All posts by Paul Stradling

News

Sustainability-in-Tech : Clean Water From Thin Air – No Power Required!

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a zero-energy condenser that can harvest drinking water from the humidity in the atmosphere 24/7.

Could Solve Shortage Challenges 

In some parts of the world, fresh drinking water is scare. Two of the main options, therefore, are:

– Communities near the ocean can desalinate sea water but this requires a large amount of energy.

– Communities further from the coast can try to condense atmospheric humidity through cooling, either through processes that require high energy input or by using “passive” technologies that use the temperature swing between day and night. However, with passive technologies e.g., dew- collecting foils, water can be extracted only at night because the daytime sun’s heats on the foil makes condensation impossible.

The New ETH Zurich Condenser 

The technology behind the new ETH Zurich Condenser means that it can harvest water 24 hours around the clock, with no energy input, even under the blazing sun.

Self-Cooling 

The condenser consists of a specially coated glass pane, which reflects solar radiation, and also radiates away its own heat through the atmosphere. This means that it can cool itself down to as much as 15 degrees Celsius below the ambient temperature.

On the underside of the pane, water vapour from the air condenses into water in a similar way to how poorly insulated windows get condensation in winter.

Protection From Radiation Too 

The glass pane on the condenser is also coated with specifically designed polymer and silver layers so that pane emits infrared radiation at a specific wavelength window to the outer space, with no absorption by the atmosphere nor reflection back onto the pane. Also, the device features a cone- shaped radiation shield designed to deflect heat radiation from the atmosphere, shield the pane from incoming solar radiation, and allow the device to radiate heat outward. This enables the condenser to self- cool, fully passively.

Why No Energy Needed? 

Unlike other technologies which require energy to be used in wiping the condensed water from the surface of the condenser to collect it, ETH Zurich’s condenser has a superhydrophobic (extremely water- repellent) coating on the underside of the pane. This means that the condensed water beads up and runs off on its own accord, thereby requiring no energy input.

Variations 

The ETH Zurich researchers have noted how there is even more scope to develop the condenser technology. For example, it could be combined with other methods, such as water desalination, to increase yield.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

The fact that the coated panes and condenser are relatively simple to build, and that the unit requires no energy and appears to work well could make it a valuable tool for countries with water scarcity and, in particular, for developing and emerging countries. The fact that it makes drinking water from the air (humidity) also means that, unlike desalination technology, it is not limited to just being used in coastal areas. It’s also worth noting that, just as solar cells feature several modules set up next to each other, several water condensers could also be placed side by side to piece together a large-scale system where required thereby making it an even more practical system.

News

Security Stop-Press : Google Ads Ransomware Risk

Security researchers have reported observing a threat actor using widespread, ongoing Google Ads campaigns to spread malware, steal passwords, and breach networks for ransomware attacks. It’s been reported that the ads feature websites for popular programs, like LightShot, Rufus, 7-Zip, FileZilla, LibreOffice, AnyDesk, Awesome Miner, TradingView, WinRAR, and VLC.

The advice is to use caution with ads for these products, but Google has said that it is enforcing robust policies related to this issue, has reviewed the ads in question and has removed them.

News

Tech Tip – Disabling Your Laptop’s Touchpad

If you’d like to avoid accidentally moving the cursor around while typing on your Windows 11 laptop, here’s how to disable the touchpad:

– On the taskbar, right-click the Windows start button and select ‘Settings.’

– Left-hand sidebar, select ‘Bluetooth & devices.’

– In the right-hand pane, click the ‘Touchpad’ heading.

– Move the toggle in the slider to ‘Off’ changing the slider from blue to grey.

News

Tech News : Fewer Victims Pay Ransomware, Yet More Victims

Blockchain data platform Chainanalysis has reported that cybercriminals have seen a 40 per cent fall in their earnings as more people have refused to pay the ransom following ransomware attacks.

More Strains With Shorter Lifespans

However, the number of unique ransomware strains being used in attacks increased dramatically in 2022 (Fortinet). Also, Chainanalysis reports that ransomware lifespans are dropping. For example, in 2022, the average ransomware strain remained active for just 70 days, down from 153 in 2021 and 265 in 2020.

