Guest article by Karen O’Connor, General Manager, ICT Services and Solutions at Datapac

The decision to invest in cybersecurity can often be difficult to reconcile at the business level. As a non-revenue generating cost, it can be challenging to advocate for, especially with so many conflicting demands on organisational resource. While organisations are increasing their investment in IT infrastructure, a blind spot emerges when it comes to the poor relation that is cybersecurity. A strategic approach guided by a critical eye needs to be taken. Rather than engaging in a broad box-ticking exercise, organisations need to analyse the actual processes involved that are required to deliver on specific cybersecurity objectives. They need to engage with scalable solutions that offer a flexible approach; leveraging technology synergies between products to deliver a best-fit solution on cybersecurity objectives.

This shift in perspective should lead to cybersecurity being viewed not as a cost, but as a critical investment underpinning the protection of an organisation’s key systems, data and reputation. Any investment choice taken by a business needs to be justified and capable of delivering a demonstrable Return on Investment (ROI). This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a useful way to help conceptualise ROI on cybersecurity investments is by examining how each additional security asset can aid in breaking a link in the Cyber Kill Chain.

Breaking the chain

The Cyber Kill Chain describes the typical stages involved in a successful digital attack. An attack will usually start with some form of reconnaissance and move down through the chain in stages, ultimately ending with malicious actions against the compromised organisation. The earlier in the chain an attack can be disrupted, the less damage will be done to the affected organisation. By aligning defences with the processes involved in breaking the links in the chain, an organisation can be confident it is investing in security products that can directly disrupt an attack and minimise harm. Cybersecurity needs to be implemented in a layered approach to counteract advanced modern attacks.

By aligning investments in cybersecurity products to breaking a link in the Cyber Kill Chain, an organisation can gain clear visibility into how each asset is making a difference in securing the business ROI in relation to cybersecurity, which can be difficult to quantify in tangible financial terms. Instead, the ROI should be examined in terms of reducing the digital risk to an organisation which will ultimately enable business operations to continue. To add to this, GDPR regulation demands that due care and diligence are exercised when protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII). A glaring weakness in cyber defences that exposes PII could result in heavy financial penalties.

Strategic investment is key

In the Cyber Kill Chain, the delivery stage is largely considered the most critical point in stopping an attack. Investing in quality security products at this stage will prevent malware from infiltrating an organisation and greatly decreases the amount of remediation work required. It is widely recognised that around 90% of all cyberattacks begin with a malicious email. Through strategically examining the processes involved in breaking this link, an organisation could logically arrive at the conclusion that investing in an email filtering product coupled with user awareness training can reduce the attack surface very significantly and slam the door shut at the deliver stage. An advanced next-gen firewall and endpoint protection product with built-in anti-ransomware capabilities can break many links in the chain.

When considering where an organisation should spend its cybersecurity budget, investing in the latest and best-in-class firewall and endpoint solutions is a great start and will ensure the best kill chain disruption ROI.

Navigating borderless networks

While prevention remains a crit...

In this podcast today Melanie Boylan sits down with Amanda Webb of Spiderworking and they chat about Amanda’s latest talk coming out for the very first time this November.

CLICK TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST ON THE LINK BELOW:

This inaugural talk will be featured at The Monday Morning Marketing Podcast Workshop when Amanda’s talk called Is it working? 5 Incredibly Useful Digital Marketing Measurement Tips for Small Business gets an airing for the attendees. Want to learn more and book your free seat? Book here.

We are pleased to announce the full line up of speakers for our very first #Workshop on November 15th.

Downloads will only be available to attendees so please check out what our speakers are covering here:

And sign up, here:

themondaymorningmktg (Workshop 15th Nov) #DMAT21 (@mmmarketingcom) October 6, 2021

We also hear about Amanda’s future plans and how she is building her business to support a larger range of people through online courses. Her marketing content on the Spiderworking blog has previously won her awards nationally and internationally and she just loves to talk marketing.

Did you miss this week’s social media and digital marketing news?Watch it here in your ?? break

Amanda Spooky CobWebb – Digital Marketer ??? (@Spiderworking) October 18, 2021

She also mentions in the podcast how beneficial a Social Media Audit is for your business and wanted to share the link to help people better understand how to improve their channels. Click this link to get your download.

She has previously written for international websites including Social Bakers, Social Media Examiner and AgoraPulse. When she’s not working she loves watching Dr. Who and playing with her cats.

Twitter

About Melanie Boylan

Melanie has been a Freelance Journalist on the Irish Tech News senior team for 5 years. Her background knowledge and interest in a diverse field has allowed for some great chats with some amazing podcast guests.

