A remote attacker could exploit a critical vulnerability to eavesdrop on live audio & video or take control. The bug is in ThroughTek’s Kalay network, used in 83m devices.
Security researchers have discovered a critical flaw that affects tens of millions of internet-of-things (IoT) devices – one that exposes live video and audio streams to eavesdropping threat actors and which could enable attackers to take over control of devices, including security webcams and connected baby monitors.
The flaw, tracked as CVE-2021-28372 and FEYE-2021-0020 and assigned a critical CVSS3.1 base score of 9.6, was found in devices connected via ThroughTek’s Kalay IoT cloud platform.
The alarm was sounded on Tuesday by Mandiant, in coordination with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and ThroughTek. Mandiant’s Red Team discovered the vulnerability in late 2020.
“CVE-2021-28372 poses a huge risk to an end user’s security and privacy and should be mitigated appropriately,” according to Mandiant’s post. “Unprotected devices, such as IoT cameras, can be compromised remotely with access to a UID and further attacks are possible depending on the functionality exposed by a device.”
The world has already been inundated with tales of what can happen when these kind of devices are misconfigured or riddled with vulnerabilities, and this just adds to the growing pile of scary headlines. For example, in February, a vulnerability affecting multiple baby monitors was found to expose hundreds of thousands of live devices, potentially allowing someone to drop in and view a camera’s video stream.
As Mandiant explained, the flaw would enable adversaries “to remotely compromise victim IoT devices, resulting in the ability to listen to live audio, watch real time video data, and compromise device credentials for further attacks based on exposed device functionality. These further attacks could include actions that would allow an adversary to remotely control affected devices.”
In a Tuesday post, researchers Jake Valletta, Erik Barzdukas and Dillon Franke – who discovered the bug – explained that it’s impossible to compile a comprehensive list of companies and products affected, given how the Kalay protocol is integrated by manufacturers and resellers before devices reach consumers. Though they couldn’t come up with a definitive list of affected companies and products that implement the Kalay platform, they strongly advised users of IoT devices “to keep device software and applications up to date and use complex, unique passwords for any accounts associated with these devices.”
Mandiant also recommends that device owners avoid connecting to affected devices from untrusted networks, such as public Wi-Fi: a recommendation that’s already part of wireless best practices, as the National Security Agency (NSA) recently advised in a public service announcement (PDF).
Continue reading: https://threatpost.com/bug-iot-millions-devices-attackers-eavesdrop/168729/

The Internet of Things (IoT) creates new business ecosystems while simultaneously streamlining business operations. At scale, the technology can go further than enhancing the operations of one business, it can significantly improve the productivity of an entire industry.
Madison Technologies recently introduced the Captis range from mIoT into its product portfolio – giving customers in industrial sectors easy access to asset-to-asset Cat-M1 and NB-IoT compatible communication capabilities. Here, mIoT CEO Paul Calabro, talks about the opportunities in IoT, this new partnership, and how the range provides a holistic solution for customers.
IOT is an emerging technology – how is it transforming the way companies do business?
Australia is really leading the IoT charge and adopting the technology quite rapidly. Further benefits and support for critical safety information that has previously been unable to attain through lack of capable technology or expense, has seen a number of customers adopt IIoT to transform their important safety KPIs, save on wastage, and improve assets or mobility.
Captis is a proven technology and we’ve been operating successfully in this sphere for the last four years. Our range of devices were the first certified to operate on Telstra’s IoT networks.
So while IoT is an emerging technology specifically gaining momentum in the mass-scale deployment of battery operated devices, many of our customers are early adopters and have been reaping the rewards for quite some time.
Madison technologies has recently become a reseller of the captis range – what will this partnership bring?
Captis is a complete IoT stack incorporating field-based devices capable of monitoring and measuring environment requirements, connectivity capability over a multi-mode operation, platform layer insights, and APIs that allow data to be directed to an end client’s solution.
We have had great success over the last few years with our range of Captis data loggers, and are looking to offer a holistic solution to customers: device, cloud and connectivity.
It was an organic next step to appoint Madison Technologies as a value-added reseller for Captis. We are proud to join an impressive portfolio of communications and network technology vendors, and excited to provide a complete IIoT solution to customers.
Building on our work with industry leaders over the last few years, we are keen to expand our reach within the mining, utilities, rail, telco and manufacturing sectors.
The captis range was recently certified Australian made – why was this important?
Our team of expert engineers have been developing Captis firmware in-house since inception, and we have always strived to source components locally for the hardware.
We are proud to officially wear that badge now, particularly in 2021, when it represents so much more than a manufacturing standard.
Australian Made means supporting local jobs and helping to rebuild the economy in the wake of a pandemic.
Continue reading: https://infrastructuremagazine.com.au/2021/08/19/holistic-iot-monitoring-and-measurement/

