Before AR, shoppers had two options: they could go to a physical store, or order online and hope for the best.
Return policies were heavily used as many found the product didn’t live up to their expectations. The fit was off, the color wasn’t right, or it just looked different in real life.
Now, imagine a world where e-commerce is enabled by AR.
Users enjoy the ultimate “try before you buy” from their comfort of their own home. As long as they have their phone, shoppers can envision themselves wearing a new pair of jeans, trying on a new shade of lipstick, or adding a new ottoman to their living room. AR delivers virtual dressing rooms and showrooms to the user, wherever they’re located and whenever they’re ready to shop.
It may sound futuristic, but that vision of e-commerce is now upon us.
With the release of Apple’s iOS 11 this fall, AR is available to anyone who has an iPhone 6 and above. As Apple’s SVP of Software engineering Craig Federighi said, “With iOS 11, we’re delivering the biggest AR platform in the world.”
Here are three ways Apple’s ARKit will revolutionize e-commerce.
Internet Retailer estimates that 30 percent of apparel bought online is returned. AR should bring that number way down.
Returns aren’t the only cost of e-commerce, either. Sure, shoppers get their money back, but there’s still a cost in overall customer satisfaction, as they have to deal with the hassle of returns, and find themselves questioning whether next time, they’ll experience a similar disappointment. Over time, these subpar experiences slowly chip away at customer loyalty.
With AR, customer confidence will increase as products meet expectations, and overall customer satisfaction will rise.
AR will bring other, unexpected benefits to e-commerce, like the ability to charge more.
40 percent of shoppers said they would pay more for a product if they could test it with AR first, according to a study by Retail Perceptions.
AR can increase sales for other products, too. Instead of simply offering the shopper similar items based on their previous purchases, users can virtually “try” them on right then and there. They might layer a necklace over their new dress, or consider how a coffee table might look next to their new sofa.
As responsive websites have become the norm, standalone apps have become less important for online retailers. But now, thanks to the capabilities of AR, there will be a new use case for apps, bringing them back into the fold.
With ARKit, app developers can offer something unique to shoppers on their app. They can try products on using the app, or unlock special deals in-store. Plus, having an app on a person’s iPhone gives brands another opportunity to further enmesh themselves in their consumers’ lives.
If done right, AR will solve many problems for e-commerce, and bring new benefits.
Our next post will take a look at how e-commerce brands are already changing the game with ARKit.
Michael Quoc is the founder & CEO of Dealspotr, an open shopping platform bringing together up-and-coming brands, influencers, and savvy shoppers around today’s best deals. He was previously the Director of Product Management for Yahoo’s media lab, spearheading the launch of several innovative live video and mobile social networking services. Michael has been awarded nine patents relating to mobile and social network applications and technology. Follow him on Twitter at @michaelquoc.
By Jack M. Germain
Apr 22, 2018 5:00 AM PT
Microsoft has opted to use its own version of a Linux operating system instead of Windows 10 to drive its new Azure Sphere solution for securely connecting Internet of Things devices.
Microsoft introduced Azure Sphere last week at the RSA security conference in San Francisco.
Azure Sphere is a platform that connects microcontroller units, or MCUs, embedded in cloud-connected devices. The platform operates a new cross-over class of MCUs that incorporate real-time and application processors with built-in Microsoft security technology and connectivity.
Each chip includes custom silicon security technology that Microsoft developed. The new Azure Sphere-certified chips are based on the company’s 15 years of experience with Xbox, to secure this new class of MCUs and the devices they power, according to Microsoft.
The Azure Sphere OS is a custom built version of the open source Linux operating system.
“After 43 years, this is the first day that we are announcing — and will be distributing — a custom Linux kernel,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith.
The decision to bypass its own Windows 10 OS in favor of open source technology is a good rationale for Microsoft, said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.
“I believe Microsoft had to choose between shoehorning Windows IoT Core into an MCU form factor or develop a custom Linux kernel,” he told LinuxInsider. “IoT Core reshaping obviously took too much time and effort to hit a designated date.”
The Azure Sphere platform promises five times the performance of standard MCUs, according to Microsoft. It is a crossover chip that combines the benefits of ARM-based Cortex-A and Cortex-M processor cores.
The new chip includes the company’s Pluton security subsystem and built-in network connectivity, along with a real-time processor, an application processor, memory, flash and more.
