Technology

Company’s virtual offerings, cloud services match with on-premises deployments to solve real-world security challenges for SMBs, enterprises, governments and MSSPs

MILPITAS, Calif. — OCTOBER 13, 2021 — SonicWall, a global leader in physical, virtual and cloud-focused cybersecurity solutions, is emphasizing the return of customer choice for securing and scaling a mix of cloud, hybrid and traditional environments.

“Too many times organizations have been forced to change the way they operate in order to secure access to their networks, data, devices and people,” said SonicWall President and CEO Bill Conner. “We’ve been busy innovating cloud and virtual solutions that help organizations secure complex blends of networks, including virtual, hybrid, cloud and on-premises deployments.”

SonicWall’s growing virtual, cloud and hybrid offerings leverage the best of the company’s Boundless Cybersecurity approach to return deployment choices to the customer while solving real-world use cases faced by SMBs, enterprises, governments and MSSPs. SonicWall’s core cloud solution offerings:

– Solve security and connectivity challenges for cloud-native and hybrid environments.

– Secure access to cloud and on-premises applications and virtualized workloads through modern zero-trust capabilities.

– Protect increasingly distributed and remote workforces through powerful virtualized security layers and zero-touch capabilities.

– Simplify threat detection and response by unifying security events and analytics in a single cloud-based dashboard, allowing easy visualization and management of high-risk alerts.

“The modern IT environment is rife with complexity that drives security and connectivity challenges, which can be further complicated when organizations require hybrid environments comprised of physical, virtual and SaaS offerings, and private and public cloud solutions,” said IDC Research Director Chris Rodriguez. “Cybersecurity vendors that support these deployment options add tremendous financial and operational flexibility for their customers, and are also well suited for organizations that are in different stages of their cloud journey.”

SonicWall Solves Today’s Complex Security, Connectivity Challenges

SonicWall’s cloud innovation is driven by the need to solve complex security and connectivity challenges by delivering power, flexibility and choice to customers and partners. SonicWall has collaborated with organizations worldwide to build some of the most secure and robust hybrid networks.

“The University of Pisa connects and secures a wide and distributed network of systems, users, applications and services to ensure our institution can provide the highest levels of on-campus and remote learning,” said University of Pisa CIO Antonio Cisternino. “It’s imperative that we’re able to use the same trusted security controls, regardless of how we deploy them. Through their growing range of virtual, cloud and hybrid offerings, SonicWall gives us that choice and flexibility without sacrificing the security standards we require to protect and enable students, faculty and staff.”

SonicWall ensures organizations are able to set their own deployment paths and cloud migration timelines — not forcing them into a rigid vendor-first approach. By providing cloud-based (e.g., virtual firewall and VPN), as-a-service (e.g., ZTNA, FWaaS) and on-premises (e.g., firewalls, VPN) options, SonicWall empowers customers to deploy what works for their architecture — and adopt cloud transformation at their pace.

These real-world hybrid environments are secured using a cohesive mix of virtual, cloud and on-premises offerings, including SonicWall NSv virtual firewalls, Cloud Edge Secure Access zero-trust security, appliance-free SMA virtual private networks (VPN), and Cloud App Security to protect SaaS applications.

Organizations are able to further scale and extend distributed environments by simultaneously deploying security across multiple locations — with minimal IT support — using Zero-Touch Deployment capabilities.

Implement Zero-Trust Security in as Few ‘15 Minutes’

With the influx of work-from-home access, companies require a simple and secure way of connecting their workforce to resources they need — wherever they’re located.

SonicWall embraces zero-trust security as a tenet of cybersecurity in a perimeter-less, cloud-first reality. SonicWall helps organizations easily and quickly connect remote users to on-premises resources, cloud-hosted applications, branch offices and public clouds. In as few as 15 minutes, SonicWall Cloud Edge Secure Access — the company’s zero-trust network access (ZTNA) offering — quickly scales security beyond the perimeter through modern zero-trust principles. This results in logical trust zones that authenticate every user, device and location for secure access to only the specific services and resources they require.

Simplify Threat Detection, Visibility & Response

New in SonicWall Capture Security Center 3.0, Unified Insights brings analytics from across SonicWall products, including physical and virtual firewalls, wireless access points, switches and endpoint security products into a single, customizable dashboard. This provides a central, easy-to-use location for monitoring environments and troubleshooting incidents, eliminating the need to multi-task across different consoles. Paired with SonicWall Analytics, Capture Security Center 3.0 can transform large volumes of data (spanning tens of thousands of firewall nodes) into actionable insights and defensive actions against hidden risks across networks, applications and users — all with the visibility, precision, speed and scale of the cloud.

