ISO 27001 certification proves that your organisation has implemented a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS) that aims to protect the sensitive information of your staff, customers, clients and suppliers.

One key benefit of ISO 27001 is that it boosts customer confidence in your ability to protect their data. This is crucial in the wake of high-profile cyber security scandals, such as the Dell customer portal data breach in 2024.

What are the benefits of ISO 27001 certification?

Organisations of all sizes can benefit from ISO 27001 certification. The standard can help your organisation to:

• Plug gaps and loopholes in your security
• Reduce the risk of successful cyber attacks
• Win new business
• Retain existing customers
• Avoid financial penalties and losses
• Easily demonstrate compliance
• Gain an edge over your competitors
• Scale for growth
• Build a sustainable security culture
• Protect and enhance your reputation
• Support employees with clear training and policies
• Give your customers confidence
• Spend less time completing tenders

Plug gaps and loopholes in your existing security system

Part of the implementation of ISO 27001 includes a gap analysis to identify areas of the business that do not currently meet the standards of a quality ISMS. An auditor will visit your organisation, review what you already have in place and help you identify areas that can be improved.

These areas may include encryption, access logging and monitoring, outdated software, employee training and access controls.

Once your ISMS is in place, regular reviews will be required to assess your security and identify any other areas that need improvement, which is part of the ISO 27001 continual improvement requirement.

Together, these two factors help you to find any weaknesses in your security and to take steps to strengthen your defences against an information security incident.

Reduce the risk of successful cyber attacks

An ISMS alone won’t reduce the number of cyber attacks on your organisation, but it can help reduce the chances of those attacks succeeding.

With clear information security policies and processes in place and any gaps in your security identified and plugged, cyber criminals will find it much harder to break through your defences.

Regular audits and continual monitoring would further enhance your ability to detect and respond to threats swiftly, minimising any potential damage. An ISMS also fosters a culture of security awareness among employees, empowering them to recognise and report suspicious activities from the front line.

Win new business

When potential clients seek organisations to work with, they may prioritise those with a demonstrable commitment to information security.

A key benefit of ISO 27001 certification is that new clients will recognise your dedication to information security of the highest standard. This can help instil confidence that you can be trusted with their information – and with their business.

With ISO 27001’s focus on continual improvement, the standard demonstrates a proactive approach to safeguarding assets and reassuring potential new clients.

With an ISO 27001 certification, you could foster stronger, trust-based relationships and find opportunities for growth and collaboration in competitive markets.

Retain existing customers

It’s easier to retain existing customers than to gain new ones.

Take the opportunity to tell your existing customers about your new ISO 27001 certification and highlight the efforts you have invested in achieving it.

Customers who see that you’ve worked hard to commit to the highest standards of information security will appreciate your dedication to protecting their data.

This proactive communication can not only reinforce their trust in your organisation but also demonstrate your commitment to continual improvement and risk management.

Avoid financial penalties and losses

ISO 27001 certification can help organisations avoid financial penalties and losses. As cyber attack technology becomes more complex, data breaches become increasingly worrisome, and the resulting financial implications can be substantial.

Beyond this, a data breach can cause reputational damage, leading to a loss of business, revenue and profits. If a client decides to sue your organisation, there may also be additional legal costs. There may also be costs associated with the downtime associated with a data breach.

By complying with the rigorous standards of ISO 27001, organisations can bolster their data security, effectively mitigate potential breaches and avoid any costly consequences.

Easily demonstrate regulatory compliance

ISO 27001 certification is internationally recognised proof of an organisation’s compliance with information security requirements. Your certification can demonstrate to stakeholders that you are GDPR-compliant or demonstrate to regulators that you meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act (2018).

This assurance enhances your credibility and provides a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

This streamlined approach can significantly reduce administrative burdens, allowing you to focus on delivering exceptional value to your clients.

Gain an edge over competitors

Another benefit of ISO 27001 certification is that it can help your business stand out from competitors in a saturated market.

Perhaps your competitors boast stringent information security measures, comprehensive staff training and regular internal audits to ensure their security is always the best.

However, you can demonstrate this and more with your accredited ISO 27001 certification. This is a public statement of your organisation’s commitment to the highest standards of information security with security processes that are subject to regular review by an independent body.

Scale for growth

As organisations grow, information security needs will also evolve.

However, if ad hoc procedures are created as new situations are encountered, this can ultimately lead to a fractured and inefficient approach to information security.

This doesn’t just lead to wasted cost through repeated or unnecessary processes but can also result in vulnerability due to gaps emerging in your security.

Instead, a systematic, holistic approach to information security is the best option.

An ISMS implemented through ISO 27001 can be easily scaled up or down to match your organisation’s growth, so you won’t need to worry about inefficiencies, misused resources or gaps in your security.