Microsoft’s Azure Sphere is a four-layer platform with a security monitor on the deepest level. On top of that are the custom Linux kernel, on-chip connectivity services and secured application containers.
The operating system is backed by Microsoft’s Azure Sphere Security Service in the cloud, which guarantees certificate-based authentication, genuine software and automated updates.
Azure Sphere is open to additional software innovation by the open source community, according to Microsoft. It also is compatible with any cloud, not just Microsoft’s Azure-branded platform. Even more, the chip design can be used by any manufacturer absolutely free.
Sphere’s open source foundation “marks a significant strategic departure for Microsoft and also indicates the path that the company believes will lead it into a new era and toward still-evolving commercial opportunities,” said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.
Rather than contorting Windows 10 into doing something probably beyond its design strengths, taking the open source route is a good rationale for Microsoft, he told LinuxInsider.
Windows was designed as a multipurpose OS capable of supporting a wide range of applications and system functions, King pointed out.
“By contrast, IoT devices are far more limited in terms of size, scope and functionality,” he said, “so it made more sense for the company to pursue an entirely new initiative rather than trying to develop a scaled-down version of Windows.”
That effort also allows Microsoft to bind Sphere closely to its Azure cloud platform, which is central to its IoT strategy, King said.
Sphere’s greatest strengths are its embedded, silicon-level security functions and the associated Azure Sphere Security Service, which rest on the robust security features Microsoft developed for Windows and Xbox solutions, noted King.
Sphere’s biggest strength, in the view of Moor Insights’ Moorhead, is being more than a bag of parts from many different companies. It is a full solution, including hardware, operating system and cloud security.
“This, then, can be used with Azure IoT app services so customers have an end-to-end platform without having to cobble it together,” Moor said.
Reactions vary as to the significance of Microsoft’s decision to build its security platform for IoT on a custom Linux kernel.
“It’s a huge deal, but not unexpected,” said Moor. “Microsoft has embraced many open source initiatives, but to productize it is a big deal.”
The decision has more symbolic than practical significance, according to King.
Microsoft’s interactions with Linux and other open source projects and communities are far more mature and sensible today than they ever have been in the past, he reasoned.
“That fundamental change in attitude — along with previous, vigorous efforts by the company — have prepared the ground for Azure Sphere. That said, the move also reflects a recognition within the company that numerous developers and developer communities are more actively engaged in open source than Windows-related efforts,” King said.
If Microsoft wants to maximize its IoT opportunities, Linux will provide a far larger net than Windows, he concluded.
Microsoft’s use of a custom Linux kernel is telling in several ways, according to Xaptum CMO Brian Gratch and VP of Product David Bild.
The significance can be broken down into three key developments, they told LinuxInsider:
Jack M. Germain has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His main areas of focus are enterprise IT, Linux and open source technologies. He has written numerous reviews of Linux distros and other open source software.
Email Jack.
With a little image editing, an otherwise underwhelming digital photo can be elevated into something truly striking. However, whether you use Photoshop or one of the dozens of free photo editing apps available, navigating picture editing for the first time can be daunting.
Don’t be discouraged though. With a couple of great free tips to go alongside your great free photo editing software, you’ll soon be creating beautiful images from your digital images.
The first step is to orientate the subject of the photo into the location where it will have the most impact. Once you’ve rotated the image to an appropriate orientation, apply a cropping tool to cut out any extraneous background imagery. Finally, lighten the image using your software’s exposure settings.
The next step is to refine the settings of the panel tones. To achieve this, increase the contrast and lighten the shadows using your software’s tools. Last of all, use the black and white sliders to set the shade and highlight clipping points for the image.
Next, it’s time for some fine detail sharpening. Enlarge the preview to get a zoomed-in view and adjust the sharpening sliders until you achieve the sharpness you desire.
It should be mentioned at this point that many modern cameras perform some of these functions automatically when a picture is captured. However, as with many automated systems, they can sometimes fall short of an optimised result. Therefore, it’s worth looking at the adjustments which are made automatically and experimenting with them to gain the desired image quality.
Create amazing images with free photo editing software. Image created using Photoscape X.
Sometimes, when photographing a subject, an otherwise incredible image can be marred by bright colours appearing subdued in the final picture. To address this issue, you need to brighten the colour in the affected area while leaving the remainder of the image unaltered.