Integrate Cloud-delivered Threat Protection Across Hybrid Environments

Regardless of deployment strategy, SonicWall ensures organizations can identify and block both known and unknown cyberattacks across traditional networks, public and private cloud infrastructure, and virtual environments by seamlessly integrating SonicWall physical and virtual firewalls when and where it makes sense for your business. The foundation of this ecosystem integrates with SonicWall’s cloud-based Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) multi-engine sandbox service to stop advanced cyberattacks, including never-before-seen malware and ransomware.

To learn more about SonicWall’s various cloud solutions, please visit www.sonicwall.com/cloud.

By Nick Carey and Tina Bellon

LONDON (Reuters) -European and U.S. cities planning to phase out combustion engines over the next 15 years first need to plug a charging gap for millions of residents who park their cars on the street.

For while electric vehicle (EVs) sales are soaring in Europe and the United States, a lag in installing charging infrastructure is causing a roadblock.

Often cash-strapped local authorities have other priorities than a kerbside network of charging points which would allow owners to ensure their EVs are always topped up.

And while that leaves a potential gap for the private sector, it is one that few EV charging startups, who have been early adopters in other locations, are focused on.

“It’s really difficult to tackle on-street residential charging, so there’s really not many companies that have,” Hugh Mackenzie, chief operating officer at Trojan Energy, said.

Trojan has developed a charger, which is being tested on residential streets in two London boroughs, where EV owners insert a short pole into sockets sunk into the pavement and then plug in their car.

Tim Win, an Uber driver who charges his Nissan Leaf every day, is using the system in Brent, north London.

“After I’ve been driving all day I just want to come home and plug in,” said Win, 39, who previously used a nearby EV fast charger to charge up in 20 minutes but sometimes had to wait in line for nearly an hour.

A “cabbie” using one of London’s new electric black taxis told Reuters he often has to drive between charging points, losing valuable custom as he does, only to find they are either already in use or malfunctioning.

COST CURB

Like the roll out of fibre optic cable for ultra-fast broadband, urban on-street charging using solutions which include lamp post chargers or even wireless, will cost billions.

Solutions like Trojan’s are expensive because they require grid connections. And because there are not yet enough EV owners to ensure a quick return, they are 75% subsidized by Britain’s government.

Trojan’s chargers cost around 7,000 pounds ($9,520) to make and install, but Mackenzie says that if that can be cut to 4,500 pounds it will work for private investors.

But it still requires local authority buy-in.

“The biggest factor in whether kerbside charging is successful is whether you have an interested and engaged municipality,” said Travis Allan, vice president for public affairs at Quebec City-based FLO, which has installed at least 7,000 kerbside chargers in Canadian and U.S. cities.

Yet even engaged local authorities like Brent, which is trying lamp post chargers and other solutions, simply lack cash.

Tim Martin, Brent council’s transportation planning manager, says lamp post chargers cost around 2,000 pounds and rapid chargers around 15,000 pounds, so subsidies are the only option.

“The prospect of being able to fund them ourselves out of our own budgets is practically zero,” Martin said.

Based on car registrations and parking permits, charging startup char.gy estimates there are between 5 million and 10 million cars in London, of which around 76% park on the street.

Government figures show the total is around 40% for Britain’s 33 million cars, while around 40% of Americans do not live in single-family homes with garages.

And while the rise of car sharing services may reduce the need for on-street charging, it is unclear by how much.

Char.gy Chief Executive Richard Stobart estimates Britain will need half a million on-street chargers by 2030, when around half of the country’s cars should be electric. Char.gy runs a network of around 1,000 on-street lamp post chargers in Britain that cost around 1,800 pounds to make and install.

While government subsidies exist, Stobart said, local authorities often lack the resources.

“So they just dither and it takes forever,” he added.

Ubitricity, a Royal Dutch Shell business, is the British market leader, with just 4,000 chargers using lamp posts, which if they are close enough to the kerb and use LED lamps, have enough power to mostly charge an EV overnight.

Lex Hartman, ubitricity’s CEO, estimates that in densely-populated areas, around 60% of Europe’s car owners will need public charging.

“You will need chargers at home, at work, at the supermarket, you will need fast charging, but mainly you need charging everywhere,” Hartman said.

“If the infrastructure isn’t there then people will hesitate to buy an electric car unless they are forced to,” he added.

Europe has more than 90 million lamp posts, millions of which can be used for charging, said Hartman, whose ubitricity also runs a lamp post charger network in Berlin.

The European Commission knows urban chargers “will be essential to convincing more and more consumers to go electric,” and has formed an expert group to advise cities on how to deploy them, a spokesperson said.

‘PAINFUL EXPERIENCE’

Some cities face a huge challenge.

