging path, manufacturers must first map out their Net Zero goals, which includes resource and timeline planning, and defining different stakeholder responsibilities in the journey. There are several steps that businesses need to then take, for example prioritising which ESG metrics the company want to target. This could include reducing pollution, or increasing social opportunity for workers and the local community.
From there, they can define optimized metric journeys which ensure the firm is gathering all the data it needs to make an informed decision. This can be done through IoT sensors and smart devices and integrating these with core financial and production data, enabling better business decisions through governed data assets. Finally, firms should prioritize technology capabilities to enable scalability and establish a new operating model to deliver consistently.
For example, a manufacturer looking to reduce the emissions of a product would need to identify how much pollution is produced transporting materials to the factory, during loading and unloading, the manufacturing process, and how much is produced sitting in a shop. In the past this often relied on taking averages of how much CO2 might be released by a delivery van, or the average energy required to develop a product. Instead, by implementing sensors throughout the process teams can then see much more exact data. Once they have this data engineers can more accurately measure how changes in the process affects emissions, and continue to iterate the model until they reach the desired effect.
This allows the use of data and technology to drive stronger, sustainability-focused decision making.
Starting the green transformation
While significant strides are being made within the industry, it is still by the minority rather than the majority. Manufacturers must make a decision. By deprioritizing sustainability initiatives they may well see themselves falling behind as the world becomes more sustainable, while those that understand the symbiotic relationship between sustainability initiatives, digital transformation and business benefit will thrive.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
With users across the world accessing Chrome on their mobile and workplace devices, and across different software versions and platforms, the company says Chrome Enterprise Premium provides a number of tools to make sure this access remains secure at every level.
Chrome Enterprise Premium
“Browsers are more than just a portal to the Internet: They are the new endpoint where almost every high-value activity and interaction in the enterprise takes place,” Parisa Tabriz, VP, Chrome, Google, noted in a blog post.
“Authentication, access, communication and collaboration, administration, and even coding are all browser-based activities in the modern enterprise.”
The company says its launch builds on the initial suite of services offered in Chrome Enterprise, which provides a number of management tools for IT and security teams.
However there will also be a few new additions, including extended enterprise controls allowing companies to enforce policies, manage software updates and extensions to align with their in-house rules. Boosted threat and data protection will allow for stronger data loss prevention and anti-malware toools, with AI-boosted anti-phishing also on offer.
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The platform, which can integrate with other Google and third-party security solutions, will also allow for greater insights and reporting when it comes to security, including event reporting, device reporting, and forensic capabilities for enterprise-wide visibility.
There will also be support for scaling context-aware access controls for web applications, allowing for continuous zero trust access to SaaS and web-based apps.
Apple today highlighted the Vision Pro headset’s enterprise use-cases, such as customizable workspaces, collaboration on 3D designs, delivering specialized employee training, and guiding remote fieldwork.
Apple explained how the Vision Pro can enhance business productivity, featuring integration with widely used applications like SAP Analytics Cloud and Microsoft 365 in a spatial computing context. For example, SAP Analytics Cloud on the Vision Pro allows users to interact with their data in three-dimensional space, offering insights that were previously unattainable in a flat, two-dimensional interface. Similarly, Microsoft 365 apps have been optimized for the headset, providing users with a unique, distraction-free workspace that leverages the infinite canvas of spatial computing for multitasking and collaboration.
The Vision Pro’s high-resolution displays and processing capabilities allow for the creation and manipulation of digital twins of products, facilities, and processes with a high level of detail and accuracy. This has significant implications for industries like automotive engineering, where real-time data analysis and decision-making are crucial. Apple pointed out its partnership with Porsche to create the Porsche Race Engineer app as an example of this.
Training and simulation represent another area where the Vision Pro could make a substantial impact. By enabling realistic, immersive training experiences, companies like KLM Royal Dutch Airlines can improve technical maintenance and operations without the need for costly physical prototypes or taking equipment offline for training purposes. The Engine Shop app, for instance, allows KLM technicians to train on engine models in full fidelity within their own space, streamlining the training process and reducing the likelihood of errors. Similarly, Resolve’s app for building engineers enhances the planning and execution of maintenance work by overlaying detailed schematics and 3D models onto the physical world.
