Aruba Unveils New Secure AI-Powered Solutions and Vision for the Reimagined Workplace

New Approach to Working in 2020 and Beyond Uses Aruba’s AI-powered, Cloud-Native Platform to Deliver Enterprise Access and Enforce Safe Work Habits Tailored To Hybrid Work Environments

 

Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company (NYSE: HPE), today unveiled a suite of innovative workplace solutions and a new vision for three return to work scenarios – returning to the office and venues, working from home, and ultimately, the office reimagined. With Aruba’s AI-powered, cloud-native networking solutions as their foundation, each scenario provides pragmatic steps organizations can take today to expedite business recovery and implement contact tracing and touchless solutions that enhance the health and wellness of employees and visitors.

There’s no question that the new state of work will be much different from office life prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mandate to shut down non-essential physical offices and businesses tested the effectiveness of fully virtual workforces, which has been successful when the right networking technologies and tools are in place. We will return not to one, but to many kinds of workplaces – traditional offices, homes, on the road – within which our safety must be ensured, and between which we must move seamlessly without retraining or compromise.

“The new fluid workplace requires contextual awareness, adaptability and scalability on a global scale – all without security gaps,” said Partha Narasimhan, CTO and HPE Senior Fellow for Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. “Throughout the pandemic, Aruba’s AI-powered infrastructure has adapted to optimize customers’ reimagined work environments at half a million customer sites worldwide, with massive teleworkforces dispatched to work from home, and for essential mobile workforces.”

Return to the Office and Venues

Traditional offices and buildings are relying on AI-powered contact and location tracing tools to enable social and physical distancing monitoring solutions that make the workplace safer for employees, students, patients, customers, and fans. Through Aruba-led innovations or implemented in concert with Aruba Technology Partners, these solutions use IoT and Bluetooth radios already built into Aruba access points and managed from a single pane of glass. The solutions operate on customers’ existing Aruba infrastructure, eliminating the need for rip and replace, and leverage cloud-based applications that are easy to activate and affordable to deploy.

• Contact and Location Tracing – Aruba will be releasing a new set of native contact and location tracing tools for existing Aruba infrastructure customers based on both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This will be demonstrated at Aruba Atmosphere Digital on June 9, 2020. For expanded capabilities, Aruba Technology Partners AiRISTA Flow, CXApp, Kiana Analytics, Modo Labs, and Skyfii integrate with Aruba infrastructures to monitor social distancing and group sizes, and generate contract tracing trees of potentially exposed individuals.

• Contactless Visitor Management – In the new work environment, organizations are looking to avoid physical contact with front desk receptionists or using shared, self-service tablets for check-in. Aruba and its digital workplace partners, such as Envoy, allow pre-registration, automated host notification, and auto-generated individualized visitor Wi-Fi credentials – all with zero human-to-human contact.

• Video and AI-based Health Monitoring – Proactively identifying and assisting COVID-infected guests and employees keeps everyone in the workplace safer. HPE Pointnext and Aruba’s technology partners can deliver and support contactless thermographic solutions that measure forehead temperature of groups of people simultaneously. Ideal for lobbies and other high traffic areas, the solution incorporates automated voice response and interfaces with access control portals.

Working from Home

An effective long-term work-from-home solution has to deliver a secure, enterprise-like experience that enhances efficiency, creativity, and productivity.  Unlike solutions that use repurposed consumer network equipment, Aruba provides enterprise-class telework hardware coupled with plug-and-play installation, identity-based security, and cloud native management for rapid, simple and scalable deployment. Field-proven since 2008, Aruba’s work-from-home solutions scale to accommodate organizations of any size, and are available with FIPS 140-2 validation for defense-related telework.

• Secure Remote Access to Business-Critical Resources – Aruba Remote Access Points (RAPs) and gateways extend access to enterprise applications and services hosted on-premises or in the public cloud, anywhere employees work. Compatible with broadband and cellular networks, RAPs provide both Ethernet and wireless connectivity so employees can use IP phones, VDI terminals, trading consoles, and mobile devices at remote locations with the same security and quality of service they enjoy in the office.

• Seamless, Secure Access While on the Road – Aruba Virtual Intranet Access (VIA) VPN software client provides secure connectivity to laptops, phones, and tablets. Unlike other VPN solutions that require the customer to set up additional layers of protection, VIA includes an embedded firewall that intelligently segments the traffic and enforces the security policies down to each user.