Melanie also is a Social Media Trainer, Social Media Manager, Co-Founder of The Monday Morning Marketing Podcast, Mentor and Brand Ambassador for AgoraPulse UK and Ireland. She is also a Moderator on Clubhouse for Small Steps and Giant Leaps and Space for All Nations at @melanieboylan

If you would like to learn more, please visit her LinkedIn profile:/

Schneider Electric Introduces Easy Micro Data Centers to delivering affordability, reliability and speed at the Edge

Micro Data Centers for the Irish market from Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, has announced it has expanded its Micro Data Center solutions portfolio with the introduction of the Easy Micro Data Center Series for standard IT and commercial environments.

These are available for the standard IT (S-Series) and commercial (C-Series) environments. They are easy to order and install with delivery in just 2-4 weeks, and are managed and monitored securely with Network Management and EcoStruxure™ IT software options

Available immediately in Europe, South America, East Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Easy Micro Data Centers are designed to contain and deliver all compute, storage and necessary infrastructure to support edge computing applications, combining speed, reliability, and affordability. Furthermore, Easy Micro Data Centers are network enabled for web-based remote monitoring and include add-on options for Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure™ IT software, delivering secure, real-time intelligence and visibility from anywhere.

Today we've launched our new #SchneiderElectric Easy Micro Data Center range, providing customers with a range of reliable, & affordable #edgecomputing infrastructure, that can save up to 48% in costs. Learn more here: @SchneiderUKI @SchneiderITUK

Marc Garner (@MarcGarnerSE) October 19, 2021

Schneider Electric Easy Micro Data Centers are standardised on its recently launched Easy Racks and Enclosures. Pre-integrated at the factory-level and shipped direct to site, they come complete with Schneider Electric’s Easy UPS range of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), Easy Power Distribution Units (PDU), environmental sensing and cooling.

Their high-level of pre-integration and testing simplifies the design and deployment phases, enabling IT solutions providers, systems integrators and value-added resellers (VARs) to specify and deliver Easy Micro Data Centers to site within 2-to-4 weeks, making them ideal for fast deployment by organisations who prize flexibility, reliability, cost and speed of response.

Precision engineered, reliable edge computing

Given their size and integrated design, Easy Micro Data Centers can be deployed cost-effectively in any edge computing or distributed IT location. Studies detailed in Schneider Electric White Paper #223 found that micro data centers represent cost savings of between 42%-48% over a traditional centralised facility. The Easy Micro Data Center C-Series models come in contained enclosures for deployment in semi-controlled, commercial environments such as a standard office or business premises. While the Easy Micro Data Center S-Series includes ventilated enclosures for trouble-free integration into standard IT environments such as network closets and server rooms.

“Today resilience, efficiency and speed of deployment are fundamental considerations for deploying physical infrastructure at the edge,” said Rob McKernan, Senior Vice President, Secure Power Europe, Schneider Electric. “The ability to deploy IT resources at any location offers businesses great flexibility, but it must come with the peace of mind that solutions will be delivered reliably, to specification, and on budget.

With built-in management software allowing remote monitoring via the cloud, Easy Micro Data Centers offer increased intelligence for streamlined management across multiple edge sites, providing customers with the optimum combination of reliability, affordability, and agility.”

In this article in @Irish_TechNews , Marc Garner, VP, UK&I, Schneider Electric, discusses solving the challenges of #datacentre #sustainability and resilience of the #grid.

Schneider Electric (@SchneiderITUK) September 24, 2021

Key benefits of the range include:

Discover EcoStruxure

Fast, reliable, and affordable: Available ...

Are you out of contract or looking for a better deal for your mobile phone? If so there are some great deals available in Ireland right now with huge savings to be made over long contract plans.

We’ve teamed up with Switcher.ie, the free and impartial price comparison and switching service, to find the best SIM Only deals available every month.

Check back regularly to stay informed of the latest deals and offers and visit the Switcher.ie website to order one of these great packages.

Cheapest Bill Pay SIM Only Plans

Clear Mobile’s SIM only plan offers unlimited minutes, texts and data all for just €14.99 per month on a 30-day rolling bill-pay contract.

With eir’s Connect SIM only plan you can also get unlimited calls, texts and data for €14.99 per month in the first year, again on a 30-day rolling bill-pay contract.

GoMo’s SIM-only Go More plan offers unlimited minutes, texts and data. This SIM-only deal costs just €14.99 per month on a 30-day rolling bill-pay contract.

Need an Alternative to Bill Pay?

If you don’t want to commit to a monthly bill, 48 offers a flexible option. Their SIM Only prepay plan is offering unlimited calls, texts and 100GB of data all for only €10.99 per month.