Build a sustainable security culture

One of the many benefits of ISO 27001 is its mandatory requirement for top management to demonstrate their support of the organisation’s ISMS and lead by example, encouraging all staff who work with data to be proactive and alert to security risks.

By adhering to ISO 27001, organisations can make security a core focus, creating a culture where everyone understands and routinely practises robust data protection.

With more reliance on data, information security is no longer just an IT or upper management concern, as many employees will have access to customer information.

Not all of your staff will be experts in information security, so they will need to be supported with training and clear policies to help them identify security risks, understand their roles, and respond to suspected information breaches

You will also need to share the documented incident management procedure and business continuity procedure.

ISO 27001 helps you assess staff competence, track development, and identify training gaps. The policies and procedures required by the standard will also serve as a valuable resource that your staff can refer to when necessary.

It fosters vigilance among all employees, promoting a shared responsibility for data security. This helps to ensure that best practices are sustainable and followed consistently, minimising the risk of breaches.

Protect and enhance your reputation

Achieving ISO 27001 certification can significantly safeguard and enhance your organisation’s reputation.

News of a cyber attack or data breach can damage an organisation’s professional reputation and image, which can be challenging to repair. ISO 27001 can act as a seal of trust and reliability, reinforcing your reputation as a secure and responsible business before you have to prove it during a security crisis.

Give your customers confidence

Customers will want to know their personal information is safe, not only from external attacks but also from employee error or malicious practices such as selling data. By sharing the news that you are ISO 27001-certified, you can reassure them that your internal practices are geared towards keeping their information safe.

Spend less time completing tenders

Thanks to the international reputation of ISO certification, it acts as a useful shorthand for demonstrating your competence when submitting tenders.

Rather than being forced to prepare evidence that you meet all of the information security requirements set for a tender, you can simply include the details of your UKAS-accredited ISO 27001 certification.

Source: www.british-assessment.co.uk

The post Discover the Benefits of ISO 27001 Certification appeared first on iTeam.

Software updates are essential for maintaining the security and performance of your devices and applications. They can protect you from cyber threats, improve your user experience, and ensure compatibility with other software and hardware. Here are some of the benefits and tips for keeping your software up to date.

Benefits of Software Updates

• Tightened security: Software updates often include patches that fix vulnerabilities or bugs that hackers can exploit to access your system or data. By installing the latest updates, you can reduce the risk of cyberattacks and protect your personal and business information.
• Improved user satisfaction: Software updates are not only about security, but also about enhancing the functionality and usability of your software. They can offer new features, better performance, faster speed, and more stability. By updating your software, you can enjoy a smoother and more satisfying user experience.
• Sustained compatibility: Software updates can also help you avoid compatibility issues with other software and hardware. For example, if you use an outdated web browser, you may not be able to access some websites or online services that require the latest version. Similarly, if you use an outdated app, you may not be able to sync it with your device or cloud storage. By updating your software, you can ensure that it works well with other systems and devices.

Tips for Software Updates

• Enable automatic updates: Most software and apps have an option to automatically download and install updates as soon as they are available from the developer. This is the easiest way to keep your software up to date without having to check for updates manually. You can usually find this option in the settings or preferences menu of your software or app.
• Check for updates regularly: If you prefer to update your software manually, you should make it a habit to check for updates regularly. You can usually find this option in the help or about menu of your software or app. You should also visit the official website of the developer to see if there are any new updates or announcements.
• Update all your software: You should not only update your operating system, but also all the software and apps that you use on your device. This includes web browsers, plug-ins, antivirus programs, office suites, games, and more. You should also update the firmware of your device, which is the software that controls its basic functions.

What are fake update scams?

Fake update scams are a type of social engineering attack that tries to trick you into downloading and installing a malicious file that pretends to be a software update. The attackers usually compromise legitimate websites and inject malicious code that redirects you to a fake update page that looks very similar to the official one. The fake update page will claim that your software is outdated and that you need to update it immediately to view the content or fix security issues. If you click on the update button, you will download a file that contains ransomware, spyware, or other types of malware that can harm your computer or steal your personal information.

Fake update scams can target any type of software, such as web browsers, operating systems, antivirus programs, media players, office suites, etc. You should always be vigilant and cautious when you see an update page for any software that you use.

How to avoid fake update scams?