To encourage the development and integration of the Vision Pro in business workflows, Apple has introduced a range of developer resources, including the Enterprise Spatial Design Lab, and partnerships with industry leaders like Deloitte and Porsche. See Apple’s full press release for more information.
In 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) implemented new cybersecurity disclosure rules. These regulations mandate the disclosure of “material” threat and breach incidents within four days of occurrence, along with annual reporting on cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance.
The introduction of the new SEC cybersecurity requirements represents a critical milestone in the continuous fight against cyber threats. In 2023, chief information security officers (CISOs) revealed that three out of four companies in the United States were vulnerable to a material cyberattack. Consequently, cybercrime remains one of the foremost risks confronting US-based companies. Additionally, in the same year, nearly seven out of ten organizations in the United States experienced a ransomware attack within the preceding twelve months.
Cyberattacks pose significant risks to businesses, primarily in terms of financial damage. In 2024, cybercrime is projected to cost the United States alone more than $452 billion. Additionally, the loss of sensitive data is a consequential outcome of cyberattacks. In 2023, the United States ranked third globally in the percentage of companies reporting the loss of sensitive information.
Furthermore, data compromise incidents affected approximately 422 million individuals in the country in 2022, totaling 1,802 incidents. The US is recognized among the countries with high data breach density. Beyond financial and data loss implications, businesses are also wary of reputational damage, significant downtimes, and the potential loss of current customers, all of which can affect a company’s valuation and overall standing.
William Belov
Rise of awareness
Having in mind growing risks and new SEC rules, companies are strengthening their defenses, shows a recent report by Infatica, a provider in the proxy service market. According to the company’s data, the demand for proxy services searches has jumped by 106,5% over the last year. The reason behind this trend is proxies’ ability to imitate cybersecurity attacks. Therefore, using this technology companies can test their defenses.
The growing interest in proxy servers is not limited to seeking enhanced security measures alone. Searches for “free web proxy server” have risen by 5,042.9%, indicating a widespread pursuit for accessible solutions that offer anonymity. Meanwhile, the demand for “proxy server list” and “anonymous proxy server” has also seen significant upticks of 80.6% and 414.3%, respectively, highlighting the importance of reliable and discreet online operations.
While the SEC’s cybersecurity rules primarily target publicly listed companies, many of these firms depend on smaller third-party software and supply chain providers. A cyberattack at any juncture within this chain could result in significant consequences. This is why non-public entities are compelled to bolster their defenses too.
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Major gap
As businesses ramp up their activities, significant gaps remain evident. A staggering 81% of security leaders acknowledge the impact of the new rules on their businesses. However, only 54% convey confidence in their organization’s ability to comply effectively. Surprisingly, merely 2% of security leaders have initiated the process of adhering to the new rules. Approximately 33% are still in the early stages, while a striking 68% feel overwhelmed by the new disclosure requirements.
Among the myriad challenges, determining the materiality of cybersecurity incidents stands out, with 49% of respondents highlighting its complexity. Additionally, 47% struggle with enhancing their disclosure processes, further complicating compliance efforts.
Here are several advices on how to prepare for complying with SEC cybersecurity rules:
1. Consolidate your cybersecurity risk data
With the new regulations mandating the disclosure of incidents upon discovery and comprehensive reports on cybersecurity strategy quarterly and annually, organizations must prioritize centralizing cybersecurity risk assessment and incident data. Consolidating this data into a single repository, rather than scattered across spreadsheet software or lost in email inboxes, increases the likelihood of meeting SEC deadlines and reduces the time spent gathering information from different departments and stakeholders for incident disclosure.
2. Acquire cyber risk quantification capabilities
Traditionally, organizations have used qualitative methods such as ordinal lists or red-yellow-and-green severity charts to assess the significance of cybersecurity incidents or other risk events. While the SEC recommends considering these assessments for incident materiality determination, quantifying cyber risk offers a more accurate insight into the financial impact of an incident. Understanding the quantified financial impact of cyber risks enables organizations to take necessary steps to mitigate costly risks or, ideally, prevent them altogether. This approach reduces the overall volume of disclosures required.
