6 encryption tools that will secure your data

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Encryption is defined as the conversion of electronic data, Plaintext, into ciphertext, encrypted text. This type of text can be hard to understand by a person that is not authorized to do so. Encryption main purpose is to help in the protection of your confidential electronic data which can be found in your laptop, personal computer, or the digital information sent through Internet and other networks. Even though the use of encryption is not new for humans, the advancements about it are greater every day. These advancements are generated by the increment of security problems on the transferring of digital data. That’s why companies related to these issues have worked for many years to develop strategies against safety gaps. In this list, you will find encryption tools that were created to help you in the difficult task of protecting your valuable digital data from the online threats out there.

BitLocker

This full disk encryption software has been developed by Microsoft and it has been set up in almost every Windows operating system. BitLocker works with AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) which is a military grade encryption that most of the security companies use. The easiness of this encryption tool is that you can use it effortlessly, and you can already find it in your Windows operating system. When you encrypt your hard disk with BitLocker, it will block any data breaches or exfiltration from it. If someone steals your laptop, it would be impossible for them to access your files.

7Zip

If you dislike the idea of encrypting the whole hard disk, 7Zip is the right tool for you. 7Zip is a simple but powerful encryption tool (AES - 256) that can support you with ciphering only the data you need to. It works with a 7z archive format, but other archive formats can be also read and written. This encryption tool has a great compression format, and it can extract nearly all file formats. 7Zip is suitable for almost all Windows versions, and you can find it in about 87 languages.

AxCrypt

This encryption software has been around for 15 years, making one of the most popular tools to encrypt data around the world. You can use this software to protect important data from your computer system. AxCrypt encrypts a file during a definite extent of time, and it will be decrypted automatically after it arrives safely to its destination. This tool is simple and fast which makes easier to encipher a complete folder or a group of files. In addition, AxCrypt provides safety against cyber criminal attacks and their extensive cracking methods. It can be installed on different Windows operating systems.

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VeraCrypt

Tools from VeraCrypt strengthen the security of the system algorithms and its encrypted partitions so it becomes immune to advanced cyber attacks. You can download it freely for Windows, Linux and MacOSX operating systems. If you have files with the obsolete TrueCrypt too, the version 1.0f of VeraCrypt can import TrueCrypt files and it can convert containers and system partitions from a TrueCrypt format to a VeraCrypt one. This encryption tool is been continually improved and its updates increases its security. 

Tor Browser

This tool has been created to allow anonymity and protection while accessing the network. Its software bounces your communications over a worldwide distributed network of relays that are carried out by volunteers. The Tor Browser can be operated by anyone who wishes online privacy and wants to keep prying eyes out of the picture during browsing activity. With this tool, you can also avoid sharing your location to the web sites you visit, and makes almost impossible to trace back to you your instant messages and other communicative activities. The Tor Browser can be used on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux, and it can be run off from a USB flash drive, so it is not necessary to install any software.

Virtual Private Network – VPN

Virtual Private Network (VPN) makes use of encryption to offer secure access to a remote computer across the internet. VPN is a private network that establishes an encrypted channel capable of protecting your communication from interference attacks. This is another alternative to be online in complete privacy, especially if you need to work remotely and operate private company networks. For instance, VPN is very useful when you want to transfer confidential data or you need to run highly important operations online. Besides, Don Burns recommends using VPN if you connect from unsafe public networks, so you can encrypt your private information and protect your web traffic.

Read more about encrypt and secure communications in this older post “How to encrypt communications”

Millennials and telecommunications: a love meant to last

The term Millennial is used to describe the generation of people who turned to adulthood in the 21st century. The term was first coined by Neil Howe and William Strauss, authors of the 1991 book Generations: The History of America's Future. Millennials grew up in a world filled with technology and socially-networked. They are the generation that has received the most marketing attention in human history. They tend to be tolerant to difference since they are the most ethnically diverse generation. They were raised by the “follow your dreams” ideal, for this they tend to be confident and a little more optimistic about the future of America than other generations.

In terms of Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT), Don Burns knows Millennials are likely to be the first pro-PC users. Even when they compose the smartphone generation, they are still the age group who is more prone to use computers, especially a laptop, to communicate. Statistics show that 85% of Millennials living in developed countries have access to a portable personal computer (laptop). Compared to the access they have to smartphones, this statistic is simply a little bit lower.

