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Can ChatGPT Be Used to Improve SEO Content in Marketing?

Anyone who has used ChatGPT has been amazed by how it can “talk” to them. This AI-powered chatbot can give answers to any question it is asked. And, it does it in a conversational way.

On the face of it, the answers look and sound original. That means if one were to give it a topic, the answer could easily be used as an article.

In fact, one of the jobs it is supposed to “steal” is that of the content writer. The argument is, why should anyone pay for writers when ChatGPT can do the same thing faster and for a much lower cost?

Can ChatGPT Replace Content Writers?

And, everyone knows that SEO content can be difficult for businesses, especially IT businesses. In fact, IT marketing agencies, like Geeky Tech, are inundated with clients who don’t know what sort of content will work best for them.

Would ChatGPT make things easier for such companies?

Well, the honest answer is, the chatbot cannot replace a human writer. It can’t come up with original ideas. And, it can only regurgitate information that is already published on the web.

So, no, if a company relies solely on ChatGPT for writing content, it will soon realise the content quality is not quite adequate.

(In some cases, the information it generates might even be wrong.)

However, the tool can be used as a tool in an organisation’s marketing efforts. The Entrepreneur lists three ways in which ChatGPT can be used to support a business’s content production.

Three Ways in Which ChatGPT Could Support a Business’s Marketing Content

According to the article, whilst there are limitations to what ChatGPT can do, the one thing it can do really well is respond to questions (or prompts) in a natural, human-like, way. 

The other thing it can do well is analysing information provided to give the prompter a reasoned response.

With these traits in mind, here’s how one can use ChatGPT in content production for their marketing.

1. Be Realistic With Expectations

It is easy to assume the answer generated by the AI is usable as SEO content in its original form. 

However, as expressed earlier, regurgitated data, even if it sounds fresh, is neither original nor creative.

So, one needs to be realistic about the capabilities of the AI. It can’t offer creative thoughts but it can be used to kickstart the creative process.

2. Be Clear and Comprehensive With Your Input

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking the chatbot is a smart person. 

It is not.

It is a computer—a smart computer capable of some form of learning, but a machine nonetheless.

As such, the concept of “Garbage In, Garbage Out”, or GIGO, applies to it as it does to any computer.

If marketers need a viable solution from ChatGPT, they would need to give it all the information. The article compares the chatbot to a freelance content writer. 

The professional’s skill is writing, not expertise in the client’s business. If the company wants the writer to produce high-value content, they would need to provide them with the relevant information.

Detailed Prompts Are Important

To avoid incomplete or irrelevant output, one needs to ensure that the chatbot is provided with detailed prompts.

The tool requires not only the right data points but also the right questions.

That would mean the marketing team would need to do its due diligence when it comes to research. It would need to identify the questions the company’s audiences are asking and the points to cover before it can ask the chatbot to come up with the answer.

3. Use ChatGPT As a Starting Point

As would be obvious from the previous points, ChatGPT may not replace human writers, but it can help them get started on content.

Using the right prompts, the chatbot can help provide topic ideas and suggestions. It can also generate an outline for the kind of content marketers need to write.

At a stretch, the tool can be used to generate a first draft which is then heavily edited by a human writer.

In short, ChatGPT is not a hack that will help marketers get easy results. However, it is a powerful tool that, if used correctly, can help make content generation much easier.

Read more about how ChatGPT could be used for keyword research.

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Computers & Software Technology U.K U.S

AMD Successfully Migrates to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition; Aims to Make the Company More Resilient

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), the leader in driving innovation in high-performance computing, visualisation technologies, and graphics, has reportedly migrated to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition.

Adopting RISE with SAP is part of AMD’s robust cloud strategy and is expected to help the company efficiently consolidate existing SAP services onto a single enterprise platform, reported beststocks.

“AMD needs software that can scale with our business and provide the necessary resilience across our mission-critical applications. RISE with SAP was the perfect solution,” explained the CIO of AMD, Hasmukh Ranjan. “It’s a catalyst to productivity that removes barriers to innovation and helps us strategically position our technology investments for the future.”

