Author: Jim O Brien/CEO

CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.

Deepfakes and Hacktivism Take Centre Stage at Cyber Leader Summit in Belfast

Deepfakes have jumped from the pages of science fiction to become a legitimate business risk that could influence polls in the upcoming UK election . That was one of the messages from Deryck Mitchelson, Global CISO at Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider, when he spoke at the Cyber Leader Summit held in Belfast at the Titantic Belfast on the 14th of February. As these sophisticated manipulations proliferate, the integrity of democratic processes faces unprecedented challenges, highlighting the urgent need for robust defences against AI-driven disinformation campaigns.

The one-day event brought together over 110 delegates and experts from Check Point, Microsoft, GitHub and Women in Cyber Security, among others, to explore the biggest cyber threats facing organisations today. It is the first time the event has been held in Belfast, which is fast becoming a hub for major players in the technology space.

During his presentation, Deryck explored the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in relation to cybercrime and its influence on attack methods. He discussed how it has evolved to become a serious instrument in a cybercriminal’s arsenal when executing phishing, ransomware or hacktivism campaigns. “AI is not a new notion; we have been using it as the brain behind our threat intelligence for many years, “said Deryck. “However, the technology has changed so rapidly over the last twelve months and new versions such as Generative AI (GenAI) have made it more attainable for cybercriminals. While these skills were once reserved for technically minded hackers, anyone with access to the internet and free online tools can now generate alarmingly realistic phishing emails with a few good prompts.”

Deryck went on to share examples of how deepfakes, including voice clones, have had an impact on businesses and could potentially influence major events such as the general elections later this year. There have been several incidents recently, including a worker in Hong Kong who paid out £20 million to a fraudster impersonating a CFO during a conference call. However, he was also clear that defenders are using AI to fight fire with fire. He added: “Deepfakes used to be the work of science fiction, but they are now a legitimate risk for businesses and their bank balances. They could also be used to influence public opinion during the upcoming elections.

“It is important that we don’t underestimate the potential impact this technology could have on organisations of all sizes. The good news is that companies like Check Point are leveraging the power of AI and Deep Learning to predict and prevent attacks from happening.”

In the morning, delegates also heard from other industry experts such as Lotem Finkelstein, Director of Threat Intelligence at Check Point. He provided insights into the world of hybrid cyberwarfare, demystifying the role of cybercrime during time of conflict. Other sessions included talks from Lesley Kipling, Chief Advisor at Microsoft on the importance of zero trust and Martin Woodward, VP of Developer Relations at GitHub regarding vulnerability fixes in open source.

The afternoon featured more presentations with Jennifer Cox, Director at Women in Cyber Security advocating for diversity in the industry, before the day finished on a panel discussion where experts covered a range of topics, including bringing new talent into the industry. This was a sentiment shared by Seamus McCorry, Check Point’s country manager, in his closing remarks. He was keen to emphasise the potential for Northern Ireland to become a cybersecurity powerhouse.

Seamus said: “We have a great pool of talent coming through our universities and it is important that we engage and encourage this new generation to live and work in this vibrant city. The cybersecurity industry is a thriving business, and together we can build a resilient future.”

Exploring the World of Entertainment Metadata Solutions

In an age where our digital ecosystem is a vast library of cinematic and musical delights, the seemingly mundane, invisible threads of data play an extraordinary role. Imagine the panoramic shot in a movie, depicting the grandeur and scope of an ethereal landscape. Now, consider metadata as that film’s narrative, its ability to segment and index the different elements of that landscape – the characters, the hills, the valleys, the sky – into searchable, analyzable, and most importantly, enjoyable components. In this discourse, we dive into the world of metadata cataloging, exploring its transformational power in the entertainment industry, and beyond.

Streamlining Metadata for Enhanced User Engagement

In the vast expanse of digital content, metadata serves as the lighthouse, guiding users through a sea of cinematic and musical choices to deliver tailored recommendations. Finding the right entertainment metadata provider can make all the difference in creating an engaging and personalized user experience. It transcends basic labels, delving into the layers of storytelling – the cast’s chemistry, music’s rhythm, even a hue significant to the narrative – all to replicate the intricacy of human preferences. The art of metadata optimization lies in training algorithms to sift through this nuance, emulating human curiosity and ensuring that the content that surfaces captures the essence of search queries.