Image courtesy of Rachel at Flickr.com

Millennials tend to have all the smart devices since they see each one of them as a complement and not a substitute for each function. Therefore, they have smartphones, laptops, and PCs, and they use them as tools to communicate and work. This general picture is possible because technology prices are lower today compared to what they used to be a decade ago, also because they were raised in a fast-paced world characterized by affordable high-tech devices.

Most people who belong to this generation usually prefer to type on their computers or hold a smartphone on their hands to share a couple words with their loved ones. Surprisingly, they are more prone to use a laptop than a phablet or tablet, simply because the keyboards and trackpads on laptops are easier to manipulate.

How do Millennials communicate?

Millennials move fast with all the new telecommunication trends and advances. As the smartphone generation, they prefer to use apps to do and find out about everything, especially if those apps are graphically appealing. A recent study in the US shows that young adults spend at least 30% of their daily time using their mobile phones to both communicate and chill. Apps such as Instagram have become the Millennials Holy Grail in terms of sharing graphic content.

In terms of using a computer, Millennials in the US spend at least 25% less time than adults from older generations do using the Internet or watching video on a PC, in addition to email, games, and work/study applications. This means they want to make the most of their time when it comes to using technology, accomplishing multiple tasks per day. They want communications to be effective and in real-time.

The usage of mobile phones compared to laptops is considerably higher for Millennials. In general, this generation spends 20 hours more per month on their mobiles than they do on their laptops.

What about the old-fashioned telecom means?

If we think about TV usage, Millennials don’t spend more than 3 hours in front of the TV, and usually, they don’t use it to watch their favorite show. Most times they plug their game consoles and use internet connection to download games, watch movies, read the news, watch Youtube videos or even send emails. In this sense, the way Millennials interact with their TV has also changed since most TVs nowadays are also smart and allow people to share mass media content with them.

Furthermore, old generations tend to spend 33% more time reading a printed newspaper or magazine, or listening to the radio than Millennials do. This new generation reads digital contents and listens to online broadcasts on their mobile phones. This trend has taken over newspapers, magazines and radio, showing that the way information is produced hasn’t changed, but what has indeed changed is the way this new generation consumes it.

Why is the love between Millennials and Telecom meant to last?

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Even though there was a shift in the way this young generation uses and oversees telecommunications, the need of using them is still very powerful. This can be seen in the importance Millennials give to being connected to the outer world. They always want to be the first ones to post it, they don’t want to work inside an office but at a coffee shop from where they can email their workplace, they simply want to move fast with technology and use it in the best way they can to communicate their ideas and emotions.

Telecommunications are advancing according to its consumer’s needs. If companies kept all this information in mind, they would know that best way for them to grant their permanence in the market is by creating strategies meant to reach this new type of consumer that has always its smartphone, tablet or laptop in hand and in front of its eyes.

10 Most Popular Uses For The Internet Of Things

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Wikipedia defines the internet of things (IoT) as “the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data.” But what does that really mean? How does it affect me? 

Think about it this way; anything that can be connected will be connected in the near future. It means devices that have an on and off switch will be able to communicate with each other and be controlled and monitored from anywhere in the world as long as they are part of the network. This type of advances will greatly change the way we live and interact with other in social, financial and personal aspects.

Here we have, some of the most popular uses we are seeing today, for the Internet of Things.

1. At home

Smart homes are some of the most common examples of innovative technology using the IoT today. Houses that are connected, allow users to control everything from how the access the home, temperature, lighting, entertainment and home appliances. Systems can be as simple or as complex as users want, and there are a lot of big companies out there making sure they can offer users the latest gadgets to fit their smart home set up.

2. Wearable technologies

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are just a couple example of this category. There are also wearables for pets that allow owners to track their activity, sleep cycles an overall health with the help of monitors the animal can wear easily. Clothing off course is another obvious choice for developers of wearable devices made for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. These garments can measure muscle activity, vital signs and GPS location among other things.

3. City Management

Smart cities in the future will use technologies like the Smart Belly, a device that communicates with municipal services to let them know that a certain trash can needs to be emptied. There are also apps that can communicate to drivers the number of parking spots available in different city blocks with the use of infrared sensors located next to the curb or in parking garages connected to the system. Other uses that are already available include lighting regulators to use energy more efficiently as well as monitoring stations for pollution and noise levels.

4. Security

Close circuit security systems that can be accesses from your mobile phone as well as better alarm systems installed at homes that can be connected to emergency services. Another aspect of security that is of great importance is the need for better encryption in communication protocols due to being in an environment of enhanced connectivity.