As before, we begin by cropping the image to bring the focus more sharply on the photo subject. Once this is done, add contrast, and adjust shades and highlights with the black and white sliders.
Next, find your software’s luminance tab, which is often located in the HSL/colour/grayscale settings. Choose the target adjustment tool from the toolbar and click on the colour in the image that you wish to brighten. You can now selectively adjust the brightness and vibrancy of this colour in isolation.
Finally use the detail settings to adjust the sharpness of the subject. Don’t be afraid to be aggressive with these settings and experiment until you get a sharp and vibrant subject, without emphasising the underlying noise of the image.
Google’s Nik Collection of desktop image editing plug-ins can now be enjoyed for free.
Please note that each piece of photo editing software is different, with some having more features than others. However, experiment with your software using the general guidance above, and you’ll be well on your way to creating some breathtaking images.
Please let us know in the comments if you have any great photo editing tips you’d like to share – and discover our selection of great and free photo editing software here.
Related content:
Top 5 Best Free Photo Editors
Union Minister Santosh Gangwar landed himself into a controversy on Sunday when he said a day earlier that a “brouhaha” or Furor should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India.
This statement come against the outrage over the heinous crime of Kathua rape and murder case of 8 years old girl and Unnao rape case of 17 years old girl from by a BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar.
He said in Bareilly, “Such incidents [rape cases] are the unfortunate situation… But sometimes you can’t stop them. Government is active everywhere and taking action which is visible to everyone. In a big country like ours, if one or two incidents take place, [a] brouhaha should not be created over it. This is not fair… Government is taking effective steps…Whatever is necessary will be done”.
Mr. Gangwar holds the portfolio of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment from BJP Bareilly.
President release ordinance:
President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promoted an ordinance to provide harsh punishment, including the death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls under 12 years.
Under the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance cleared by a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a new fast-track court will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term.
On Kathua and Unnao Rape cases, Last week Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice. He said, “Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice”.
When PM Modi was in London to attend last Commonwealth Summit of 2018, he said that the rape of a daughter was a matter of shame for the country.
In the Unnao case, the CBI arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on April 13, hours after an Allahabad High Court order that he was influencing the “law and order machinery”.
It’s such a shame that the BJP’s officials gave this kind of objectional statement for the women of India?
Tech stocks blew expectations out of the water in 2017, outpacing the S&P 500 by 21 percentage points. While 2017 certainly marked an exceptional year for tech stocks, it was also a harbinger of things to come.
The increasing — and, in some cases, renewed — interest in tech companies has revitalized not just industries, but also partnerships. As technology takes on a bigger role in businesses of all types, tech acquisitions become both short- and long-term investments. That means the next year or two will likely bring some blockbuster mergers and acquisitions as companies determine how they can mesh their services and products with others’.
Here are nine to keep an eye on in the coming months.
Streaming entertainment company Netflix has long been the center of acquisition rumors, most recently in connection with Apple. In light of The Walt Disney Company’s $52.4 billion merger with 21st-Century Fox, many experts feel Netflix will need a stronger distribution and acquisition arm in order to compete. Netflix’s original content has won accolades, but its limited scope of subscribers and debt will hamper the brand’s growth without a big-player acquisition.
Speculation abounds that the tax reform bill’s one-time allowance for businesses to repatriate international cash may spur an Apple deal of mammoth proportions. Apple has a big cash pile — which Netflix could use — and the industry has been nudging Apple to make a media acquisition for years.
In summer 2017, talk bubbled over about Slack’s possible acquisition; it was reported in June that Slack was focused on raising half a billion dollars on a $5 billion valuation. Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce were all reportedly interested in acquiring the office communication platform. And that makes sense: The appeal of a Slack acquisition lies in its ability to serve as a central location for tech companies, hosting everything from casual conversations to performance alerts.
Most eyes are on Amazon to pull the trigger on acquiring Slack. With a purported $9 billion price tag, Amazon could combine Slack with its cloud-based storage system, Amazon Web Services, to make its subscription offerings more appealing and increase its (already large) user base.
The Internet of Things has already seen some notable acquisitions, including SmartThings, Nest, and Dropcam. This trend continued with Amazon’s recent decision to buy smart security doorbell business Ring for $1.1 billion. SkyBell, a fellow smart video doorbell, looks like it could be the next startup in this trend, thanks to its patent portfolio and strong B2B business.