New York state has set a goal for all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks to be zero-emission by 2035.

But New York City currently has just 1,580 charging plugs for around one million cars that rely on street parking.

“Owning an EV in a large city like New York is a really painful experience,” said Paul Suhey, co-founder of electric moped sharing startup Revel, which has launched the city’s first fast-charging hub.

An April study commissioned by New York estimated electrifying its transportation would cost some $500 billion.

In Los Angeles, which has the most chargers of any U.S. city, Blink Charging last year bought city-run EV car sharing network BlueLA, which has 100 vehicles and 200 charging stations.

Blink CEO Michael Farkas said local authorities want charging infrastructure in as many places as possible to encourage people to buy EVs, but companies cannot afford to shoulder the investments until ownership rises.

“You can’t just have a field of dreams, you’ll go broke unless the government wants to pay for it,” Farkas said.

Even in Norway, where state support put it at the forefront of the electric shift, rolling out on-street charging is tough.

Oslo subsidizes larger public chargers and rapid chargers, investments that pay off within three to six years, Sture Portvik, who heads up its charging infrastructure efforts, said.

But making charging accessible for the 30% of car owners who lack designated parking in a city where bans on fossil-fuel cars will start in the next few years is a major challenge.

“It’s extremely important that everybody, regardless of their economic background, gets to be a part of the green shift,” Portvik said. “And they will have to because in a few years they will have to sell their diesel car.”

($1 = 0.7354 pounds)

(Additional reporting by Kate Abnett in Brussels; Editing by Alexander Smith)

The fastest growing, most efficient and resilient businesses usually have one thing in common – they have all implemented cloud-based technologies. From start-ups to large-scale corporations, the benefits of cloud-based communications are undeniable and offer organisations a competitive edge against others. Here, Matt Parker, CEO of Babble, explains how businesses can utilise cloud solutions for both futureproofing their ways of working and to grow more quickly.

A new normal – adopting a hybrid model

The past 18 months have made it abundantly clear that we’re on the cusp of a whole new way of working. The future of office life for many organisations will be a hybrid model, balancing working from home with office-based activities that can be completed more effectively through face-to-face interaction, for example for meetings and brainstorming. For those adopting a hybrid model, effective use of cloud technologies will be an essential tool in the armoury – facilitating agile working and collaboration amongst employees, as well as opening up endless opportunities for a company’s workforce. The ability to get online to access files and emails at any time or place has never been more important, and those that don’t adapt will pay the price when it comes to productivity and business growth.

Cloud reduces costs

Cloud-based solutions reduce operating costs for businesses. Replacing the need to purchase expensive hardware with simple and transparent pay-as-you-go subscription services means that companies can reinvest their profits more strategically. The return on investment alone should make business leaders seriously consider switching to a cloud-based solution. If a business is hoping to rapidly grow and evolve over the coming years, then they’ll need to keep abreast of technological trends and advancements in order to thrive.

Prioritising customer service

Keeping customers happy in 2021 has never been more important, and those that maintain high standards of customer service will be ahead of the game. Transforming from a legacy contact centre to having all inbound and outbound customer communications handled in one central cloud-based solution allows businesses to talk to more customers and have better, more meaningful, and ultimately profitable conversations. This is something we’ve seen first-hand with Yopa, a full-service estate agent, that we helped transform. The automated contact centre solution that we implemented syncs all call data, ensuring agents are connected with specific leads that are most likely to generate sales, before moving on to dial the next lead with the best conversion potential. As a direct result, the company has seen a 75% increase in monthly talk time, improving from 400 to 700 hours of productive talk time over the course of the year.

Secure, flexible solutions that help your business thrive

This year, businesses must minimise operational challenges through implementing solutions that offer complete flexibility. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a start-up or large enterprise, cloud solutions can be scaled up or down depending on the ever-changing demands of a business. Not only does this give business leaders a competitive edge, but it also minimises the risks related to operational maintenance issues while saving on the costs of changing and purchasing physical infrastructure.

Playing it safe

Arguably, what’s really put the spotlight on cloud-based solutions this year is its disaster recovery capabilities. Storing data in the cloud means that it is always available, regardless of what happens to your team’s equipment. No matter what the emergency, the fast and efficient data recovery provided by cloud-solutions will ensure it’s business as usual for both staff and customers and there’s no downtime experienced.

If this year has taught us anything, it’s that businesses need to be ready for the unexpected, and cloud-based solutions have shown that they’re the most effective way of achieving this. It doesn’t matter how big your company is – security breaches can effect anyone. Authentication access control or data encryption are just some examples of how data can be protected in the cloud, but any businesses leader looking to cement a competitive edge mustn’t let cybercrime set them back on their path to success.