Traditionally, the AI and Machine Learning sectors have been a male-dominated industry. Findings from the 2020 World Economic Forum report state that women make up only 26 percent of data and AI positions in the workforce. Yet, 66 percent of respondents in Deloitte’s The State of Women in AI survey reported that having more women working within an organisation can only benefit a business and increase success. Ronan talks to Maeve Bleahene, Co-founder and Head of Operations at Peroptyx about this and more.

Maeve talks about her background, what drove her to become an entrepreneur, what does Peroptyx does, and how to get more women to enter the AI and Machine Learning workforce. Maeve also talks about reducing bias in AI, why the human element is an important part of a successful AI strategy, and where she sees AI heading.

More about Maeve:

Having co-founded and built a successful machine learning company, which recently raised €1.7 million from the ground up, Maeve is a firm believer that the AI industry requires more female roles and insights. This is something that she is determined to help with at Peroptyx, with three new female hires on the cards before the end of the year which will bring their team to a 50/50 gender ratio.

See more podcasts here.

In this review we look at a set of headphones aimed specifically at kids, which comes with unicorn stickers too, yes, what’s not to like for the unicorn loving members of your family. You can see more about the Wireless BuddyPhones Play+ here.

Wireless BuddyPhones Play+, reviewed

This product is aimed at kids, so we got the kids to open it up, work out how to use it, and, very quickly it seemed, discover the unicorn stickers. This was a big hit, as we imagine the designers planned it to be. There are also other designs too, as well as unicorns, including blank stickers too. This all seemed to go down well with the testers, who were all very much in the right age demographic.

The headphones are comfortable to wear, and the user was happy with them. The product specs talks about the long number of hours that it could be potentially be used for, but we wouldn’t be mad on them having them on for anything as long as that. Still I guess it is good to know that it is not going to run out on you quickly if you do need to use them for a car trip.

Have your heard about Hearing Dogs?

Cutest ears out there ??

BuddyPhones (@BuddyPhones) October 18, 2021

More about the BuddyPhones Play+ headphones below

BuddyPhones Play+ were created with safety and fun at its core! Available in 6 eye catching colours the box includes 4 metallic, embossed stickers with fun characters that children will love. The wireless headphones also have 20-hours of battery life, allowing children the flexibility to move around and play without worrying about a cord getting in the way, if preferred, the included cord can be used when the battery is running low. It comes with a high-quality detachable boom mic and 3 SafeAudio® settings to choose from.

With these 3 different listening modes of 94dB TravelMode, 85dB KidsMode and 75dB ToddlerMode, the headphones can be tailored to the child’s needs and environment. ONANOFF‘s patented StudyMode® helps isolate voices from other sounds, producing crisper, clearer vocals that makes for a much improved listening experience. The headphones are designed with a soft protein PU leather ear pads and also include a BuddyLink for sharing so siblings and friends can easily share one device while watching and playing together.

The BuddyPhones® Play+ can be folded and placed in a soft travel bag making them ideal for keeping children entertained while travelling. Not only do the headphones have a sleek look with a variety of nifty features, they are also built to survive toddler tantrums and rough play and are quality checked at world-class testing labs. Engineered with certified safe materials, Buddyphones Play+ are hypoallergenic, super durable, and custom-made to be comfortable for kids to wear for hours on end.

Wireless BuddyPhones® Play+ kid-proof, kid-safe headphones with six colourful designs kids will love – available in Cool Blue, Deep Blue, Rose Pink, Grey Matter and Sun Yellow from buddyphones.com, onanoff.com and Amazon.co.uk for £36.91/ $49.99/ £44.99

See more reviews here

There is a lot of scaremongering regarding the path towards a future filled with AI and Automation but realistically we are having trouble filling some of the existing roles in the marketplace. Gathering together the most recent data on the cryptocurrency and blockchain jobs market, recent reports suggest that the demand for skills within the sector far outways the current supply available. It is time to start asking the right questions; Why isn’t this demand being met within our educational institutions? Are the next generation of business leaders familiar with the world of Blockchain technology and the real world applications it offers?

Demand for cryptocurrency and blockchain related expertise has increased exponentially in the last year. Spurred by new innovations such as DeFi and NFT and higher levels of institutional adoption, there has been consistent growth across many of the major blockchain projects.

The top five blockchain jobs emerging include blockchain Software engineer, analyst relations manager, product manager, front-end engineer and technology architect. Companies hiring in the blockchain space range from small start up teams to VC-funded projects to tech giants. Infrastructural projects, payment services and data driven creative projects are all hiring right now and expressing the need for more industry specific experience.