With Amazon’s acquisition of Ring, eyes are on the reactions from Google, Walmart, ADT, Alarm.com, Samsung, and others — Amazon could “own” access to the front door while offering an inexpensive smart home security package built around Ring. For that reason, SkyBell and its patents likely make a necessary acquisition target for other large companies relying on the front door or video doorbells for long-term success.
Coinbase, currently the largest bitcoin exchange in the U.S., sparked M&A discussions when it hired LinkedIn’s former head of mergers and acquisitions earlier this month. Coinbase nearly bought a digital custody company in 2017 and has been filling its executive roster, two signs the company is preparing for acquisition or going public.
But the real buzz has been around Coinbase’s apparent interest in acquiring other companies, which may create a consolidated cryptocurrency exchange. Coinbase’s $1 billion valuation, combined with its large influence on the cryptocurrency community and healthy finances, puts it in a strong position to gobble up competitors.
Business shipping platform Shippo has experienced 71 percent year-over-year growth per customer and “quietly” raised $20 million. The company is aiming to capitalize on what it predicts will be a $4 trillion e-commerce industry in 2020, and its API and app make it a tech-savvy investment for other e-commerce strongholds.
A large company expecting to see its growth fueled by online purchases would likely snap up Shippo to reduce its costs and open up possibilities of creating competitive lines in other categories. And as competitor Stamps.com continues to make acquisitions, Shippo becomes more appealing.
Valve, a gaming and technology firm, has found itself the source of acquisition rumors in connection with Microsoft. Microsoft is reportedly looking to acquire gaming companies Valve and EA to join its stable, which includes Xbox and Minecraft. An acquisition of Valve would give Microsoft virtual control of the PC gaming world, allowing the brand to not only profit from its position, but also gain data from players.
Microsoft has backed itself into a wall with its exclusive game policy on Xbox, so many anticipate the brand will need to quickly acquire a large game publisher in order to right its ship.
Government IT service CSRA was said to be in the process of being acquired by General Dynamics for $6.8 billion — but not before CACI International jumped in with a competing offer of $7.2 billion. The 8 percent higher bid sparked a bidding war in Washington, D.C.
Federal IT services are experiencing a resurgence as the government looks to modernize its systems and increase its defense spending; with a market capitalization of $6.7 billion, CSRA is in a strong position to make a deal.
Tech company GoPro, specializing in cameras, camcorders, and drones, allegedly asked JP Morgan to help the brand find a buyer. With up-and-down sales and declining stock prices, many believe GoPro is looking to be acquired by a tech brand that can combine GoPro’s technology with another platform, such as Facebook or Snapchat.
With GoPro’s price tag of nearly $900 million, Apple has long been at the center of GoPro acquisition rumors. With the repatriated cash option, many believe it will have the financial resources to do so; with the release of an Apple Watch that renders a phone unnecessary, GoPro’s technology may be appealing to Apple.
Instacart has been making lots of moves lately that have drawn experts’ attention — its delivery partnership with Albertsons and acquisition of coupon shopping platform Unata signal the brand is looking to gain market share. And Amazon’s $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods has propelled Instacart even further; competing grocers reached out to Instacart to gain a delivery outlet.
Target acquired Instacart competitor Shipt for $550 million at the close of 2017. That means those in head-to-head competition with Target will look to Instacart and others to upgrade their logistics and delivery platforms and remain competitive.
While 2017 was undoubtedly an exciting year for tech, 2018 is shaping up to deliver some equally interesting tech acquisitions. As companies find their offerings in need of tech, they’ll be motivated to buy existing technology so they can supercharge their growth without slowing down.
President Donald Trump recently said he was open to returning to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but only if he could get a “substantially better” deal than his predecessor.
This apparent change of heart, announced via Twitter, caught most observers off guard. The TPP was on track to become the world’s largest free trade zone by joining Pacific Rim countries that collectively produce about 40 percent of global economic output. But Trump railed against the accord on the campaign trail, making it the ultimate bugbear for his brand of economic nationalism. In a widely anticipated move, he withdrew the U.S. from the TPP as one of his first presidential acts.
If Trump ever officially changed his tune and tried to rejoin this trade pact, could he?
