5G Archives - Tech Kalture https://techkalture.com/category/technology/5g/ Business, Technology, Finance, Banking, Products, Tools Fri, 25 Feb 2022 12:08:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3 https://techkalture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cropped-Logo-icon-32x32.png 5G Archives - Tech Kalture https://techkalture.com/category/technology/5g/ 32 32 How Safe is Your Home IoT Device? https://techkalture.com/home-iot-device/ Fri, 18 Dec 2020 14:40:11 +0000 http://techkalture.com/?p=1576 It seems that in recent years whenever there is a discussion around the water cooler

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It seems that in recent years whenever there is a discussion around the water cooler about anything IT related, the faces of both professionals and the general public are transformed into concerned, sullen expressions leading to a generally hushed atmosphere. The elephant in the room of course is a general distrust surrounding cybersecurity (the internet in general) and the frustration that arises from this topic. 

The main reason behind this is that in recent years there has been a big uptick in malware, hacking campaigns, and privacy issues on the internet. Cybercrime has been flourishing, unfortunately, and bodes well with the convenience that 2020 brings for ‘hackers’ (home isolation). In our evermore interconnected way of life with more and more online privacy issues, there is a certain (big) topic that raises concern and needs attention; The Internet of Things, or IoT in short. There are several security challenges for IoT, and such challenges will definitely need to be addressed for a healthier, safer internet. 

IoT devices can be referred to as internet-connected tools that aid us in our everyday life. These ‘things’ are networked physical objects that can range from; digital accessories such as watches to appliances in the home such as lighting and camera systems, even dishwashers. The future of the internet forecasts that as many devices as possible will be connected to the internet, via the cloud, which is why it is so important to talk about home IoT safety.

An Overview of Home IoT Devices

The idea of smart homes and the need for an ‘electronic’ assistant is nothing new. We can go back to 1966 when the ‘Echo IV’ device was released which was a basic computer that helped create shopping lists, control temperature, and so on. It never really took off, because of the exorbitant price. Today though, as high-speed internet is readily available and the demand for IoT devices is increasing, prices are falling and IoT is becoming commonplace. What will happen is that with 5G globally in place, IoT will become commonplace.

In order to visualize how IoT devices can actually improve our lives, think of this; you live in a world where IoT devices can do the following things;

  • Your car can recognize you approaching (via the key), it can pull up for you, unlock or turn on the lights if it is dark
  • Your smartphone can adjust the lights in your house in tandem with sensors, as well as adjust the heating or air conditioning
  • Your home IoT assistant device (Amazon’s Echo, for example) can act as a hub and control anything from lights, switches, and locks to other smart home devices
  • Your home IoT device can also talk to you, suggest things and look up anything on the internet

Some of the most popular home IoT brands today are;

  • Amazon (home IoT assistants/hubs)
  • Google’s Nest (home IoT devices)
  • Apple Homekit (IoT enabled home appliances and accessories)
  • August Smart Lock (home security that works via Apple Homekit)
  • LIFX Smart Lighting (smart LEDs)
  • Samsung SmartThings (a hub that connects Samsung’s home appliances)

Home appliance makers have shifted their focus towards compatibility with devices such as these listed above (which in no way covers all of the products available today), and this will surely be the trend for years to come.

Home IoT Security Issues

Just as any device connected to the internet today faces security risks, so do home IoT devices. According to telecommunications giant Ericsson, by 2025 there will be upwards of 25 billion IoT devices globally. Also according to them, there are a few critical takeaways regarding IoT security that the industry needs to apply;

  • A reliable IoT infrastructure so that devices that run all the time are functional
  • End-to-end security must be built in from the start in all devices
  • Data is critical and must be accurate
  • The use of 3GPP networks are recommended
  • Traffic separation must be implemented for IoT devices
  • TLS and IPSec protocols must be in place
  • Devices must be GDPR compliant
  • Devices must follow legislation and standards from regulatory bodies

So, following these guidelines, what are the safety issues concerning the IoT home today? Kaspersky has studied some of these security issues. Here’s a few of them;

  • Hackers can launch a ransomware attack at your smart home, forcing you to pay up to gain back your home functionality
  • Access any personal information you have shared with IoT home assistants
  • Hijack your home IoT devices to extract their computing power for their own malicious purposes

Let’s follow up with some real-world examples (some are quite interesting) where IoT devices were hacked;

  • Hackers gained access to a casino by breaching an internet-enabled thermometer, thereby gaining access to the customer database
  • CNN vulnerability testing managed to gain access to home security cameras via a simple method because the devices were not security-enabled
  • A hacker gained access to an IoT enabled baby monitor, later threatened that he will kidnap the baby
  • Ring (owned by Amazon) has had multiple security camera hack incidents
  • According to the FBI, smart TVs can be hacked into in order to use the integrated microphone and camera
  • IoT-enabled ‘smart bulbs’ can be hacked to exploit other connected devices

To sum up, hackers can exploit smart home IoT devices, as you can see from the examples above. Not everything needs to be so gloomy though, as there is always information available and solutions to every problem. 

How To Ensure Safety On Your Home IoT Devices

We have seen how much trouble home IoT enabled devices can potentially enable. However, here are some things you can modify on your devices that will definitely help with that;

  • Use long, mixed, and difficult passwords on all of your devices, including your router
  • Try to avoid using public Wi-Fi, or use a VPN when you do
  • Set-up a guest network for your guests to use at home, as well as a separate network for your IoT devices
  • Secure router by disabling WPS and enabling WPA2 protocol
  • Enable all the high-level security features on your IoT devices
  • Make sure that you enable automatic updates on your IoT devices
  • Make sure your router is configured properly and disable unnecessary services
  • Do your research and only use legitimate products and corresponding software

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Is VMware the Best Security Tool for World’s Digital Infrastructure https://techkalture.com/vmware/ Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:08:56 +0000 http://techkalture.com/?p=1312 Vmware is one of the tools most in demand today when virtualization time has come.