“For too long organizations have treated working locations as a binary choice – we’re either assigned to an office or are remote workers,” said Ryan Anderson, VP of Digital Innovation for Herman Miller. “The current requirement to work remotely has blown the doors open for a new hybrid workplace reality that experience designers and technologists alike need to account for in the future. A comfortable, secure and reliable work-from-home setting will be a key requirement for this new era.”

The Office Reimagined

The recent trend for the modern corporate office – to deliver open, collaborative work spaces – will soon need to be revalidated. Moving forward, organizations are considering lasting changes in office layout and frequency of employee visits that are more on-demand and modular than ever before. This type of next-generation space poses challenges to traditional networking and security infrastructure intended for a static work environment.

The office will become increasingly smart using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IoT sensors, and other capabilities that were invested in during the COVID-19 reopening phase, but then may be repurposed to provide employee experience-enhancing applications, as well as security and crisis capabilities, should any type of health or other emergency resurface. To help customers through this office and workstyle transformation, Aruba has established relationships with key leaders in the field of office architecture, design, and furnishings, such as Herman Miller, whose products, in conjunction with Aruba’s AI-powered infrastructure, can help customers redefine next generation spaces. For more information read: Strategies for Returning to the Workplace after COVID-19

To experience what Aruba has to offer for the Reimagined Workplace and the Intelligent Edge, join us starting June 9, 2020 for Aruba Atmosphere Digital: https://www.arubanetworks.com/atmosphere/

 

Aruba Expands Instant On Portfolio to Support Small Business Continuity and Rapid Capacity Expansion

New Switches Create a Unified Network Infrastructure that Delivers Simplicity through Hands-off Management and Automation

Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company (NYSE: HPE), today announced the expansion of the Aruba Instant On product family to include a new series of switches that enable small businesses to deploy a unified, high-speed network that is easy to set-up, manage and maintain. Whether deployed as part of a business continuity strategy or connectivity upgrade project, the new Aruba Instant On 1930 Series of smart-managed switches seamlessly integrate with existing Instant On indoor/outdoor access points (APs), and can be centrally managed with the Instant On mobile app.

Patron expectations for seamless and secure connectivity are high, whether they are engaging with a large, multi-national chain or a small local business. This places undue pressure on small businesses that often do not have the resources to keep IT personnel on staff to address networking challenges. The issue is further compounded when unexpected crises strike – such as the recent global pandemic. The social distancing mandates that have resulted are fundamentally changing the business engagement model from mostly in-person interactions to online-only, which can cause fluctuating network demand. Local grocers, restaurants and other essential businesses have had to make a major shift in operations in order to stay viable in the current environment. According to the SMB Group, “71% of SMBs have already moved activities from the physical world to the virtual one, and 16% are planning to do so.”[1]

“With this latest addition to the Instant On portfolio, Aruba is addressing the primary pain points for small businesses that want to take a ‘set it and forget it’ approach, while still delivering the robust security features and management simplicity that small businesses need,” said Norm Lillis, vice president of Small Business at CDW. “Especially in uncertain times like these, when smaller organizations that supply essential services to their community have more pressing priorities to attend to, they’re looking for IT solutions that they can rely on to support their business continuity efforts today and into tomorrow.”

Like large organizations, small businesses are concerned with reliability, security and infrastructure costs, yet at the same time, they lack the staff to handle complex management or set-up of the network. Dynamically changing business connectivity and capacity requirements make operational simplicity a critical factor when choosing a networking solution. To address these challenges, Aruba Instant On offers unified management for all network services, a single architecture for both switches and access points and an innovative mobile app for hassle-free set-up, monitoring and management across the entire network.

The new Instant On 1930 Switch Series features:

  • Flexible configurations with 8, 24, or 48 1G ports with PoE and high speed 10G connectivity
  • Enhanced PoE+ on all ports to power a range of Internet of Things devices
  • Choice of management modes for flexibility:
    • Cloud-management via mobile app or web browser
    • Local web GUI
  • Limited lifetime warranty for maximum investment protection

Remote access to business services and tools is essential for small businesses, however, they lack the resources that a large enterprise can leverage to set-up and maintain virtual private networks (VPNs). Aruba has teamed up with NordVPN, a trusted online security solutions provider with more than 12 million users worldwide, to deliver VPN services to Aruba Instant On customers. Adding NordVPN to an Aruba Instant On network requires just a few simple steps and no IT expertise, enabling employees to remotely access sensitive business data when they can’t work on site.