Like many observers, I believe it would be tough to pull off. The other 11 countries would clearly prefer to have the U.S. in rather than out, but they are understandably reluctant to throw open, for a third time, negotiations that took years to conclude.
In 2008, most of the major Pacific Rim economies – with the notable exception of China – began to consider a massive free trade agreement for the region.
Formal TPP talks finally began two years later, when representatives of the U.S. and several other Pacific nations, such as Australia, Chile and Vietnam, started to hammer out the pact’s contentious details.
The deal, which took another six years to complete, later expanded to include more countries – including Japan, Canada and Mexico.
The aim of the TPP was to deepen economic ties between the dozen countries, slash tariffs on a broad range of goods and services, and better synchronize their policies and regulations. The substance of the agreement was complex, and different countries negotiated different grace periods for its implementation.
TPP proponents like me based our support on well-established economic theories, which point to the benefits of barrier-free trade for all participating countries. These theories do not deny, of course, that some industries and workers can suffer significantly from open exchange. But they emphasize the overall advantages of freer trade in generating new jobs, cheaper products and more innovation.
Another argument in favor of the accord was more geopolitical, considering the TPP as a bulwark against China – which was never slated to join.
Despite its potential benefits, however, the emerging partnership soon became a lightning rod for U.S. opponents of open markets.
The critics lodged three distinct complaints. They expressed skepticism for the benefits of free trade itself, arguing that imports can destroy industries, uproot communities and threaten national security. They also argued that international agreements undermine democracy and objected to the secrecy of the negotiations themselves.
Finally, opponents homed in on the pact’s specific details, especially those that were leaked or released early on. The most controversial issues proved to be indirectly related to trade policy.
TPP foes, for example, lambasted provisions regarding intellectual property, labor and the environment. Some critics argued that these rules went too far, while others complained that they didn’t go far enough.
Many of them also vehemently opposed its investor-state dispute settlement provisions, which would have let foreign businesses sue member governments for any violations that they claimed were hurting their interests.
Despite this opposition in the U.S and elsewhere, the 12 nations ultimately signed the TPP in February 2016 and began the process of domestic ratification. But Trump was elected later that year, and he backed out of the deal as soon as he entered the White House.
Most observers expected America’s exit to doom the agreement. Instead, the 11 remaining signatories forged a smaller pact among themselves, renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and signed in March 2018. Lawmakers in the countries taking part are now considering ratification.
Besides, this bout of Trump’s apparent openness to join the TPP seemed to be short-lived. It may have ended as it started, on Twitter. The pact would have “too many contingencies and no way to get out if it doesn’t work,” Trump said in a tweet that mischaracterized South Korea as a member. (It isn’t.)
Perhaps Trump realized that the U.S. would probably have to accept terms that are no better – and possibly worse – than those President Barack Obama agreed upon in 2016 when the TPP talks ended.
Sina Weibo, one of China’s most popular social media sites, stated that the new guidelines were solely put in place to “create a bright and harmonious community environment”.
However within hours of the announcement last week, Weibo, found itself climbing down from its new ‘clean’ stance after an online public backlash gathered unprecedented online support. Weibo has a reported 400 million active monthly users.
Within hours, the announcement had been read by millions and shared more than 100,000 times.
Within hours, the announcement had been read millions of times and shared more than 100,000 times. Users then began protesting the censorship of material depicting homosexuality, inundating the site with posts containing the equivalent of Twitter’s hashtags “#IamGay” and “#IamGayNotaPervert.”
But before being forced to reverse its decision, Weibo administrators appeared to begin removing the hashtags, deleting many of the 150,000-plus comments related to them, and trying to ban users.
The decision by Weibo has been seen a rare win for China’s Gay and trans-gender community. China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997, and withdrew it from its list of mental illnesses in 2001. Same-sex marriage however remains illegal. A court in Hunan refused to grant two men the right to marry in 2016. It was the first case of its kind in the Communist country. That same year China’s government censors banned gay characters on television, with guidelines decreeing: “No television drama shall show abnormal sexual relationships and behaviors, such as incest, same-sex relationships, sexual perversion, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual violence, and so on”.
In an update on Sunday, Weibo said the “clean-up” would “no longer target gay content”, but that Weibo censors would continue to focus “pornographic and violent material”.