The partnership between AMD and SAP is expected to help both companies deliver their promise of digital transformation to customers.

AMD’s Digital Transformation Journey Powered by SAP

AMD announced its move to SAP S/4HANA on April 20, 2023, and marked it as a milestone that will strengthen the strategic partnership of 25 years between the two companies.

In collaboration with SAP, 4th Gen AMD EPYC™ processors are providing some of the world’s largest businesses with accelerated results while slashing costs, power, and server footprint.

This shift to S/4HANA is hugely influenced by the tremendous success the company has seen after adopting SAP Signavio and SAP SuccessFactors solutions, SAP Ariba, and SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP).

RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition

Cloud-based system implementation is gaining momentum among SAP-focused companies striving to drive business agility.

Again, with SAP’s ECC software support looming in 2027, more and more businesses are looking to transition to SAP S/4HANA.

Such a transformation requires high-level scalability, and RISE with SAP, a complete and one-stop cloud-based solution, offers a pathway.

S/4HANA Cloud ERP—RISE with SAPs—can be deployed as a private cloud solution or can be contracted to hyperscalers—Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, etc.

By allowing businesses to opt for a subscription-based model and pay only for the resources they use, RISE with SAP Cloud, Private Edition helps keep the total cost of ownership (TCO) as low as possible. 

As a result, SAP enterprises can standardise on high-level business suites to boost productivity at scale while keeping measurable rolling in the business.

Coming as a bundled offering along with Hyperscaler Infrastructure, Network Starter Pack, Business Intelligence Processes, and Business Technology Platform, RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition helps enterprises unlock the untapped potential of an enterprise.

However, driving digital transformation and modernising business operations requires strategic technical and functional SAP support. 

For SAP businesses looking to leverage the full benefits of the SAP S/4HANA environment and turn into intelligent enterprises, investing in high-end SAP consulting services like Protera is a sensible decision.

A high-end SAP consulting service ensures a safe and right-sized migration to SAP S/4HANA, seamlessly integrated with ancillary SAP solutions.

Wrapping Up

AMD expects its transition to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private edition, will accelerate the company’s journey towards digital transformation while making it highly resilient.

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Finance Technology U.K U.S

IBM Mulling Divestiture of Weather Business; Aims to Streamline Software and Cloud Business

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International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is reportedly divesting Weather Business, a subsidiary of IBM.

The divestiture is part of the company’s long-term strategy to strengthen its core business aspects by ensuring more streamlined operations, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Referring to the people with knowledge of the divestment, Yahoo! Finance said that the sale is expected to be transacted for roughly $1 billion if consummated as planned.

IBM Acquiring the Weather Company

On 28th October 2015, IBM announced the acquisition of the Weather Company as part of its effort to accelerate its move into the then-hot IoT. The deal value was pegged at roughly $2 billion and also included the sell-off of The Weather Company’s B2B, WSI, weather.com, mobile and cloud-based web properties, Weather Underground, and The Weather Co. brand. However, due to its long-term agreement to supply weather data to the Weather Channel, IBM didn’t acquire it.  

IBM announced the purchase in October 2015 as part of its effort to accelerate its move into the then-hot IoT market.

The deal was inked in order to leverage IBM’s own cloud server that can deliver precise weather projections accumulating around 25 billion forecasts per day. 

With this acquisition, IBM – the IT giant – was committed to yielding high-profit margins by leveraging the wave of data-crunching systems. 

During its eight years of ownership, IBM successfully boosted its weather services. It enhanced the modeling technology of the Weather Company and devised high-end predictive software to use firehose of data crowdsourced from the barometers of smartphones running the Weather Channel application and from aircraft sensors.

The buy-in was completed on 29th January 2016.

Breaking Down the Reasons Behind the Divestment

In order to simplify and streamline operations, IMB has been reported to spin off its weather business which includes the divestiture of weather.com.

As part of its effort to restructure the company around its core AI and hybrid cloud services, IBM has already divested some non-core businesses and healthcare units. For example, in November 2021, IBM declared the separation of part of its managed infrastructure services business to Kyndry Inc. For this, the company charged around $300 billion through Q1 2023 from the start of the company’s carve-out in 2021. 