The best way to avoid fake update scams is to never download or install software updates from unknown or suspicious sources. You should always use the official channels and methods provided by the software developers to check for and apply updates. Here are some tips on how to do that for some of the most popular software:

• Web browsers: Web browsers usually update themselves automatically whenever they detect that a new version is available. You can also manually check for updates by accessing the settings or help menu of your browser and looking for an option to check for updates. If an update is available, it will be downloaded and installed automatically. You can also visit the official download page of your browser to get the latest version of it.
• Operating systems: Operating systems also update themselves automatically in the background. You can manually check for updates by accessing the system settings or preferences of your operating system and looking for an option to check for updates. If an update is available, you can download and install it manually or schedule it for later. You can also visit the official website of your operating system to get the latest version of it.
• Other applications: Other applications may have different ways of updating themselves, depending on their developer and functionality. Some applications may notify you when an update is available by showing a pop-up window or a notification icon on your screen. Some applications may require you to access their settings or help menu and look for an option to check for updates. Some applications may direct you to their official website or download page to get the latest version of them. You should always follow the instructions provided by the application developer to update your software safely and securely.

How to spot fake update scams?

Sometimes, it can be hard to tell if an update page is genuine or not, especially if it looks very similar to the official one. However, there are some signs that can help you spot fake update scams and avoid them. Here are some of them:

• The URL of the update page does not match the official domain of the software developer. For example, if you see a URL like https://windows-update.com or https://adobe-flash-player.net, it is most likely a fake update scam.
• The update page has spelling or grammatical errors, or uses poor language or formatting.
• The update page asks you to download an executable file (such as .exe, .dmg, .msi, etc.) instead of directing you to the official download page of the software.
• The update page tries to scare you or pressure you into updating your software by claiming that your software is severely outdated, insecure, or incompatible with certain websites or features.
• The update page offers you additional software or services that are unrelated to your software or that you did not request.

If you encounter any of these signs, do not click on any links or buttons on the update page and close it immediately. Then, scan your computer with a reputable antivirus program to make sure that your system is not infected with malware.

Source: uidaho.edu

The post Why keeping your software up to date is important for cybersecurity? appeared first on iTeam.

CVE-2025-2857 exhibits behavior similar to the security problem that Google addressed in the Chrome browser earlier this week. Anyone exploiting the security issue could “escape” the Firefox sandbox, which is used to limit access to other applications outside the browser on the user’s computer.

The problem also affects browsers using Firefox’s source code, such as the Tor browser, which has also been updated to version 14.0.7.

Kaspersky security researcher Boris Larin, who discovered the zero-day issue in Chrome, confirmed via a post that the cause of the issue in Chrome is the same as for Firefox.

Source: PCWorld Albanian

The post Firefox Addresses a Security Issue Exploited in Attacks appeared first on iTeam.

The modern world is evolving rapidly, and businesses that fail to adapt may fall behind. Digitalization is the process of aligning your business with the digital world and adopting new technologies and practices.

Whether it involves automating processes or enabling employees to work from home, digitalization offers many benefits, allowing your business to operate more efficiently. While adopting the latest technologies may seem costly, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Acquire the Right Skills

Before embarking on the digital transformation of your business, it is essential to ensure that you have acquired the right skills.

Running a successful business means continuously improving your skills to stay ahead. You must be willing to learn constantly and embrace new ideas.

Learning does not only mean following a traditional university curriculum. Nowadays, you can find numerous online courses, such as a digital marketing course. This allows you to complete your studies while working at a company, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace.

By studying digital techniques, you will gain the necessary skills to help transform your business and prepare it for success in the modern world.

Through experiences that focus on data-driven consumer strategies, you will learn how to lead digital transformation. Moreover, you will understand how design and process analysis can help your company achieve its goals.

Focus on Opportunities

When creating a plan for the digital transformation of your business, it is important to focus on the opportunities available. You need to consider how your company can benefit from digital techniques and how to make the most of these opportunities.

There are many options to change the way your business operates, from how you interact with customers to how you monitor your operations.

Your team may start working remotely, which requires new solutions for digital communication. This can increase efficiency and productivity if done correctly. On the other hand, you may want to use social media to assist your customers.

Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes

During the transformation of your business and the change in the way your company operates, you will face ongoing challenges and problems. Things may sometimes go wrong when you try something new. This is the cost of being innovative.

You should not fear mistakes, as long as you learn from them and pivot toward new ideas when the old ones do not work. This is harder for larger companies, so it may be necessary to start with small trials before fully implementing new ideas.

Although mistakes can be costly, they can be limited by testing ideas before fully adopting them. Furthermore, the benefits of digitalization far outweigh the potential costs of mistakes.

Through new digital practices, your business can become more efficient, saving money and delivering better results. Over time, you will always benefit from digitalization, as long as you follow these steps and take care to gradually adapt to major changes.

The opportunities for digitalization are limitless, and it is crucial to respond quickly to these opportunities if you want your business to gain a competitive advantage.

Source: minitor.al

The post The three key steps to digitally transform your business. appeared first on iTeam.

The Washington, D.C. tech think tank maintained that the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is financially imperiled by a preference for deployment projects using fiber-optic cables.

It called on the Trump administration to reform BEAD to stop favoring overly expensive fiber when low-Earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites could do the same job for less.

