October 2019
October was Cybersecurity Month, which gives us an opportunity to consider information security and the steps that need to be taken to protect data, whether it’s personal, financial or professional. Sometimes the simplest hacking approach is the most effective, so we look at how to spot signs of ‘social engineering’, where hackers manipulate someone into giving confidential information and which, according to telco Verizon, makes up 33% of cyber attacks.
The use of mobile identity documents is on the rise. A new report predicts that by 2024, 3 billion people in economies where government identity provision is limited will be issued with unique mobile identifier services, which will use SIM cards to verify an individual’s identity. The report predicts that in the next five years these services will be used by 40% of the population.
This month, we revisit blockchain technology. Ten years after its conception, blockchain is no longer just about the fintech sector but is being used to help build smart cities, protect citizen data, drive IoT devices in the home and secure freight management at ports. We also take a trip to Antwerp in Belgium as a citizen-centric hub enables the city to become a place of research, development and innovation where everyone’s invited.
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