Uniform Standardization Protocols for Cross-Platform Consistency

Behind every enthralling story, there’s a silent narrative – that of the men and women working tirelessly to standardize metadata worldwide. This governance ensures a show is “Westworld” in the U.S., in the U.K., and Japan. It’s not a trivial pursuit; it’s the difference between a successful global roll-out and a flurry of customer complaints. Imagine scrolling through titles when a movie you know by a different name appears. Or worse yet, not at all. Such inconsistencies are the Achilles heel of the cross-platform experience. They result in user frustration and, critically, lost viewership and engagement.

AI-Driven Advanced Tagging for Precision Classification

AI brings to the fore the very best in content categorization. Its learning is based on colossal datasets, sipping through movies and their data like the finest sommelier at a wine tasting. But AI doesn’t just learn; it adapts. As new genres proliferate and old ones evolve, AI is on the front line, ensuring no tag is deprecated or overvalued. When AI merges with the art of storytelling, that’s when the magic happens. An algorithm that understands why “The Room” is “So Bad, It’s Good” as distinguishable from “The Godfather” is an algorithm worth its weight in data. It’s not just about meticulous categorization; it’s the finesse to discern nuance in the digital realm.

Mechanisms for Real-Time Updates Maintaining Relevancy

Think of this as the metadata’s “Iron Man” suit. In a world of ‘in-the-moment’ Olympic highlights and ‘just-dropped’ album analysis, the metadata must keep up. This need for speed means streamlined protocols, automated updates, and vigilance against ‘tag rot.’ A show’s director reveals an epic surprise ending, only for the metadata to spoil it for a latecomer binge-watcher. Stagnant metadata, especially in the spoiler-averse climate, is more than a mere inconvenience; it’s a business liability.

Strengthened Metadata Security: Keeping Data Safe and Compliant

Metadata is a window to user lives’ and their preferences. The ethical responsibility to safeguard this digital identity is critical. GDPR, CCPA, and other international data protection laws aren’t buzzwords – they’re the walls around users’ digital homes. Metadata security isn’t just a digital padlock; it’s a fortress. Advanced protocols, end-to-end encryption, and regular security audits are the industry norms. But just as important as the technological armor is the culture of privacy, ingrained in every employee and partner.

The reduction of metadata to mere keywords and tags is an understatement. It’s the backbone of the next-generation entertainment experience, perpetually evolving to serve the global village of viewers. For the media professional, the data analyst, and the SEO enthusiast, the world of metadata solutions isn’t just a tool; it’s an entire cosmos of potential. The symbiotic relationship between metadata and the entertainment industry isn’t just a matter of syncopated growth. It’s a narrative interweave, a tale of technology and taste, taxonomy and artistry that promises one thing – an ever-more delightful and personalized media landscape.

Increase in PDF malware up 7% in the last quarter, reports HP

HP Ireland issued its quarterly HP Wolf Security Threat Insights Report, showing attackers are continuing to find innovative ways to influence users and infect endpoints. The HP Wolf Security threat research team uncovered several notable campaigns including:

  • PDF Malware is on the rise: 11% of malware analysed in Q4 used PDFs to deliver malware, compared to just 4% in Q1 and Q2 2023. A notable example was a WikiLoader campaign using a fake parcel delivery PDF to trick users into installing Ursnif malware.
  • DarkGate campaign uses Ad tools to sharpen attacks: Malicious PDF attachments, posing as OneDrive error messages, direct users to sponsored content hosted on a popular ad network. This leads to DarkGate malware.
    • By using ad services, threat actors can analyse which lures generate clicks and infect the most users – helping them refine campaigns for maximum impact.
    • Threat actors can use CAPTCHA tools to prevent sandboxes from scanning malware and stopping attacks by ensuring only humans click.
    • DarkGate hands backdoor access to cybercriminals into networks, exposing victims to risks like data theft and ransomware.
  • A shift from Macros to Office exploits: In Q4, at least 84% of attempted intrusions involving spreadsheets, and 73% involving Word documents, sought to exploit vulnerabilities in Office applications – continuing the trend away from macro-enabled Office attacks. But macro-enabled attacks still have their place, particularly for attacks leveraging cheap commodity malware like Agent Tesla and XWorm.
  • Discord and TextBin being used to host malicious files: Threat actors are using legitimate file and text sharing websites to host malicious files. These sites are often trusted by organisations, helping the sites to avoid anti-malware scanners, increasing attackers’ chances of remaining undetected.

Val Gabriel, Managing Director at HP Ireland, comments: “Our latest report highlights how cybercriminals are becoming more and more agile in understanding how we work and the easiest ways to breach systems. For example, the design of popular cloud services is always being refined, so when a fake error message appears, it won’t necessarily raise an alarm, even if a user hasn’t seen it before. With GenAI generating even more convincing malicious content at little-to-no cost, distinguishing real from fake is expected to become more difficult.