Taking a technology-neutral approach to broadband deployment would save money that could be better spent on other causes of the digital divide, it argued in its 11-page report.

“We think tech neutrality would have made sense from the beginning, but certainly in the years since the law was initially adopted, a lot of satellites have been launched, and there have been a lot of fixed wireless deployments,” said ITIF Director of Spectrum and Broadband Policy Joe Kane.

“We don’t really need to be putting fiber everywhere if there are viable satellite and fixed wireless options,” he told TechNewsWorld.

Tech Overruns Guidance

The legislation creating BEAD was passed three years ago and funded to the tune of US$42.45 billion. The program aimed to help communities overcome the barrier of high front-end broadband deployment costs and get high-speed internet service to every American who wanted it.

“[I]t has become clear that technological advancements have outrun the program’s regulatory guidelines,” Kane and Research Assistant Ellis Scherer wrote in the report. “The main issue is that BEAD is not technology neutral,” they continued. “The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has designed the program to give it a strong preference for using expensive fiber-optic cables. The result is that the money funds more expensive infrastructure than is needed, which will ultimately limit BEAD’s impact in bridging the digital divide.”

The NTIA declined to comment for this story.

According to the report, states could save tens of millions of dollars on their deployment efforts if BEAD could better incorporate cheaper yet still high-performing technologies such as fixed wireless broadband, such as 5G internet, and satellite service. Those savings could then be used to address the other principal causes of the digital divide, including affordability for low-income households and digital literacy, it added.

“The change in administrations can be a good inflection point to take stock of where we are now,” Kane said. “The satellite ecosystem is a lot different than it was when President Biden took office. The same can be said for the fixed wireless ecosystem.”

Underfunded From the Start

Jim Dunstan, general counsel for TechFreedom, a technology advocacy group in Washington, D.C., maintained that BEAD has been underfunded since its inception. “$42.5 billion isn’t going to get broadband to everybody no matter what technology you use,” he told TechNewsWorld.

He added that inflation has increased dramatically since the passage of the BEAD legislation. “That makes closing the digital divide with $42.5 billion even less likely,” he said.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged, “I think the NTIA really missed the ball on this by giving a nod to fiber.”

While fiber is expensive, it has advantages, besides performance, over satellite technologies, countered Ry Marcattilio, associate director for research at the Community Broadband Networks Initiative of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a nonprofit organization and advocacy group that provides technical assistance to communities about local solutions for sustainable community development, with offices in Washington, D.C., Portland, Maine, and Minneapolis.

“Fiber is certainly more expensive to build, but it solves the problem for a geometrically longer time horizon than LEO satellite services,” he told TechNewsWorld. “Those satellites have to be replaced every five years.”

“This argument that we should build broadband infrastructure in a ‘technology-neutral way’ I think is a recipe for having to spend thousands of dollars every five years on the same household over and over and over again, instead of running fiber to the vast majority of them and solving the problem once for three or four generations in a row,” he said.

Niche Solution?

Marcattilio contended that satellite internet is a good niche solution for a small number of very rural households. “It works well as a niche solution if you don’t care about shifting the burden of startup and monthly costs onto households.”

“LEO service will work well for a small number of households, and this has been true since its inception,” he added. “I think it will be true for a while, but it’s never going to be a mass market solution the way we all might wish it were.”

“If we handed the $42.5 billion to the satellite providers, you could deliver broadband to 100% of Americans pretty easily,” Dunstan contended. “The problem is, what kind of service can you squeeze out of those satellites?”

He explained that satellite networks claim they can support 100 Mbps downloads and 20 Mbps uploads. “The problem is when you start adding people to the service,” he said. “You’re sharing bandwidth. At some point, even with 6,000 satellites up there, it’s going to be hard to maintain that speed.”

Kane conceded congestion could be a problem for satellite networks, but it’s less of a concern for BEAD users. “BEAD is targeting people in rural and remote locations, places where broadband has never been deployed before,” he explained.

“In those places, there’s not going to be thousands of people signing up at once,” he continued. “We’re talking about areas where there aren’t thousands of people at all.”

Fouled in Politics

John Strand of Strand Consulting, an advisory firm focusing on global telecom based in Denmark, argued that the NTIA should not have been charged with administering the program. “It was political from the start,” he told TechNewsWorld. “The FCC should have had responsibility. It has experience in subsidy distribution and provides bipartisan accountability.”

He contended that BEAD was supposed to be tech-neutral, but the NTIA put its thumb on the scale in favor of fiber solutions. “This is because fiber builds typically require more labor. Hence, unions get involved, a Democratic Party constituency,” he said.

“Fiber networks also lend themselves to delivering increasing amounts of video entertainment traffic and advertising from the Big Tech and Hollywood platforms, helpful to another traditional Dem constituency,” he added.