Four Steps to Increase Returns on Your Digital Investments
A major utility was preparing to capitalize on emerging trends in smart home technology, electric mobility, and sustainability—with the goal of increasing customer satisfaction through personalization and user-friendly interfaces. This transformation included developing new business models and product offerings. EY worked with the utility to develop a digital strategy, capabilities, and a multiyear transformation roadmap—all while communicating across the organization to ensure digital adoption and new ways of working. The result: the company is receiving top rankings for customer and employee satisfaction and is on track to improve efficiency by 5% to 15% while also increasing earnings per share.
Clearly, organizations that get their digital transformation efforts right are reaping significant rewards. Companies worldwide are expected to invest $6.8 trillion in digital transformation between 2020 and 2023.https://hbr.org/sponsored/2021/08/four-steps-to-increase-returns-on-your-digital-investments#_edn1 However, despite significant investments, many executives are not seeing their investments pay off—and the pressure to show results is mounting. So why are so many companies failing to produce much-promised results?
What Digital Performance Leaders Are Doing Right
A recent EY Digital Investment Index study of more than a thousand respondents identified 9% as digital leaders—companies that achieved both roughly six percentage points more return on digital investments than others surveyed and stronger revenue growth.
Leaders clearly see mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as well as partnerships and alliances with tech natives as a critical lever for a successful digital investment strategy. Nearly three-quarters of executives say they are shifting to M&A and partnerships to accelerate digital initiatives.
The survey results also show that leaders:

• Have a clearly defined strategy and accountability for digital
• Prioritize digital initiatives with high cash returns while systematically and quickly discontinuing unnecessary initiatives
• Dedicate funds to accelerate new digital products, services, and business models
• Invest in emerging technologies and capabilities to execute on that strategy

In addition, the technology mix leaders use is likely to include investments in the internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced cyber defense.
The chart below illustrates that higher investment levels in startup deals and organic development of digital solutions such as patents tend to produce higher share returns. Startup M&As are highly beneficial if the acquiring company has the proper digital foundation and capabilities. Pure inorganic investments without the internal digital foundation seem to decrease value.

 
Continue reading: https://hbr.org/sponsored/2021/08/four-steps-to-increase-returns-on-your-digital-investments

As technology has proliferated, a permanent technological evolution has become inevitable. There is a growing demand for organizations to generate and implement innovative solutions that allow them to compete and stay at the forefront of their industries. This trend has led to increasingly specialized companies that focus on providing strategic services based on the latest technological trends.
Nowadays, it is common to hear company leadership say, “We are a transformative company,” or “Digital innovation is a reality in my business.” However, I ask myself: Are the leaders ready to receive that transformation? Are we prepared to lead challenges that we must face during the next decade?
According to survey findings from Boston Consulting Group, over 80 percent of business leaders surveyed said they planned to accelerate their digital transformations. As leaders, we will face different challenges during our digital transformations, so we have to reinvent ourselves, our businesses and continue our commitment to meeting the expectations of consumers, clients, team members and other stakeholders.
With this in mind, there are four principles I believe all business leaders should adopt to pivot and stay relevant in the face of disruptive technologies:
1. Define your purpose.
You need to be flexible when faced with challenges in order to become a transformational leader, which involves observing new facts and seeking new ways of generating vision and purpose. Being a purpose-driven business is about creating an emotional connection with all stakeholders. Having a clear purpose and goal during changing times is essential if you want your business to be adaptable and generate a positive impact on the world. Purpose-driven businesses are more successful in many areas, but as leaders, we have to work on this daily. Having a corporate purpose and not implementing it within the organization is the equivalent of purchasing a ticket to your dream destination but never getting on the plane.
2. Be humble.
Humble leaders need to be conscious that not all information or new technology may be easy to learn or even be accessible; it’s a long learning process. Leaders have to create awareness of the advances in technology within the business and look for new alternatives to leverage the internet of things, business intelligence, machine learning and big data. Being humble is essential for technological advancement — as a leader, you have to accept new technologies, embrace digital challenges and be open to adopting strategic technological developments that contribute to the company’s productivity.
Continue reading: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/strategies-business-leaders-relevant-technologies-1210840/