“Small businesses play a critical role in our communities and, for those that provide essential services, staying connected with their customers has now become a necessity,” said Amol Mitra, vice president and general manager of Global Small and Medium Business at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. “For those who are looking for a simple, hassle-free networking solution that provides secure, high-performance, enterprise-like connectivity, that solution exists today with Aruba Instant On.”

Pricing and Availability

The Aruba Instant On 1930 Switch Series is available beginning June 1, with list prices starting at $129 USD. For more information on the Instant On family of products for small businesses, please visit www.ArubaInstantOn.com.


[1] SMB Group, “Organizational Issues Facing SMB Operations During COVID-19 And Business Solutions,” April 2020

Anker Innovations introduces eufy HomeVac S11 Go cordless Go Stick lightweight vacuum cleaner

Anker Innovations introduces the new eufy HomeVac S11 Go cordless Go Stick lightweight vacuum cleaner that comes with an ultra-strong power to take on any cleaning task.

Suitable for delicate surfaces, eufy HomeVac S11 Go comes equipped with a 120AW suction power, detachable battery and a 2-in-1 crevice tool to deep clean carpets to hard floors.

Faraz Mehdi, Regional Sales Head at Anker Innovations MEA said, “The innovative technological features in the eufy HomeVac S11 Go include a washable high-efficiency filter that ensures minimal maintenance and improved performance plus the device can be detached to empty the dustbin in seconds. Increased efficiency also includes dust-tight containment for reduced air pollution.”

The eufy HomeVac S11 Go’s long crevice tool can be used to suck up crumbs and dirt in any corner or hard-to-reach areas and the advanced 5-tier filtration system safeguards and maximizes the motor performance.

The long-lasting detachable battery offers up to 40 minutes of cleaning time and the max-mode provides 8 minutes of fierce and focused cleaning when tackling the deepest dust and debris. With eufy HomeVac S11 Go, whether an impossibly tight space or a delicate surface, or the AC vent grill at a height there is an attachment suitable for any cleaning scenario.

The eufy HomeVac S11 Go is available on Amazon.ae.

Mobile Telecom Industry Making Rapid Progress Toward 5G, Including Increased Network Virtualization, According to New Survey

BPI Network Survey Finds Operators Rethinking Security in Light of 5G Network Traffic, Dramatic Increase in Connected Devices and New Mission-Critical Use Cases

Mobile service providers say they are making substantial progress toward ushering in a new generation of 5G Networks that will enable ultra-high-speed mobile connectivity and a wide variety of new applications and smart infrastructure use cases.  Progress includes steady work toward virtualizing core network functions and a reexamination of the security investments they will need to protect their networks and customers.

COVID-19 is not expected to significantly delay 5G deployments, according to a new global study report, “Toward a More Secure 5G World,” developed by the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network, in partnership with A10 Networks. The percentage of mobile service providers who say their companies are “moving rapidly toward commercial deployment” has increased significantly in the past year, climbing from 26 percent in a survey announced in early 2019 to 45 percent in the new survey. Virtually all respondents say improved security is a critical network requirement and top concern in the 5G era.

Download the complimentary report at: http://bpinetwork.org/thought-leadership/studies/77/download-report-toward-a-more-secure-5g-world

Early 5G networks are being designed in accordance with the already-approved non-standalone 5G standard. However, 30 percent of respondents say they are already proactively planning to add standalone 5G, and another 9 percent say their companies will move directly to standalone. Standalone 5G will require a whole new network core utilizing a cloud-native, virtualized, service-based architecture. Many respondents, in fact, say they are making significant progress toward network virtualization.

“Our latest study indicates that major mobile carriers around the world are on track with their 5G plans, and more expect to begin commercial build-outs in the coming months,” said Dave Murray, director of thought leadership with the BPI Network. “While COVID-19 may result in some short-term delays for operators, the pandemic ultimately demonstrates a global need for higher speed, higher capacity 5G networks and the applications and use case they enable.”

Among key findings of the survey,

  • 81% say industry progress toward 5G is moving rapidly, mostly in major markets, or is at least in line with expectations.
  • 71% expect to begin 5G network build-outs within 18 months, including one-third who have already begun or will do so in 2020.
  • 95% percent say virtualizing network functions is important to their 5G plans, and some three-quarters say their companies are either well on their way or making good progress toward virtualization.
  • 99% view deployment of mobile edge clouds as an important aspect of 5G networks, with 65% saying they expect edge clouds on their 5G networks within 18 months.

