Eye Care Leaders Data Breach Caused by Cloud EHR Vendor. Don’t be the Next.

The databases and system configuration files for Eye Care Leaders, a manufacturer of cloud-based electronic health record and practice management systems for eye care practitioners, were recently hacked.

What Happened

The breach reportedly compromised the organizations’ cloud-based myCare solution, with hackers obtaining access to the electronic medical record, patient information, and public health information (PHI) databases on or around December 4, 2021, according to breach notification letters provided by some of the affected practices. The hacker then erased the databases and system configuration files.

When the breach was discovered, the company promptly locked its networks and initiated an investigation to avoid additional unauthorized access. That investigation is still underway, and it’s unclear how much patient data was exposed. However, it’s possible that sensitive data was seen and exfiltrated before the database was deleted. Patients’ names, dates of birth, medical record numbers, health insurance information, Social Security numbers, and personal health information regarding care received at eye care offices were all stored in the databases.

More than 9,000 ophthalmologists use the Durham, NC-based company’s products. It’s unclear how many providers have been affected at this time. Summit Eye Associates, situated in Hermitage, Tennessee, has revealed that it was hacked and that the protected health information of 53,818 patients was potentially stolen. Evergreen Health, a Kings County Public Hospital District No. 2 division, has also acknowledged that patient data has been compromised. According to reports, the breach affected 20,533 people who got eye care at Evergreen Health. The breach has been confirmed by Allied Eye Physicians & Surgeons in Ohio, which has revealed that the data of 20,651 people was exposed.

The records of 194,035 people were exposed due to the breach at Regional Eye Associates, Inc. and Surgical Eye Center of Morgantown in West Virginia. Central Vermont Eye Care (30,000 people) recently reported a data breach affecting EHRs. However, HIPAA Journal has not been able to establish whether the cyberattack caused the data loss at Central Vermont Eye Care on Eye Care Leaders.

Confidential Information Exposed

Update

Over the last two weeks, the number of eye care providers affected by the hack has increased. The following is a list of eye care practitioners who have been identified as being affected:

Protected Harbor’s Take On The Matter

There are more than 1,300 eye care practices in the United States alone. And with more than 24 million Americans affected by some form of visual impairment, the demand for eye care services continues to grow.  In response to these growing needs, we have seen an increase in cloud-based electronic health record management software solutions to streamline operations while increasing efficiency and security.

Unfortunately, this also means that cybercriminals see the eye care industry as a prime target for hackers because their information is so sensitive and accessible. That’s why you must know which cloud EHR vendors were hacked recently.

Protected Harbor’s 5 ways to prevent unauthorized access to your company data:

1. Strong Password Policy– Having your users add symbols, numbers, and a combination of characters to their passwords makes them more difficult to crack. Having a minimal amount of characters and changing it periodically (every 60 or 90 days) ensures that outdated passwords aren’t reused for years, making it much easier to get unwanted access to the account.
2. MFA– Multi-factor authentication is a great approach to ensure you only access the account. You will need another device (usually your mobile device) nearby in addition to your usual login and password since you will be required to enter a code that will be produced instantly.
3. Proactive Monitoring- Preventing unauthorized access is the initial step, but monitoring login attempts and user behaviors can also provide insight into how to prevent it best. For example, if you have logs of failed login attempts for a single user. You can launch an inquiry to see whether the user merely forgot their password or if someone is attempting to breach the account.
4. IP Whitelisting- IP Whitelisting compares the user’s IP address to a list of “allowed” IP addresses to determine whether or not this device is authorized to access the account. If your firm only uses one or a limited number of IP addresses to access the internet, as is usually the case, you can add a list of IP addresses that are granted access. All other IPs will be sent to a page that isn’t allowed.
5. SSO (Single Sign-On)- If your firm has a centralized user directory, using it to acquire access makes things more accessible and more manageable for you. You’ll have to remember one password, and if something goes wrong, your network administrator can deactivate all of your applications at once.

Richard Luna, CEO of Protected Harbor, stated: Unfortunately, this is how things will be in the future. The development tools used to create websites and mobile applications were created in the 1990s. Data transferability, or the ability to move data from one device to another, was a critical concern back then. The emphasis back then was on data proliferation. FTP comes to mind as a secure method with no encryption. Authentication was designed for discerning between good actors, not to harden data and protect against data theft because all data exchanges were between good actors back then. Now that we live in a different environment, we may expect more data breaches unless security is built into data transfer protocols rather than bolted on as an afterthought.

We’ve been helping businesses respond to these attacks for some time, including ransomware attacks and cross-pollinating destructive IP attacks across numerous access points and multiple AI use. If a company has 50 public IPs and we’re proactive monitoring the services behind them, and a bad actor assaults one of them, ban them from all entry points in all systems, even if it involves writing a synchronized cron job across firewalls or other protection devices. Add in artificial intelligence (AI) and comprehensive application monitoring, and a corporation has the tools to detect and respond to such threats quickly.

