Healthcare OT facilities remain exposed as industry experienced 68 attempted ransomware attacks in Q3

Healthcare facilities are prime targets for hackers, given their legacy devices and wealth of patient data. “With the high cost of each attack, healthcare providers must protect facilities so they can safely deliver excellent care without interruption,” said Ilan Barda, CEO of Radiflow.

Last month saw an alarming rise in cyber attacks against healthcare facilities. Ransomware attacks across the globe locked 68 care providers out of their respective networks during Q3 of this year alone, threatening patient safety and privacy. Experts fear that patients will suddenly be unable to receive critical care at a targeted facility without a holistic whole-facility cybersecurity approach.

Johnson Memorial Health Hospital in Franklin, Indiana, US, and the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera, Israel, are just two examples of the attacked medical facilities. At Johnson Memorial, the early-October attack locked databases and exposed patient data. Days after the attack, a ransom amount was strangely not yet requested.

In early November, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center was attacked by an allegedly Iran-backed group, Black Shadow. The personal data of 290,000 individuals were released, and investigators estimated that it would take many weeks to recover and understand the full scope of what had been accessed.

As healthcare facilities modernize, their legacy OT equipment becomes vulnerable to hackers. Water, HVAC, oxygen, electrical, and other critical systems are connected, yet may fall short of proper cybersecurity monitoring and protection. Compromising any of these utilities will negatively impact patient care, potentially threatening the lives of those being treated.

“Accessing patient data is worrisome, but the idea of hackers gaining access to components in a specific ward or even a single operating room is alarming,” said Ilan Barda, CEO of Radiflow. “CISOs at facilities should focus on both IT systems and OT environments, starting from risk assessment to threat monitoring. There should be continuous holistic risk management for more mature organizations that combine both IT and OT systems. With Radiflow, teams can monitor the full range of a healthcare OT security from one central location.”

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had warned about the alarming trends in 2021, with 68 global attacks on healthcare facilities in Q3 of this year alone.

Companies such as Radiflow, partnering with MSSPs around the globe, have spent over a decade protecting OT facilities by creating purpose-driven technologies to monitor complex always-on systems, such as those found throughout hospitals.

“CISOs today need to allocate resources carefully. To optimize their resource allocation, they can use CIARA OT-BAS tool to monitor for weak points and assess their risk exposure,” said Barda.

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source https://www.jbklutse.com/healthcare-ot-facilities-ransomware-attacks/

AFEX launches $100m food security fund

AFEX, Nigeria’s leading commodities market player, has announced a new $100m 10-year bond called The Food Security Fund (FSF). The financing will strengthen Africa’s food security and produce three million MT of food annually on the continent.

AFEX’s fund will support the financing of 250,000 hectares of land for commercial and smallholder farming, initially consisting of 30,000 hectares in the Nigerian states of Kano, Kaduna, Oyo, Ogun, Cross River & the FCT, before covering markets across East and West Africa.

The focus of the The Food Security Fund will be to explore and optimize climate smart innovations and high yield agronomy protocols to ensure more food is produced and that land is used efficiently. As a blended finance structure, with an external fund manager, AFEX’s $100m bond will boost food security in Nigeria, with additional impact across Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

A significant portion of the funding will be allocated to constructing warehouses. In Nigeria alone there is only capacity to store 4% of annual grain production. Restricted production has led to a 300,000 MT gap between demand and supply of seeds, and a 10 million MT gap in demand and supply of grains, increasing food import costs, and declining capacity utilization of processing plants.

“The launch of The Food Security Fund is another really important milestone as we chart our journey building the physical and technology-enabled infrastructure for the continent’s commodity sector,” said Ayodeji Balogun, CEO at AFEX.

“Finance will always be a key component of that infrastructure and so we’re very excited to roll out this bond to deliver what will eventually be a decade’s worth of impact. One of our core missions is to help the continent feed itself and we deliberately aligned our company goals with the UN SDGs from the outset, in particular the first and second goals to end hunger and eliminate poverty.”

Having worked with capital markets players to structure debt securities for over 200,000 smallholder farmers to date, AFEX is well-positioned to roll out the Food Security Fund.

Bolstered by an existing network of over 100 warehouses and digital trading platforms that link investors with producers and processors, the company’s commitment to the agricultural sector and deep industry knowledge will add crucial expertise behind this much needed funding.

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source https://www.jbklutse.com/afex-launches-100m-food-security-fund/

Load Measuring Systems: Characteristics, Applications, and Industries

Whether it is about manufacturing industries or safety inspection firms, load measuring systems have significant applications in numerous industries for force, tension, and weight measurement. Besides helping in the weight measurement of the materials, these systems are also useful to inspect safety.