In many countries, the shopping experience has largely become an online experience in the past year-plus. But as conditions start to return to normal, the supply, demand, and other links of the retail supply chain are still being challenged by what can seem like insurmountable odds.
That situation appeared to have been highlighted during last year’s Black Friday sale period. Back in 2018, 70% of consumers made their holiday purchases at a physical store. This trend was reversed in PYMNTS’ Black Friday 2020 Report, when 74% did their holiday shopping online while just 48% bought from brick-and-mortar outlets as lockdowns raged.
More people bought items online during Black Friday last year than ever before. The steady migration to adopting e-commerce has clearly shown that consumers today are expecting a more seamless, upmarket experience when shopping from brands – particularly when making purchases online.
But the sudden shift in consumer retail behavior could have far-reaching implications for various participants of the supply chain. Ensuring availability of ready stock, for instance, is a common issue for e-commerce stores as they purchase minimal stock to avoid incurring losses – but might have been left stranded when sales demand shot up more than expected over the last year.
Continue reading: https://techhq.com/2021/08/magnifying-retail-supply-chain-visibility-with-the-internet-of-things/

It should go without saying that the Internet of Things (IoT) has become far more accessible in recent years thanks to the rise of smartphones. Devices are more powerful and the Internet more widespread than ever before, meaning more vendors are looking to find success with their own smartphone application.
There is a catch, of course, and it is that the world's favorite smartphone runs on a specific operating system that warrants extra attention. The Apple iPhone accounts for a significant chunk of active smartphones today—more than one billion worldwide—and yet its famous iOS operating system demands additional considerations from application developers.
How can you go about programming the Internet of Things with iOS? What's more, how can you build an  IoT iOS app? Let's look at the five key steps to building applications for Apple audiences.
Step 1: Learn Xcode and Swift When developing an app, you need to choose whether to do it natively, hybrid or cross-platform. The best of these options—if your app is only for one operating system—is native development. This is because it lets you access OS features, such as GPS or the camera, and gives your app better performance. When developing natively for iOS, you are going to want to use the native Xcode.
Continue reading: https://www.rfidjournal.com/the-five-steps-to-build-iot-apps-on-ios

Tom Guy is chief product officer at Vodafone Smart Tech. An experienced hand in the culture of start-ups, Guy has brought a new dynamism to the company’s newly established product division, a 50-person team that has already made its mark with products like the Curve smart GPS tracker and Curve Bike light & GPS tracker. In particular, Guy has managed to parlay the experience he garnered from being one of the founding members of Hive, and working closely alongside consultants like Yves Béhar, into Vodafone’s new venture. ‘Vodafone realized the opportunities that were coming out of the Internet of Things and they wanted to connect people,’ Guy explains, ‘Our challenge is to bring a new level of attention to the products. At Hive we were obsessed with quality and customer experience and that’s exactly what we’re doing here. It’s not about technology for technology’s sake.’ 
Guy admits that the Internet of Things hasn’t always been easy to understand. ‘The customer expectation has sometimes been higher than what the tech provides,’ he says, giving the example of a smart light bulb that requires someone to get out their phone and open an app just to turn a light on. ‘Vodafone had a roadmap of projects but also some clear customer pain points,’ he continues, ‘I had to ask, what problems are we trying to solve? What is the magic moment we want to create? You can’t simply use new products just to create that ‘wow moment’.’ 
As well as the Curve range, Smart Tech systems also include the Neo, a Disney-infused smartwatch for children that takes youthful curiosity and aptitude for technology and turns it into a timepiece, calendar and camera that’s sprinkled with favorite characters, as well as being an easy way for parents to stay in touch. Guy worked once more with Béhar on this project, and he implies that future tech from Vodafone might take some of Neo’s innovations and apply them to different sectors.
Continue reading: https://www.wallpaper.com/technology/vodafone-smart-tech-interview-tom-guy