“By isolating threats that have evaded detection tools on PCs – but still allowing malware to detonate safely – HP Wolf Security has specific insight into the latest techniques used by cybercriminals in the fast-changing cybercrime landscape.”

To date, HP Wolf Security customers have clicked on over 40 billion email attachments, web pages, and downloaded files with no reported breaches.

The report details how cybercriminals continue to diversify attack methods to bypass security policies and detection tools. Other findings include:

  • Archives were the most popular malware delivery type for the seventh quarter running, used in 30% of malware analysed by HP.
  • At least 14% of email threats identified by HP Sure Click bypassed one or more email gateway scanners.
  • The top threat vectors in Q3 were email (75%), downloads from browsers (13%) and other means like USB drives (12%).

Dr. Ian Pratt, Global Head of Security for Personal Systems at HP Inc., comments:  “Cybercriminals are applying the same tools a business might use to manage a marketing campaign to optimise their malware campaigns, increasing the likelihood the user will take the bait. To protect against well-resourced threat actors, organisations must follow zero trust principles, isolating and containing risky activities like opening email attachments, clicking on links, and browser downloads.”

 HP Wolf Security* runs risky tasks in isolated, hardware-enforced virtual machines running on the endpoint to protect users, without impacting their productivity. It also captures detailed traces of attempted infections. HP’s application isolation technology mitigates threats that can slip past other security tools and provides unique insights into intrusion techniques and threat actor behavior.

Dyson deals as “Dyson Week” begins

Get ready to bag that Dyson product you’ve always wanted at a discounted price, with Dyson’s amazing deals during their “Dyson Week” sale. Beat the cost of living crisis with discounts on essential Dyson products during Dyson Week (starts now and ends on 5th of March) .

If you are a fan of Dyson products which there are many or need something new here is the chance to pick up something right now..

Highlights include:

Floorcare:

  • Dyson V11 vacuum | €499.99 (save €100)
  • Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute+ vacuum | €579.00 (save €130.00)
  • V10 Absolute vacuum– now €399.99 save €100

Haircare:

  • Dyson Supersonic Black/ Nickel hairdryer with case  €379.99 (Save €50)
  • Dyson Corrale hair straightener €379.99 (save €70)

Dyson supersonic

Environmental Care:

  • Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact | now €379.99 (save €70)

ESA Director comes to Ireland in “landmark” visit for space research community

Director of Science at the European Space Agency, Prof. Carole Mundell and her senior executive team attended an event, hosted by Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), at DIAS Dunsink Observatory as part of a national visit last week.

The European Space Agency (ESA) group has been conducting a tour of all ESA member states. Ireland joined the ESA as a founding member in 1975 and has contributed to space missions along with the 21 other member states.  Commenting on the event, Dr. Padraig Doolan, Irish Delegate to the ESA within Enterprise Ireland said, “The recent visit by the Director of the Science Programme of the ESA, Prof. Carole Mundell, was a landmark event for the Irish space research community. While Ireland’s success on the industry side of space is reasonably well-known, this occasion provided a platform to recognise and celebrate the substantial breadth of expertise and talent that exists among the academic community in Ireland.

“During her time here, Prof. Mundell met with multiple research groups, stakeholders and seven universities from across Ireland at the event, hosted by DIAS Dunsink Observatory. She also engaged with several Irish-based senior scientists specialising in the areas of fundamental physics, galaxies and cosmology, heliophysics, planetary science, star formation and exoplanets, and stars and stellar evolution, as well as hearing first-hand from the team behind the successful development and launch of Ireland’s first satellite, EIRSAT-1.”

Host of the event Prof. Caitriona Jackman (Senior Professor and head of the DIAS Planetary Group), noted that “the day provided an opportunity to showcase some of the highlights of Irish space science and astronomy. Irish-based scientists engage with ESA on many levels, ranging from our formal positions as named investigators on missions like Solar Orbiter and JUICE, to our service on ESA working groups and mission selection panels. Our group of senior scientists laid out our ambition for increased engagement with the future portfolio of ESA missions from technology development to science exploitation.”

DIAS involvement

As part of the event hosted at DIAS Dunsink Observatory, DIAS scientists including Prof. Caitriona Jackman, Dr. Hans Huybrighs and Dr. Charles Bowers from the DIAS Planetary Group presented examples of their work on the magnetic environments of Mercury and Jupiter. Prof. Peter Gallagher, Dr. Shane Maloney and Dr. Sophie Murray highlighted Ireland’s formal involvement in the Solar Orbiter mission STIX instrument, and their leading Space Weather forecasting work. Prof. Tom Ray, co-primary investigator on the mid-infrared instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope, provided updates on DIAS activity on the development of detectors for space, as well as looking to future missions like Ariel.

