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NASA Optimism

If you’re feeling down, know that we’ve just buried a heat sensor in an alien planet. If NASA can get through Mars soil, we can get through 2020

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If you’re feeling down, know that we’ve just buried a heat sensor in an alien planet. If NASA can get through Mars soil, we can get through 2020

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NASA’s off-again, on-again Mars digger nicknamed the mole is finally buried in the planet’s soil and will take readings beneath the surface next year.

https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/18/nasa_insight_mole/

If you’ve been following this Martian drama closely, you’ll know that the instrument, which came to the unforgiving dust world with NASA’s InSight lander, has been in a spot of bother for more than a year. The probe was designed to burrow at least three metres into the Martian soil to take the planet’s temperature.

Officially known as the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3), the rod-like mole hammered itself about 35cm into the Red Planet after it was deployed in February 2019. It then got stuck in a type of soil NASA hadn’t anticipated, and later bounced out, ruining its progress. The experiment’s scientists decided to fix the problem by pushing the gizmo into the soil using a scoop attached to a robotic arm, allowing it to continue digging down.

Now, NASA has reported the mole is fully embedded under the surface of Mars, and it should be up and running as an instrument early next year. Ground control will use the scoop to push soil on top of the probe to provide more friction for it to drill down further. Here’s how NASA described the problem and the solution:

The mole was designed so that loose soil would flow around it, providing friction against its outer hull so that it can dig deeper; without this friction, the mole just bounces in place as it hammers into the ground. The soil where InSight landed is different than what previous missions have encountered: during hammering, the soil sticks together, forming a small pit around the device instead of collapsing around it and providing the necessary friction.

After the mole unexpectedly backed out of the pit while hammering last year, the team placed the small scoop at the end of the lander’s robotic arm on top of it to keep it in the ground. Now that the mole is fully embedded in the soil, they will use the scoop to scrape additional soil on top of it, tamping down this soil to help provide more friction. Because it will take months to pack down enough soil, the mole isn’t expected to resume hammering until early 2021.

“I’m very glad we were able to recover from the unexpected ‘pop-out’ event we experienced and get the mole deeper than it’s ever been,” said Troy Hudson, an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who led the work to rescue the mole, on Friday.

“But we’re not quite done. We want to make sure there’s enough soil on top of the mole to enable it to dig on its own without any assistance from the arm.” ®

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CISO Blog

The Importance of Digital Transformation in Today’s Business World

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, digital transformation has become a necessity, not just a trend. It is the integration of digital technologies into every aspect of a business, fundamentally changing how it operates and delivers value to customers. From evolving customer expectations to increased competition and the need for agility, digital transformation is essential for businesses to thrive. By leveraging data as a strategic asset, embracing technological advancements, and shifting to digital business models, organizations can gain a competitive edge, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experiences.  

However, successful digital transformation requires more than just technology adoption.

It involves a cultural shift, a skilled workforce, and a focus on cybersecurity and ethical data practices. By embracing digital transformation and addressing these key considerations, businesses can navigate the challenges of the digital age and position themselves for long-term success.  

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Digital transformation is not just a trend but a necessity for businesses seeking to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. It involves the integration of digital technologies into every aspect of a business, fundamentally changing how it operates and delivers value to customers.

Here’s why digital transformation is crucial:

  1. Evolving Customer Expectations:

Customers are increasingly tech-savvy and demanding personalized experiences across all communication channels. Businesses must be faster in all phases of the customer journey, from interaction to delivery and re-engagement, to meet these expectations.

  1. Increased Competition and Disruption:

Competition is fierce, with new players, especially “insurtech” companies, leveraging technology to disrupt traditional models. These disruptors often offer easy-to-use digital products and target the inefficiencies of established businesses.

  1. The Need for Agility and Resilience:

Businesses must be agile and adaptable to cope with rapidly changing market dynamics and customer preferences. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital transformation in providing resilience and fallback options for businesses.

  1. Data as a Strategic Asset:

Data is a valuable asset that can drive business decisions, improve customer experiences, and fuel innovation. Digital transformation enables organizations to effectively collect, manage, and analyze data to gain valuable insights.

  1. Technological Advancements:

Rapid technological advancements, such as AI, machine learning, blockchain, and the Internet of Things, offer significant opportunities for businesses to optimize operations, reduce costs, and create new revenue streams.