In the last couple of years, and for various reasons, society hurtled into the digital era. As we know, innovation is now ingrained into the metrics for the success of any business. The internet of things (IoT) is becoming the norm for homes. For instance, millions now own intelligent products, such as televisions and personal digital assistants like Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod and Google Home. So, as more people become comfortable with smart technology, more will want the same convenience in their places of work.
As a business leader, one always has to think one, two or even five steps ahead. For example, while all of our employees work on-site at our international headquarters, we have off-site consultants and freelancers. Years ago, we looked into making remote workers part of our team and our meetings. We settled on the Owl Labs platform. It was about a year after the launch of Zoom and before it became a well-known brand. That need nearly eight years ago helped us survive and not miss a beat during 2020 when local restrictions had our employees working from home instead of the office.
Every leader looks to maximize efficiency and increase productivity. Thankfully, technology exists to do all of it and support human teams. And that’s the reason that you should consider creating an intelligent office for your business.
Continue reading: 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2021/08/17/five-steps-to-create-a-smart-office-for-your-business/?sh=7f7d54aa4c84

Getting ahead in a male-dominated field as a person with a marginalized gender is no easy task. Consider the tech industry, for example. According to the Society of Women Engineers, only 13% of engineers are women and 26% of computer scientists are women. And even then only 12% of women in computing roles are Black or Latinx.
But that doesn’t mean women and other marginalized genders can’t find success in roles that are popular in tech, such as engineering. Take Amanda Gellhouse, Kate Dameron, and Tracy Burge—three members of the engineering team at Hinge Health, a digital health company for treating back and joint pain and one of the top 10 unicorns in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Here, they offer advice on how they’ve navigated their careers as female engineers—from the importance of having mentors to finding the confidence to speak up and make their voices heard.
1. Cultivate a Support System
While it would be great if our credentials could always speak for themselves, it’s helpful to have someone who can advocate for you as well. That’s where mentors come into play. Don’t have one yet? Not to worry. You may know someone already you can turn to for professional (and personal) advice.
Senior engineering manager Amanda Gellhouse suggests taking stock of your existing network, including current and former colleagues and managers. “All of my mentors appeared around me, and I recognized them as people who could provide valuable input,” she says. “Connect with people, and start learning from them.”
Continue reading: https://todayuknews.com/entrepreneurs/7-career-tips-for-succeeding-as-a-woman-in-tech/

By 2026, Deloitte’s Digital Pulse Report forecasts that there will be over 1.1 million technology workers in Australia, representing an average annual growth rate of 5.4%. There is already a significant skills shortage in the Australian tech workforce, so increasing female participation — which is already low — would not only expand the talent pool but help address the increasing skills gap. However, with women leaving high-tech jobs at twice the rate of men, there’s a danger that tech’s skills shortage could worsen without some serious self-assessment from within the sector. 
I frequently hear women talk about how they have to deal with a hostile “bro-culture” common in many companies in the tech sector. This pervasive environment, which can manifest as overt or unconscious, I believe, is a leading cause of women leaving the industry. 
One theory is that tech startups begin with a core of young, like-minded male employees who recruit from their existing networks. They are more focused on growing their business than employment policies so by the time they add an HR department, the “boys being boys” culture is ingrained, and difficult to change.  
My own conversations with women in tech uphold this theory. Many women say that the environment is set up in a way they feel they can’t be themselves and still be in the mix. For example, after work beers and pizzas are the norm in the tech world; it is where many of the conversations and deals are made. However, for women with kids this is not a viable option, so they are not involved in the conversation. Women say that they must change their whole persona to fit in and succeed in the tech world. 
Continue reading: https://www.smartcompany.com.au/opinion/women-tech-bro-culture-gender-diversity/