Implementing multiple layers of security is the common thread for today’s data security strategies. The layered approach has worked in some cases. However, other companies have still become vulnerable to hackers. In fact, numerous large global enterprises with significant technology budgets have fallen victim to hackers. It may make you wonder just how realistic it is to feel secure that your data is truly protected.
The good news is that technology continues to progress. Some of today’s best and brightest minds are working diligently on new approaches to data security. Here are some of the latest approaches to feel secure with your company’s data in 2018:
IT consulting companies have been a valuable ally for updating your business processes and undertaking important strategies such as digital transformation. Bringing in an outside expert like a strategic IT consulting firm can help you uncover vulnerabilities that might have been right in front of you all along. These experts can point out what you couldn’t see or didn’t realize was a pathway to data vulnerability.
For example, iCorps Technologies works with companies to leverage technology to make them more efficient, mobile, productive, and agile. According to Jeffery Lauria, vice president of technology at iCorps, “The threat landscape is far beyond what anyone can really imagine. Gone are the days of sitting your staff in front of their computer for a cybersecurity education session and expecting to be protected. Today’s data privacy and data security regulations demand that businesses have a provider that is providing them defense-in-depth solutions and implementing technology safeguards, such as Advanced Threat Protection, managed firewalls, and more. These will keep them protected at all levels. Also, ensure there is a data backup and disaster recovery plan to recover if a breach or attack does happen.”
As part of working with a strategic IT consulting firm on data security, the first step is a security assessment. Then, a customized security strategy will tackle specific issues and suggest security technology implementation. IT consulting firms can also help with security vulnerabilities related to mobile, compliance, and remote access.
The average corporate email user clicks “Send” over 100 times a day. Yet data that comes from emails may not get the attention it deserves and thus can become an easy target. There are so many common email mistakes that create vulnerabilities. For example, a Goldman Sachs contractor inadvertently sent a message to a gmail.com email address rather than the corresponding gs.com email address. Within the email, there was a confidential document full of proprietary and sensitive data. Goldman Sachs went to court to get Google to prevent the gmail.com recipient from opening it. The company even asked whether Google would help it prevent a data breach.
In its annual Data Breach Investigations Report, Verizon cited these types of miscellaneous errors as partly to blame for data breaches. Incorrect recipients have received sensitive information due to user mistakes, while other email errors include publishing of nonpublic data to public web servers and insecure personal and medical data disposal.
The solution for these miscellaneous errors is to incorporate some automated programs. These include identity management software, password management tools, and network access rules. Furthermore, training is key for your team members so that they understand how to use a prevention strategy so these email errors don’t happen. Such a strategy should include checklists, procedures and process flows, and disciplinary measures when mistakes occur.
Email encryption is a security measure that prevents the theft of confidential data within an email system. That’s because the encryption makes it too difficult to decipher the data and not worth the criminal’s time. The longer it takes to break the encryption, the less likely a criminal will stick around to figure it out.
By encrypting email, you increase data security, but the security tools must be easy to use and manage. Zix is one company that provides a comprehensive email encryption solution for greater data security that your entire team can learn and implement quickly.
David Wagner, CEO of Zix, explains, “Security tools that create obstacles, slow down workflows, and frustrate end users are bound to foster workarounds that can compromise data, resulting in hefty fees, long-term penalties, and public scorn for a company. Thus, organizations, especially in highly regulated industries like healthcare and finance, need to figure out how far users are prepared to go — realistically and in their daily efforts — to support a cybersecurity strategy. They can then implement solutions that foreground ease of use inasmuch as they do protection, because the two shouldn’t be mutually exclusive objectives.”
Privacy issues and hacking are the largest barriers to cloud adoption, according to Forrester. However, with more hacking into on-site data storage systems, organizations need to consider the increased security that the cloud offers, making it more worthwhile to store information off-site.
In addition, emerging regulatory frameworks mean that companies do not have to manage security on their own. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for example, is a set of strict requirements that direct how businesses and organizations should handle their customers’ data. Implementation of these safeguards will enable organizations to feel more comfortable about data security.
Final Thoughts
Finally, being secure with your data means leveraging a proactive approach rather than reactively addressing any data breaches. You can be proactive through continual education, testing and analysis, and adoption of the latest technologies. It also helps to arm yourself with technology consultants who come with their own skill sets and provide a formidable line of defense to keep data safe.