5. Analytics

Understanding customer needs and processing feedback and suggestions will always be of great relevance in the future of telecommunications. The IoT allows delivering services, improving products, identifying and intercepting business moments.

6. Health

Health in general is another area greatly benefited. This can go from preventive medicine as it is in the case of sensors that track your health, all the way to emergency services and devices. It is worth also mentioning monitors for babies and for elderly members of the family that can help you be vigilant of their health as well as of possible hazards.

7. Retail Applications

Retail solutions can help to make the customer experience a lot better, as well as aiding with restock, reorder, tracking and product information. There are apps that also help human resources monitor staff activities and creates an internal network of instant communication between different areas of the business.

8. Farming

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These applications can be used to track the health of livestock as well as help farmers monitor crucial vitals like humidity, air temperature and soil quality using remote sensors on their crops. Individual monitoring of plants and animals can help the industry be more productive and to minimize losses due to disease and detrimental conditions suffered due to different conditions.

9. Maintenance and repair

Moving components, vehicles and machinery in general need constant monitoring and inspection of parts and maintenance. Most of this is done manually and takes a lot of manpower. Making these processes automatic ensures that resources are used more effectively and only when needed, ensuring the safety of operators and reducing costs in a responsible way.

10. Advanced warning for disasters

The University of Loughborough’s has developed an Acoustic Landslide Detection system called ALARMS (Assessment of Landslides using Acoustic Real-time Monitoring Systems). It detects waves produced by soil movement and it relays information that can be used to issue early warnings to communities that could possibly be affected by natural disasters like earthquakes for example.

For more information in home networks and its advancement, check out this article at Don Burns Blogspot.

Internet of things: controversial changes for the future of the world

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The next major trend that will impact telecommunications is the boom of connected devices. This internet of things, or “Thingification”, will add billions if not trillions of new connected data sources globally by 2020. Objects throughout our lives will become connected, aware and chatty, constantly transmitting information across our global networks. The upswing of all of these devices will be an astronomical growth in data volumes; we will quickly push through Exabyte volumes and enter the world of Zettabytes per year, as sensors are added to everything, and everything starts sending out signals, the trunk lines of our networks will have to carry this crushing load of information. The “Thingification” begins for example with a light bulb, which is not particularly smart and it doesn´t have a lot to say, it's either "on" or "not on”. The challenge grows as millions and then billions of bulbs and toothbrushes and microwaves all start pushing more and more information, all of the time. The aggregated traffic from all of these devices will be enormous, and will stress our networks to the max.

The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, like said light bulbs, plus vehicles, buildings and other items, embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data. The IoT allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit. The result of this begins with smart homes, intelligent transportation, and then smart cities. Each thing is uniquely identifiable through its embedded computing system but is able to interoperate within the existing Internet infrastructure. By 2020, the Internet of Things probably will consist of almost 50 billion objects. But what actually is this 'Internet of Things'? Basically, it's the combination of low-cost, low-power processors with 'real-world' electronic sensors and wireless network connectivity increasingly being added to a wide range of electrical devices. These sensors can measure everything from temperature and humidity to pressure, proximity, sound, light, gravity, movement, feedback and through on-board software, devices can record and action those measurements over the internet.

Imagine you wake up in the morning and the fitness tracker on your wrist has recorded how well you slept, uploading the results to your Twitter account. Your coffee machine reads your Twitter feed and knowing you're awake, begins brewing your first coffee of the day. Lights automatically turn on and off as you walk down the hall to the kitchen where your coffee is now waiting. As you leave for work, the robotic vacuum cleaner begins and updates its cleaning progress map to your phone. This is the world envisioned by tech giants powered by Internet of Things that promises to change the world we live in.

Today, there are already devices that work with the principle of IoT. In Denmark's a company named Scanomat has developed the TopBrewer, which lets you choose your coffee type from your Android or iOS phone or tablet. In Copenhagen, in TopBrewer Café, you can enjoy the service without queues, just your coffee ordered, brewed and paid for by your phone.

Image courtesy of Pierre Metivier at Flickr.com

This is definite frontier technology right now and the more we understand how it works, the data it generates and how that data is stored and used, the more we'll all be aware of the potential pitfalls and benefits the Internet of Things will bring. But there are two initial problems and a possible controversial third.