Former Microsoft channel chief Gavriella Schuster officially has left the company after more than 25 years with plans to devote her time to promoting and facilitating diversity, equity and inclusion in the technology industry.
Schuster, who served as corporate vice president of Microsoft’s One Commercial Partner program, will divide her time among multiple organizations in advisory and board member capacities.
“My primary focus is around tackling one of the biggest challenges that we face in high tech, which is to really continue to drive that innovation curve, we need greater diversity,” Schuster said. “We don’t have it, and we are not making fast enough progress. In fact, in a lot of ways, we are going backwards in the progress that we are making.”
The percentage of women entering the technology industry is lower today than it was 20 years ago, according to Schuster. The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on people dropping out of the workforce has significantly impacted women more than men, as well as people of color more than the majority white population, she said.
Continue reading: https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/gavriella-schuster-details-post-microsoft-plans

Business Analyst at City of Durango Farmington, New Mexico, United States
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajgutierrez/

FIT’s Women Choose Tech apprenticeship program builds on the non-profit’s previous work to encourage diversity in Ireland’s tech industry.
Non-profit Fastrack into IT (FIT) is on a mission to grow Ireland’s tech talent pipeline and provide people traditionally underserved by the higher education system with career opportunities, training and apprenticeships.
Its latest apprenticeship program focuses on increasing women’s involvement in the tech industry – a sector that has long suffered from a lack of diversity.
FIT established its Women Choose Tech apprenticeship program this year specifically for women who want to get into the industry or further their career. The goal is to attain 33pc female participation in tech apprenticeships in Ireland by 2022.
The program aims to build on partnerships with tech and other employers to encourage the recruitment of women apprentices in technology roles, provide supports for applicants considering a tech apprenticeship, and increase awareness of the opportunities available.
Continue reading: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/fit-irish-women-choose-tech-apprenticeships

Today’s Women in Tech: Emi Olsson, US Chief Technology Officer at Kyndryl
In her 23 years with IBM, Emi Olsson has reinvented herself numerous times—working as a system administrator, as a software coder, with research, as a consultant and as an IT architect. In her current role with Global Technology Services, she serves as the chief technology officer overseeing IBM’s work with financial services clients in North America.
Each time, Emi’s personal remit has been to transform herself and grow her skills while helping clients reinvent themselves for the age of cloud and AI. “You have to start with a vision, communicate that vision, empower and listen to your stakeholders, and lead by example to demonstrate how transformation works,” she says.
Emi’s inspirations for reinvention, long before she got to IBM, were her parents—especially her father, whose life in Japan was upended by war. “My father’s education was disrupted by World War II, and so he never completed high school,” Emi says. “After the war, he worked cleaning animal cages at a U.S. Naval Base research lab, and eventually followed the researcher he worked for when that scientist moved to Yale University.”
While making the most of his circumstances and supporting his family, Emi’s father remained intellectually curious. An autodidact, he absorbed volumes of knowledge about biological research, and in retirement was accepted to medical school in Japan. At age 66, he was the oldest incoming student in the school’s history. “My father lost his battle with cancer before he could complete his medical degree,” Emi recounts, “but even in his final days when he was confined to a wheelchair, his colleagues wheeled him to class.”
Emi continues the tradition of her father’s intellectual openness and competitive drive. “When I talk about having a vision for a client engagement, it’s not about having an off-the-shelf objective,” she says. “You have to pull back so you can see the bigger picture—at first with less specificity, and then with a clear focus on the end user. To make that work, you have to give your team buy-in so that they become stakeholders. Then you have to allow them to think, and trust them to be innovative and accountable.”
Continue reading: https://jaxenter.com/women-in-tech-olsson-175186.html

DJI, the industry leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, is making its Agras T30 and T10 agriculture drones available in over 100 additional countries. The Agras T30 and T10, developed in partnership with farmers, make aerial precision agriculture more accessible and convenient.
DJI’s new flagship for digital agriculture, the Agras T30, features a 30-liter spray tank and a spreading system payload capacity of up to 40kg. With 16 nozzles and a spray range of 9 meters, the T30 improves the efficiency of aerial spraying and can cover up to 40 acres in one hour. It also features a fuselage made of carbon fiber composite materials with a one-key locking arm design, which helps reduce volume by 80% after folding.
The Agras T10 is compact but powerful, featuring an 8-liter spray tank and spray width of up to 5 meters, able to cover up to 15 acres an hour. Its sturdy and reliable folding truss structure allows for convenient transportation and quick deployment
Continue reading: https://dronelife.com/2021/08/17/dji-crop-spraying-drones-now-available-internationally/