3. Optimize your incident management processes
It’s an opportune moment to conduct a comprehensive review of your organization’s incident management processes to ensure they are proficient in identifying, addressing, and reporting cybersecurity incidents. Streamlining and refining these processes facilitate the interception of cyber risks before they escalate into significant issues and enable swift reporting when necessary.
4. Enhance your cybersecurity and cyber risk governance
Ensuring compliance with the SEC’s new regulations involves adequately informing your board of directors about your organization’s cybersecurity risk management practices. Implementing robust reporting and communication processes is essential to regularly update leadership on cyber risk management efforts and any incidents experienced by the company. Furthermore, it’s crucial to articulate how these incidents may impact or are already affecting the organization’s strategy and finances.
5. Secure your third-party relationships
The updated regulations emphasize the importance of assessing cyber risk beyond the confines of your organization. Meeting the requirements for reporting on third-party cyber risk assessment and secure vendor selection underscores the necessity of establishing an effective third-party risk management program. Indeed, supply chain attacks aimed at smaller contractors and vendors frequently rank among the primary causes of cybersecurity incidents at larger organizations.
6. Improve a cyber risk culture within your teams
Digital transformation has significantly impacted nearly every organization, particularly in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the shift of work and life online. Consequently, there has been a surge in employees connecting to organizational networks from various locations and devices, significantly expanding our cybersecurity attack surfaces. This shift underscores the critical importance of fostering a culture of cybersecurity risk awareness where cybersecurity is seen as everyone’s responsibility, not just the purview of the information security team. The more awareness of the threat posed by cyber risks that an organization can instill in its members, the stronger its overall cybersecurity posture will be, reducing the time needed to disclose incidents to the SEC.
While SEC regulations pose challenges, they also present opportunities. Following rules, can decrease the cybersecurity of the companies, enhance investor confidence, attract capital investment, and contribute to long-term business sustainability.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
Lenovo has launched its new ThinkPad L series of business laptops, featuring a variety of models in different sizes, including 13-inch, 13-inch 2-in-1, 14-inch and, for the first time, a 16-inch model for those needing a larger display.
The ThinkPad L13 Gen 5 and L13 2-in-1 Gen 5 models are powered by Intel Core Ultra processors and come with up to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB PCIe 4×4 M.2 2280 storage. The ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 and L16 Gen 1 models are offered with either an Intel Core Ultra processor or an AMD Ryzen 7030 Series CPU, and come with up to 64GB DDR5 RAM and up to 2TB PCIe 4×4 M.2 2280 storage.
All models in the ThinkPad L series come with Windows 11 Pro and are equipped with Dolby Audio Speaker Systems, HD RGB or 5MP RGB+InfraRed cameras with privacy shutters, and support for up to Wi-Fi 7 (Intel only) or Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
Enhanced repairability
Lenovo has also enhanced repairability in the L14 Gen 5 and L16 Gen 1 models, thanks to a partnership with iFixit.
Announced at MWC 2024, Lenovo says this collaboration has resulted in devices that are easy to repair and upgrade, with readily available customer replaceable units (CRU) such as DIMM, keyboard, SSD, and WWAN. This not only extends the lifespan of the laptops but also helps reduce electronic waste.
Lenovo has also unveiled the latest additions to its X13 laptop series – ThinkPad X13 Gen 5 and X13 2-in-1 Gen 5 models, which are powered by Intel Core Ultra processors. They come with up to 64GB LPDDR5x memory and up to 2TB storage.
“Lenovo’s newest business laptops, the ThinkPad L series and ThinkPad X13 series, underscore Lenovo’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, offering features like easier repairability, increased use of recycled materials, and more efficient power management,” said Tom Butler, executive director, IDG Commercial Product Portfolio, Lenovo.
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“With powerful processing capabilities designed for AI-optimized experiences, built-in security, and enhanced manageability, these laptops are ideal for business professionals seeking high-performance and more eco-friendly technology.”
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Organizations today heavily rely on big data to drive decision-making and strategize for the future, adapting to an ever-expanding array of data sources, both internal and external. This reliance extends to a variety of tools used to harness this data effectively.