First, the IoT is beginning to suffer from the lack of consistent standards. Right now, the pace of IoT development is such that there's as much pressure to get product to market as there is to develop consistent standards to ensure we don't just see a bunch of devices that can't talk to each other. Everything from hardware interoperability to how recorded data is stored in the cloud is coming under scrutiny, with growing calls for standards to be set before the market progresses too far.

Image courtesy of Schneider Electric España at Flickr.com

Second, there is a battle going on, and that's for the platform. Not a day goes by without a new player claiming that their cloud hosted platform is best, from Apple's HomeKit, Google's Brillo and Intel's IoTivity to Qualcomm's AllJoyn, the UPnP Forum and ARM mbed, and the list goes on.

And third, there is no doubt Internet of Things could clash with our privacy ideals as the internet permeates its way into areas of our lives we probably never imagined.

This issue has been debated for years now. If you want to read more about it, go to: are we creating an insecure internet of things? And to know learn about facing the challenges in communications, follow this Link provided by Don Burns.

Li-Fi is the powerful replacement in wireless technology

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Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves, rather than wires, carry the signal over part or all of the communication path. Wireless communication is among technology’s biggest contributions to mankind. The transmitted distance can be anywhere between a few meters (for example, a television’s remote control) and thousands of kilometers (for example, radio communication).

One of the popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections is Wi-Fi. This technology is supported by many applications and devices including video game consoles, home networks, PDAs, mobile phones, major operating systems, and other types of consumer electronics. You probably have heard of Wi-Fi, now you need to hear about Li-Fi. Still in the nascent stage, this new technology could change how you use the Internet. It’s much faster than existing Wi-Fi tech, it’s more energy efficient, and potentially more secure as well.

To read more about wireless technology, follow the link: Wireless Communication

Harold Haas is the biggest proponent of Li-Fi, a professor at The University of Edinburgh, and founder of the company pureLiFi, which is trying to bring the technology into real world markets. When Wi-Fi uses radio waves, by comparison, this technology is dependent entirely on light, specifically LED bulbs. In a way, it’s the next step in connected lighting. In the simplest terms, Li-Fi transfers data over light waves.

Li-Fi is a wireless optical networking technology that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for data transmission. 

Li-Fi is designed to use LED light bulbs similar to those currently in use in many energy-conscious homes and offices. However, Li-Fi bulbs are outfitted with a chip that modulates the light imperceptibly for optical data transmission. Li-Fi data is transmitted by the LED bulbs and received by photoreceptors.

You might be worried about how all that flickering in an office environment would drive you crazy, don’t worry, we’re talking LEDs that can be switched on and off at speeds imperceptible to the naked eye. And now, scientists have taken Li-Fi out of the lab for the first time, trialing it in offices and industrial environments in Tallinn, Estonia, reporting that they can achieve data transmission at 1GB per second, that's 100 times faster than current average Wi-Fi speeds. In April 2014, the Russian company Stins Coman announced the development of a Li-Fi wireless local network called BeamCaster. Their current module transfers data at 1.25 gigabytes per second but they foresee boosting speeds up to 5GB/second in the near future. In 2014 a new record was established by Sisoft (a Mexican company) that was able to transfer data at speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s across a light spectrum emitted by LED lamps.

The technology could also solve a growing problem with wireless communication systems: the radio frequency spectrum is overcrowded and we’re running out of space. The visible light spectrum is 10,000 times bigger, so Li-Fi is well placed to become the next generation of wireless communications.

Don Burns highlights some of the benefits of Li-Fi: Higher speeds than Wi-Fi; 10000 times the frequency spectrum of radio; more secure because data cannot be intercepted without a clear line of sight; prevents piggybacking (unauthorized access of a wireless LAN); eliminates neighboring network interference; unimpeded by radio interference; and does not create interference in sensitive electronics, making it better for use in environments like hospitals and aircraft.

There is always assumed to be a downside. An Estonian startup recently tested a commercial implementation of Li-Fi and found it to be superior to Wi-Fi in almost every way. The technology uses protocols, with additional standards to eliminate the impacts of interference and impacts of ambient lighting. 

Image courtesy of pinelife at Flickr.com

Despite this, however, natural light interferes with the technology, so it can’t be used outdoors (even near windows) or in other odd conditions. Visible light cannot travel through walls, an essential factor which gives old-school Wi-Fi a huge advantage. This line-of-sight limitation does make the system more secure and gives better control over emissions, but it is unclear what the minimum distance for signal reception would be if clear line-of-sight is achieved. With that in mind, it is easy to imagine the signal being intercepted by someone with a telephoto lens and an optical sensor tuned appropriately. While Li-Fi was touted as a possible channel for wireless communications on airplanes, widespread adoption of onboard Wi-Fi on most American airlines makes this use case less and less pertinent.