He also noted that BEAD had climate and DEI requirements, which were not welcome in red states. “The NTIA put requirements on the money which Congress did not require,” he added. “This made the program take longer to administer.”

“Wireless technologies are, in general, more economical, but no one network type is always the right solution for every situation,” he explained. “Networks are a blend of technologies.”

“I expect Arielle Roth will be named the head of NTIA and predict she will either kill BEAD or remake it into something practical, not political, or aspirational,” he observed.

Source: TECHNEWSWORLD

The post Tech Diversity Key To Saving Imperiled Federal Broadband Program: Report appeared first on iTeam.

Artificial intelligence will be deployed by both adversaries and defenders, but attackers will benefit more from it, maintained Willy Leichter, CMO of AppSOC, an application security and vulnerability management provider in San Jose, Calif.

“We know that AI will be used increasingly on both sides of the cyber war,” he told TechNewsWorld. “However, attackers will continue to be less constrained because they worry less about AI accuracy, ethics, or unintended consequences. Techniques such as highly personalized phishing and scouring networks for legacy weaknesses will benefit from AI.”

“While AI has huge potential defensively, there are more constraints — both legal and practical — that will slow adoption,” he said.

Chris Hauk, consumer privacy champion at Pixel Privacy, a publisher of online consumer security and privacy guides, predicted 2025 will be a year of AI versus AI, as the good guys use AI to defend against AI-powered cyberattacks.

“It will likely be a year of back-and-forth battles as both sides put to use information they’ve gathered from previous attacks to set up new attacks and new defenses,” he told TechNewsWorld.

Mitigating AI’s Security Risks

Leichter also predicted that cyber adversaries will start targeting AI systems more often. “AI technology greatly expands the attack surface area with rapidly emerging threats to models, datasets, and machine language operations systems,” he explained. “Also, when AI applications are rushed from the lab to production, the full security impact won’t be understood until the inevitable breaches occur.”

Karl Holmqvist, founder and CEO of Lastwall, an identity security company based in Honolulu, agreed. “The unchecked, mass deployment of AI tools — which are often rolled out without robust security foundations — will lead to severe consequences in 2025,” he told TechNewsWorld.

“Lacking adequate privacy measures and security frameworks, these systems will become prime targets for breaches and manipulation,” he said. “This Wild West approach to AI deployment will leave data and decision-making systems dangerously exposed, pushing organizations to urgently prioritize foundational security controls, transparent AI frameworks, and continuous monitoring to mitigate these escalating risks.”

Leichter also maintained that security teams will have to take on more responsibility for securing AI systems in 2025.

“This sounds obvious, but in many organizations, initial AI projects have been driven by data scientists and business specialists, who often bypass conventional application security processes,” he said. “Security teams will fight a losing battle if they try to block or slow down AI initiatives, but they will have to bring rogue AI projects under the security and compliance umbrella.”

Leichter also pointed out that AI will expand the attack surface for adversaries targeting software supply chains in 2025. “We’ve already seen supply chains become a major vector for attack, as complex software stacks rely heavily on third-party and open-source code,” he said. “The explosion of AI adoption makes this target larger with new complex vectors of attack on datasets and models.”

“Understanding the lineage of models and maintaining the integrity of changing datasets is a complex problem, and currently, there is no viable way for an AI model to unlearn poisonous data,” he added

Data Poisoning Threats to AI Models

Michael Lieberman, CTO and co-founder of Kusari, a software supply chain security company in Ridgefield, Conn., also sees poisoning large language models as a significant development in 2025. “Data poisoning attacks aimed at manipulating LLMs will become more prevalent, although this method is likely more resource-intensive compared to simpler tactics, such as distributing malicious open LLMs,” he told TechNewsWorld.

“Most organizations are not training their own models,” he explained. “Instead, they rely on pre-trained models, often available for free. The lack of transparency regarding the origins of these models makes it easy for malicious actors to introduce harmful ones, as evidenced by the Hugging Face malware incident.” That incident occurred in early 2024 when it was discovered that some 100 LLMs containing hidden backdoors that could execute arbitrary code on users’ machines had been uploaded to the Hugging Face platform.

“Future data poisoning efforts are likely to target major players like OpenAI, Meta, and Google, which train their models on vast datasets, making such attacks more challenging to detect,” Lieberman predicted.

“In 2025, attackers are likely to outpace defenders,” he added. “Attackers are financially motivated, while defenders often struggle to secure adequate budgets since security is not typically viewed as a revenue driver. It may take a significant AI supply chain breach — akin to the SolarWinds Sunburst incident — to prompt the industry to take the threat seriously.”