The event was attended by representatives from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE), and Enterprise Ireland (EI), including the Irish Delegation to ESA.

Half of Irish people have used AI in their personal life but are hesitant to use it in the workplace

Almost half of Irish people (44%) say they have experimented with AI or use it regularly for personal use, according to a new report by Dye & Durham, the leading provider of practice management solutions to legal professionals. The Dye & Durham Ireland Pulse Report for Q4 2023, a survey of 1,001 adults in Ireland conducted by YouGov, explores trends in technology, the economy and the property market.

While Irish consumers are embracing AI in their personal lives, they are more hesitant to use it in their professional lives, with 35% saying they have experimented with or regularly use AI for professional reasons. The remaining 65% say they have never used AI for professional use.

Despite hesitant adoption of AI for professional use, more than three quarters of Irish workers (79%) say technology plays an important or critical role in their day-to-day work. Nearly half (44%) expect AI to become important to the way they do their jobs in the next five years while less than a quarter (23%) are of the opposite opinion. Other technologies expected to emerge as key to their jobs include cloud computing (59% say it will be important), analytics (57%), and 5G (56%).

When it comes to technology’s role in the provision of government services, more than half (58%) of Irish consumers say government agencies would benefit from incorporating more technology into their services when asked to choose from a list. Similarly, 53% say the same of doctors / medical practitioners, while 44% and 38% say financial services and lawyers/conveyancers would benefit, respectively.

David Nash, Chief Product Officer at Dye & Durham, says: “We’re seeing an interesting adoption pattern when it comes to emerging technologies in Ireland. When it comes to AI, for example, there is broad recognition of its impact on the way we do our jobs, but people are taking an incremental approach to using it themselves, especially for professional purposes.”

“For our customers in the legal sector, this is a very important trend to watch. Their clients are engaging with new technologies and expecting them to take on a bigger role in their lives over time. That has clear implications for how legal services will be delivered in the future.”

 Near-term economic outlook is positive but nearly half expect a recession in next 12 months

 The Q4 2023 Ireland Pulse Report also reveals that Irish consumers have a generally positive economic outlook over the near term, with just over half (51%) saying they don’t expect a recession in the next six months. They are also more optimistic about their financial situations than they were in Q3 2023. More respondents (26%) say they’re in a better financial position than they were a year ago (vs. 19% who said the same in Q3 2023). At the same time, fewer respondents (39% in Q4 2023 vs. 48% in Q3 2023) say they are in a worse financial position than they were a year ago.

On the other hand, as they look further ahead, more consumers (48%) are expecting a recession in the next 12 months. But just 24% expect to be in a worse financial situation a year from now, and fewer (6% in Q4 2023 vs. 10% in Q3 2023) plan to hold off on property purchasing plans to wait for lower prices.

Martha Vallance, Chief Operating Officer at Dye & Durham, says: “Our Pulse Report for Q4 2023 shows encouraging signs when it comes to how Irish consumers are feeling about the economy as a whole. This is good news for small and medium-sized law firms who have been managing through reduced case volume. As consumer optimism grows, so too does the opportunity to capitalize on increased transaction activity. Forward-looking law firms who invest in operational efficiencies now stand to gain the most from these positive indicators.”

Perfectly peachy! Say hi to the Nokia G22 So Peach from HMD

Nokia G22 was one of the best inventions of 2023 (we didn’t say it, TIME Magazine did). Now it’s back in 2024’s colour of the year, Peach, for €149.99 right now. 

As Gen Z continues to lead a rise in at-home-repairs known as the FYI (fix-it-yourself) trend, our new wave of 4G and 5G self-repairable Nokia phones have caused quite  the stir amongst consumers.  In fact, in 2023 one in every four smartphones we sold in Europe were repairable, this is showing quite a significant shift in consumer purchase habits.

CMO of HMD (Human Mobile Devices), Lars Silberbauer, said:

“This phone’s low cost, good looking, great camera and you can even repair it at home. The award-winning Nokia G22 stands for a lot of the things that inspired the evolution of our business and it’s a great hint of what’s to come from Human Mobile Devices in 2024.”

HMD VP of Design, Raun Forsyth, comments: “We are so happy that our efforts to bring repairability to every price point are being recognized by consumers, and even Time Magazine. Designing what our fans want has to be the winning strategy here. Scroll through any feed right now and peach is trending – from how to wear peach, to how to make peach, and now you can dial in peach with a super affordable, stunning and repairable smartphone. A good phone shouldn’t cost the planet or empty your pocket.”               