Earlier this year, the company laid off around 3900 staffers after spinning off one of its business units and divesting a healthcare data analytics business. 

However, IBM is yet to generate more sustainable and measurable returns due to its year-over-year revenue growth reaching a plateau. 

IBM’s revenue increased by more than 8% in the first quarter of the year, exceeding the growth registered in the final quarter of 2021. Despite the increase in revenue, IBM’s profit in Q1 was impacted by the hiking cost of cloud infrastructure development. 

Successful Divestment Needs Strategic Planning

Divestments can take any form – sell-offs, split-ups, carve-outs, spin-offs, etc.

Whatever form the process takes, to ensure minimal business disruption, divestments should be planned meticulously. 

For businesses looking to accelerate the transaction timeline while ensuring data accuracy, leveraging a high-end consulting service like Fission Consulting is a sensible business investment. An expert consulting agency helps clients streamline each stage of the divestment process, dodging uncertainty throughout the project.

Wrapping Up

No matter the reason, IBM expects divesting The Weather Business will act as a step-change in helping the company streamline the operations of its core business. 

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Computers & Software Technology Telecom U.K U.S

Can Artificial Intelligence Carry Out Penetration Tests Without Human Intervention?

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Penetration testing, or pen testing, is part of any business’s cybersecurity arsenal. It helps organisations identify ways in which threat actors could exploit the weaknesses in their IT infrastructure.

Once identified, these vulnerabilities can be patched or mitigation plans put in place.

However, with artificial intelligence (AI) being used by cybercriminals to create malware, one might wonder if the reverse could be true as well.

That is, could AI help bolster cybersecurity?

The thing is, pen testing requires a human. But, we’ve seen how ChatGPT interacts with people. Could the chatbot also make decisions like a person to “attack” a system to find out how secure it is?

What Is Pen Testing and How Is it Different From Vulnerability Scanning?

A strong cybersecurity stance requires active as well as passive measures. Passive security is taken care of by firewalls and antivirus software. 

Active security, on the other hand, requires the business to constantly assess its systems for weaknesses. Any that are found can then be fixed.

Two of the active measures for cybersecurity are pen testing and vulnerability scanning.

Pen testing is undertaken by a skilled ethical hacker. The person—actively and creatively—tests the organisation’s network, application, and endpoints. If they find any exploitable vulnerabilities, they carry out attacks to see how successful they are.

In short, they simulate what an actual hacker would do if they were trying to attack the business.

Vulnerability scans, on the other hand, are automated. They simply help the business identify potential issues. These scans don’t offer any insights into how the weaknesses could be exploited.

It will, however, rank the identified vulnerabilities in terms of priority. However, because it cannot determine how a hacker would use the weakness, it is up to humans to decide whether a vulnerability needs remediation and mitigation.

So, Can AI Be Used for Penetration Testing?

The thing is, AI can be a handy tool in the quest for cybersecurity. It uses big data and machine learning (ML) to understand regular traffic patterns. 

Then, armed with this information, it can identify “abnormal” behaviour.

The best part is, AI can process vast quantities of incoming information in a matter of seconds. It would take a human several hours—even days—to go through such quantities of data.

That makes AI perfect for adaptive cybersecurity, where it can block users based on their behaviour.

What AI Can Do for Cybersecurity

It can also be very effective at vulnerability scanning, where it can spot and flag problems in code, systems, and networks.

It may also offer cybersecurity support. For example, it could be used for source code analysis. AI could scan the code and identify potential flaws that could be exploited.

It may also be used for brute force attack testing by, say, generating potential passwords and entering them.

It might also be possible to teach AI how to exploit a list of weaknesses and use them in a simulated cyber attack. Businesses could also use AI for quicker detection and response if they are attacked.

What it might not be able to do is creatively identify vulnerabilities that it hasn’t been “taught”. Since penetration testing does require some creativity, AI might not be as effective at pen testing as a person…yet.

For now, we need to rely on penetration testing services of reliable providers like DigitalXRAID.

Having a strong cybersecurity posture is essential for any business. Without it, threat actors could have a field day with even the tiniest vulnerability. By being proactive, one can reduce the attack surface as well as the amount of damage threat actors could do.