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Vmware is one of the tools most in demand today when virtualization time has come. Virtualization is the process by which a resource is emulated, including a complete operating system, thus it needs to be a safe and proactive environment. VMware security tool’s fame is becoming legendary as it owns the hottest of novelties!

Virtualization, New Demands for the Future

The fluid and secure access to digital tools is a basic aspect in our present day, especially in the field of work. These demands present us today with a new and more ambitious challenge: to enable an efficient Remote Management Workspace, one that is capable of protecting the new world’s digital highways, not only today, but also in the transition to the next technology dimension, the Internet of Things, which just cannot wait to emerge on Earth.

A system capable of achieving such a transition, from the 4G platform to the Internet of Things, should be based on machine virtualization technology. Virtual machines (VMs) offer the possibility of running an entire operating system just as if it were installed on a physical server, but without being so, since these operating systems will run on one remote physical computing device, which is known as the host. VMware is the undisputed leader in virtualization, completely equipped and ready to provide you with what you need to manage every element of your virtual environment, such as Endpoints, subnets, all types of networks and platforms, diverse applications, data centers, the cloud, and ultimately the Internet of Things, all with specific demands, but don’t need to worry, you are granted the power to easily run any operating system that is installed on a remote physical machine, no matter the locality.

How secure is VMware’s virtual environment?

One of the challenges that, in view of this new virtual universe, decidedly arises, is that of security in the telecommunications environment of the future, where interconnection systems must support both human data packs and electronic expressions of AI objects, all in the same virtual universe, a tech dimension certainly still difficult to conceive today. Unparalleled as it is, the coming upgrade in science informatics is still a concept closer to the science fiction scenery.

There are, in fact, no precedent elements to our knowledge sufficient to picture in our minds such a conjunction of elements coming to life before our very eyes, giving us information like reading our minds and actually performing tasks for us, and among them. This is the IoT realm, and it is basically composed of two distinct ecosystems: the Consumer (CIoT) and the Industrial (IIoT). Both participants, in perfect synchronicity, actively inform each other, share ideas and collaborate in real time towards innovation objectives, taking advantage of different strategies, obtaining discrete ideal results. VMware is the tool ready to take the challenge to, safely, take us from the old to the new platform, from 4G town to the 5G realms.

In order to have an idea of how powerful the VMware firm is, let us bring just an example of this next level of security power. A high-level national security organization was commissioned the task of cracking VMware virtual machines, well, they went through a half year in a serious effort of splitting this Virtual Machine architecture. The story ended up with the highly trained security team implementing the system themselves.

Going to the essentials of a secure infrastructure, we need to point at the first element in demand: our IP address. This crucial element requires a dedicated channel of its own. The good news is, there are tools built for this in our 4G era. Yes, we are talking about VPN services and, the demand is increasing and so you may surely be deciding the best between cyberghost and expressvpn at this very moment because you know how to follow a good advice, which is key to success. VMware is a true wonder on its own, but needs the complementarity of a good VPN to make System Screen Sharing an agent that allows us to work on a secure virtual platform, or a multiplatform, as we go getting ready to step on the next evolution path; so remember, IP shielding comes first, as we go diving in 4G’s pool, preparing for the incredible 5G’s Oceans.

At this very moment, the ambitious goal of protecting the IT infrastructure, of armoring the increasingly vast and varied interactions between user and data, is becoming an incredibly complex task. As a first step, VMware will secure the digital workspace for a wide range of endpoints, including the IoT, managing security policies and allowing only authorized conditional access to mobile, web, cloud and windows apps.

Next, VMware’s virtual cloud network’s power will keep the digital labor field connected with the cloud, providing every subnet with a secure and consistent foundation within a range of solutions to make security intrinsic, just a natural happening. For instance, features like micro segmentation will reduce the attack vector to stop potential cyber threats in their very tracks, while automation will fix these issues and get you back on track in milliseconds, before an evil happening attempts to take it first step.

The latest advances in VMware Security

VMware’s Security level development never rests, and we have some hot and interesting news to back up why we believe it will continue to be the best security tool, as following:

  • VMware is fully equipped to enable real-time, over-the air Modern Management and Security automation of desktops and laptops, no matter how far they may physically be.
  • VMware Workspace Security now joins the incredible Virtualization package of this firm, a security tool that combines unified terminal management with the security platform.
  • VMware Carbon Black is a Next-Generation Endpoint Protection Platform capable of enabling organizations on a really proactive structure that stops more threats through its AI Engine, providing specific EDR capabilities designed to quickly identify root cause and kill any evil possibilities.
  • VMware Workspace ONE Simply and securely delivers and manages any app on any device thanks to its intelligence-driven digital workspace platform. Workspace ONE integrates access control, application management and multi-platform endpoint management into a single platform.
  • Vmware Vsphere 7 is a major new release, a reformulated ESXI version which makes a truly magical improvement in the work experience of vSphere administrators
  • VMware software-defined data center is the digital infrastructure on which to build your Virtualization, which will be granted with a powerful, flexible and state of the art protection for your IT foundation.

We can rest assured VMware will never stop amazing us!

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