Fresh off the notoriety of having its processors power NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, Qualcomm has rolled out its next-generation technologies for drones on Earth — aiming to drive adoption beyond hobbyists and into commercial industries.
The San Diego wireless technology company announced its Flight RB5 5G Platform on Tuesday. It is the first drone system to include 5G connectivity and artificial intelligence technology, which eventually could help enable autonomous, beyond-line-of-sight flights for such things as crop inspection, search and rescue, powerline/wind turbine monitoring, package delivery, mapping and so on.
In addition to the processing/connectivity platform, Qualcomm also launched its first-ever reference design kit for drone developers — essentially an aircraft body, rotors and other necessities to help companies develop drones faster and easier.
“This will help accelerate the development of commercial and enterprise drones in this field and really open up innovation possibilities for industries looking to adopt high performance, low power, long-range, autonomous and intelligent drones,” said Dev Singh, senior director and general manager of Qualcomm’s robotics and drone businesses.
Continue reading: 
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/story/2021-08-17/sd-fi-qualcomm-drones

Visit the Zift careers page and see if there is an opportunity for you: https://ziftsolutions.com/about/careers/

Visit the CompTIA careers page to see if there is an opportunity for you: https://us60.dayforcehcm.com/CandidatePortal/en-US/comptia

Workforce Development Manager - Cybersecurity and IT at Greater Phoenix Chamber
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nganp/

Shunning new technologies and ways of doing business has never yielded positive results; crypto is no different.
Given the deluge of crypto coverage and analysis recently, between legislation, regulation, and market opinions, it would be understandable if a certain thread had slipped under the radar; the connection between cryptoassets and national security. Something that has been stated on several occasions at this point is that the continuing integration and utilization of cryptoassets – be it bitcoin or stablecoins – poses a systemic threat. This threat is stated to apply to the financial markets, the US dollar’s status as the global reserve currency, and the strategic success of the United States abroad.
This could not be further from the truth.
Blockchain and crypto have proven themselves to be perhaps the most disruptive technology since the development of the internet, with applications and use cases still being discovered on a daily basis. With such fundamental disruption there will invariably be some dislocations and changes to the status quo, but that is not the equivalent of being a national security risk. Rather, the continued development and proliferation of cryptoassets brings with it the potential for new and innovative applications across virtually every economic sector.
Let’s take a look at how and why cryptoassets should be viewed as a national strategic asset, and why its further development should be encouraged and nurtured.
Continue reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/seansteinsmith/2021/08/17/crypto-is-a-national-security-asset-not-a-liability/?sh=517e072e606f

Humans love tools. They enable us to do what we have to do and what we like to do. From the chisel to virtual assistants, we have created our tools with the same objective: improving our lives.
Internet of Things (IoT) emerged from this mindset: a global network consisting of billions of physical “things” embedded with sensors and connected via the Internet. This ecosystem is replete with these new kinds of tools and is poised to impact our lives significantly. It can advance everything from health and security to convenience and comfort. In fact, by 2030, smart devices are expected to outnumber humans 10:1. There is obvious value in harnessing these tools to our advantage.
There is, however, a risk. These devices are not perfect. We are quick to welcome them into our homes, even on our bodies, but we do not always consider our privacy and security implications.
Data Value
Our data is precious. Big Tech profits immensely from commodifying and analyzing the data we create online. With the proliferation of smart devices, these companies now have access to our physical data. They can see us with their cameras, hear us with their speakers, and sense us with their fitness trackers. To make matters worse, recent large-scale hacks should make our hair stand up at the idea of holding sensitive information with a singular third party.
IoT can be a handy place for new tools, but we have to use it correctly. Fortunately, when IoT is coupled with another influential technology, it retains its benefits without eliminating the right to own your data. Blockchain can ensure smart devices serve us instead of encroaching on our most private selves.
Continue reading: https://www.iotforall.com/civil-liberties-blockchain