“Mobile operators globally need to proactively prepare for the demands of a new virtualized and secure 5G world,” said Gunter Reiss, worldwide vice president of A10 Networks, a provider of secure application services for mobile operators worldwide. “That means boosting security at key protection points like the mobile edge, deploying a cloud-native infrastructure, consolidating network functions, leveraging new CI/CD integrations and DevOps automation tools, and moving to an agile and hyperscale service-based architecture as much as possible. All of these improvements will pay dividends immediately with existing networks and move carriers closer to their ultimate goals for broader 5G adoption and the roll-out of new and innovative ultra-reliable low-latency use cases.”

Challenges—the Security Mandate

The industry’s top 5G challenges:

  • Heavy cost of build-outs (59%)
  • Security of network (57%)
  • Need for new technical skills (55%)
  • Lack of 5G enabled devices (42%)

Importance of security to 5G

  • 99% rate security as important to their 5G planning, higher than even network reach and coverage or network capacity and throughput
  • 97% say increased traffic, connected devices and mission-critical use case significantly increase security and reliability concerns for 5G
  • 93% say their security investments are already being affected (52%) or are under review (41%) due to 5G requirements

Top Use Cases Expected to Power 5G Adoption

Next two years

  • Ultra-high-speed connectivity (81%)
  • Industrial automation & smart manufacturing (62%)
  • Smart cities (54%)
  • Connected vehicles

Next 5 to 6 years

  • Smart cities (62%)
  • Ultra-high-speed connectivity (59%)
  • Connected Vehicles (57%)
  • Industrial automation & smart manufacturing (42%)

“Mobile operators globally need to be proactively preparing for the demands of a new 5G world,” Reiss said.

DNS Evolution Critical to the Adoption of 5G and Next Generation Network Technologies, Infoblox Research Finds

Infoblox Inc., the leader in Secure Cloud-Managed Network Services, today announced new research that identifies the challenges Communication Service Providers (CSPs) face in transitioning to distributed cloud models, as well as the use cases for Multi-access edge computing (MEC), 5G New Radio (NR), and 5G Next Generation Core (NGC) networks.

The report, titled “DNS and the Edge: The Evolution will be distributed” was conducted by Heavy Reading and surveyed communication service providers around world to understand the role that DNS plays in the evolution of these cloud-based network models.

“Distributed cloud models such as 5G and multi-access edge computing networks have the potential to drastically change the CSP industry, delivering high-bandwidth, low latency services to network customers” said Dilip Pillaipakam, Vice President and GM of Service Provider Business at Infoblox. “Yet to fully take advantage of the benefits of these new technologies, DNS will have to evolve to address the challenges that come from delivering these high-value services at the network edge.”

DNS is a critical element to these new network architectures and technologies, enabling devices to access the network securely and reliably. And as 5G NR, NGC, and MEC technologies enable faster, more distributed networks with significantly more connected devices, DNS will need to be increasingly automated and operate at greater scale and with greater flexibility.

Yet, despite the importance of DNS to the reliable functioning of these networks, the survey found that few CSPs believe that their DNS is currently capable of supporting MEC or 5G NEC.

To meet this need, networks will need to leverage the benefits of distributed DNS technology that can enable network managers to meet users where they are—at the network edge.

Other key findings of the survey include:

  • CSPs consider DNS to be critical to the adoption of next-generation network technologies like 5G (71%), cloud-based managed security services (66%) and MEC (63%)
  • More than one third of CSPs surveyed plan to implement MEC (36%), 5G (35%), and NEC (35%) in the next 12-18 months.
  • Despite this, the lack of a mature vendor solution ranks as the largest obstacle these providers face in MEC (36%), 5G NR (46%) and 5G NEC (39%) deployments.

The CSPs surveyed included companies that represent all aspects of the industry; the largest groups were converged operators (46% of respondents), mobile operators (26%), and fixed-line and cable operators (10% each). The survey asked about their plans for implementing MEC, 5G NGC, and 5G NR technologies, business use cases, as well as concerns and obstacles to implementation.

The survey’s findings indicate that the future of DNS will hinge on the delivery of a fully distributed and fully capable edge-based DNS.

“CSPs seeking to advantage of the benefits of cloud-based and distributed technologies like MEC, 5G NR, and 5G NGC, will need DNS services that can keep up with the challenge of edge-centric network models,” continued Pillaipakam. “DNS providers will need to adapt and evolve to ensure that customers in this industry are provided with the features, flexibility, and security that these new architectures demand.”