Final Thoughts

Data security isn’t a one-time or linear process. You must invest in software vendors, ongoing resources, time, and effort to ensure data security against unwanted access.

Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated every day, and they are employing cutting-edge technologies to target businesses and get illicit data access.

As the number of data breaches rises, you must become more attentive. It’s critical that your company implements concrete security measures and that each employee prioritizes cybersecurity.

If you’d want us to conduct an IT security audit on your current security policies, we’ll work with you to ensure that you’re well-protected against unauthorized data access and other cyber risks. Contact us today!

The Importance of Encryption in Data Security

Data security has become a point for convergence with the widespread use of the Internet and the adoption of network applications. The information and data transmitted over the Internet should ensure its integrity, confidentiality, and authenticity. One of the most effective ways to resolve this issue is to leverage advanced encryption techniques. Encryption is one of the most crucial methods to secure data online. It’s a process of converting plain text into ciphertext that is not understood or transformed by unauthorized users. Encryption is a cybersecurity measure protecting sensitive data using unique codes that encrypt data and make it unreadable to intruders. This article will discuss fast-speed symmetric encryption, secure asymmetric encryption, and hash functions. Then we’ll figure out the importance of encryption and how can end-to-end data encryption prohibit data breaches and security attacks.

What is Encryption?

To get secure in this digital world, the fundamental necessity is to hide sensitive data and information from unauthorized users or malicious actors. Encryption is the best way to protect data from being hacked. It’s a process of making data and files unreadable using an encryption key, so if somebody tries to gain access to sensitive data, they only see gibberish. Encryption provides security and privacy by hiding information from being shared or hacked by malicious actors. To preserve the integrity and confidentiality of data, encryption is an essential tool whose value can’t be overstated.

The encryption takes place through a proper process. The data that needs to be encrypted is known as plaintext. This plaintext is passed through some encryption algorithms. Apart from it, an encryption key is required to convert the plaintext into ciphertext. When the data is encrypted, the ciphertext is sent over the Internet instead of plaintext. Once it is reached the receiver, they use a decryption key to convert ciphertext into the original readable format.

The need for data security has given birth to various encryption techniques, such as symmetric, asymmetric, hash functions, message authentication codes, digital signatures, and more. But in this report, we highlight symmetric and asymmetric encryption techniques and hash functions to secure data.

Symmetric Encryption

In symmetric encryption, also known as private-key encryption, a secret key is held by one person only and exchanged between the sender and receiver of data. Both the sender and receiver should have a copy of a secret key to transfer data. The recipient should have the same key as the sender before the message is decrypted. The standard symmetric encryption algorithms include RC2, AES, DES, RC6, 3DE, and Blowfish. The positive aspect of symmetric encryption is that it is faster. However, symmetric encryption is not much robust technique for protecting data. It can be easily decrypted, hacked, and prone to attacks. But if planned and executed carefully, the risk of decoding can be reduced. Symmetric encryption is suitable for closed systems having fewer risks of a third-party intrusion.

Asymmetric Encryption

Asymmetric encryption, also known as public-key encryption, is a two-key system with a public and a private key. As the name suggested, the public key is available to anyone, but the private key remains with the recipient intended to decode data. The user sends an encrypted message using a private key not shared with the recipient. If a user or sending system first encrypts data with the intended recipient’s public key and then with the sender’s private key, the recipient can decrypt data first using the secret or private key and then the sender’s public key. Using the asymmetric encryption method, the sender and recipient can authenticate each other and protect the data’s secrecy. The asymmetric algorithm includes RSA, Diffie Hellman, XTR, ECC, and EES. The positive aspect of asymmetric encryption is that it is relatively safe and secure than symmetric encryption. However, it is slower than symmetric encryption.

Hash Functions

A hash function is a unique identifier for a set of data or information. It’s a process that takes plaintext data and converts it into unique ciphertext. Hash functions generate unique signatures of fixed length for a data set. There is a unique hash for each data set or a message that makes minor changes to the data or information that is easily traceable. Data encryption using hash functions can’t be decoded or reversed back into the original format. Therefore, hashing is used only as a technique for verifying data. Hash functions ensure data integrity, protect stored passwords, and operate at different speeds to suit other processes.

Importance of Encryption

There are a lot of reasons for using encryption techniques. The following points can define its importance. Encryption is essential for data security because it provides

• Confidentiality_ This is critical because it ensures that no unauthorized user can understand the shared information except one having the decipher key.
• Data Integrity_ It ensures that the received information or data has not been modified from its original format. While transferring data online, it may get changed by malicious actors. However, data integrity confirms that data is not intact by an unauthorized user. It can be achieved by using hash functions at both sender and the receiver end to create a unique message.
• Authentication_ It’s ensuring the intended recipient’s identity. The user has to prove their identity to access the information.
• Access Control_ It’s a process of restricting unauthorized users from accessing data. This process controls who can access resources and prevent data from malicious actors.