  1. The Shift to Digital Business Models:

Digital transformation allows businesses to move away from traditional models and embrace new, digitally enabled models. This includes offering digital products and services, utilizing data analytics to personalize offerings, and adopting subscription-based business models.

  1. The Importance of Continuous Improvement:

Digital transformation is an ongoing journey, requiring continuous learning, adaptation, and a focus on optimizing processes and technologies. Businesses must be constantly evolving and improving their digital capabilities to stay ahead of the curve.

  1. The Potential for Enhanced Competitiveness:

Embracing digital transformation can lead to increased efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Businesses that effectively leverage digital technologies can gain a competitive advantage in the market and drive sustainable growth.

In addition to the points mentioned above, it’s important to consider the following:

  • Cybersecurity: As businesses become increasingly reliant on digital technologies, cybersecurity becomes a critical concern. Strong cybersecurity measures are essential to protect sensitive data and prevent cyberattacks.
  • Data-Driven Culture: A data-driven culture is essential for successful digital transformation. Employees at all levels should be empowered to use data to make informed decisions. Data literacy and analytics skills should be prioritized in training and development programs.
  • Ethical Implications: As businesses collect and analyze vast amounts of data, ethical considerations become important. Companies must ensure that data is used responsibly and ethically, and that privacy rights are protected.
  • Skilled Workforce: Digital transformation requires a skilled workforce with the ability to adapt to new technologies and ways of working. Businesses need to invest in training and development programs to upskill their employees.
  • Collaboration and Partnerships: Successful digital transformation often involves collaboration with external partners, such as technology providers and consultants. Partnerships can help businesses access the expertise and resources they need to succeed.

By embracing digital transformation and considering these additional factors, businesses can navigate the challenges of the digital age and position themselves for long-term success.

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CISO Blog

The Troublemaker’s Take on Liminal Panda

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Liminal Panda? More like Liminal Pandaemonium! These cyber-ninjas are sneaking around the telecom world, stealing secrets and causing chaos. They’re like digital pickpockets, slipping into networks and making off with sensitive data.

These Chinese hackers aren’t just stealing your data; they’re stealing your future. They’re compromising critical infrastructure, disrupting services, and undermining national security. It’s like a real-life cyber thriller, but without the cool gadgets and the witty one-liners.

So, what can you do to protect yourself from these digital ninjas? Well, you could start by following some basic security practices. Things like keeping your software up-to-date, using strong passwords, and being wary of phishing attacks. But let’s be real, that’s not enough. You need to be proactive and think like a hacker.

Here are a few tips to help you stay ahead of the curve:

  • Know your enemy: Understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of advanced threat actors like Liminal Panda.
  • Embrace zero-trust security: Don’t trust anyone, not even your own employees.
  • Invest in advanced security tools: Use tools like endpoint detection and response (EDR) and security information and event management (SIEM) to monitor your network for threats.
  • Stay informed: Keep up-to-date on the latest cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

Remember, cybersecurity is an ongoing battle. Don’t let the Liminal Pandas win.

Download the report here

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CISO Blog

The Dirty Little Secrets of Cybersecurity

We’ve all heard the horror stories: massive data breaches, ransomware attacks, and identity theft. But what are the real reasons behind these cyber catastrophes? It’s not always about some shadowy hacker genius; often, it’s about simple mistakes and oversights.

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The Dirty Little Secrets of Cybersecurity

We’ve all heard the horror stories: massive data breaches, ransomware attacks, and identity theft. But what are the real reasons behind these cyber catastrophes? It’s not always about some shadowy hacker genius; often, it’s about simple mistakes and oversights.

The human element is a significant factor in many cyberattacks.. From clicking on malicious links to falling victim to social engineering tactics, people can inadvertently open the door to cybercriminals.

Here are the mistakes being made and funnily enough the Top 3 (According to me) has to do with People…

  1. Underestimating the Human Factor
  2. Ignoring Insider Threats
  3. Overlooking Physical Security
  4. Neglecting Patch Management
  5. Weak Password Policies
  6. Phishing Susceptibility
  7. Failing to Back Up Data
  8. Neglecting Mobile Device Security

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