Categories
Computers & Software Health & Medicine Technology U.K U.S

ObvioHeath to Conduct Decentralised Clinical Trial on Mi-Helper Device: Treatment of Migraines Expected to be Facilitated

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On March 16th, Mi-Helper, Inc. and ObvioHealth reportedly declared a collaboration to carry on a decentralised clinical trial (DCT) in order to analyse the effectiveness of a non-invasive neuromodulation (nVNS) device. 

This nVNS device, called Mi-Helper, is expected to facilitate the treatment of migraines.

According to NeuroNews, the device will be used for a randomised, controlled, and fully remote clinical trial where patients with migraine issues will be able to record essential data from the comfort of their homes.

The partnership will ensure a cost-effective and accessible remedy for this debilitating neurological condition that affects around one billion people across the globe.

Migraines: a Quick Overview

Migraines are described as miild to severe headaches that cause intense, throbbing pain. The burden and prevalence of self-reported migraine and severe headaches in the adult population in the USA are high, affecting more than 39 million Americans, according to Migraine Research Foundation.

In addition, roughly one in every seven adults in the U.S. suffer from migraines. The economic costs of migraine-based diseases were evaluated to be USD 36B in 2016, taking into account the factors such as loss of productivity (i.e., inability to work) and medical costs, according to the NIH.

On top of that, in a recent study published in AANP, more than 40% of migraine patients reported dissatisfaction with existing treatments because of precautions, tolerability issues, lack of efficacy, or contraindications between medications.

The Collaboration will Facilitate Migraine Treatment

With the partnership, both companies expect to devise a more targeted, effective, and non-drug pain management system for people suffering from migraines.

A small, non-invasive therapy device, the Mi-Helper delivers an on-demand stream of conditioned air intermixed with nebulised mist to the mucosa membranes in the nose to help recover from migraine pain and related symptoms, for instance, photosensitivity and nausea.

“We are working with the top headache neurologists in the world to inform our clinical studies,” said Steve Schaefer, CEO of Mi-Helper. “And, we are committed to delivering a paradigm shift for migraine treatment—fast, accessible, and affordable relief for this highly complex and debilitating neurological disease.” 

With the partnership, both companies are committed to increasing diversity in the trial by enrolling the underrepresented social, racial, and ethnic minority groups from all over the continental United States. 

“Mi-Helper and ObvioHealth are dedicated to inclusivity,” said Ivan Jarry, CEO of ObvioHealth. “By designing a decentralised clinical trial without the need for physical site visits, we can recruit patients anywhere in the continental United States, including underserved communities. This will provide Mi-Helper with essential data on a real-world population in a real-world setting and should help to ensure that the device, when launched, can serve a broad population.”

Featuring a DCT-based adaptive design, the study is expected to start enrolling participants this summer.

The ObvioGo app, which will be used for conducting remote study, is expected to improve patient centricity in the trial by allowing patients to participate, consent and document any critical conditions remotely. 

ObvioHealth has confirmed that its experienced COACH team will ensure remote and real-time monitoring of patient safety and compliance.

Categories
Business Computers & Software Government & Politics Technology U.K

Governance and Uses of AI: Using ChatGPT-4 in MVP Development

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On the 29th of March, the British government released a white paper to “guide the use of artificial intelligence in the UK, to drive responsible innovation and maintain public trust in this revolutionary technology”.

In this white paper, the government has outlined five principles that should be considered by regulators “to best facilitate the safe and innovative use of AI in the industries they monitor”.

The five principles are:

  • Safety, security, and robustness
  • Transparency and explainability
  • Fairness
  • Accountability and governance
  • Contestability and redress

There is also a plan for a £2 million sandbox which will help businesses test out AI rules before they go out into the market.

The use of AI has steadily increased over the last few years, with the technology becoming more mainstream since the public launch of ChatGPT.

What Is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT, the really smart chatbot created by OpenAI, has caught the public’s attention because of its natural language processing capabilities that allow it to converse with people like a human.

Some people think it will replace search engines—no more wading through a list of pages to find the answer. Others, on the contrary, worry it might “steal jobs”.