Nutanix Expands Integration with ServiceNow to Streamline IT Operations and Costs

Company Announces New Automation Capabilities to Help Customers Simplify IT Operations During Global Crisis

Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), a leader in enterprise cloud computing, today announced expanded integration with the leading digital workflow company ServiceNow, as well as new capabilities in Nutanix Calm, the company’s application automation and management solution for DevOps. As customers look to streamline their IT operations and costs during this global crisis, these new features will help customers to simplify and automate infrastructure, application, and cloud management.

“As IT teams focus on delivering remote work solutions, they sometimes struggle to support the business more broadly because they are strapped for time and resources,” said Rajiv Mirani, Chief Technology Officer at Nutanix. “This strengthened integration with ServiceNow, along with the broader suite of Nutanix automation solutions, will allow IT teams to reduce the amount of time they spend on day-to-day management of their cloud infrastructure, as well as applications, so they can focus on supporting business priorities.”

Manual processes are still the norm in IT despite the cost savings and increased speed from automating repetitive operations. It is expected that by 2024 organizations will lower operational costs by 30% by combining hyperautomation technologies with redesigned operational processes, a transition that might accelerate in response to the current global situation. According to a PwC survey, 62% of organizations are looking at containing costs and 54% are concerned about the potential or significant impact to business operations as a result of the global pandemic.

Nutanix aims to simplify automation and make it more accessible to IT professionals at all levels. With Nutanix, IT generalists will be able to simply set up triggers and automated actions to simplify day-to-day operations. Integration with leading automation solutions like ServiceNow allows Nutanix customers to further simplify cloud and application management by integrating with their existing IT ticketing system to simplify workflows. With these latest product enhancements, Nutanix aims to significantly expand on the suite of automation and cost governance benefits for its customers.

To further enable IT teams, Nutanix announced strengthened integrations and product capabilities to simplify operations. Specifically,

  • Simplified DevOps: Nutanix Calm 3.0 will deliver expanded capabilities as well as strengthened ServiceNow integration. Customers can now automate their app lifecycles, including upgrades, patches, expansions and more, while taking advantage of the approval flow and audit capabilities of ServiceNow. They can also increase their security posture by maintaining passwords in a central CyberArc vault, particularly important for government and enterprise customers. In addition to the strengthened integration, Calm 3.0 enables DevOps teams to easily automate workloads across an organization’s hybrid cloud infrastructure, as well as provision Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Python-based domain-specific language (DSL) for writing Calm blueprints. The Calm DSL offers all the richness of the Calm UI, but with the additional benefit of being human readable, version controlled code that can handle even the most complex application scenarios.
  • Simplified Infrastructure Management: Building on the previously released integration with ServiceNow, Nutanix Prism Pro customers can now respond to alerts and incidents directly in their ServiceNow portal. For example, customers can not only track infrastructure shortages or issues thru automatically created tickets in ServiceNow, but also resolve them right in their ticketing system. Adding third-party applications to trigger automation helps customers create an end-to-end IT service management process.
  • Simplified Cloud Governance and Cost Optimization: The increased integration with ServiceNow will allow customers to simplify cost optimization and security practices, just as they’re increasing their reliance on public cloud. For example, they’ll be able to limit unintended public cloud consumption which often leads to significant budget overages. With this solution, customers will be able to automatically pull Nutanix Xi Beam’s cost and security optimization recommendations into existing ServiceNow workflows, by automatically creating tickets based on cost savings recommendations and security vulnerability alerts and assign them to an appropriate owner.

Expanded ServiceNow integrations are currently available to customers. Calm 3.0 is currently under development.

Customers looking to learn more about creating IT resilience in time of change can sign up for the upcoming webinar.

For more information about Nutanix solutions visit www.nutanix.com.

Anker Innovations new PowerConf Bluetooth Speakerphone enhances the professional meeting environment

Portable Bluetooth Speakerphone has Professional Conference Call-Quality

To ensure call quality is not compromised as more professionals’ work from home or in offices with social distancing, Anker Innovations introduces the new Anker PowerConf Bluetooth Speakerphone that brings your professional meeting environment into any space with optimized sound clarity and volume.

Faraz Mehdi, Regional Sales Head at Anker Innovations MEA said, “Used as a portable conference phone or as a speakerphone, the PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone automatically balances the sound to suit differences in volume and distance of user from the speakerphone. This is perfect when there are distractions or when multitasking.”

Power Conference can connect to the mobile phone or laptop ensuring everyone can view presentations and have group discussions as the incoming amplified sound allows everyone in the room to listen and speak simultaneously from the comfort of their chair, without coming near the device. This feature is perfect for teachers conducting e-learning classes as well.