Thanks to AI, there will also be more threat actors launching more sophisticated attacks in 2025. “As AI becomes more capable and accessible, the barrier to entry for less skilled attackers will become lower while also accelerating the speed at which attacks can be carried out,” explained Justin Blackburn, a senior cloud threat detection engineer at AppOmni, a SaaS security management software company, in San Mateo, Calif.

“Additionally, the emergence of AI-powered bots will enable threat actors to execute large-scale attacks with minimal effort,” he told TechNewsWorld. “Armed with these AI-powered tools, even less capable adversaries may be able to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and disrupt services on a scale previously only seen by more sophisticated, well-funded attackers.”

Script Babies Grow Up

In 2025, the rise of agentic AI — AI capable of making independent decisions, adapting to their environment, and taking actions without direct human intervention — will exacerbate problems for defenders, too. “Advances in artificial intelligence are expected to empower non-state actors to develop autonomous cyber weapons,” said Jason Pittman, a collegiate associate professor at the school of cybersecurity and information technology at the University of Maryland Global Campus in Adelphi, Md.

“Agentic AI operates autonomously with goal-directed behaviors,” he told TechNewsWorld. “Such systems can use frontier algorithms to identify vulnerabilities, infiltrate systems, and evolve their tactics in real-time without human steering. “

“These features distinguish it from other AI systems that rely on predefined instructions and require human input,” he explained.

“Like the Morris Worm in decades past, the release of agentic cyber weapons might begin as an accident, which is more troublesome. This is because the accessibility of advanced AI tools and the proliferation of open-source machine learning frameworks lower the barrier for developing sophisticated cyber weapons. Once created, the powerful autonomy feature can easily lead to agentic AI escaping its safety measures.”

As harmful as AI can be in the hands of threat actors, it can also help better secure data, like personally identifiable information (PII). “After analyzing more than six million Google Drive files, we discovered 40% of the files contained PII that put businesses at risk of a data breach,” said Rich Vibert, co-founder and CEO of Metomic, a data privacy platform in London.

“As we enter 2025, we’ll see more companies prioritize automated data classification methods to reduce the amount of vulnerable information inadvertently saved in publicly accessible files and collaborative workspaces across SaaS and cloud environments,” he continued.

“Businesses will increasingly deploy AI-driven tools that can automatically identify, tag, and secure sensitive information,” he said. “This shift will enable companies to keep up with the vast amounts of data generated daily, ensuring that sensitive data is continually safeguarded and that unnecessary data exposure is minimized.”

Nevertheless, 2025 could also usher in a wave of disappointment among security pros when the hype about AI hits the fan. “CISOs will deprioritize gen AI use by 10% due to lack of quantifiable value,” Cody Scott, a senior analyst for Forrester Research, a market research company headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., wrote in a company blog.

“According to Forrester’s 2024 data, 35% of global CISOs and CIOs consider exploring and deploying use cases for gen AI to improve employee productivity as a top priority,” he noted. “The security product market has been quick to hype gen AI’s expected productivity benefits, but a lack of practical outcomes is fostering disillusionment.”

“The thought of an autonomous security operations center using gen AI generated a lot of hype, but it couldn’t be further from reality,” he continued. “In 2025, the trend will continue, and security practitioners will sink deeper into disenchantment as challenges such as inadequate budgets and unrealized AI benefits reduce the number of security-focused gen AI deployments.”

Source: TECHNEWSWORLD

The post AI Dominates 2025 Cybersecurity Predictions appeared first on iTeam.

Today, it’s easier than ever for people to find sensitive and personal information about you online. With just your full name, anyone can look you up through search engines, social media platforms, and specialized personal data sites.

Besides being a major privacy concern, the availability of such online data is a goldmine for identity thieves, hackers, and scammers. It’s no surprise that:

• 84% of internet users are seriously concerned about what their digital footprints may reveal.

Controlling the amount of information available about you online is one of the most effective ways to reduce your exposure to risks such as identity theft, scams, and cyberattacks.

In this guide, we’ll explain what information scammers can uncover from your digital footprint, how to delete as much of it as possible, and how to stay safe (and private) in the future.

What Is Your Digital Footprint?

Every website you visit records information about you, and many directly solicit information from you.

All of this together forms your digital footprint — a collection of data that describes your online activity.

Your digital footprint falls into two main categories:

1. Active Footprints: Data you intentionally share online, such as posts on websites, social media, and other platforms.
2. Passive Footprints: Data collected without your knowledge, such as your online shopping behavior or location data.