The need for businesses to be more resilient is more apparent now than ever before. Whilst the future’s unknown, leaders need to ensure that they don’t have their heads in the sand when it comes to reviewing their business operations and technology. In order to achieve long-term strategic goals, offer protection and increase efficiency, businesses must make the switch to cloud-based solutions before they’re left behind.

Check Point Research reports that Trickbot is the most prevalent malware while remote access trojan, njRAT, has entered the index for the first time.

October 8, 2021 — Check Point Research (CPR), the Threat Intelligence arm of Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading provider of cyber security solutions globally, has published its latest Global Threat Index for September 2021. Researchers report that Trickbot has returned to the top of the list having fallen into second place in August following a three-month long reign.

The remote access trojan, njRAT, has entered the top ten for the first time, taking the place of Phorpiex which is no longer active. Trickbot is a banking trojan that can steal financial details, account credentials, and personally identifiable information, as well as spread within a network and drop ransomware. Since the Emotet takedown in January, the Trickbot trojan has gained popularity. It is constantly being updated with new capabilities, features and distribution vectors which enables it to be a flexible and customizable malware that can be distributed as part of multi-purpose campaigns. 

“In the same month that Trickbot once again became the most prevalent malware, it was reported that one of Trickbot’s gang members was actually arrested as a result of a US investigation,” said Maya Horowitz, VP Research at Check Point Software. “In addition to other charges that have been filed this year in the fight against the trojan, we are hopeful that the gang’s dominance will soon be undermined. But, as always, there is still a long way to go. This week our researchers reported there are 40% more attacks weekly on organizations in 2021 compared to 2020 globally yet most of these, if not all, could have been prevented. Organizations mustn’t delay in adopting a prevention-first approach to cybersecurity.” 

CPR also revealed this month that “Web Server Exposed Git Repository Information Disclosure” is the most commonly exploited vulnerability, impacting 44% of organizations globally, followed by “Command Injection Over HTTP” which affects 43% of organizations worldwide. “HTTP Headers Remote Code Execution” takes third place in the top exploited vulnerabilities list, with a global impact of 43% as well.

Top malware families

*The arrows relate to the change in rank compared to the previous month.

This month, Trickbot is the most popular malware impacting 4% of organizations globally, followed by Formbook and XMRig, each impacting 3% of organizations worldwide.

1. ↑ Trickbot – Trickbot is a modular Botnet and Banking Trojan constantly being updated with new capabilities, features and distribution vectors. This enables Trickbot to be a flexible and customizable malware that can be distributed as part of multi-purpose campaigns.
2. ↓ Formbook – Formbook is an infostealer that harvests credentials from various web browsers, collects screenshots, monitors and logs keystrokes, and can download and execute files according to its C&C orders.
3. ↑ XMRig – XMRig is an open-source CPU mining software used for the mining process of the Monero cryptocurrency, and was first seen in-the-wild in May 2017.

Top exploited vulnerabilities

This month “Web Server Exposed Git Repository Information Disclosure” is the most commonly exploited vulnerability, impacting 44% of organizations globally, followed by “Command Injection Over HTTP” which affects 43% of organizations worldwide. “HTTP Headers Remote Code Execution” takes third place in the top exploited vulnerabilities list, with a global impact of 43% as well.

1. ↔Web Server Exposed Git Repository Information Disclosure – An information disclosure vulnerability has been reported in Git Repository. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an unintentional disclosure of account information.
2. ↑Command Injection Over HTTP – A command injection over HTTP vulnerability has been reported. A remote attacker can exploit this issue by sending a specially crafted request to the victim. Successful exploitation would allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target machine.
3. ↓ HTTP Headers Remote Code Execution (CVE-2020-10826,CVE-2020-10827,CVE-2020-10828,CVE-2020-13756) – HTTP headers let the client and the server pass additional information with an HTTP request. A remote attacker may use a vulnerable HTTP Header to run arbitrary code on the victim machine.

Top Mobile Malwares

This month xHelper remains in first place in the most prevalent Mobile malwares, followed by AlienBot and FluBot.

1. xHelper – Amalicious application seen in the wild since March 2019, used for downloading other malicious apps and display advertisements. The application is capable of hiding itself from the user and can even reinstall itself in the event that it was uninstalled.
2. AlienBot– AlienBot malware family is a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) for Android devices that allows a remote attacker, as a first step, to inject malicious code into legitimate financial applications. The attacker obtains access to victims’ accounts, and eventually completely controls their device.
3. FluBot – FluBot is an Android botnet malware distributed via phishing SMS messages, most often impersonating logistics delivery brands. Once the user clicks the link inside the message, FluBot is installed and gets access to all sensitive information on the phone.