The device features Omni-Directional Voice Pickup with six microphones arranged in a 360° array to pick up voices of up to eight people in a room without distracting noises and is compatible with all popular online conferencing services, including Skype, Google Hangout, Facetime, Zoom, WebEx, GotoMeeting, and Chromebox.

The PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone has 24 Hours of call time and comes with integrated Anker PowerIQ technology that allows you to charge other devices via PowerConf at optimized speeds.

The lightweight and compact travel case protects PowerConf while on business trips or moving around and does not require other equipment to set up, making it perfect for small spaces. It is available on amazon.ae.

Nutanix Announces Promotion of Christian Alvarez to Head of Worldwide Channels Organization

Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), a leader in enterprise cloud computing, today announced that it has promoted Christian Alvarez to Senior Vice President of Worldwide Channels effective immediately. As the worldwide channel and partner sales leader, Alvarez will have oversight of the strategic direction of Nutanix’s channel partner ecosystem, fostering strategic relationships and developing global sales and distribution programs for value-added resellers (VARs), distributors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), global system integrators (GSIs), and Telco/XSP partners.

“Nutanix has aligned the right resources, investments and expertise behind its award-winning product portfolio, enabling our partners to add new services and expand their market share to drive accretive revenue streams,” Alvarez said. “I am honored to lead Nutanix’s worldwide partner organization through our next phase of growth while helping our partners improve profitability with professional, managed and cloud services. The opportunity ahead of us continues to be vast as we carefully adapt to today’s unprecedented market dynamics.”

Alvarez is an effective and accomplished channel leader with extensive experience developing impactful multinational strategies that directly support business objectives. He brings over two decades of experience to his role. He joined Nutanix in September 2019 as Vice President of Channel Sales in the Americas to lead the team in that region. He was appointed interim Head of Worldwide Partner Sales in February 2020. Since then, Alvarez has elevated Nutanix’s overall partner sales and go-to-market programs to deliver greater business outcomes for customers and partners. As the COVID-19 pandemic struck global teams and the enterprise moved to the home, Nutanix VDI became paramount across the globe. Alvarez helped lead the roll-out for partners of new solutions and offerings to help partners in the trenches deploy technology for end-users faster and more simply, including FastTrack for VDI and Xi Frame Test Drive. He also led the development of the Nutanix Special Financial Assistance Program to offer immediate financial support to partners by helping to alleviate cash flow concerns and increasing financing flexibility.

“Christian is an innovator, strategic thinker spearheading new offerings and contributing to collaboration across the organization,” said Chris Kaddaras, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Nutanix. “As the channel is going through digital transformation for cloud, Nutanix is one of the only multi-cloud, multi-product companies carrying the torch. Christian is ideally suited to execute on our global mission to help both our partners and customers adapt to and enable virtual work.” Alvarez will continue to lead Channel Sales for the Americas region until a new leader is appointed.

Ransomware: Here Today, Here Tomorrow

By Derek Manky, Chief -Security Insights and Global Threat Alliances, Fortinet

With all our energy of the past several weeks focused on adapting to the global crisis, security may have taken a back seat. But cybercriminals haven’t forgotten. Networks have been turned inside out, and they have been very actively targeting remote workers that used to be protected by the network perimeter with fake COVID-related material and other social networking attacks. And they have been probing these new network environments for vulnerabilities in the hopes that may have been pulled together too quickly to have implemented adequate security protections and controls. 

FortiGuard Labs has been actively monitoring the threat landscape during this time, and we have seen a significant increase in threats targeting individuals through phishing and infected websites. Email attachments contain infected and malicious content, which explains why we recorded a 131% increase in viruses during March of this year. It also explains why we have seen a reduction in traditional attacks as cybercriminals shift focus. Incidents of ransomware are likely to rise as cybercriminals look to use compromised end user devices as a conduit back into a core network that may not be being watched as carefully as it once was.

We take a close look at the level of threat that ransomware poses and what organizations should do about it now, while their networks are still in a state of flux.

The Ransomware Landscape Today

Among the types of attacks that keep security professionals up at night – it is ransomware for sure, and the threat shows no signs of slowing down. And when it comes to defending against ransomware, security tools are only as good as the team that manages them. Everything from configuration errors to solution sprawl can weaken the power of enterprise cybersecurity defenses to detect and prevent cyberattacks. However, especially when it comes to ransomware, the biggest problem is the human factor. 