However, since it’s here to stay, experts are exploring ways of using it. And, according to The Recursive, ChatGPT-4 can be especially useful in the development of MVPs.

Using ChatGPT for MVP Development

MVPs, or minimum viable products, are a no-frills version of a digital product. An MVP is complete and has all the features that necessary for proof of concept. However, it doesn’t include any additional nice-to-have features.

One can get MVP and software app-building services from businesses that specialise in this type of development, like Luminos Software. This company in particular will be the first to emphasise that designing an MVP is not just about coming up with the idea and rushing to build it.

To design a successful MVP, which can then be developed into a successful product, one needs to have completed market research to see if there is a need for it at all. There also needs to be a detailed roadmap, where the important features are listed and prioritised.

And, according to The Recursive, the planning stage of MVP development can be made easier with ChatGPT.

Market Research

Whilst the chatbot cannot go and interview people (not yet, anyway) for market research, what it can do is scour through search engine result pages. It can look at the search queries people are using and the results they are generating.

This information can be used by startups to gain valuable insight into what their customers are looking for and what the market needs.

Financial Decisions

Startups can use ChatGPT as an autonomous business consultant to develop a narrative for potential investors. The tool has access to a vast amount of data that it can use to generate insights. 

These can help in creating accurate budgets, resource allocation, and investment decisions.

Idea Validation

The ChatGPT chatbot has been quite handy in helping people refine ideas because one can use it as a sounding board. It has access to the information available on the internet—as long as that information as published online before September 2021. 

It can carry out a discussion, offer suggestions, and come up with solutions. That can be beneficial to the process of verifying concepts and developing ideas.

The tool can also be utilised for prototyping, where it may run user testing, recommend improvements, and simulate new products.

Better and Cheaper Decision Making

Thanks to its access to vast amounts of data and its processing power, ChatGPT-4 has made decision-making simpler and cheaper. It can automate certain tasks and sift through data in a shorter amount of time than a human can.

That is not to say that it can replace developers. One would still need trained professionals to build their MVP. 

However, with AI, a lot of the planning can be done quickly and easily, without using up a big part of the initial funding on prep work.

Originally published in Geeky News

Categories
Financial Market Services Technology Transportation & Logistics U.K

Holme Beach: An ANPR Camera Has Gone Live; Drivers Using the Car Park Being Charged Again

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As declared, an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera has reportedly been installed to monitor cars parked at Holme-next-the-Sea, near Hunstanton, in the English countryside of Norfolk.

With the new ANPR system enforced, drivers will now be charged £100 as fines if they don’t pay for using the Holme beach parking lot, according to Eastern Daily Press.

Fleshing Out the ANPR Parking System

Also known as Licence Plate Recognition (LPR), an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is a specially designed high-speed image capture technology that can identify and read vehicle registration plates as they pass through an infrared camera.

Built on optical character recognition technology, an ANPR camera captures an image of a vehicle number plate as it enters or exits a parking lot. The image, when passed on to a compatible number plate reader, gets converted into standard Wiegand format ID numbers. Upon comparing this information with the record in the existing database, the access control system decides whether or not to grant access to that vehicle to the parking premises.

The recorded vehicle registration plate details and the location data can be used for various law enforcement and traffic management purposes.

Besides enforcing surveillance of vehicle entry/exit at parking facilities, an ANPR system ensures car parking security.

A cost-effective way to provide consistent data to parking management apps, an ANPR camera also helps with threat recognition, repeat delinquent detection, or targeting vehicles/block-listed vehicles.

For a ticketless parking lot, deploying high-quality ANPR surveillance cameras that seamlessly integrate with parking management and enforcement solutions, such as ZatPark, is essential for vehicle access control. 

High-end ANPR integration increases efficiency by enabling seamless processing of ANPR images. This type of system helps extend enforcement hours without increasing overhead expenses.

Advanced ANPR technologies ensure a 100% capture rate accuracy under recommended lighting conditions.

Fully automated ANPR camera systems do not require employees to operate them, thus reducing operating costs.