How Does Chainanalysis Know Criminals Get Paid? 

Being a blockchain data platform (blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrencies) Chainanalysis can track money flowing in and out of Bitcoin wallets. Ransomware crews use bitcoin wallets to collect ransoms and retain their anonymity. Also, evidence from cyber insurance firms who are usually the ones reimbursing victims for ransomware payments, show that these payments are down.

Why Are People Refusing To Pay Ransomware? 

There are several reasons why more victims are refusing to pay the ransomware ransom, including:

– Increased awareness. More people are becoming aware of the risks, so this has led to improved cyber-security at organisations, while increased awareness of the potential consequences of paying the ransom has led to many choosing not to do so.

– Improved and more secure backups. With the increased use of more secure cloud-based backups and other disaster recovery solutions, more people are able to recover their data without paying the ransom. It’s worth noting that insurance companies are driving security by tightening underwriting standards, and by not renewing a policy unless the insured has comprehensive backup systems, uses EDR, and has multi-authentication.

– Greater segmentation of data backups, resulting in less material business impact as a result of an attack, thereby reducing the economic justification to pay.

– US sanctions against hacker groups, e.g. those Russia’s Federal Security Service, have made paying some groups legally risky.

– Increased openness due to how common ransomware attacks have become. For example, a ransomware attack is now less of a PR disaster for companies, meaning that companies are less likely to keep quiet and pay the money to stay out of the news.

Why Are Ransomware Lifespans Dropping? 

There are several reasons why ransomware lifespans are dropping (including those mentioned above), such as:

– The increased use of anti-ransomware software. As more organisations and individuals use anti-ransomware software to protect their systems, the lifespan of ransomware attacks may be shorter, as the malware is detected and neutralised more quickly.

– Improved incident response. As organisations and individuals become more familiar with the signs of a ransomware attack and have better incident response plans in place, they are able to quickly detect and respond to the attack, which can shorten the lifespan of the ransomware.

– The development of decryption tools, some security researchers have been able to develop decryption tools that can help victims recover their data without paying the ransom. This can significantly shorten the lifespan of a ransomware attack.

– More effective law enforcement action. Law enforcement agencies have been successful in shutting down some larger ransomware operations and gangs. This can also shorten the lifespan of a ransomware attack.

– Cyber insurance and the involvement of specialised teams. More companies are now using cyber insurance and have specialised teams to deal with ransomware attacks, this also can shorten the lifespan of a ransomware attack.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Criminal earnings from ransomware are down for the reasons mentioned above, and although larger ransomware gangs have been disrupted, there are now many smaller groups operating. It’s also worth noting that new strains of ransomware are being developed all the time, so the threat continues to be present (and is growing as previously stated). With this in mind, businesses should continue to focus on not falling victim to ransomware attacks in the first place. Measures businesses can take include having recurring meetings with all relevant teams/persons (security, networking, IT, server administration, PR, finance) and the company leadership to develop a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses/vulnerabilities and establish how the business can remain secure and understand who’s responsible for all aspects of security. Also, seeking professional advice about cyber security and implementing best practices, e.g. with data backups and other security measures, can help keep the business safe from new as well as existing ransomware strains.

News

Tech News : Self-Driving Buses Now On UK Roads

22 passengers experienced the UK’s first full-size autonomous bus for the first time as part of a testing process by Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator.

Trial Over The Forth Bridge 

The ground-breaking trial of a full-size autonomous single-decker bus, carrying a mixture of invited members of the Co-Design Panel, volunteers helping Stagecoach plus the project’s partners took place on 20 January over the Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh in East Scotland.

First Registered, Full Size Autonomous Bus Service 

The trial precedes the introduction of what will be the first registered service in the UK to use full sized autonomous buses, as part of the CAVForth project, which is part funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

Up To 50mph 

The service will use a fleet of five Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV vehicles, covering a 14-mile route, in mixed traffic, at up to 50mph across the Forth Road Bridge from Ferrytoll Park & Ride in Fife to Edinburgh Park Transport Interchange. It is anticipated that that the service will operate a frequent timetable with the capacity for around 10,000 journeys per week.