Why Cyber Hygiene and the “Human Factor” Continue to be Primary Concerns for Ransomware

When it comes to cyber hygine, awarness is not the problem – it is rooted in human behavior. But awareness and action are two very different things. In addition to broad brush attacks that target everyone, emails are being cleverly written to target specific types of individuals at an organization, either directly, or through a new technique where they insert phishing emails into an active email thread to increase the likelihood of it being clicked on. This type of attack is known as spearfishing, and if the target is a member of the C-suite, it is called “whale phishing.” But regardless of who is being targeted, everyone is susceptible to a carefully crafted email arriving when they are just distracted enough to not be paying attention. 

How Ransomware will progressing during 2020

What has been on the rise, and what I predict will get worse in 2020, are the more targeted ransomware attacks that cost businesses more from an operational and regulatory perspective. Malware and ransomware attacks in general are a completely different game now because these attacks are being targeted and specifically crafted to certain internal systems. Another factor contributing to the growing attacks on businesses and enterprise organizations is the ready availability of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) offerings, which is something I predicted years ago would happen as an evolution of ransomware. And in 2020 we are already seeing another shift, with ransomware jumping to leverage the timely cybercriminal opportunity around COVID-19, which demonstrates that ransomware evolution is not just about targeted attacks. And this sort of multi-pronged attack front is much harder to defend against.

What Can Organizations Do?

We are at an especially vulnerable moment in our transition to a digital economy. Organizations need to take steps now to protect their networks and networked resources from the growing problem of sophisticated ransomware. While each network environment is different, here are a few things any organization can begin to implement today to reduce their risk from ransomware and other advanced threats.

  • Wherever possible, patch and update operating systems, devices, and software. Make this a priority for remote workers – especially those using personal devices to connect to the corporate network. For devices that can’t be patched, ensure that appropriate proximity controls and alerts are in place. It is also important to make sure that all endpoint devices have advanced security installed, such as anti-exploit and EDR solutions. 
  • Businesses need to make sure that access controls, such as multifactor authentication and even Network Access Control solutions are in place. Using NAC to inspect and block bring-your-own-devices that do not meet security policy is recommended. We also recommend segmenting the network into security zones to prevent the spread of infection and tie access controls to dynamic segmentation.
  • Use inventory tools and IOC lists to prioritize which of your assets are at the most risk. Make sure that ransomware recovery is part of the BCDR, Identify a recovery team, run drills, and pre-assign responsibilities so systems can be restored quickly in the event of a successful breach.
  • Update email and web security gateways to check and filter out email attachments, websites, and files for malware. Make sure that CDR (content disarm and recovery) solutions are in place to deactivate malicious attachments. Use a sandbox to discover, execute, and analyze new or unrecognized files, documents, or programs in a safe environment. 
  • Block advertisements and social media sites that have no business relevance. Use zero-trust network access that includes virus assessments so users can’t infect business-critical applications, data, or services. Use application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized applications from being downloaded or run. 
  • Prevent unauthorized SaaS applications with a CASB solution. Use forensic analysis tools to identify where an infection came from, how long it has been in the environment, ensure they are removed all of it from every device, and ensure it doesn’t come back.
  • Plan around the weakest link in your security system – the people who use your devices and applications. Training is essential but limited. Proper tools, such as secure email gateways, for example, can eliminate most if not all phishing emails and malicious attachments. Leverage people, technology, and processes to quickly gather threat intelligence about active attacks on your networks and act on it, using automation where possible. This is crucial to stopping an advanced attack in its tracks.

Now Is Not the Time to Take Your Eye Off the Ball

Even though we are all running as fast as we can to keep our businesses up and running, we are also more exposed than ever to criminals who want to take advantage of this crisis. Ransomware and other advanced threats have not slowed down just because we are busy. In fact, based on our ongoing analysis of the threat landscape, the opposite is true.

Most organizations should have their remote worker strategy in place. Now is a perfect time to review the steps outlined above, conduct a thorough review of your security policies, and make necessary adjustments. Prioritize your challenges and work through them one at a time. Every step you take now to tighten down your policies and practices is a threat averted. And we could all use one less thing to worry about right now.

Express your appreciation to loved ones this Eid with fun gadgets

Eid al-Fitr is a special occasion that marks the end of Ramadan and is a time to celebrate with loved ones and express your appreciation for them with Eid gifts. Anker Innovations team curated a unique and functional gadget must have list to suit different tastes and styles for this joyous occasion.