Conclusion

Today most of us communicate or send information and data in cyberspace, putting security at risk. Users transmit their private information and data that malicious actors can hack into over the Internet. As a result of the widespread adoption of advanced technologies and the Internet, there is a need to implement robust security measures, and data encryption is one of them. This article has learned a lot about data encryption and its various methods, including symmetric, asymmetric, and hash functions. Moreover, we have seen how encryption provides data security, integrity, and confidentiality value.

Protecting your network against cyber threats requires an integrated approach with solid security infrastructure. Encrypt your data on site-level and at the cloud level to keep your information safe from hackers. If a hacker breaks into your data center, you’d want to know right away. The best way to do this is to monitor your data 24/7/365. You can do this by hiring a data security specialist such as Protected Harbor.

Protected Harbor’s suite of services includes remote monitoring and support, software updates, anti-virus, anti-malware, data backup, encryption, and much more. We are providing a free IT Audit to the business looking to safeguard themselves. Contact us for an audit today.

5 ways to secure your enterprise mobile app

Nowadays, there is a substantial increase in the usage of mobile applications and the exponential growth of internet-connected devices in enterprises. Generally, Enterprise mobile applications foster workers and processes by allowing mobile computing across wireless networks and mobile devices. Enterprise mobile applications are considered emerging technology but can be challenging for organizations.

With the advancement in digital technologies, cyber threats have also increased. Cybercriminals are constantly searching to find vulnerabilities in a company’s IT infrastructure. There can be some loopholes within an application that may lead to the infiltration of hackers. To protect your business, it’s necessary to have the top-notch security of your mobile application. This article will discuss ways to secure your enterprise mobile application.

What is an enterprise mobile application?

An enterprise application is a program that can help to improve certain aspects of an enterprise. For instance, it can help to automate the company’s repetitive tasks and with the company’s communication. These applications are used in the context of mobile apps brought/created by individual organizations for their employees to carry out operations required to run the organization. An enterprise application is expected to be used by the employees of that organization only.

If you have been keeping up with the news, you must hear about the ongoing issues regarding cyber threats. It includes hackers and malicious individuals who steal or exploit sensitive information from enterprises for their profit. They perform this by infiltrating the system through the entry point and Enterprise mobile applications. We’ll see how an organization can protect these Enterprise mobile applications. But first, let’s see some of the common reasons that can compromise security.

Common reasons that can compromise mobile app security

Many reasons can compromise security in enterprise mobile applications. Hackers can find loopholes in your application due to the lack of security knowledge in a new language or technology and a small security budget. Here are some common reasons that could allow hackers to get into the application and insecure your organization and your user’s data.

• Lack of secure data storage
• Missing authentication
• Bad encryption
• Weak server-side security controls
• Absence of binary protection techniques
• Malicious code on the client-side
• Weak implementation of hidden fields

As advanced technologies exist, attackers try to invent new ways to breach. The critical aspect is creating, using, and implementing a secure environment for applications. Let’s discuss some tips to secure enterprise mobile applications.

5 ways to secure your enterprise mobile application

Here are the approaches that you can use as best practices to protect your mobile applications and sensitive enterprise data.

1. Harden the endpoint- Mobile application security starts with the device, and every mobile operating system from Android to iOS requires a different approach to harden the device. Recent iOS and Android vulnerabilities have exposed mobile users to attacks, such as XcodeGhost and Stagefright. Apart from mobile OS flaws, IT must take on a never-ending succession of app fixes and updates. IT administrators should check mobile devices and applications and ensure that the latest updates and patches have been applied to protect mobile applications from hackers.

The most effective method to manage iOS devices is through an enterprise mobile management (EMM) or mobile device management (MDM) product or devices. The relatively lower prices of Android devices make them critical to global organizations. The Android version you should use in an enterprise is Android for Work (A4W). It encrypts the device and separates professional and personal applications into two different profiles.

2. App authentication

Implement multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access and malware attacks. The three essential factors for authentication are

• something a user knows, such as a PIN or a password.
• something a user has, such as a smart device.
• something a user is, such as a fingerprint.

The proper authorization and authentication measures can help the application know who the user is and validate them before sharing the data. It adds a security layer within the application along the login process. Apart from using strong authentication processes, it’s recommended to use Single Sign-On (SSO) to protect your applications. This technique helps users sign in to different applications using a single password.

3. App Wrapping

It’s a mobile application management strategy allowing developers to add an extra security layer to applications. Adding the extra security layer doesn’t change the application’s core functionality. It helps to protect business data without changing the functionality and look of the application. The app wrapping procedure requires a thorough knowledge of application SDK so that the admin can deploy an API using which the policies can be set. The elements that ensure the security of an application include copy/paste protection, corporate authentication, data wipe, jailbreak detection, and application-level VPN runtime integrity check.

4. Strengthening the operating system

During the development phase, strengthening the operating system can reduce security-related issues. Application developers should understand how apps can be deployed and updated for each mobile operating system and the distribution rules imposed by each app store and manufacturer. These rules have mobile data security implications; all mobile operating systems require apps to be signed but differ based on who issues the signing certificate and how that impacts the application permissions. The best practice is to educate developers. For an app development company, it is required to consider and follow robust security guidelines.