Milestone In The UK 

Louise Simpson, Operations Director and CAVForth lead project manager for Stagecoach, said about the trial: “We are really excited to have reached this next major milestone in our project plan to deliver the UK’s first full sized autonomous bus, which has seen us successfully carry a group of passengers on one of the new buses. Until today, only project team members had been able to trial the autonomous service so it’s great that our Co-Design Panel have had this opportunity and we welcome any views they have to ensure we deliver a great, inclusive, and accessible service to our customers when we launch in the spring.”   

Already Operating In Other Parts Of The World 

Although the service will be a UK first, there are full size autonomous bus services operating in several cities around the world. Some examples include:

– In Europe, the French city of Lyon has been running a fleet of autonomous electric buses since 2018.

– In the United States, the city of Las Vegas has been operating a fleet of autonomous electric buses on a fixed route since 2017.

– In Asia, the city of Singapore has been testing autonomous buses on designated roads since 2016.

– In China, several cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Xiongan, have been testing and operating autonomous buses on the public roads.

It’s worth noting that the extent of autonomy varies between different systems, and some still require a human operator on board to take over in certain situations.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Up until now in the UK, a lot has been promised and expected with regards to autonomous vehicles, with multiple trials including self-driving cars, buses, and trucks. These trials, however, have primarily been conducted in controlled environments such as closed test tracks and designated testing zones, so a real road test of a full size bus with passengers, followed by the introduction of a regular service from this coming spring is a significant development in the UK.

For bus operators, an autonomous service on a fixed route could bring reduced operating costs and increased efficiency, hopefully improved safety, plus it could offer greater flexibility (24/7 operation), which could lead to increased service frequency and improved service quality. Also, operating a safe, successful, full size autonomous bus service in one part of the UK could increase confidence and lead to the introduction of similar services elsewhere.

News

Tech Insight : What Is ‘Job Boomeranging’?

Here we look at the trend of ‘job boomeranging’, the reasons why the trend occurred, and why businesses may choose to re-hire boomerangers.

What Is It? 

Job boomeranging refers to when an employee leaves a company and then returns to work for the same company at a later date.

How Has It Come About? 

The term ‘job boomeranging’ was coined by Anthony C. Klotz, Associate Professor of Management, Organisations and Innovation Group, at UCL School of Management in London. According to Anthony Klotz, boomeranging (returning to the same job after leaving) is happening because workers left their jobs in what he calls ‘The Great Resignation’ and then suffered ‘The Big Regret’.

What Is The ‘Great Resignation’? 

‘The Great Resignation’ is the trend of employees leaving their jobs and companies en masse, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in June 2021, the monthly JOLTS report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released their report that 2.8 per cent of the workforce (4 million people) had left their jobs. This was the highest amount of voluntary turnover ever recorded since tracking began in 2000 and was 15 per cent higher than the same month in 2019 (which had been the highest April on record). Klotz says that ‘The Great Resignation’ trend’ is continuing as ‘monthly quits’ were recorded as exceeding the 4 million mark 11 times in the following 12 months and had reached 4.4 million in four of the six months in the first half of last year.

Fuelled By Reports Of Higher Earnings And Better Lives Elsewhere 

The trend in the US has been fuelled by reports that those switching jobs have found work with higher earnings and a better work-life balance. For example, Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. government data showed that from April 2021 to March 2022, 60 per cent of workers switching jobs saw an increase in their real earnings over the same month the previous year. This reportedly happened despite a surge in the rate of inflation that eroded real earnings for many others. The same analysis showed that among workers who stayed with the same employer, less than half (47 per cent) saw a real earnings increase.