Check Point’s Global Threat Impact Index and its ThreatCloud Map is powered by Check Point’s ThreatCloud intelligence. ThreatCloud provides real-time threat intelligence derived from hundreds of millions of sensors worldwide, over networks, endpoints and mobiles. The intelligence is enriched with AI-based engines and exclusive research data from Check Point Research, The Intelligence & Research Arm of Check Point Software Technologies.

The complete list of the top 10 malware families in September can be found on the Check Point blog.

By Dr. Boris Rankov, Head of Digital Advisory at InvestCloud.

The words ‘artificial intelligence’ can sometimes invoke a sceptical feeling in the financial services industry. Many still fear a sci-fi world in which too many systems becoming automated, and human roles becoming redundant. In reality, this is not the case.

AI needs a rebrand. Rather than “artificial intelligence” think of it as Augmented Intelligence. AI has the ability to facilitate an adviser’s daily interactions with clients and to transform a client’s experience of digital financial services. It may seem like a big claim, but the potential all lies in the ability of state-of-the-art AI technology to exploit the vast amount of data that is generated and stored within a financial institution to accelerate adviser productivity and to personalise a client’s digital experience with his or her financial services provider.

AI is a superior technology to automate a multitude of swivel-chair and repetitive processes, but the human aspect of AI technology shows how financial services providers can have a symbiotic relationship with AI. As the technology learns from past and real-time data fed to it by humans and systems, monotonous tasks are alleviated for employees—leaving client advisers to instead focus on building personal relationships with their clients and creating additional value for the business.

And for the sceptics that may remain, a study by Accenture looked at High Net Worth (HNW) investors in any generation familiar with digital technology – termed by them as “Generation D”. Of the data sample, 75% believe digital could improve their investor-adviser relationship, and 80% anticipate digital will increase access to their adviser.

Client retention is just as, if not more important, than bringing on new business. To do this, wealth advisers must build and maintain trusted client relationships through timely, relevant, and personal advice. Using digital tools – like machine learning and AI – will help advisers understand what the clients want, and when, i.e. being able to share the right insight with the right client at the right time through digital channels.

The addition of AI into both a client’s and adviser’s workflow shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for human interaction. Instead, it’s what can augment that human interaction making it more personalised, efficient and valuable.

How to retain clients using AI

The demand for tailored services and personalised content is skyrocketing in all service areas, including private banks and wealth management firms, whose clients expect to receive personalised investment advice.

Clients are receiving digital personalised services in other parts of their life, and so, they now understandably question why it can’t be this seamless when it comes to their financial lives too. For example, look at Spotify – the music streaming service that has daily recommendation play lists, suggesting what you could listen to next. Spotify’s algorithms don’t just suggest albums, artists, or personalised playlists based on a user’s history with the service. It expands this to creates an artificial relationship whereby the user believes that Spotify knows them on a personal level – so much so, that they trust an algorithm to make their music selection for them.

Now imagine that kind of personalisation, but with the added benefit of a client adviser who they can physically see, speak to, and seek advice from.

Personalisation is at the core of delivering the best service to your client. According to Capgemini, technology-driven hyper-personalisation will be critical for loyalty and growth in the wealth management landscape throughout 2021. The company reported last year that less than half of younger as well as older high net worth individuals say their wealth management firm understands their unique needs in its “World Wealth Report”.

AI and machine learning optimises client engagement at scale. When harnessed alongside the knowledge a client adviser has of their client, AI can be used to precisely define the Next Best Action to take on their portfolio. It does this via recommendations that match the recommendations from the Chief Investment Office (the “House View”) to the right clients—based on analysis of current products and stocks within a client’s portfolio, past transactions and click behaviour within the financial institutions content portal. This approach helps to drive further efficiency while creating greater value in client interactions and investment decision-making.

Looking good to your client is part of delivering value and creating trust, and one way of thinking about incorporating AI in this way is that it makes the client adviser look even better. There is a level in scale and personalisation that goes beyond what a human can do.

A 360 degree view

Taking into account an individual’s financial as well as personal goals creates an entire view of the client and a deep understanding of the client’s core values. It’s important to understand how the client feels about their finances, what their confidence levels are like when making tough financial decisions, and how those decisions can feed into and shape life goals.

Understanding clients at this kind of granular level means that advisers create a lasting relationship that extends throughout the client’s entire life – and across generations.

Crucially, this doesn’t have to be a burden on the client adviser from a time or energy perspective. Utilising data and building AI algorithms that can help, not hinder, a client’s experience will lead to a more streamlined, effective, and most importantly, personal processes.