In the modern business environment, with an estimated 2.5 quintillion bytes of data generated daily, big data is undoubtedly pivotal in understanding and developing all aspects of an organization’s goals. However, known for its vast volume and rapid collection, big data can overwhelm and lead to analysis paralysis if not managed and analyzed objectively. But, when dissected thoughtfully, it can provide the critical insights necessary for strategic advancement.
The evolution of big data in business strategy
In the past, businesses primarily focused on structured data from internal systems, but today, they navigate a sea of unstructured data from varied sources. This transition is fueled by key market trends, such as the exponential growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the increasing reliance on cloud computing. Big data analytics has become essential for organizations aiming to derive meaningful insights from this vast, complex data landscape, transcending traditional business intelligence to offer predictive and prescriptive analytics.
Driving this big data revolution are several market trends. The surge in digital transformation initiatives, accelerated by the global pandemic, has seen a significant increase in data creation and usage. Businesses are integrating and analyzing new data sources, moving beyond basic analytics to embrace more sophisticated techniques. Now, it is about refining data strategies to align closely with specific business goals and outcomes. The increasing sophistication of analytics tools, capable of handling the 5 Vs of big data – volume, variety, velocity, veracity, and vulnerability – is enabling businesses to tap into the true potential of big data, transforming it from a raw resource into a valuable tool for strategic decision-making.
Amy Groden Morrison
VP of Marketing and Sales Operations, Alpha Software.
Practical applications of big data across industries
Big data’s influence is evident across various sectors, each utilizing it uniquely for growth and innovation:
Transportation: GPS applications use data from satellites and government sources for optimized route planning and traffic management. Aviation analytics process data from flights (about 1,000 gigabytes per transatlantic flight) to enhance fuel efficiency and safety.
Healthcare: Wearable devices and embedded sensors are often employed to collect valuable patient data in real-time for predicting epidemic outbreaks and improving patient engagement.
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Banking and Financial Services: Banks monitor the purchase behavioral pattern of credit cardholders to detect potential fraud. Big data analytics are used for risk management and customer relationship management optimization. Government: Agencies like the IRS and SSA use data analysis to identify tax fraud and fraudulent disability claims. The CDC uses big data to track the spread of infectious diseases.
Media and Entertainment: Companies like Amazon Prime and Spotify use big data analytics to recommend personalized content to users.
Implementing big data strategies within organizations requires a nuanced approach. First, identifying relevant data sources and integrating them into a cohesive analytics system is crucial. For instance, banks have leveraged big data for fraud detection and customer relationship optimization, analyzing patterns in customer transactions and interactions. Additionally, big data aids in personalized marketing, with companies like Amazon using customer data to tailor marketing strategies, leading to more effective ad placements.
The key lies in aligning big data initiatives with specific business objectives, moving beyond mere data collection to generating actionable insights. Organizations need to invest in the right tools and skills to analyze data, ensuring data-driven strategies are central to their decision-making processes. Implementing these strategies can lead to more informed decisions, improved customer experiences, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Navigating data privacy and security concerns
Addressing data privacy and security in big data is crucial, given the legal and ethical implications. With regulations like the GDPR imposing fines for non-compliance, companies must ensure adherence to legal standards. 81% of consumers are increasingly concerned about online data usage, highlighting the need for robust data governance. Companies should establish clear policies for data handling and conduct regular compliance audits.
For data security, a multi-layered approach is essential. Practices include encrypting data, implementing strong access controls, and conducting vulnerability assessments. Advanced analytics for threat detection and a zero-trust security model are also crucial to maintain data integrity and mitigate risks.
Big data predictions and preparations
In the next decade, big data is set to undergo significant transformations, driven by advancements in AI and machine learning. IDC forecasts suggest the global data sphere will reach 175 zettabytes by 2025, underscoring the growing volume and complexity of data. To stay ahead, businesses must invest in scalable data infrastructure and enhance their workforce’s analytical skills. Adapting to emerging data privacy regulations and maintaining robust data governance will also be vital. With this proactive approach, businesses will be set to successfully utilize big data, ensuring continued innovation and competitiveness in a data-centric future.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