5. Encrypt mobile applications and servers

With threats like man-in-the-middle attacks and snooping attacks over cellular or WiFi networks, IT administrators should ensure that all communication between app servers and mobile applications is encrypted. Robust encryption that uses 4096-bit SSL and session-based key exchanges can prevent the most determined attackers from decrypting communications.

Moreover, OT should confirm that data at rest is also encrypted. Network and device encryption prevents data and security breaches and eventually improves applications’ security. There is a need to ensure that the application goes through two security checks, Static Application Security Test (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Test (DAST).

Final Words

This article has discussed a few best practices to secure enterprise mobile applications. Therefore, an organization should understand the evolving state of cybersecurity and mobility while implementing security tips to protect their applications and data. If you are looking for the best solution to protect your application and data, Protected Harbor is highly recommended to bring value to your business. With our expert tech team, we strive to satisfy our clients. Modern-age solutions include 99.99% downtime, remote monitoring, protected phones, desktops, and cybersecurity. Take the step forward and move towards a safer future with Protected Harbor today!

Google Workspace, Slack, or Microsoft Teams: Which is safest for your business?

With the onset of the pandemic and transformation in workplace behaviors, remote work has reached a climax. Many companies face the same question – what is the best collaboration tool for working at home? Businesses are rushing to use collaborative software to keep their productivity high in these uncertain times.

There are many options, but we decided to delve deeper into; Google Workspace vs. Slack vs. Microsoft Teams’ positive and negative security features.

Microsoft Team Positive Features

• Teams enforces team-expansive and organization-wide two-factor authentication
• Single sign-on through Active Directory and data encryption in transit and at rest.

Microsoft Team Negative Features

• A flaw in Microsoft Teams could allow a hostile actor to view a victim’s chats and steal sensitive data. An actor might set up a malicious tab in an unpatched version of Teams that would provide them access to their private documents and communications when opened by the victim. (Source: the daily swig)
• Users in teams do not have the structure from the beginning. You don’t know which channels you need or which channels you should build most of the time. The maximum number of channels per team has been limited to 100. This feature should not be a problem for smaller units, but it may cause difficulties for larger groups. When the predefined limit is exceeded, specific channels must be terminated.
• Over time, users get increasingly accustomed to and proficient at what they do. You can’t switch channels or reproduce teams right now; thus, creating Team blocks isn’t very flexible. This frequently wastes time because manual replications become the only option.

Slack Positive Features

• Improve communication between departments and improve the ability to contact and notify people quickly. The user interface has a unique look and feels with various color schemes.
• This speeds up the update process, and the two-factor authentication provided by Google Authenticator is reliable and error-free.
• Using Slack on mobile devices is as easy as using the desktop version, and the huddle feature makes it even more convenient.

Slack Negative Features

• 1 Working with larger teams is not a good experience as you might experience glitches and connection unreliability now and then.
• Searching should be enhanced; it is currently unorganized. Grouping allows you to evaluate if the findings are helpful in the future. DMs, for example, and channels are examples.
• Notifications for mobile and desktop don’t always operate in sync. The system is also out of sync when going from desktop to mobile. There’s a lack of consistency in the workflow there.

Google Workspace Positive features

• Focus on collaboration: Google workspace is a dream for companies that need intensive cooperation in many ways.
• It’s based on the cloud and is always connected to Google’s cloud storage and file-sharing platform, Drive.
• Email: Gmail referrals are rarely needed. It is the world’s most popular email client, strengthening its market position with excellent security tools, an easy-to-use interface, and numerous features ideal for business and personal use.

Google Workspace Negative Features

• Document conversion issues: You may have problems converting Google Sheets and documents to Microsoft documents and PDF formats. You need to find a third-party app to help with the conversion. There’s something a little…flat about Google workspace and Docs integration. Yes, it’s a word processor, so there’s not much to do with it, but the compatibility issues hinder the experience.
• Takes hours: It may take some time to import data or documents from other external sources into the system. File management is a pain. The entire process feels clumsy, leading to a great deal of disorganization inside our company.
• Instead of downloading individual software onto your mobile device, you’d wish there was an option to download the complete Gsuite into one app. Because Gsuite is essentially confined within a single browser, users expect all apps to be in one spot.

Technology has gone far over the years, and the effect from the COVID 19 gave birth to the introduction of several electronic offices where members of an organization can meet and discuss issues they could have done when they physically met. This work has compared the pros and cons of each platform and is considering Google Workspace with its specific qualities and consideration of future security.

Solution: Create a high-speed remote desktop hosted virtually on a private server… like we have.. what a coincidence…

Why Are Cloud Services Taking Over?

With the rising popularity of cloud services, many businesses are migrating to create their remote servers. There are many reasons you might choose cloud services over setting up your hardware, but all business owners should consider simple economics.