While digital tools are not a replacement for human interaction, they will automate the heavy lifting and amplify advisers abilities with the ammunition needed to create a service that is exactly what the clients need and want – at scale. The opportunities for unlocking new sources of value for clients and, in turn, improving the business of your wealth management operation are already there—it’s time to take the plunge.

By: David Lais, Co-Founder and CPO at ecolytiq

“Data is the new oil” – a phrase that was reportedly coined by UK Mathematician and architect of Tesco’s Clubcard, Clive Humby.

Humby explained that just like oil, data is valuable but only once it has been refined. “It has to be changed into gas, plastic, chemicals, etc. to create a valuable entity that drives profitable activity.”

In effect, data needs to be broken down and analysed for it to reach its true potential.

The importance of data is clear. Just take a mere look at the ways that platforms such as Google and Facebook use personal data to build better advertising, to target demographics and customise user experiences. It has huge upselling value and is being collected from nearly everything we do on a day-to-day basis. Data’s increasing value, however, isn’t just reserved for improving advertising – it’s one of the most underused tools in the fight against climate change.

Can the collection of data help fight climate change?

Sustainability is a topic at the forefront of our society and is especially important to the Millennials and Gen Z generations. These younger generations also make up the most important and influential customer base, and it is therefore no longer surprising that numerous companies are jumping on the “sustainability” bandwagon.

As it stands right now, consumers are wholly unaware of their individual impact on the environment.

Capturing data for sustainability

Capturing data for sustainability is like a huge and very complex jigsaw puzzle; it only makes sense when all the pieces have been put together. To ensure we can complete this puzzle, we need to share information and share data. Once we can see the big picture, we can turn data into an actionable platform for change. Awareness is knowledge and knowledge is power.

That’s why when it comes to sustainability, open data is crucial if we are to push not only society, but an overall urgency on climate change further. The fundamental idea behind open data is that we need more transparency. Of course, there are privacy matters to consider, and we don’t want to share personal information. Yet, when it comes to sustainability, the real value exists when we start sharing, putting the data puzzle pieces together to form a comprehensive picture that works for the greater good.

Every year, thousands of studies connected to climate change are published. However, what is missing from this research is the direct application to our daily lives and the appropriate data from companies to go with it.

If we want to know how sustainable a product really is, we must make supply chains more transparent. We need to encourage every stakeholder involved in the process of creating a product to disclose their product impact on the environment. This way, we achieve the necessary access to data and, ultimately, the individual price and consequences for the environment.

A great opportunity for the financial industry

The solution, therefore, lies in the collection of the information and in the data itself. In my opinion, financial institutions and banks are sitting on a treasure trove of data. The growing desire from society to be more sustainable is one of the greatest opportunities that has ever presented itself in the industry and is poised to create massive growth in the banking and finance sector. Yet, the industry still only talks about the climate crisis as a “challenge.”

So, what can the financial industry do to address this challenge?

By now it is obvious that we need greater transparency, and we need to see open data as both an opportunity and a solution. The financial world could revolutionize the use of existing data to create this transparency, but also define new standards and requirements to encourage companies to share their sustainability data.

There is already so much information available to help to drive change. Of special importance here are personal bank statements that reflect your consumption behaviour. When used correctly, they can help consumers as well as companies understand their individual impact on the environment and thus achieve more transparency, build awareness and really nail down individual influence on the environment.

A digital world

We have become a digital world and digitization inevitably creates transparency. Those who understand how to use it properly and are really serious about environmental protection will always emerge as winners. Moving forward, the financial industry will play a major role in fighting climate change as it starts to embrace the opportunities available to implement a digital infrastructure for green finance. In turn, financial institutions will be able to offer their customers environmental footprinting as well as personalised impact offsetting and ESG investments, further utilising the opportunity to build a sustainable business case. And this is just scratching the surface of exciting possibilities.

One thing is clear – the most influential consumers, younger generations, want an intact and liveable world. If the financial sector can offer solutions, which help to educate them on how their spending habits impact the planet and offer them insight into how they can change their consumer behaviour to make the world a better place, then it is clear that open data can really help towards fighting climate change.

Surely now is the optimum time to start collaborating to piece together this vast and complex puzzle. If not now, then when?

This article is part of my thought leadership series. It reflects my thoughts and ideas, but the articles themselves are created by many with love and are therefore a real team effort. A special thanks to the ecolytiq and Make More Noise communication teams for helping me to shape my thoughts into beautiful words.

About Author: 

David Lais, Co-Founder and CPO at ecolytiq – providing banks and financial institutions with the digital infrastructure for green finance.