‘The Great Resignation’ – A Global Phenomenon 

The trend isn’t just confined to the US and appears to be a global phenomenon. For example, here in the UK, although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the unemployment rate reach 4.9 per cent in the three months to November 2020 (the highest rate since 2016) and the number of people on payrolls in the UK fell by 730,000 between March and November 2020 (the largest fall on record) people were also leaving their jobs as well as simply losing their jobs. In the UK, job-to-job movement reached an all-time high between October and December 2021. For example, the UK’s Labour Force Survey (November 2021) showed that, of the 1.02 million people who moved jobs between July and September 2021, 391,000 of them had resigned. This was the highest spike ever recorded by the LFS.

A 2021 survey (Professor Lynda Gratton) among 150 executives from 23 companies in the U.S., Asia, and Europe in late 2021 showed that, in reply to the question “what’ is the biggest challenges facing business right now?” the no.1 response was ‘retaining people’, closely followed by ‘recruiting people’.

Why?  

Some of the key reasons believed to be behind the trend include:

– Economic uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in unemployment, with many businesses closing or reducing their workforce. This has made it difficult for many people to find stable employment and has increased the likelihood of job loss.

– Work-life balance. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of work-life balance for many people. With the ability to work from home, people may be looking for jobs that offer more flexibility and a better balance between their personal and professional lives.

– Personal circumstances. The pandemic has forced many people to re-evaluate their personal circumstances and priorities, leading some to make changes in their careers. For example, some may have been ‘quiet quitting’ for some time and the pandemic conditions plus reports of others leaving and finding a better life and wages may have motivated them to move.

– Mental health. The pandemic took a toll on people’s mental health. Remote work may have blurred the lines between work and personal life, leading to burnout and increasing the desire for a change in career.

– Remote work. The shift to remote work has made it easier for people to find new job opportunities, even if they are not in their immediate geographical area. This has increased the ability for people to change jobs more easily.

– Business closures. The pandemic has led to the closure of many businesses, leaving employees without jobs.

– As highlighted by Professor Dan Cable, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School, the pandemic led to people being confronted with the reality of their mortality spurring a phase of post-traumatic growth. Also, Professor Cable believes that people living longer, is having an impact on our relationship with work whereby they seek the flexibility to match the different stages of their life.

What’s Changed Now? The ‘Big Regret’ 

It is thought that following ‘The Great Resignation’, the job boomerang trend is part of what Anthony Klotz calls ‘The Big Regret’.  As highlighted by a UKG survey across six countries in 2022 among 1,950 employees who quit their jobs since March 2020, 41 per cent felt they quit their old job too quickly. Also, 43 of job quitters surveyed said they were better off at their old job and 62 per cent agreed that their old job was superior.

Welcome Back? 

Companies appear now to be open to the idea of re-hiring people who are part of the job boomeranging trend. For example, The Microsoft Alumni Network and Microsoft have created a direct “Road to Rehire” for Microsoft Alumni Network members. This is to capitalise on the fact that, in 2019, more than 10 percent of Microsoft’s hires were “boomerangs”.

How Long Does It Take To Boomerang? 

LinkedIn’s Workforce Report indicates that the average time it takes workers to boomerang is 17.3 months, but that number varies across industries.

Why Re-Hire Former Employees? 

The are several good reasons why companies may wish to bring back former employees/job boomerangers. These include:

– They are a lower risk than new (unknown) employees.

– They are familiar with the job, already understand the business culture and values, and may have relationships with existing employees.

– They have already been trained and may get up to speed more quickly than new employees, i.e. saving costs and time.

– Boomerang employees may have gained new skills and experiences while they were away, which can benefit the company, and could share what they have learned.

– Rehiring a former employee can be a cost-effective way for a company to fill a position quickly.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The global pandemic caused a mass loss of jobs and caused many others to re-think their lives and their relationship with work and their individual jobs. Also, inspiration from stories that others had found a better life and higher wages caused many workers to opt for ‘The Great Resignation’. Fast-forward to today’s post-pandemic world with a poor economic outlook, inflation, and a cost-of-living crisis, and where the promise of a better job with better work and better pay may not have materialised in reality.

This has left many have feeling the need for stability as well as the ‘Big Regret’, leading to the boomeranging trend. For businesses looking to fill positions, this has led to the ability to (in many cases) re-hire and gain known-quantity, low-risk, already-trained employees, who may even bring new skills and a new attitude with them. This has allowed businesses to quickly fill positions in a lower-cost way, thereby increasing capacity and helping them to become more competitive.