Therefore, the load measuring systems fulfill two purposes in an industry- i) information gathering about the raw materials, and ii) prevention of the overloads.

Characteristics:

There are several essential characteristics that a load measuring system should possess, such as-

i) Safety:

The measuring system should have the ability of accurate and early detection of the overloads. For instance, a crane scale manufacturer should focus on the quality and reliability of the crane scales. The manufacturers should also rely on the transmission technology in the manufacturing process of these measuring systems.

The use of high-grade steel is essential for the manufacturing of the bodies of the measuring systems. In order to ensure safety, a load measuring system should have these characteristics.

ii) Environmental:

In order to safeguard the measuring systems from seasonal effects, manufacturers should provide a weatherproof facility in the measuring systems.

iii) Shock Absorbing Mechanism:

The measuring systems must have a shock-absorbing mechanism in order to handle the heavy loads.

iv) Real-time Load Map:

In order to detect the loads on different points, the measuring system should have the ability to display a real-time load map. This characteristic is crucial to prevent overloads and to have a clear idea about the distribution of loads.

v) Bluetooth and Smartphone Compatibility:

Bluetooth compatibility of the systems is important and it also eliminates the need for WiFi. The systems should also provide ease of handling through smartphones.

vi) Unlimited Data Logging:

An unlimited data logging facility is important to access the downloadable data log of several past months.

These are some important qualities that a load measuring system should possess in order to offer easy and accurate measurement.

Applications:

As load measuring systems help to measure the tension and horizontal force, the measuring systems have several applications, such as-

i) Weighing During Manufacturing Process:

In order to measure the weights of the lifted objects, load measuring systems are necessary.

ii) Prevention of Overloads:

The detection of overloads is necessary in order to protect people and important infrastructure from any damage and the measuring systems assist to detect any overload.

iii) Periodical Crane Safety Testing:

The measuring systems also play a crucial role to inspect the hoists, cranes, and other load-bearing structures.

iv) Foundries:

The load measuring systems help to determine the molten material’s amount in a ladle or crucible and as a result, we can control the metal’s composition.

v) Shipment Weighing:

During shipment, in order to weigh the raw materials and finished products, load measuring systems are essential.

vi) Controlled Cable Monitoring and Tensioning:

In order to monitor the tension in any cable and ensure the installation of the correct guy wire, measuring systems are necessary.

Industries:

In numerous applications and industries, load measuring systems are used such as oil and gas industry, industrial manufacturing, offshore operations, wind turbine installation and operation companies, shipping companies, safety inspection firms, crane supply companies, utilities, etc.

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2021 Ghana Bloggers Summit: TV3’s Johnnie Hughes and George Britton announced as keynote speakers

Broadcast Journalist and Morning Show Host at TV3, Johnnie Beresford Hughes and veteran blogger and CEO of GB Interactive Limited, George Britton, have been announced as keynote speakers for the 2021 Ghana Bloggers Summit organized by leading PR & Rating firm, Avance Media.

The annual conference for digital enthusiasts and the blogging community across Africa is scheduled for Saturday, 4th December 2021 at the Alisa Hotels, North Ridge, Accra.

Speaking about the summit, Managing Director of Avance Media, Prince Akpah, mentioned that this year’s summit will be coupled with the presentation of opportunities to participants from brands such as Ethiopian Airlines, GhanaWeb, and Nakroteck offering a return ticket to Dubai, GHS2,000 to the winner of the #GhanaWebReporter contest and hugely discounted hosting packages to participants, respectively.

Other key speakers drawn from the blogging and digital communities and academia include: Kwadwo Sheldon, Ali Ajami, Juliana Ntiamoah, Shepherd Yaw Mottey, Kofi Cephas, Ronnie is Everywhere, Entamoty, Kobby Kyei, Rashad Emmanuel Kojo, Ismail Akwei, Rabiu Alhassan, YemmeyBaba, Dominic Asitanga, Stephen Naasei Boadi, Nana Tamakloe, Ohemaa Candace, Neldrick Sackey, Frank Harrison, Edward Asare and Stephen Charway.

The summit presents the stage for the discussion of interesting and relevant topics such as: “Techniques in blogging that sustain blogs and their brands”, “Future of digital publishing and the promotion of citizen journalism,” “Digital/Misinformation literacy for Bloggers, “Building a brand using the 8 marketing tools,” “The Impact of Blogging on Ghanaian Tourism” among many others.

The event will be hosted by professional MC and Public Speaking Coach, Efo Korku Mawutor and have Hilda Obo Mbrah, Etse Atisu, Bismark Botchwey and Mawuena Azumah moderating panels.