The issue for Higher Education is the pace at which the DeFi industry moves. Universities and colleges that are able to build flexible curriculums, easily adapted to accommodate new advances in decentralised technology, will win in the minds of the students who need to embrace these skills for the future. Also, hiring within traditional education settings needs to be evaluated. How open are the current lecturers to adopt new technology in the classroom and include new research about the technology in student reading lists? If education wants to stay relevant it needs to adopt a bottom up approach to harnessing the skills for the future. Earlier this month the Kautz Institute at the University of Cincinnati hosted an evening to discuss NFTs with a broad spectrum of speakers including lecturers and NFT artists. This forward thinking approach to learning needs to be replicated across all mainstream campuses.

Universities that recognise the potential of blockchain technology and adopt the best approaches to embedding vetted course material will be best positioned to prepare students for the future of work.

The supply needs to be met to match the current demand. Students are interested, blockchain organisations need a skilled workforce and colleges need a broad range of qualified instructors to guide students in the world of blockchain ecosystems.

Ryan Williams, Executive Director of The Blockchain Academy explains why adoption of blockchain specific training within higher education is essential: “We are seeing a growing demand for the courses and truly believe that blockchain ed will play an important role in developing the skills of the future workforce.”

It is well reported that historically Universities have played a vital role in getting new industries off the ground. However, the world of decentralised finance is somewhat sceptical of traditional institutions and vice versa. This means that the eagerly awaiting learner resorts to community led learning or self-education through the many online platforms. With this approach however, the student is often left overwhelmed, without credentials and without the motivation often needed to complete a course.

CoinDesk ranked the top 20 Universities for Blockchain in 2020, it found that 14 of the top 20 schools are private. Not surprisingly, MIT had the most blockchain publications between 2018 – 2020. Harvard has the highest number of student placings in the blockchain industry overall. This study may highlight an issue in itself. Although the world of blockchain aims to support decentralisation and greater access to the technology being devel...

To celebrate the opening of The DigiHub, the team behind The BASE and AwakenHub are launching a Start-Up Incubator Programme open to female founders.

Start-up Incubator Programme

Applications for the opportunity for 1 female to start up or grow her Digital or ICT business are open today Monday the 18th of October. This business start-up and growth programme includes 6 months free access to a CoWorking Desk in the DigiHub, along with over 20 hours of tailored mentoring from:

Mary McKenna, AwakenHub Founder, Tech Entrepreneur and Angel Investor

Leah Fairman, Manager, The BASE

Larissa Feeney FC, CEO, accountantonline.ie

Sally Murphy, Owner, Welltold

Grace Shields, Owner, Social Scene PR

Séamus McDaid, Managing Director, Football Special

William Kelly, Business Mentor

“With community support at the core of The DigiHub @ The BASE, we have strategically selected key mentors to help our winner on her business journey.” Community Builder, Jillian Ruggiere said.

“The programme aims to help answer all the questions start-ups have about growing a business. Our mentors want to see you transform your business into a success. If there are any additional areas of support that you are looking for, we will be able to connect you with the right people.”

The Incubator will also feature mentoring from various BASE Community members and entrepreneurs, as well as benefits such as 3-month membership to The BASE ECircle, 1-year membership of the Donegal Women In Business Network, free use of The BASE meeting spaces & The Studio as well as access to CoWork Plus Hubs in Donegal & The Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin.

The runner up will be awarded 3 months of free access to The DigiHub @ The BASE CoWorking Space.

The deadline for application to this programme is 11:59 PM on the 5th of November, 2021. After this date, applications will be reviewed and a winner will be announced on the 15th of November, 2021.

Please visit/ for the full list of terms and information on how to apply.

BitTrunks, the NFT-branch of Elephant Art Online (EAO), today announced the debut of its NFT (non-fungible token) initial release featuring the world’s first NFT created by an elephant.

The NFT artwork was produced by Tunwa (TW), a 7-year-old elephant who was born and raised at the Maetaeng Elephant Park & Clinic in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

This 1 of 1 NFT, unlike anything seen by the art world before, will include video and photos of TW skillfully manipulating paintbrushes with his trunk under the direction of his mahout elephant keeper while creating a one-of-a-kind Tree of Lifepainting.

The NFT will also provide additional value-added content including outtakes of TW painting, a day-in-the-life of TW interacting with other elephants in his habitat and a digitally verifiable certificate of authenticity of the painting (QR Code).

The exclusive TW release marks BitTrunks’ entrance into the crypto marketplace. To place a bid on the visually stunning 1-of-1 TW Tree of Life item please visit the BitTrunks page on OpenSea.