The days when businesses had to rely on the availability, provision, and ability to have huge spaces to run their operations are long gone. The world has evolved, and startups are flourishing because they are facilitated. No office turns into a small space, then eventually into a vast building rapidly. What enables all of this is the Cloud.

One benefit of this is that you can use several tools and features to protect your data from intruders and hackers who might otherwise gain access to any information stored on your primary server. Cloud storage space is often much cheaper than in-house. Cloud Services are taking over due for a plethoric number of reasons. Henceforth let us have a look at them in detail.

Improved Storage and Convenient Backup

Storage is provided to businesses through massive servers contained in the Cloud. Therefore, companies do not need to rent out prominent places to hold their servers or buy such servers. Then, there is also the presence of excellent backups since the Cloud service providers have their backup servers and are responsible for it. It is their job to back things up and not the businesses’. This also leads to a drastic improvement in its performance to its clients.

Scalability, Flexibility, and Performance

In an excellent turn of events for businesses, Cloud Technology has been designed to be scaled to match the alternating IT requirements of companies. Therefore, as a company grows, it is evident that more storage space and bandwidth will be required to keep up with the ever-increasing traffic on its applications, websites, and other services. So, to accommodate the re-scaling of companies and ensure optimum performance under heavy loads, Cloud servers can be deployed automatically. This also improves speed and minimizes downtime of web applications, amongst many others.

Cost-Efficiency

As we have seen above, the lack of required space and servers significantly reduces the running costs through Cloud services. Overhead costs related to software updates, server hardware updates, and server management also reduce this. Another thing that facilitates this decrease in operational expenses is that Cloud services can be used on a pay-per-use basis. As a result, businesses can utilize the same benefits they want and guarantee a return on their investments.

Lack of Responsibility Towards Malware Attacks and Data Protection

The data of businesses fall under the responsibility of the Cloud service provider. At face value, it may seem unsafe since another company has access to your business’s data. However, this is far from reality.

Your business data is kept secure due to exceptionally well-rounded and dexterously designed contracts, with accentuation given to even the tiniest details. Therefore, once a malware attack comes into motion, your business is not the liable party; it is the company acting as the Cloud service provider.

This opens the doors to many advantages. When a malware attack occurs, a business utilizing a Cloud service can go on its merry way and continue focusing on improving its services. At the back-end, the Cloud service provider will take care of removing the actual malware.

• Automatic Software Updates

Through automatic software updates, Cloud service providers can ensure that whatever issue caused a breach can be covered. Since the business software at play is running on the Cloud servers, the provider can step in seamlessly to remove the malware.

• Automatic Software Integration

Once a newer methodology to prevent malware attacks or data leakages rolls out, the new feature will be distributed to all users using the business service, whether in an application or a website. Again, the business’ service is running on the Cloud service provider’s server, so one updation in the Cloud servers updates the distributed version for all users.

There is no reliance on each hardware component needing to be updated in a company since all its workers and users will be incorporating software that runs on the Cloud.

In the case of a backup failure, there is no need to worry since a Cloud service has multiple backups. For any business, creating such backups will prove to be tedious, overwhelming, and perhaps even out of reach to manage on-premises.

Similarly, covering up is a headache for the Cloud service provider when there is data leakage. For a business, it will be business as usual, as they say.

Business Continuation

There is always that element of risk involved when it comes to businesses. Unforeseen circumstances could cause a company to go bankrupt, and if it is based entirely on the Cloud, it may never be able to recover. This is because it has to sell all its offices, which would entail the servers present and all the other equipment when there is a lack of finances. A sophisticated backup may not be present in data loss situations since it is expensive and likely to be located on the same site. Therefore, all company data might be lost when a natural disaster occurs.

This is where Cloud service providers kick in, whether a business disaster or a natural disaster. A business can go online and remote if it is forced to sell all its offices due to financial constraints, thus reducing its costs instead of firing its employees or shutting down. There is simply no issue in case of data corruption or loss since Cloud service providers are both experienced and can provide multiple reliable backups.

The above results in the continuity of a business even under challenging times and situations.

Conclusion

All the reasons mentioned above make it imperative for a business to desire to incorporate Cloud services to accomplish its endeavors and run its operations. Since the entire world runs on companies, whether small or large, Cloud services are taking over!

Businesses are moving to cloud-based services because it makes their security and management more effortless. Since all data is stored on remote servers, there’s less risk of data theft or loss, which is a massive benefit for any company. Going with a private cloud service also means that you only have to pay for what you use, saving you money in the long run.

If you’re still on the fence about a move to the cloud, consider all of its benefits, then move to a cloud service provider or an MSP. From accessibility to cost savings, the cloud is an essential business tool that can help streamline practically every aspect of your business. Now is the time to upgrade to a private cloud.

The private cloud by Protected Harbor is more than just a backup solution. It improves the speed and efficiency of your business by providing flexibility, cost control, and enhanced security. With its multi-tenant design, you have access to all the advantages of a cloud solution without the risk of compromising security or performance. And with the ability to interconnect with the public cloud, you can take advantage of cost-effective solutions whenever they are available. Please take the next step to upgrade; contact.