Examples of Data in Your Active and Passive Digital Footprints:

• Personally Identifiable Information (PII): If you’ve ever shared your full name, home address, phone number, date of birth, or other sensitive information online, it might be part of your digital identity. Third-party services can make this data available on people search websites or data broker platforms.
• Browsing History: Some websites track your online activity using cookies and device fingerprinting to create a profile of you. These tools provide website owners with information about other websites you visit.
• Past Online Purchases: E-commerce websites collect data about your purchases and may sell it to advertisers or marketers. While this usually leads to targeted ads, it can also provide scammers with insights into your shopping preferences and personality.
• Device and IP Data: Most websites record information about the device you use and its IP address. While this is often done for security purposes, website owners can exploit this data for other uses.
• Location Data: Many websites track your location to customize content for your region. While this is usually limited to your country or territory, some websites may collect detailed data about your city or even your home address.
• Social Media Posts: Every piece of information you share online adds data and context to your digital footprint. This includes your relationship status, vacation destinations, political affiliations, and more.

How to Find Your Digital Footprint

1. Search your full name online:
2. Use Google to compile your data:
3. Check with data brokers:
4. Run a free Dark Web scan:

How to Erase Your Digital Footprint: 8 Steps

1. Remove sensitive personal data from search results.
2. Delete old accounts you no longer use.
3. Adjust your privacy settings on social media.
4. Check and update leaked passwords.
5. Disable ad tracking and location services.
6. Opt out of data broker lists and people search sites.
7. Use a secondary email address for added privacy.
8. Start using a password manager.

How to Keep Your Personal Data Private Online

Completely removing all of your personal information from the internet is nearly impossible. However, you can take significant steps to keep your data private and prevent data brokers, scammers, and hackers from learning more about you.

Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself online — starting today:

1. Limit what you share online and on social media:
   • Carefully review the information you share publicly. You may be giving others more access to your private life than you’d like. Share less personal information online, especially on social media and streaming platforms.
2. Adjust privacy settings — especially in new apps:
   • Be cautious about the privacy settings of the apps you use. Remember that many app vendors update their privacy policies over time, and new apps may have very different policies from those you’re used to.
3. Enable anti-tracking tools:
   • Many web browsers include anti-tracking features, and some are specifically designed for this purpose. Consider using a browser with comprehensive privacy tools to keep your information safe.
4. Don’t trust “private” or “incognito” browsing:
   • Most web browsers offer privacy-focused browsing, but these won’t protect you from data brokers or third-party tracking cookies. At best, they prevent others using the same device from seeing your search history.
5. Use a VPN when browsing and shopping online:
   • Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt your internet traffic, preventing your data from being shared online. They effectively block invasive cookies and data collection software.
6. Regularly clear your browsing history and cache:
   • Your browsing history and cache contain records of all the websites you’ve visited recently. Take time to review this data and delete anything you wouldn’t want others to see.
7. Sign up for an identity theft protection service:
   • Protecting your identity from data brokers and invasive tracking takes time and effort. Consider using a dedicated all-in-one security service like Aura to automatically safeguard your data.

All the information included in your digital footprint can be used against you.
The more scammers and identity thieves know about you, the easier it is for them to create convincing phishing emails and fake websites that target you. Protecting your data starts with awareness and taking the necessary steps to secure your privacy.

Source: aura.com

The post New Year’s Tech Resolutions: Erase Your Digital Footprint (Protect Your Privacy) appeared first on iTeam.

• Current top IT skills: Data science, Programming languages, Cloud computing, AI & Machine learning, and Software development.
• Having these key skills will help you stay competitive in the job market, unlock higher salaries and succeed in your field.
• Remember that it’s not just about technical skills – soft skills like project management, leadership, and communication are just as important.

Let’s guide you through the in-demand technology skills that can boost your IT career in 2024.

1. Data Science

One of the most in-demand skills is data science. With the exponential growth of data, businesses are increasingly relying on data scientists who can effectively analyse data sets and extract meaningful insights, enabling them to make informed decisions and gain a competitive edge in the market.

Being a data scientist requires a thorough understanding of data analysis, data structures and algorithms, and much more. Furthermore, data science plays a pivotal role in various domains like finance, healthcare, marketing, and cybersecurity, making it a highly versatile skill set.

2. Programming Languages

In the digital era, programming languages remain the backbone of IT. Programming skills are fundamental to software development, web development, and system administration, making them indispensable for IT professionals. The ability to write code and create innovative solutions is highly sought after in today’s technology-driven world and can open doors to high-paying roles as a computer scientist.

When it comes to languages in programming, there is a wide variety to choose from. Each language has its own unique features and strengths, catering to different needs and preferences. While several types exist, certain ones are projected to dominate the tech landscape in 2024.

3. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has revolutionised the IT industry by providing on-demand access to a shared pool of computing resources. With its scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, organisations are increasingly adopting cloud technologies. Consequently, cloud computing skills are among the most sought-after tech skills today.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

The reigning king of the cloud world, AWS offers a wide range of services and solutions that enable organisations to scale, innovate, and accelerate their digital transformation. You will need to have the knowledge and experience necessary to design, deploy, and manage applications on the AWS platform, ensuring seamless integration and optimal performance.