After party will be hosted at Clou9ine on Osu Oxford Street opposite Frankies at 10 pm.

The 2021 Ghana Bloggers Summit is being hosted by Avance Media with support from ICS Africa and in partnership with Woodin, GhanaWeb, Verna Natural Mineral Water, McBerry Biscuits, Alisa Hotels – North Ridge, Ethiopian Airlines, Cloud9ine, Nakroteck, Cheezy Pizza, WatsUp TV, SetorNtepe, Infinity Photography and Asuavo Security.

More details about the summit are available via  https://avancemedia.org/bloggers21

For partnerships and sponsorship kindly contact Avance Media via md@avancemedia.org or call +233242307379

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source https://www.jbklutse.com/2021-ghana-bloggers-summit-keynote-speakers/

Transparency in spare parts pricing

In an environment as crowded as the aviation spare parts marketplace, finding transparency in pricing may seem like an almost impossible task. With the sector flooded with millions of unique part numbers, competing brokers, MROs, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), how can industry players be sure that prices are accurate, conducive to profit, and have not been artificially inflated?

Recent innovations in technology, such as increased internet speeds, the propagation of IoT, and the demand for Big Data crunching power, have helped increase transparency in pricing and created a less risky environment for customers and suppliers in which to trade.

Locatory.com, a family member of Avia Solutions Group, and the leading aviation marketplace in Europe and the eastern hemisphere has taken that transparency to the next level with a comprehensive online tool for sourcing spare parts and repair capabilities.

The Locatory.com platform gives greater pricing transparency than many of its competitors via its adaptability and extensive search capabilities.

According to Toma Matutyte, Director of Sales and Marketing at Locatory.com Marketplace, “To be more competitive and proactive in the market, players need to be able to compare, analyse, and take reasonable insights from reliable statistics and analytics, and that’s exactly what Locatory.com gives our customers the power to do.”

The Locatory platform allows the user to fine-tune their searches using parameters such as price statistics, part numbers, latest trending parts, demand by condition, and hard to find parts, all of which can be further sorted ‘by year’.

There is also the added functionality offering Company Statistics, offering overviews of your company’s past and present condition, including historical data concerning spare parts KPIs.

Additionally, the Company Actions section of the Locatory.com platform is available for management and admins to minutely examine, analyse, and act on all aspects of process management.

Toma Matutyte adds, “There can be no doubt that the aviation aftermarket has seriously influenced the entire industry. With the introduction of next-generation aircraft and the retirement of older models, the spare parts marketplace, including the transparency of pricing, has altered dramatically, making spare parts an important profit resource for OEMs.

“By offering better pricing transparency, Locatory.com has opened greater opportunities for easier sourcing, quicker turn-around times, and enhanced profitability in the aircraft parts and repair capabilities sector. The unique capabilities of the Locatory.com platform enable aviation traders to establish pricing and find more opportunities across the entire aviation marketplace.”

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Download tons of apps on HUAWEI Y9a with AppGallery and Petal Search

Featuring a 64MP AI Quad Camera and 40W (22.5W) HUAWEI SuperCharge, the HUAWEI Y9a has become a top player in the mid-range smartphone market and is a top-selling product. Pre-installed with AppGallery, along with Petal Search, HUAWEI Y9a users can easily download a huge number of popular mobile apps onto their phone.

TOP 3 app marketplace in the world: AppGallery has it all

As Huawei’s official app marketplace, AppGallery provides users with global top apps and services, as well as a wide variety of local quality apps. AppGallery is currently available in more than 170 countries and regions, making it the TOP 3 app store in the world.

From news to social networking, entertainment and more, AppGallery covers 18 app categories so you can enjoy a diversified selection of some globally popular apps and services.

To protect user’s personal data and security, the AppGallery has a full-cycle security and protection system, including developer real-name verification, four-step review process, download and installation protection, as well as a prevention mechanism for app operation.

Search and Download things you want through Petal Search

As a search engine, Petal Search has two major features – generic search and app search. Through these you can explore apps, news, images and more. Petal Search lists apps from multiple sources, including AppGallery.

This search and download process can be done with only two steps:

• Open the Petal Search app or search widget and enter the name of the app you are looking for. In the result list, select the Apps category to shortlist the content.
• Go to the app you need and hit the Install button – Petal Search will direct you to the source so you can start downloading it. The source might be AppGallery, its official website or third-party platforms such as APKPure. Before the installation starts, your Huawei mobile will request for a security check to scan for any risks.