The auction is set to open on October 28, 2021, at 9:30 AM ET and to close on November 4, 2021, at 12 PM EST. The winner will receive ownership of the NFT along with a tangible canvas of the painting and a certificate of authenticity encased in an attractive plexiglass frame.

“We are thrilled to present to collectors and investors alike the first tokenised painting made by the most talented and artistic elephant in the world,” said Dwain Schenck, co-head of BitTrunks.

“This marks a first in the NFT space for the world’s largest land mammal to create a non-fungible token whose qualities rivals that of a human artist. This is also a historically unique investment opportunity where a portion of the sales proceeds will help support the elephant park where TW lives alongside more than 80 other elephants, as well as the lifesaving medical clinic run by the park.”

Reuters recently reported that sales volumes of NFTs surged to $10.7 billion in the third quarter of 2021, up more than eightfold from the previous quarter, according to data from market tracker DappRadar.

BitTrunks plans to offer three additional collections with 10 NFTs in each collection. See details below:

Collection 1 (10 natural NFTs sold individually)

Collection 2 (10 vectorised NFTs sold individually)

Collection 3 (10 animated NFTs sold individually)

BitTrunks will continue to surprise the NFT community with regular exclusive releases that are aimed towards investor collectors who are looking for long and short-term gains in the lucrative NFT market.

“Our aim is to create a unique offering that will act as a profitable investment vehicle while at the same time generate needed funds for our elephant park and clinic to survive and thrive,” said Schenck.

Authentic paintings made by elephants can also be purchased online at Elephant Art Online. The buyer receives photos and a video of the painting being produced in addition to a certificate of authenticity (QR Code) to accompany the work of art. Elephant Art Online provides free worldwide shipping.

The inaugural Business Risk Index from professional services firm, Aon, has revealed that ‘phishing’ is the number one cyber risk for businesses in Ireland as they navigate the return to office and the future of hybrid working.

Aon’s Business Risk Index, which surveyed 160 businesses across Ireland, offers important insights into the views of Irish businesses on the main business risks facing employers as they plan the return to office and develop a new working model for their organisation. It comes following the publication of the Work, Travel Convene report developed by Aon together with a coalition of leading Irish employers and Ibec which outlined the challenges associated with the return to office.

The Index reveals that cyber-security remains a principal concern for employers navigating the future of work. Almost half of all Irish businesses cite ‘phishing’ as the biggest current cyber risk to their organisation with 1 in 4 (24%) concerned about possible ransomware attacks on their business.

Companies are taking steps to enhance their cyber resilience and preparedness with 40% having provided cyber-security training to employees over the past 18 months while 40% have enhanced their data recovery and back-up systems.

Only one in four employers are concerned about a possible decline in productivity as they move to a hybrid working model. But 60% are still uncertain as to whether the challenges of manging a hybrid workforce will impact their team’s ability to innovate. Only 23% are confident that a hybrid working model will not restrict innovation within their business.

To mitigate the new risks associated with a hybrid work model, Aon’s Business Risk Index shows that over half (52%) of Irish companies will provide greater flexibility for employees, while 40% intend to enhance collaboration amongst staff through technology or other means.

The survey also points to the growing importance placed on company culture by employers to successfully manage teams both in-person and remotely. 65% of employers agree that company culture is now more critical for business success than strategy or business model given the changing nature of work. Yet only 44% have placed more emphasis on developing their organisational culture as a result.

Commenting on the results of the survey, Peter Brady, CEO of Commercial Risk & Health Solutions, Aon in Ireland said: “With the gradual return to office now underway, business leaders are now planning how to successfully evolve their working model while mitigating the risks associated with the future of work.

“The launch of Aon’s Business Risk Index will support business leaders as they look to navigate this complex challenge and chart a course to a new better. From navigating a changing cybersecurity landscape to maintaining productivity, the pandemic is reshaping businesses view of risk and sharpened the importance of making better decisions.

“While some companies in Ireland are optimistic about the future and are proactively taking steps to address emerging risks, there is lingering uncertainty about the ability of hybrid teams to innovate and to do so in a secure manner.

“We would encourage Irish business leaders to review whether they have the right technology and cyber security strategy as well as a supportive culture in place to spark creativity – irrespective of where employees are located. Leaders must take action to foster an organisational culture that nurtures collaboration and prioritises outcomes rather than processes.

“By taking decisions today to address these risks, companies can ensure hybrid working becomes a business opportunity rather than a business barrier. Placing greater focus on company culture, flexibility and cyber resilience will ensure that company leaders maintain a productive and innovative workforce.

“At Aon, we’ve been working with industry leaders to shape better decisions as they plan the return to office and the transition to a post-pandemic environment. Through t...