Microsoft Azure

Microsoft’s cloud service, Azure, is widely used for its layered security measures and seamless integration with other Microsoft products. Proficiency in Azure services such as virtual machines, storage, and SQL databases is essential for individuals working with this cloud platform. Knowledge of networking fundamentals, as well as experience with Azure Active Directory, can further strengthen your skills in this domain.

4. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Machine learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have propelled the IT industry to new heights, transforming various sectors with their ability to automate processes, analyse vast datasets, and make intelligent predictions. With an increasing number of businesses integrating AI-based technologies, professionals skilled in machine learning techniques and AI algorithms are highly sought after.

Deep Learning

Deep learning, a specialised branch of ML, copies the human brain’s approach to decoding data and creating patterns. Having a sound understanding of deep learning algorithms is a skill that the IT industry truly values as this knowledge drives innovation, promoting growth and efficiency across various applications.

5. Software Development

With the rapid growth of software-driven businesses, software development skills are highly valuable in today’s job market and software engineers are in high demand. Knowing how to handle the entire project lifecycle, from conception to deployment, is essential for software developers, making software development skills among the top demanded skills in the IT sector.

DevOps Skills

As software development methodologies evolve, the integration of development and operations becomes increasingly critical. Professionals with expertise in DevOps understand the interaction between development and operations teams, enabling them to streamline processes and improve efficiency.

Mobile App Development

Mobile app development is another area where skilled professionals are highly sought after. With the ubiquity of smartphones and the increasing demand for mobile apps, individuals proficient in mobile app development frameworks such as React Native and Flutter have a competitive advantage. Knowledge of user experience (UX) design principles and the ability to create intuitive and visually appealing interfaces are also desirable skills in mobile app development.

6. Cybersecurity

With an increasing number of cyber threats and data breaches, cybersecurity remains a top priority for organisations in 2024. Those with expertise in network security, ethical hacking, and risk assessment will be highly sought after, usually going on to forge a career in cybersecurity.

Additionally, staying up to date with the latest cybersecurity trends and technologies will be essential in this ever-changing landscape. Professionals who can effectively identify vulnerabilities, implement robust security measures, and respond to incidents will be in high demand. As the digital landscape expands, so does the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals to protect sensitive data and mitigate potential risks.

Source: iu.org

The post Most In Demand IT Skills: Get Ahead in 2024 appeared first on iTeam.

His paper in the latest edition of Frontiers in Veterinary Science argues pets will soon become a luxury in an overpopulated world and the future may lie in chips and circuits that mimic the real thing.

“It might sound surreal for us to have robotic or virtual pets, but it could be totally normal for the next generation,” Dr Rault said.

“It’s not a question of centuries from now. If 10 billion human beings live on the planet in 2050 as predicted, it’s likely to occur sooner than we think. If you’d described Facebook to someone 20 years ago, they’d think you were crazy. But we are already seeing people form strong emotional bonds with robot dogs in Japan.

“Pet robotics has come a long way from the Tamagotchi craze of the mid-90s. In Japan, people are becoming so attached to their robot dogs that they hold funerals for them when the circuits die.”

Dr Rault embarked on research for the paper after discovering a huge lack of information about how technology may influence our relationships with animals in the future.

“You won’t find a lot of research on pet robotics out there, but if you Google robot dogs, there are countless patents. Everyone wants to get ahead of this thing because there is a market and it will take off in the next 10 to 15 years.”

But the emergence of robotic pets is a double-edged sword, he warns. They can benefit people who are allergic to pets, short on space, in hospital, or scared of real animals, but the ethics of depending on a robot for companionship begs many big ethical questions.

“Robots can, without a doubt, trigger human emotions,” Dr Rault added. “If artificial pets can produce the same benefits we get from live pets, does that mean that our emotional bond with animals is really just an image that we project on to our pets?”

As an animal welfare researcher, Dr Rault is particularly interested in whether a surge in popularity of disposable fake pets could lead to a shift in how humanity treats animals.

“Of course we care about live animals, but if we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercise, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings.”

Dr Rault says it’s not too far-fetched to imagine that robot pets of the future could feature bonafide Artificial Intelligence and could learn to think and respond on their own.

“When engineers work on robotic dogs, they work on social intelligence, they address what people need from their dogs: companionship, love, obedience, dependence,” he said.

“They want to know everything about animal behaviour so they can replicate it as close as possible to a real pet.”

And what about robotic cats? “Well, that’s a little harder because you have to make them unpredictable,” he concluded.

Source: phys.org

The post Robot pets to rise in an overpopulated world appeared first on iTeam.

AI and cybersecurity: how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the security industry

Source: kpmg.com

The post How AI influences cybersecurity appeared first on iTeam.