What is IoT? Everything you need to know

Kevin Ashton created the term “Internet of Things,” or IoT, in 1999. However, it wasn’t until Gartner added IoT to its list of new emerging technologies in 2011 that it began to acquire traction on a worldwide scale. There will be 21.7 billion active connected devices globally by 2021, with IoT devices accounting for more than 11.7 billion (54 percent). This means that there are more IoT devices than non-IoT devices globally.

The Internet of Things impacts everyday life in various ways, including connected vehicles, virtual assistants, intelligent refrigerators, and intelligent robotics. But what exactly does the phrase imply? What are some of the benefits and challenges of the Internet of Things?

What is IoT?

The term “Internet of Things” is abbreviated as “IoT.” It refers to network-enabled devices and smart objects that have been given unique identities and are connected to the Internet so that they can communicate with one another, accept orders, and share with their owners; for example, when the butter in the intelligent refrigerator runs out, a grocery list may be updated. In a nutshell, this is the process of connecting items or machines. Simple domestic appliances to industrial instruments are among the networked devices that can be used.

Applications can be automated, and activities can be conducted or finished without human participation, thanks to the Internet of Things. Smart objects are internet-connected items. More than 7 billion IoT devices are currently connected, with analysts predicting that this number will climb to 22 billion by 2025.

How does IoT work?

An IoT ecosystem comprises web-enabled smart devices that gather, send, and act on data from their surroundings using embedded systems such as CPUs, sensors, and communication hardware. By connecting to an IoT gateway or other edge device, IoT devices can share sensor data that is routed to the cloud for analysis or examined locally. These devices may communicate with one another and occasionally act on the information they receive. Although individuals can use devices to set them up, give them instructions, or retrieve data, the gadgets do most of the work without human participation.

In a nutshell, the Internet of Things operates as follows:

• Sensors, for example, are part of the hardware that collects data about devices.
• The data collected by the sensors is then shared and combined with software via the cloud.
• After that, the software analyzes the data and sends it to users via an app or a website.

Why is the Internet of Things (IoT) important?

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become one of the most essential technologies of the twenty-first century. Now that we can connect common objects to the internet via embedded devices, such as mobile phones, cars/trucks, and healthcare devices, seamless communication between people, processes, and things are conceivable.

Thanks to low-cost computers, the cloud, big data, analytics, and mobile technologies, material things can share and collect data with minimal human interaction. Digital systems can record, monitor, and alter interactions between related stuff in today’s hyper-connected environment. The physical and digital worlds collide, but they work together.

What is the Industrial Internet of Things, and how does it work?

The usage of IoT technology in a corporate setting is referred to as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. The concept is similar to that of consumer IoT devices in the house. Still, the goal here is to analyze and optimize industrial processes using a combination of sensors, wireless networks, big data, AI, and analytics.

With just-in-time delivery of supplies and production management from start to finish, the impact may be considerably higher if implemented across a complete supply chain rather than just individual enterprises. Increased labor efficiency and cost savings are two possible goals, but the IIoT can also open up new revenue streams for organizations; manufacturers can also provide predictive engine maintenance instead of only selling a solitary product, such as an engine.

What are the benefits of using IoT?

The Internet of Things has made it possible for the physical and digital worlds to collaborate and communicate. It provides several advantages to businesses by automating and simplifying their daily operations.

Companies exploit the vast business value that IoT can offer as it grows dramatically year after year. Here are a few of the most significant advantages of IoT:

• To develop new revenue streams and business models
• Using data-driven insights from IoT data to enhance business choices
• To make corporate operations more productive and efficient.
• To make the customer experience better

Even though the economic impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic have had a substantial influence on global IoT spending, an IDC report shows that it will grow at a CAGR of 11.3 percent from 2020 to 2024.

What are the challenges in IoT?

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become an integral component of how people live, interact, and conduct business. Web-enabled devices are transforming our worldwide rights into a more switched-on location to live in all over the planet. The Internet of Things faces a variety of challenges.

IoT security challenges:

1. Lack of encryption – While encryption is a terrific way to keep hackers out of your data, it’s also one of the most common IoT security issues.
   These drives have the same storage and processing capability as a conventional computer.
   As a result, there has been an increase in attacks in which hackers manipulated the algorithms to protect people.
2. Inadequate testing and upgrading — As the number of IoT (internet of things) devices grows, IoT manufacturers are more eager to build and market their products as rapidly as possible, without much consideration for security. Most of these gadgets and IoT items are not adequately tested or updated, making them vulnerable to hackers and other security risks.
3. Default passwords and brute-force attacks —
   Nearly all IoT devices are vulnerable to password hacking and brute force attacks due to weak passwords and login data.
   Any firm that uses factory default credentials on its devices exposes both its business and its assets and its customers and sensitive data to a brute force attack.
4. IoT Malware and ransomware – As the number of devices grows, the threat of malware and ransomware is made.
   Ransomware exploits encryption to effectively lock people out of numerous devices and platforms while still gaining access to their personal data and information.
   A hacker, for example, can take images using a computer camera.
   Hackers can demand a ransom to unlock the device and return the data by utilizing malware access points.
5. IoT botnet aimed at cryptocurrency – IoT botnet workers have the ability to change data privacy, which poses a significant risk to an open Crypto market. Malicious hackers could jeopardize the exact value and development of cryptocurrency code.
   Companies working on the blockchain are attempting to improve security. Blockchain technology is not inherently dangerous, but the app development process is.
6. Data collection and processing – Data is a critical component of IoT development. The processing or usefulness of stored data is more critical in this case.
   Along with security and privacy, development teams must think about how data is acquired, stored, and processed in a given context.

Conclusion

Researchers and developers from all around the world are fascinated by recent breakthroughs in IoT. The developers and researchers collaborate to bring the technology to a broader audience and help society feasible. However, improvements are only achievable if we consider current technical approaches’ many challenges and flaws.

Protected Harbor is a firm believer in IoT and is committed to delivering ultimate solutions for IoT which are secured and protected. With our 24×7 monitoring, 99.99%, and proper security in place, businesses can take full advantage of this ever-growing technology trend.

Unifying security operations and visibility throughout your entire company is becoming increasingly crucial. OT and IoT networks and devices have significant differences. Protected Harbor incorporates unique features and methodologies to consolidate and simplify security operations across these converged infrastructures. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about how we address OT and IoT visibility and security.

Transportation Digitalization

Transportation, not just in the U.S., but around the globe, is undergoing a digital transformation thanks to a handful of companies using new technologies to create value for customers and carriers alike. The result is that transportation companies will be able to do things tomorrow that they can’t even do today—and movers and shakers from the transportation industry agree that it’s happening faster than anyone imagined.

Since the transportation and logistics business is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, it must adapt more than ever from long-standing practices to meet the difficulties of international trade. By 2026, it is expected that the worldwide logistics industry to be worth $16.445 billion.

What is digitalization in transportation?

Transportation digitalization is a broader term that refers to the use of electronic means, such as computers and smart devices, to facilitate the collection and exchange of data in the transportation sector. Digitalization in transportation is helping to improve the efficiency and safety of transit systems and private vehicle fleets by providing real-time updates, enhancing customer experience, and increasing transparency.

The role of digitalization in transportation technology has become more apparent as mobile devices have proliferated among consumers. In automobile fleets, for example, digitalization allows for remote monitoring, so businesses can inspect vehicles remotely rather than checking each vehicle manually. Digitalization enables transportation companies to improve processes by increasing visibility into supply chains and allowing companies to identify areas that need improvement.

Digitalization has allowed for increased operational efficiency through automation and improved routing of shipments. This has been achieved through machine learning forecasting techniques and algorithms used to predict where demand will be highest based on historical data. With this insight, companies can plan more effectively.

How transportation and logistics services are benefiting from digitalization

While physical delivery is required for transportation services, digitalization is revolutionizing the sector throughout the transportation supply chain  in many ways.

The Internet of Things, AI, new energy, and Big Data drive this transformation. Everyone in the industry has a shared vision: to provide safe, reliable, and efficient services to customers. Consequently, the digitalization of the transportation industry is a necessary step in achieving this goal. Here are some of the most important benefits of Transport Digitization.

• Vehicle/ship design
• Infrastructure: rail, ports, roads, bridges, tunnels, and terminals
• Transportation operations (e.g., capacity allocation, cargo management, shipment tracking and tracking, customer service, and so on).
• Supporting services: monitoring, warehousing, and inspection
• Transport equipment maintenance and repair
• Information and document transmission among multi-players (shippers, shipping lines, port authorities, Customs, terminal operators, and so on).

Characteristics of digital trends

• Improved, excellent connectivity; Smooth operations
• Higher levels of automation; reduced margin of error
• Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data analytics, automation and robotics, and artificial intelligence are the most common digital technologies and solutions.
• Digital platforms have evolved into a new business model that enables innovative transportation services, more effective service delivery, and more service credibility.
• Both corporations and authorities are adopting a data-driven strategy.
• Digital synergies between transportation/logistics services and other service sectors: The digital transformation of transportation and logistics services relies on the support of other services, but it also accelerates the advancements of those services, such as telecom, CRS, construction and engineering, energy, environment, and other business services.
• Transport Digitalization can improve profits and customer satisfaction.

The industry itself is vast and highly diversified, with countless sub-sectors and modes of transportation. However, three major internal forces drive the transformation: improving customer experience, increasing business agility, and increasing operational efficiency.

Freight Transportation Digitalization in Different Forms

Digitalization and the future of transportation!

The transportation industry has grown significantly over the decades and is an important area for improvement. Technology plays a huge role in keeping the industry moving forward to meet growing demands. This is why the digitalization of this sector is so important. As efficient as it already is, the industry can become even more effective with technology. It’s exciting to see what future innovations hold for the transportation industry.