Other than downloading new apps, users can get updates for existing apps from Petal Search. Just go to Me -> Downloads -> Updates, and select an app to get the update.

The Petal Search widget is pre-installed on the home screen on HUAWEI Y9a.

In addition to app experience, the HUAWEI Y9a appeals to a range of consumers with three colour options: Midnight Black, Space Silver, and Sakura Pink, and has 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, priced at GHS1759.

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source https://www.jbklutse.com/huawei-y9a-with-appgallery-and-petal-search/

Enjoy Dubai’s iconic attractions this winter with Emirates’ new complimentary offers

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline and Premier Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, has launched three iconic offers this winter season for travellers visiting Dubai.

Joining a host of other added-value offers for Dubai getaways during Expo 2020, Emirates looks forward to ensuring a memorable experience for visitors in one of the world’s most-loved destinations.

Whether returning to Dubai or visiting the city for the first time, Emirates’ passengers can enjoy three brand-new complimentary offers to Dubai’s world famous and most loved attractions:

• The iconic Burj Khalifa At The Top: See Dubai from the top of the world’s tallest building and take in panoramic views of the entire city from its stunning beaches to the iconic Dubai Marina, making up around half of all the excursions sold across the UAE. This complimentary ticket is also extended for admission from November 22 2021 to March 31 2022.

• The Dubai Fountains Boardwalk Experience: An all-new floating platform located at the stunning Dubai Fountain, The Boardwalk allows visitors to get closer to the Burj Khalifa’s famous water, music, and light spectacles.

• The Views Observatory at the Emaar Sky View Hotel: A daring skywalk with glass-bottomed slide, passengers can look across at Dubai’s city’s skyline in this adrenalin-pumping attraction.

To benefit from this one-of-a-kind offer, customers need to book their flights here.

The special offer is valid for travellers who book a return trip to Dubai in any cabin class between November 29 and December 20 2021 for travel from November 30 2021 and March 31 2022.** The offer is also available via participating travel agents and selected Emirates Retail shops.

Experience Dubai with Emirates

In addition to the new complimentary offers, there are plenty more ways to save on your Dubai getaway with Emirates:

• Free Emirates Expo Day Pass: Emirates customers visiting and travelling through Dubai anytime during the Expo 2020 mega event, will be eligible to receive a free Emirates Expo Day Pass for every flight ticket booked with the airline. For more information on this promotion, please visit the dedicated offer page.

• My Emirates Pass – Expo Edition: Customers travelling to or via Dubai anytime until March 31 2022, get to explore the city for less with My Emirates Pass Expo 2020 Dubai, through which they enjoy exclusive discounts and benefits at over 500 retail, dining, and recreational attractions by simply showing their Emirates boarding pass.

• Earn a Mile a Minute in Dubai: Emirates customers can earn 1 Skywards Mile for every 1 minute spent in Dubai until March 31 2022. Existing and new Emirates Skywards members who sign up for the program before March 31 2022, can avail the offer Mile A Minute, and will earn up to 5,000 Miles. The offer is applicable on all Emirates flight tickets purchased between August 1 2021 and March 31 2022, for travel during Expo 2020 Dubai. Emirates‑marketed, flydubai‑operated flights with an Emirates (EK) flight number are also included in the offer.

Visiting Dubai

Whether exploring Dubai solo or as a family, whether seeking a city break, a beach getaway, or a unique desert experience, there is something in Dubai for everyone.

Dubai remains one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations, especially during the winter season, and visitors can choose from an array of hotels to stay at, to suit all budgets, as well as exciting entertainment, dining and shopping options for all ages.

From sun-soaked beaches and heritage activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities, Dubai offers a variety of world-class experiences.

As international borders reopen and travel restrictions ease, Emirates has resumed passenger services to over 120 destinations and currently operates 7 weekly passenger flights from Accra to Dubai.

Travelling with Emirates

Keeping the health and wellbeing of its passengers as top priority, Emirates has introduced a comprehensive set of safety measures at every step of the customer journey.

The airline has also been building on its contactless technology offering and has scaled up its digital verification capabilities to provide its customers even more opportunities to utilise the IATA Travel Pass.

Emirates continues to lead the industry with innovative products and services that address traveller needs during a dynamic time. Recently the airline took its customer care initiatives even further with  even more generous and flexible booking policies, Covid-19 insurance cover, and helping loyal customers retain their miles and tier status.

Customers are encouraged to check their latest government travel guidelines and ensure they meet the travel requirements of their final destination.

For more information on entry requirements for international visitors and residents returning to Dubai visit: https://www.emirates.com/english/help/covid-19/dubai-travel-requirements/

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