SOTI Global Report finds more than half (57%) of enterprises have invested in mobile technology or mobile security in the last year; but 56% admit their mobile technology is either only partially integrated or not at all

Solihull, UK – 28 September 2021 – Poor integration is threatening businesses’ potential in a defining year for enterprise mobility, a new global research report from SOTI has found. More than half (57%) of global enterprises have invested in mobile technology or mobile security in the last year, and more than two-thirds (67%) said the mobile technology their organisation had invested in had provided a positive return on investment (ROI).

However, SOTI’s A Defining Year: State of Mobility 2021 Report found that 56% of enterprise leaders admit their technology is either only partially integrated or not at all which is holding their businesses back. The year 2021 has seen a mobility revolution, driving business growth and becoming a necessity to business continuity in the face of lockdowns and social distancing. The GSMA predicts that mobile operators will invest $900 billion USD between 2020 and 2025 worldwide in upgrading their services to meet ballooning demand for mobile connections and technology.

SOTI’s global research has sought to understand the impact of mobile technology over the last year as well as how organisations can position themselves at the forefront of the post-pandemic mobile revolution. 1,400 business leaders were interviewed from enterprises in eight countries across three continents, including the UK.

Mobile Technology Investment in 2021: Seizing Opportunity or Just Surviving?

More than three quarters (79%) of enterprise leaders agree their organisation’s C-Suite realises the importance of mobile tech much more now than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that it’s climbed up the boardroom agenda.

But, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. More than half (56%) said that their organisation’s portfolio of mobile devices has grown, but managing the increased number of devices is proving difficult, indicating these businesses might not have the right device management technology in place – or they have nothing at all. In fact, many existing tools don’t adequately help organisations troubleshoot device issues or help to manage the devices. This leads to increased downtime, a loss in productivity and likely a loss in revenue as well.

Meanwhile, 45% say that their organisation is not using mobile technology to help it adjust well to the challenges of the post-pandemic marketplace. The challenge for these companies is to fully integrate mobile technology into their core workflows to capitalise on the technology’s potential to provide flexibility and intelligence across the whole enterprise.

The scope of this challenge is revealed in the answers given about aspirations and goals for the near future. More than two-thirds (68%) agree that their company needs better business intelligence to navigate future unforeseen issues. Two-thirds (67%) also think they need better tools to diagnose issues before they become a problem. Almost half (43%) would like to improve their ability to monitor data analytics.

Planning For a Post-Pandemic Marketplace

The pandemic, lockdown and subsequent changes in consumer behaviour have accelerated the digital transformation of business by up to six years. Businesses are faced with the prospect of a post-pandemic marketplace that is more fluid, more digital, more dynamic and marked by a rise in consumer demands.

The mobility revolution has scaled rapidly across all areas of businesses as they train for, adapt to, rollout and manage enterprise mobility. To prevent growing pains and ensure maximum uptime and productivity, as well as the best user experience, enterprises need to integrate and manage multiple form factors, operating systems and legacy systems. This is echoed in the findings, with enterprise leaders saying their companies need the following post-pandemic:

Looking Towards the Future

In the immediate future, the recent pace of change looks like it will continue. Over the next 12 months, more than two-thirds (71%) of organisations are considering increasing their expenditure in mobile devices, systems and/or security, while more than half (56%) of organisations are considering increasing their expenditure on technology for better device and system integration and/or replacing legacy systems.

Sarah Edge, Director of Sales, UK and Ireland at SOTI, comments: “Around the world, mobile and Internet connected technologies have become even more integral to the way we live and do business than before the pandemic. For enterprises, this has presented both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to meet these changing customer expectations and adapt to an increasingly volatile socio-economic climate with the right technologies and the right customer experiences, at the same time as preparing for the future.

“Change and disruption also brings opportunity for those who can see mobility as an enabler, rather than an obstacle,” continues Edge. “These findings indicate that there’s still significant efficiency and cost gains to be made from better integration of these technologies into workflows, employee practices and the customer experience.”

A Defining Year: State of Mobility 2021 Report can be downloaded here.

Report Methodology

1,400 interviews were conducted using an online methodology amongst IT decision-makers (Managers, Directors, Senior Management and C-Suite) working in any vertical in companies with 50 or more global employees across eight countries. All respondents are aged 18 and over. Fieldwork was conducted from July 22 to August 4, 2021.

Interviews with respondents were split across eight international markets as follows: USA (300 interviews), Canada (130 interviews), Mexico (150 respondents), UK (300 interviews), Germany (170 interviews), Sweden (100 interviews), France (150 respondents) and Australia (100 interviews).