In addition to the benefits, digital transformation also creates a new business model. It allows organizations to build more efficient transportation processes. As a result, the company can improve its profitability by increasing efficiency and reducing costs. The digitalization of the transportation industry is a critical trend shaping the industry’s future. For example, the integration of new technologies has boosted efficiency. A digitalized transport infrastructure will be more responsive to its customers and more affordable to them.

A digitally-driven business is a win-win situation. Its implementation will ensure the future of transport. Not only will it create new opportunities for companies but it will make the transportation industry more competitive moving forward.

To wrap things up

It’s become clear that transportation companies should be looking to digitalize their business practices – whether they operate across thousands of miles or within their neighborhood. The only questions are which direction you choose to go in and how your decision will affect your business for years to come. These are fundamental questions, and you owe it to yourself to give them due consideration before making your decision.

Short term, you can use technology to your advantage, But in the long term, your only choice is to embrace technology. If you haven’t already started to implement digitalization, now is the time to strike and go digital with one of the leading transportation services providers such as TMS Digital.

TMS Digital suite of logistic software includes Dispatch, Tickets, IFTA Manager, Equipment Maintenance, a Drive Safety package, and more! Imaging, EDI options, and email triggers help keep you paperless. With our 3^rd party APIs and interfaces, Mobile applications, and remote access to the cloud, we can help you bring your business into the future! In addition, we would be remiss if we did not tell you about our highly configurable and customizable options.  Contact us today to learn more!

Remote work is here for the long term

As companies consider making remote work or flexplace cultures permanent, some are worried about the long-term damage to employees and employers. A recent report from KPMG found that long-term remote working hampers the progress made in diversity and inclusion efforts and hurts team-building and the cross-pollination of ideas that occur with in-person interaction.

“Change is the only constant,” said Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher. Even he would be surprised if he were able to look at how we work together remotely and distance no longer plays a role. Much has recently changed in the IT industry and will continue to change faster.

Would continuing to work remotely cause the growth of intercultural and business skills at a slower pace? Many multinational corporations seem to think so. At Protected Harbor, we see it as another opportunity for more technological innovations and using existing software in innovative ways. Remote work post-Covid is the new normal. We need to find the silver lining

Protected Harbor’s Take

As times change, organizations need to adapt and restructure their office culture. Choose what works best for both the company and the employees.

“Remote work allows flexibility and better productivity. Employees can choose where to work from and can focus for longer periods.”                               – Richard Luna, CEO

One of the most significant advantages of remote work is a vast talent pool since the employer has no geographical limitations. Companies that allow remote work save lots of time, energy, and money as less office space and resources are needed. Also, our carbon footprints can be reduced.

With remote work, employees can have a more flexible schedule. Office distractions are eliminated, and productivity can be dramatically increased. It may help in extending the company’s operational hours. We also save commuting time and costs.

After the pandemic, employees expect their employers to allow remote work, especially if their physical presence is not needed.

The challenges in creating an actual remote work environment

A recent survey by Deloitte Tax LLP concluded. Remote work is a new reality. Perhaps, here to stay for the likely future- although in diverse degrees.

The report anticipated a pronounced shift, around 50%- 75% of employees working remotely in the future. Creating a proper remote work environment is far more complex than it seems due to several challenges.

According to the report, the greatest fear for employers is safety and security. They are further adding sustainability as a question to the model. Psychological safety is a challenge as some employees may feel isolated and overlooked. Security relies heavily on the infrastructure in use with the team at work.

The remote work is sustainable if we overcome the limitations. Team building and leadership is the first challenge. Since everyone in the team is spread across multiple locations, the reliance on technology poses a challenge. Taking the help of a specialized remote work technology service provider is a solution.

While reconnecting the workforce with a shared vision and purpose is also essential.
After the Covid-19 crisis has passed, managers may have to look for ways to re-establish trust among remote groups on a longer-term basis. Because now it’s more challenging to understand employee actions and motivations in a remote work setting. Establishing competency and interpersonal trust can be difficult.

Setting the remote work environment

Since you’re reading this column, you may even be considering remote work for your company’s staff or perhaps yourself. With Protected Harbor’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), you can set up your complete IT infrastructure. RDP is safer for company data, especially when employees are working remotely. With Remote Desktop, all of the data in and out is encrypted – no possibility of the company data being stolen. But if a laptop is stolen, regardless of how secure the computer is, the data will be stolen a high possibility.

A remote worker using a Remote desktop gets technical problems solved faster because a technician can respond quicker. When the employees work on RDP, the application runs on the server, not on the local machine, meaning the local machine can be a less expensive one. Thus saving significant unneeded expenses.

Click here to learn more about adopting the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for your business.

“Success in a hybrid work environment requires employers to move beyond viewing remote or hybrid environments as a temporary or short-term strategy and to treat it as an opportunity.” George Penn, VP at Gartner.