Many of us have increasingly become used to making transactions using digital wallets and online payment systems. We are also exhorted to never share our PIN numbers and passwords to prevent hackers and fraudsters from breaking into out account and stealing money. So, while the transactions are digital, the fears are pretty analog, akin to having our pocket picked or property burgled. Such worries though are largely non-existent in the world of cryptocurrency for all the talk of the unsavory ways in which they are used. That is because of the blockchain technology underlying cryptocurrencies, which ensure that it is terribly difficult to tamper with records or get away with unauthorized transactions.
WHAT IS THE BLOCKCHAIN?
It’s a combination of two words ‘block’ and ‘chain’, and the meaning is quite direct. To begin with, what you need to know is that Bitcoin — the earliest and the most valuable cryptocurrency — records transactions in tranches known as ‘blocks’, and then adds such one block to another in a continuing ‘chain’ of all transactions. Much like a ledger or an account book, where entries are listed one below the other. Except that here there is no single person who records the entries but everybody who owns the cryptocurrency gets to play an active role in the upkeep and fidelity of the account book.
WHY WAS THE BLOCKCHAIN CREATED?
Any cryptocurrency is a digital token. That is, say you own 10 Bitcoins, you don’t actually hold them in your hands. Your crypto assets will exist as lines of code on a computer and any transaction you make will have to be digitally executed and verified.
Now, to have a purely digital currency, which exists only as code, can be more complicated than physical money. That is because with physical money, if you have a Rs 10 note and you gave it to a shopkeeper to buy a pen, you will not be able to use the same note again because you have lost, or exchanged, custody of the Rs 10 note for the item you bought. However, with a digital currency there is a problem that the same line of code, which represents a set monetary value, can be sent to multiple people. How would they know that one hasn’t already spent the money that is being offered afresh?
Continue reading: https://www.news18.com/news/explainers/explained-why-the-best-thing-about-cryptocurrency-may-be-the-blockchain-tech-that-anchors-it-4098050.html

Across the globe, women have been sidelined when it comes to finance and technology, and the Middle East is no exception. Luckily, things are changing, and the internet is providing new opportunities for learning and inclusion. 
Blockchain offers a blank slate in the Middle East: a new industry where the rules have not yet been fully defined and where women can get involved and make it their own when given the right tools. 
It is no secret that in areas of the Middle East, women have far less financial autonomy in society than men. A 2020 McKinsey report on “women at work” in the Middle East found high inequalities persist, most notably in legal protection and financial inclusion with a significant number of women in the region remaining unbanked. 
The distribution of knowledge is more egalitarian nowadays, as anyone with access to the internet can learn to code or trade. Decentralized finance (DeFi) can help to level the playing field when it comes to women’s finances, removing the need for intermediaries and reliance on centralized institutions that often fail to safeguard their money. 
Continue reading: https://www.coindesk.com/blockchain-empowers-women-middle-east

In the middle of rural Texas, a cryptocurrency mine is currently under construction.
Hundreds of machines more powerful than the average computer will soon be housed in this 320-acre mining facility in Dickens county, where they will work day and night to solve a complex series of algorithms. If successful, the reward will be newly minted bitcoin, currently worth about $44,000 each.
Kevin Brendle, Dickens county’s top elected official, embraced the idea of the mine when Argo Blockchain, a Canadian cryptocurrency mining company, first approached him with the idea of building a facility in the area. Dickens county, population 2,300, “is mostly improved pasture and grassland”, Brendle said.
“It’s wide-open range land, it’s cattle country with a little farming,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of economic development.”
A mine could help stimulate the economy, creating jobs and improving the county’s tax base. And in return, the mine will be powered by some of the cheapest electricity in the world.
Continue reading: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/17/bitcoin-cryptocurrency-mining-texas

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with dual degrees, Claire McAfee’s post-collegiate job search was buoyed by a desire to find a role with ample opportunities for learning. Since coming aboard Austin-based Acrisure Technology Group as a software engineer a year ago, McAfee has not only found that those learning opportunities have materialized but that she and her team members are well-positioned to make a significant impact in risk distribution.
“We have a lot of autonomy. People’s voices go a long way here,” McAfee said. “We pivot from one thing to the next quickly, and we have the resources to propel us in the direction we’re trying to go.”
At high-growth insurance broker Acrisure, team members said they are developing a large collection of mapped business and individual risk data and are using AI to transform prospecting, retention and client service for their network of Agency Partners — the brokers who make up Acrisure’s global distribution network.
Seasoned technology veteran and Principal Product Manager John Cathey said those tech tools can help augment customer acquisition efforts to complement human expertise.
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