Deployment of ANPR Camera at Holme Beach Car Parking

The deployment of the ANPR system took shape after the Hunstanton Golf Club had been given a go-ahead by West Norfolk council in December to install the equipment in the parking lot it owns on Beach Road at Holme.

In a planning statement, the golf club, said: “The proposed installation of ticketing equipment would allow charges to be levied all year round on a more cost-effective basis.”

According to a report written by an officer who recommended the approval of the ANPR camera installation last year, “Based on the existing use of the land, the surrounding area and the level of natural screening, it is not considered that these small scale additions will have a significant visual impact or adversely affect the locality.”

Earlier, a kiosk was used to manage the parking premises at Holme beach. However, anyone arriving at the parking lot, when the kiosk was not open, could park their vehicles without paying until the concession closed in the summer of 2022.

Now that the ANPR surveillance camera is deployed, drivers need to pay £3 to park their vehicles for two hours, £5 for four hours, or £7 to park for an entire day.

Charges at the Holme beach parking are lower than the nearby Hunstanton Cliff Top car park, where drivers have to pay £2.20/hour, £4.20/two hours, £6/three hours, and £8/day.

Categories
Financial Market Lifestyle Living Real Estate U.K

UK’s Real Estate Market Is Radiating Optimism After Enduring a Tough Nine Months

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After facing a ‘perfect storm’ for the last nine months, the UK’s real estate market is now radiating optimism again.

Improving buyer inquiries, and lower-than-anticipated interest and mortgage rates had made the real estate market see some hope to recover in the coming months after a stagnant start to the year, reported Schroders.

Correction in Prices in UK’s Real Estate Market

Britain’s real estate market has reportedly encountered a sharp correction in prices since the onset of the financial crisis of 2008. Last summer, capital values started to plunge and are now around 21% below their peak value last June.

But, how much more will the price slump before the market is stabilised and investors feel confident to place their capital again?

Increasing Cost of Borrowing – The Main Culprit

A hefty hike in interest rates affecting investor sentiment is the key factor contributing to the rapid depression in capital value. Within a year, the total cost of hedging debt on good quality assets has soared to 6% from 3.5%. The yield on 10 year bonds in the UK is now at 3.75%, which was roughly 1% at the beginning of 2022.

As a result, investors owning equity and debt-backed buyers have asked for lower prices as part of their effort to hit their return targets. 

The buyer-seller stand-off has driven up the gross real estate yield and depressed transactions. 

In January 2023, the average initial yield soared to 5.2% up from 4.2% in June 2022. The total transaction value recorded in the final quarter of 2022 slipped by 60% from 2021. On the other hand, rental values continued to rise gradually through the second half of 2022.

Inflation Is Showing Signs of Decreasing

Whether the paradigm will shift to the right largely depends on interest and inflation rates.

The UK’s inflation rate is now at 10.40%, compared to 10.10% in February and 6.20% last year—higher than the long-term average of 2.73%.

The higher inflation rate looming over the country can lead to inflated interest rates making borrowing costs spiral upward.

However, with supply bottlenecks easing and utility prices starting to stabilise, inflation is anticipated to halve and reach roughly 5% by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the Bank of England (BoE) is forecast not to raise interest rates any further this year after increasing it once again to 4.25%. 

Again, despite falling prices, the UK housing market is showing signs of stabilisation, as buyer inquiry and sales activities increased last month. 

A net balance of -29% of surveyors reported a rise in new buyer inquiries last month, up from -45% in January. Even though this is the 10th negative reading in a row, indicating a decline in demand, it is the smallest drop since last July, said The Guardian, citing Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) monthly survey.

That said, the demand for high-end real estate agents like Quintessentially Estates is expected to increase with the housing market rebound. A top-tier real estate company is always on hand to help clients with all property needs. 

Schroders anticipates that the plunging house prices in the UK will push the BoE to adopt monetary policies to keep interest rates low. 

Buying Interest Is Increasing

Analysts unanimously agreed that the rising yields since last year are making the real estate market affordable to investors with equity and UK pension funds. 

“The spread between the average initial yield and 10-year bonds is now back to 1.5%, close to its average of 2% over the last 30 years,” reported Schroders. “The gap is lower than in the last decade when it averaged 3%, but the spread was exaggerated by quantitative easing which artificially lowered bond yields.”