If we were to play top trumps with this little gem, here’s our top five things about the Nokia G22 So Peach that we hope you’ll love

 1. Battery boss

Capacity: the battery lasts a whopping three days between charges.

Endurance: the battery holds over 80% of its original capacity after 800 full charging cycles..

Bonus feature: batteries deplete. It’s normal. With Nokia G22, however, you can swap out the battery for a new one and keep those adventures coming.

 2. More boom for your beats

Experience: OZO Playback delivers enhanced clarity and bass to your music

Audio Boost: this feature lets you turn the volume way up. And, when you want to keep the music to yourself, connect your wireless earbuds or plug in your headset.

 3. Snap happy

Lens power: the 50 MP rear camera on Nokia G22 packs a punch at this price point

Versatility: a there’s a bunch of different shooting modes, you’ll be ready to capture the day’s best moments. And when the day ends, Night mode will take it from there.

 4. Design excellence

Budget chic: it’s not just a pretty face, this phone is budget friendly.

Fix it yourself: sleek and elegant, but there’s more to Nokia G22 than meets the eye. With QuickFix repairability, you can replace the battery, screen and charging port yourself.3 This DIY design put it on TIME magazine’s list of best inventions of 2023. 

 5 . Warranty wonder

Value addition: Nokia G22 comes with a 3-year warranty as standard. You can’t put a price on peace-of-mind.

The Nokia G22 was our first repairable smartphone, followed by the Nokia G42 5G. They represent our push to bring fix-it-yourself repairability to affordable, stylish devices. But these are just the start of our self-repair journey.

Irish Company Origin Care Group and Charter Medical Group announce virtual ward strategic partnership

Charter Medical Group and Origin Care Group are delighted to announce the expansion of their successful strategic partnership, marked by the implementation of the Origin Connects Health solution in 2024. The next generation of this ‘virtual ward’ solution, facilitates the delivery of virtual care across multiple healthcare facilities and multidisciplinary teams.

The Origin Connects Health solution opened the reality of a ‘virtual ward’ to Charter Medical Group, seamlessly integrating comprehensive, multi-site clinical governance with a versatile digital patient care platform. Utilising secure smart technology, vitals monitoring equipment, and inclusive patient applications, this solution supports integrated patient care within the context of multi-site patient management.

Through collaborative efforts, the technology has been further developed to incorporate additional clinical pathways and functionalities. As a result, Charter Medical Group has been able to extend the provision of intermediate and step down care beds. The Origin Connects Health technology ensures continuity of care for clinicians and a seamless transition for patients.

 

Charter Medical Group is the leader in its field in Ireland in the delivery of high-quality care of the elderly services to both public and private patients in both the community and hospital settings. A key enabler in the delivery of such care is the effective and efficient use of novel technology. Tom Byrne, Chairman of Charter Medical Group said “Origin Care Group technology enhances our ability to care for patients, supports the expansion of our operating potential and the efficient management of vital care resources. We are delighted to extend our relationship with the team at Origin Care Group.”

Philp Hogan, CEO of Origin Care Group said “Cutting-edge digitally enabled technology, integrated across healthcare networks, plays a significant role in enabling healthcare operators to work together to ease the pressure on our healthcare system.

The collaboration between Charter Medical Group and Origin Care Group represents a forward-thinking approach in this area, emphasising the important role of technology in the delivery of safe, seamless patient care.”

Faramore Forever! Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore Launches Digitally Today Across All Platforms!

Limited Run Games celebrates Seedy Eye Software’s gaming debut with Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore’s digital launch. Today, players can download Arzette on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam and take their first big steps into the world of Faramore.
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore is a spiritual successor to a pair of infamous CD-i fantasy adventure titles released in 1993. Developed by Seedy Eye Software and both funded & published by Limited Run Games, it is an all-new platforming adventure where players must help Arzette save the Kingdom of Faramore from the evil demon king, Daimur. Featuring colorful animated cutscenes and an all-star cast of voice talent, including Jeffrey Rath, Bonniejean Wilbur, and other special guests, like Vinny from Vinesauce. It’s a quirky, fun homage to a more experimental time in gaming—but with smooth, modern gameplay that won’t make players pull out their hair (unless they opt for a retro challenge in its “Classic Mode”).
Physical editions of Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore are still available at limitedrungames.com until March 17th, 2024. Fans looking to pick up a physical copy or merch, including a replica CD-i controller for Switch/PC, can check out the collection today.