About SOTI

SOTI is the world’s most trusted provider of mobile and IoT management solutions, with more than 17,000 enterprise customers and millions of devices managed worldwide. SOTI’s innovative portfolio of solutions and services provide the tools organisations need to truly mobilise their operations and optimise their mobility investments. SOTI extends secure mobility management to provide an integrated solution to manage and secure all mobile devices and connected peripherals in an organisation.

Leading global advisory firm providing mission-critical insights on technology, regulations, strategy, and operations to the Financial Services industry establishes Quantexa as leading AML innovator

The Fraud & AML Impact Innovation awards program seeks organizations that are deploying new initiatives, products, and upgraded capabilities to more effectively and efficiently counter the globally escalating financial crime landscape. Quantexa’s win was based on a series of criteria including level of innovation and competitive advantage, and financial crime risk detection and mitigation.

The winners are selected by a global panel of both internal and independent experts on fraud and AML. The identification of any Aite-Novarica Group award winner or finalist is not an endorsement by Aite-Novarica Group of any vendor, product, or service.

Quantexa’s winning anti-money laundering solution is powered by Contextual Decision Intelligence (CDI), which creates a connected view of data to reveal the relationships between people, places, and organizations. CDI fills the gap between data, analytics and decision outcome in order to reveal hidden risks, detect criminal activity faster, and reduce false positives by up to 75%.

Vishal Marria, CEO of Quantexa, commented: “We are delighted to receive this award and be recognized by Aite-Novarica as one of the most innovative Fraud & AML providers, leveraging our Contextual Decision Intelligence platform for best-in-class Entity Resolution, Network Generation and AI technology. Aite-Novarica understands the power of connecting data and has become an invaluable supporter in our mission to help organizations make their data meaningful for more effective operational decision-making.”

ABOUT QUANTEXA
Quantexa is a global data and analytics software company pioneering Contextual Decision Intelligence that empowers organizations to make trusted operational decisions by making data meaningful. Using the latest advancements in big data and AI, Quantexa’s platform uncovers hidden risk and new opportunities by providing a contextual, connected view of internal and external data in a single place. It solves major challenges across data management, financial crime, customer intelligence, credit risk, fraud and throughout the customer lifecycle.

The Quantexa platform enhances operational performance with over 90% more accuracy and 60 times faster analytical model resolution than traditional approaches. Founded in 2016, Quantexa now has over 350 employees and thousands of users working with billions of transactions and data points across the world. The company has offices in London, New York, Boston, Washington DC, Brussels, Toronto, Singapore, Melbourne and Sydney.

For more information, contact Quantexa here or follow us on LinkedIn.

Leading global advisory firm providing mission-critical insights on technology, regulations, strategy, and operations to the Financial Services industry establishes Quantexa as leading AML innovator

The Fraud & AML Impact Innovation awards program seeks organizations that are deploying new initiatives, products, and upgraded capabilities to more effectively and efficiently counter the globally escalating financial crime landscape. Quantexa’s win was based on a series of criteria including level of innovation and competitive advantage, and financial crime risk detection and mitigation.

The winners are selected by a global panel of both internal and independent experts on fraud and AML. The identification of any Aite-Novarica Group award winner or finalist is not an endorsement by Aite-Novarica Group of any vendor, product, or service.

Quantexa’s winning anti-money laundering solution is powered by Contextual Decision Intelligence (CDI), which creates a connected view of data to reveal the relationships between people, places, and organizations. CDI fills the gap between data, analytics and decision outcome in order to reveal hidden risks, detect criminal activity faster, and reduce false positives by up to 75%.

Vishal Marria, CEO of Quantexa, commented: “We are delighted to receive this award and be recognized by Aite-Novarica as one of the most innovative Fraud & AML providers, leveraging our Contextual Decision Intelligence platform for best-in-class Entity Resolution, Network Generation and AI technology. Aite-Novarica understands the power of connecting data and has become an invaluable supporter in our mission to help organizations make their data meaningful for more effective operational decision-making.”

ABOUT QUANTEXA
Quantexa is a global data and analytics software company pioneering Contextual Decision Intelligence that empowers organizations to make trusted operational decisions by making data meaningful. Using the latest advancements in big data and AI, Quantexa’s platform uncovers hidden risk and new opportunities by providing a contextual, connected view of internal and external data in a single place. It solves major challenges across data management, financial crime, customer intelligence, credit risk, fraud and throughout the customer lifecycle.

The Quantexa platform enhances operational performance with over 90% more accuracy and 60 times faster analytical model resolution than traditional approaches. Founded in 2016, Quantexa now has over 350 employees and thousands of users working with billions of transactions and data points across the world. The company has offices in London, New York, Boston, Washington DC, Brussels, Toronto, Singapore, Melbourne and Sydney.

For more information, contact Quantexa here or follow us on LinkedIn.