Again, with international investors snapping up properties in the UK, the country’s real estate market is getting a boost.

The UK’s real estate market has been ranked second globally amid a resilient economic recovery with Asian, North American, and Middle Eastern investors interested in European properties.

As a result, the UK has been identified by far as the largest and most liquid commercial real estate market in Europe and has been re-priced more rapidly. To some extent, the reason is the stabilising British sterling and falling political and economic risks after Rishi Sunak has been appointed as the UK prime minister in October 2022.

Real Estate Market Falling into Place

With investor demand gradually falling into place, the UK’s real estate market has started recovering. Stabilising British Pound value, faster re-pricing of the UK’s real estate market, and bond yields approaching equilibrium are all making the market radiate optimism. If the soaring inflation rate and current looming recession in the UK continue to ease, investors are expected to consider deploying capital later this year.

Categories
Computers & Software Energy & Environment Leisure Activities Technology U.K

Energy Efficiency: Re-Using Heat From Data Centres to Heat Up Public Swimming Pools

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The rising energy prices in the UK have affected not just households but also businesses. Data centres, for example, require a lot of energy to keep their computers cool. The cost of running air conditioning for these can be astronomical.

Similarly, public swimming pools require energy to keep the water warm enough to swim in. Maintaining a steady 30 degrees C means an energy bill can cost thousands. And, with the anticipated increase in heating costs, leisure centres are expecting to pay £100,000 more this year.

However, someone noticed the opposing requirements of these two entities and figured why not get them to help each other out.

But, why do data centres need help? 

One can see how the heating cost is a factor for public pools. In fact, BBC News reported that 65 pools have closed down since 2019, with rising costs being listed as a significant factor. But data centres?

The Problem Data Centres Face

Cloud computing and digital transformation have meant that the need for data centres has grown exponentially. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services need more data centres in the UK. 

However, they face the likelihood of being hit with sustainability-related regulations to keep them out of certain parts of London. Some of these regulations might limit the amount of power they consume and mandate how they reuse heat.

These regulations will mean data centres might have to either scale back their expansion plans or look into newer ways of energy efficiency and heat capture.

Swimming Pools to the Rescue

The founder of tech startup, Deep Green, Mark Bjornsgaard, came up with the idea of using small data centres as “digital boilers” for swimming pools. He provided a small, washing-machine-sized data centre to the Exmouth Leisure Centre.

The “digital boiler” is made up of computers housed inside a white box, which is surrounded by oil. The oil absorbs the heat generated by the servers and then it’s pumped into the heat exchanger, where the absorbed heat is transferred to the water.

The cooled oil is sent back into the boiler to continue the heat transfer process.

This system has provided around 60% of the heating required for the pool. And, it’s been so successful that up to 20 public pools might adopt this heating system this year. 

The best part is, this system is free for the pools. As mentioned above, data centres need to demonstrate sustainability, whilst also keeping servers cool. The data centre installed in the Exmouth Leisure Centre pool has been provided free of charge.

What’s more, Bjornsgaard also refunded them the electricity cost of running the server.

Is This the Heating Solution of the Future?

As the need for more data centres grows, there is a possibility that, at some point in the future, people could house (pun intended!) data centres in their homes as “digital boilers”. However, for now, people still need to rely on traditional boilers to heat their homes. 

Of course, as heating costs rise, regular maintenance and repair of boilers (by reliable service providers, like Mulgas Boiler Care Specialists) will help keep homes energy efficient for now.

In the future, however, it is entirely possible that when boilers act up, homeowners might need to call a server repair technician.

Categories
Business Computers & Software Technology U.K

Vulnerability Management 101 for Businesses That Care About Cybersecurity

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Businesses, both small and large, rely on technology. That means using computers (and other devices), apps, software, and, of course, a connection to the internet.

And, as technology becomes more sophisticated, it also falls prey to misconfiguration and vulnerabilities. 

These, in turn, can leave the business open to cyber attacks, leading to data breaches or loss control of assets.

That’s why vulnerability management is so essential.