Soundcore Liberty Air 2

Soundcore Liberty Air 2 is known to be the true wireless in-ear headphones that comes with four built-in microphones with noise cancellation and filters out ambient noises.

Environmental noises are reduced by 60% to 95% to ensure crystal-clear diamond enhanced sound with twice the amount of bass. The HearID technology maps hearing sensitivity at multiple frequencies and intelligently analyzes results for a truly personalized listening experience.

For convenience, the one-Step Pairing ensures automatic connection to your device. The earbuds allow for 7 hours of playtime but the charging case provides a longer battery life of 28 hours on the go. Liberty Air 2 can also recharge its power through wireless chargers.

With a comfortable fit and the IPX5 for Water & Sweat Resistant, Liberty Air 2 gives freedom from messy wired headphones and offers the convenience of listening to music by the pool, during morning walks or while cooking and relaxing.

Available in trendy and cool colours, Soundcore Liberty Air 2 is available on Noon.com.

eufyCam 2 Wireless Security Camera

The neweufyCam2 is a wireless Home Security Camera System with 365-Day Battery Life (with one charge) and comes with features that include HD 1080p for clear crystal footage, IP67 Weatherproof that withstands all weather conditions, state of the art Advanced Night Vision and is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Homekit.

It has a 2-Cam Kit that comes with 2 cameras & a home base and does not bind users to a monthly fee which means a one-time purchase that combines security with convenience. Eufy Security products store, process, and calculate user data locally using AES 256 military grade encryption.

In eufyCam 2, the Smart Image Enhancement feature gives a clearer, brighter view of the people in-shot while the built-in AI technology identifies and focuses on the human in the image.

The Instant Mobile Alerts notifies users in seconds when suspicious motions are detected while Real-Time Response allows being able to speak directly to anyone who approaches your home via a two-way audio giving you complete control over your surveillance and meets the growing demand in smart home products and security solutions. Available on Amazon.ae.

HomeVac S11 Go

Suitable for delicate surfaces, eufy HomeVac S11 Go comes equipped with a 120AW suction power, detachable battery and a 2-in-1 crevice tool to deep clean carpets to hard floors.

The innovative technological features in the eufy HomeVac S11 Go include a washable high-efficiency filter that ensures minimal maintenance and improved performance plus the device can be detached to empty the dustbin in seconds. Increased efficiency also includes dust-tight containment for reduced air pollution.

The eufy HomeVac S11 Go’s long crevice tool can be used to suck up crumbs and dirt in any corner or hard-to-reach areas and the advanced 5-tier filtration system safeguards and maximizes the motor performance.

The long-lasting detachable battery offers up to 40 minutes of cleaning time and the max-mode provides 8 minutes of fierce and focused cleaning when tackling the deepest dust and debris. With eufy HomeVac S11 Go, whether an impossibly tight space or a delicate surface, or the AC vent grill at a height there is an attachment suitable for any cleaning scenario. Available on Amazon.ae.

Nebula Mars II Pro

Nebula Mars 11 Pro is a new generation cinema that is compact, mobile and in a contemporary cubical design. It hosts DLP IntelliBright technology that projects a radiant 500 ANSI lumen image at razor-sharp 720p for breathtaking video clarity.

The built-in 12,500mAh battery delivers 3 hours of non-stop cinema with improved dual 10W audio drivers delivering sensational surround sound and deep, resonant bass for a truly immersive outdoor projector movie experience.

With horizontal and vertical keystoning, you can project a squared, stable image onto almost any surface. Choose from thousands of apps with Android 7.1 and enjoy your favorite content.

It offers an advanced entertainment experience, anytime, anywhere with your loved ones. So, if you get bored inside the house, you can always step out in the garden for an outdoor movie experience or learn new cooking styles in the kitchen. Available on Amazon.ae.

Anker Power Box

Make sure your loved ones never run out of charge on their phone with Anker Power Box. This Power Box contains three flagship products from Anke:

1) PowerCore 10400mAh Power Bank, a high capacity Power Bank that offers up to 3 times charging for Flagship Phones and comes with optimized output for Multiple Device Charging.

2) Powerport+1 Charger, equipped with PowerIQ Technology and Multiprotect Safety System, along with a micro USB cable, is travel ready with Quick Charge 3.0.

3) Powerline II 3-in-1 Charging Cable, the extremely durable and MFi Certified charging cable with 3-in-1 Connectors i.e. Lightning, Micro and C-Type and is Universally Compatible with every phone that uses these one of the three charging connectors. Available in Jumbo Electronics and EMAX.