News

Featured Article : What’s All The Fuss About Davos And How Does It Affect Business-Tech?

In this feature, we look at what is known as ‘Davos’ is, why it exists, plus how it can help the worlds of business and technology.

What Is It? 

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an annual meeting held in Davos, a small ski resort town in the Swiss Alps. The WEF meeting in Davos brings together leaders in the business, political and academic communities to discuss and address the most pressing issues facing the world. The meeting is held to facilitate dialogue and collaboration among these leaders in order to find solutions to global problems such as economic inequality, political instability, and environmental degradation. The WEF meeting is also an opportunity for leaders to network and form partnerships to drive positive change in the world.

What Is WEF? 

WEF is an international not-for-profit organization, founded in 1971 by Swiss-German economist and professor Klaus Schwab, with the mission of bringing public and private sectors together to address the global political, social, and economic issues. WEF meetings have taken place annually in Davos for 5 decades, although the 2002 meeting was held in New York as gesture of solidarity following the 9/11 attacks.

Who And When? 

This year’s Davos has already taken place (16-20 January 2023) and the theme was “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”. Full details can be found here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2023 

Business and Davos 

Given that the invite-only meetings bring public and private sector business executives and policymakers together to discuss a wide range of issues, some of the ways Davos affects business include:

– Facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities for business leaders, which can lead to new partnerships and investments.

– Providing a platform for business leaders to share their perspectives on economic and political issues, and to shape public policy.

– Highlighting emerging trends and technologies that may impact the business landscape.

– Offering insights and analysis on global issues that can affect the economic environment in which companies operate.

– The presence of representatives of non-profit organisations, civil society, and academia, creates opportunities for companies to engage in socially responsible initiatives and to contribute to sustainable development.

Technology and Davos 

The Davos meetings also affect the world of technology in a number of ways. For example:

– Highlighting emerging trends and technologies that may impact the business landscape and the economy.

– Facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities for technology leaders, which can lead to new partnerships and investments.

– Providing a platform for technology leaders to share their perspectives on economic and political issues and to shape public policy.

– Offering insights and analysis on global issues that can affect the technological landscape, such as the impact of automation, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation.

– Creating opportunities for technology companies to engage in socially responsible initiatives and to contribute to sustainable development.

– Organising (WEF) the Annual Meeting of the New Champions (also known as Summer Davos – which actually takes place in China). The event, which began in 2007, is a more technology-focused one, bringing together global leaders to discuss the latest trends and innovations in technology, science, and engineering.

Technology Example 

One reported example of how the recent Davos WEF meeting highlighted new technologies is Meta’s Chris Cox commenting in the tech press about how generative artificial intelligence (the chatbot ChatGPT) has the capability to create image filters (a digital technique for changing the look of an image through an algorithm) for Meta’s company’s Instagram app and other applications.

Successes of Davos 

Three examples of real life successes that have come from the Davos WEF meetings are:

– The Global Vaccine Action Plan, which was launched at the 2011 WEF meeting in Davos, which has been successful in increasing vaccination rates and reducing the number of deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide.

– The World Economic Forum’s Great Energy Transition initiative, launched in 2016 at Davos WEF, which has been successful in bringing together governments, businesses, and other stakeholders to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

– In 2020, the World Economic Forum’s “Great Reset” initiative was launched during the WEF meeting in Davos, which aims to drive a comprehensive and inclusive reshaping of economies, societies, and politics in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative has brought together leaders from various sectors to collaborate on solutions for the economic and social challenges caused by the pandemic.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Having annual meetings that bring together thousands of leaders and experts from the public and private sectors, and focusing their minds on key issues and encouraging the kind of communication that wouldn’t normally happen can bring everyone up to speed, generate ideas, opportunities, and solutions. Some of these have delivered real economic, social and technological benefits globally. Ultimately, such solutions have benefitted a wide range of businesses in all sectors, and this year’s Davos has seen a recognition of the contribution that technologies like generative artificial intelligence look set to deliver in the near future.