What Is Vulnerability Management?

“Vulnerability management” refers to an integral part of cybersecurity management. It’s a task periodically carried out to identify, evaluate, remediate/mitigate, and report any potential weaknesses in a business’ network, system, infrastructure, or endpoints.

It forms a part of an overall strategy where cybersecurity is maintained by constantly evaluating risk and finding points that threat actors could use to gain access. Once these weak points are identified, the threat can be assessed and patch implementation carried out.

The reason why vulnerability management is essential is that it can help businesses reduce the avenues a threat actor has to get into the data and network of the company.

How Does Vulnerability Management Work?

As stated previously, vulnerability management is a process where a business scans its systems and network for exploitable weaknesses. It generates a list of potential “problem areas”.

These are then assessed and given a priority ranking. This ranking helps business team identify issues that need fixing first.

Since the process is periodic and ongoing, businesses can monitor all its digital assets to ensure your data stays safe.

What Is the Vulnerability Management Process?

The Vulnerability Management Policy

As with anything else in a business, vulnerability management starts with a plan. Here’s what security teams need to map out:

Prepare the vulnerability management policy: Once created, the policy should be shared with other stakeholders to get their input before proceeding further.

Create a priority system: certain systems might not require as much security as others. By creating a priority list, teams can focus on the important parts whilst giving others slightly less, but adequate, attention.

Factor in the industry- and region-specific regulations: Certain industries have to follow regulations and policies specific to the work they do. Certain regions might have more stringent regulations around cybersecurity and data protection.

Train cybersecurity and vulnerability management stakeholders: Whilst it is important that everyone in the organisation is trained on cyber secure behaviour, certain people would have to take on extra responsibilities. 

For example, security officers, cybersecurity or vulnerability engineers, asset and data owners, managed security service providers (MSSPs), and other business leaders. For a smoother operation, these people should know their roles and responsibilities in the vulnerability management process.

The Vulnerability Management Process

Once the policy is drafted and in place, teams can start implementing it. The vulnerability management lifecycle can be broken down into the following steps (bear in mind, all of these steps have to be repeated regularly if you want to stay on top of threats):

Finding out the vulnerabilities: Identifying vulnerabilities in a business’ networks, systems, and IT assets can be done through vulnerability scanning (an automated process that identifies and reports exploitable weaknesses) or penetration testing (a mock attack carried out by a person who uses any weak points they find to “attack” a system like a hacker would).

Evaluating and prioritising vulnerabilities: Once there’s a list of vulnerabilities, a business doesn’t just start fixing them in any order. They need to be assessed and prioritised in order of how likely they are to be exploited and how much damage the threat actor can do through them. 

It is entirely possible that there’s a vulnerability that doesn’t actually pose any threat to an organisation. That’s why they need assessing and prioritising, so serious weaknesses are dealt with first.

Remediating and mitigating: Once a team knows which vulnerabilities they need to deal with and in what order, they can start the process of fixing them. Some can be fixed with vulnerability patches. Others might not be fixable, and may require mitigation instead.

Assessing if the fixes worked: If a team doesn’t test its solutions, it won’t know whether they worked or not. This process might require additional scanning or penetration testing. That way, businesses can definitively determine if the remediation and mitigation worked.

Documenting and reporting: The team will need to document any vulnerabilities discovered as well as the steps taken towards their resolution. Of course, if there are a different sets of reports coming in from processes like scans, pen testing, or other such activities, it might help to have them all in one place. 

Leading cybersecurity service provider, DigitalXRAID, recently launched a one-of-a-kind portal that “allows a company’s cybersecurity measures to be viewed from a single source and enables greater collaboration across the business.” 

This portal, called OrbitalX, enables businesses to create bespoke and automated reports to provide clients with “a holistic overview and better visibility of [their] cybersecurity posture and risk.”

Reassess the cybersecurity framework from time to time: Cyber threats continue to evolve. To keep up with them, the cybersecurity industry keeps developing new methods and tools for protecting data. 

A business has to keep up with both the potential threats and the available solutions in order to be truly protected. The best way of doing so is by periodically reassessing the cybersecurity framework.