News

Sustainability-in-Tech : Nuclear-Powered Data Centre

Cumulus Data has announced the completion of key milestone in the construction of Phase 1 of its 475-megawatt zero-carbon “Susquehanna” data centre that’s directly connected to 2.5-gigawatt nuclear power stations.

First Phase –Shell Ready For Lease 

The company, a subsidiary of Talen Energy, says that the construction of the powered shell for its first 48-megawatt, 300,000 square foot data centre is now complete and available for lease.

The Advantages Of Being Connected To Nuclear Power Stations 

Cumulus Data says that having a data centre that’s directly connected to the “Susquehanna” nuclear power stations, without intermediation by legacy electric transmission and distribution utilities, will provide the customer that leases the data centre with “significant value and competitive advantages”.  For example:

– Data centres typically require enormous amounts of energy. Being directly connected to the source (a nuclear power station) can ensure an ultra-reliable, zero-carbon, 24×7 supply.

– Industry-leading total cost of ownership (“TCO”) with the most attractive power rate in the U.S. – a low-cost supply of energy.

– Scalability, flexibility, and time-to-market advantages with build-to-suit options, due to the design of the Cumulus campus.

– Zero-carbon environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) customer benefits.

– As Cumulus CEO Alejandro “Alex” Hernandez states on the company website, having data centres directly connected to nuclear power stations could be a way to “solve the energy ‘trilemma’ which we define as the rapidly increasing consumer demand for zero-carbon, low-cost, and reliable electricity”.

– The ability to supplement the zero-carbon offering with 400 megawatts of new solar generation capacity (currently under development).

When? 

Cumulus Data says that it expects to welcome its first tenant and commence commercial operations at the nuclear-powered data centre this year.

Other Benefits 

In addition to meeting the need for zero-carbon, low-cost, reliable energy to power technology applications, it is anticipated that the “Susquehanna” data centre campus investment could deliver many other benefits. For example, these could include the creation of family-sustaining jobs, the provision of technology training, and economic benefits including tax revenue and increased consumption of local goods and services to both Pennsylvania and the surrounding community.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Data centres have long been a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, due to the large amount of energy they consume for cooling, power, and network operations. There is clearly a need, therefore, to find ways to decrease the amount of carbon that data centre operation produces. For many people, however, nuclear energy comes with concerns about safety and what to do with the highly toxic waste. That said, nuclear energy is a low-carbon source of electricity, benefitting from high energy density and low greenhouse gas emissions in the production of energy. This means that it could, as Cumulus Data believes, play a role in reducing data centre carbon emissions and help to combat climate change. In this sense, having a data centre powered by a direct link to a nuclear power station could be a real step forward in the decarbonisation of data centres. There are, of course, other methods currently being tried e.g., using immersion cooling technology, and using more generally more efficient cooling systems, server virtualisation, and dynamic power management, but these are more related to reducing the amount of carbon in operation and cooling rather than in the supply of energy to the data centre. Cumulus Data’s nuclear powered data centre also appears to be able to offer some significant cost savings to tenants and other benefits to the area in addition to the low-carbon energy on-tap, and the reliable power source which may make it a very economically attractive option.

News

Security Stop-Press : PayPal Data Breach

PayPal has confirmed that nearly 35,000 users may have been affected following a data breach between December 6 and December 8, 2022. The suspected ‘credential stuffing’ attack may have meant that details like users’ names, addresses, Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, and/or dates of birth may have been viewed but there is no current evidence that the data has been misused.

PayPal has now informed people by email and reset the passwords for the affected users, added enhanced security controls, and given affected users one year free identity monitoring services through Equifax.

News

Tech Tip – Helpful Hyphens

You can use a hyphen after a search term to exclude words that you don’t want Google to search for. For example, the search may be for a mustang horse rather than a mustang car. Here’s how it works:

– In the Google search box type mustang –car to exclude any references to cars. Note that the space before the hyphen is important.

– You will now see a page of search engine results for mustang that don’t contain any car references.