For the time being, all this downsides lead to think that there is one place to use Li-Fi in its current iteration, and it is one cold dark room filled with LED lights. We need to wait for more information and advances regarding this powerful replacement in wireless technology.

Interested in more groundbreaking telecommunication technology? Read about Microsoft Hololens

Prepare Yourself for a Breakthrough in Telecommunications: Microsoft Hololens

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Without a doubt, Microsoft Hololens is primed to become the most revolutionary game changer in telecommunications since the internet itself. This breakthrough, unlike any that technology has seen in a long time, has the ability to connect people in three dimensional spaces via a holographic interface. While many are excited about its ability to immerse its users into the world of digital space, it behooves us to consider the implications it will have on telecommunication. 

In order to stay ahead of the curve it is important to understand how to use its strengths and weaknesses both to our advantage.

If you want to know more about this innovative device, visit the website https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us

Strengths 

Hololens will take teleconferences and video conferences to a whole new level:

Two people on opposite sides of the globe will be able to sit down in front of each other and literally manipulate objects inside the same room creating a far more interactive environment than video conferences. For example, collaborating architects, engineers, fashion designers will be able to visualize their designs in 3D and interact with the worksite being at two different places. Concerning business operations, there will be greater work collaboration in the working world. It will benefit business owners, transactions and trainings. Also, virtual learning will be able to reach heights previously unfathomed. You will be able to create a classroom as if the student and the teacher were really there.

The money and time issue:

Imaging the time and money that this aspect of Hololens alone will create. Think about the time business owners and individuals will save on packing, waiting at airports, long layovers or flights; no more energy wasted on arranging hotels and transportation. Money of course factors in here as well: travel and hotel expenses will be available for other things such as employee bonuses, sales incentives and other perks.

Collaborative work:

Hololens will also increase collaborative efforts to solving global and local problems. Designers and engineers are not the only ones benefited by this technology. It will facilitate scientists, community and global leaders’ efforts to solve problems affecting society on both small and large scale.

Online gaming:

with a more immersive platform, users will be eager to invest more money on acquiring a device like this that can provide a much more exciting, physical experience. Online gamers will be able to manipulate objects, talk to virtual characters, enjoy exploration and activity, while communicating with other gamers around the world.

Limitations

There are, however, limitations to this technology.

Online traffic Jam:

Image courtesy of Geospatial World at Flickr.com

At the beginning internet may have to find a way to broaden the space because of the amount of data that will be streamed online. Hololens is likely to provide gigabytes of information in a very short amount of time, and streaming technology has yet to reach that capability for thousands of users at a time. This may create lagging or static field images until service providers catch up, and this may prove costly for internet builders.

Widespread use:

Hololens will not be able to reach its full potential until its use becomes widespread. The idea is great but risky if Microsoft is not able to convince its target market that Hololens is more a necessity than an accessory.

Cost:

Microsoft has been very secretive about the price so it is probably going to cost a pretty penny. This is also a determining factor in Microsoft’s new product’s survival. Most windows’ software is also expensive. Therefore, if Microsoft does not find a way to guarantee affordable software or applications, this may turn users off. For large companies money may not be an object when obtaining this shiny new toy, but smaller businesses and individuals will want to know that Microsoft has them in mind as well.
Dependence:

with such an innovative and entertaining way to communicate it will be all too easy to get lost in the world of augmented reality. In the age of advanced technology, both adults and children find it difficult to stay connected with their physical surroundings. People will have to make a conscious effort not to allow augmented reality to sever our connection to the real world.

Intrusion into your personal life:

technologies that connect people tend to steal time away from a person’s personal life. Be careful not to give license to these intruders.

In conclusion, it is important to anticipate how to keep up with new technological breakthroughs like this one. The challenge we face is using its strengths to our advantage while we find solutions to the issues its limitations may create.

If you want to read Don Burns’ last post, click here

Silent Circle, the company that turns your privacy into a business

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There is no more to it. Privacy and security in communications has to be included within the public and private security plans of organizations and individuals. Silent Circle is a company founded from the need for a new form of digital privacy. It was created in 2011 when Mike Janke, former member of the US Navy; and Phil Zimmerman, creator of PGP (Pretty Good Privacy), met with the idea of developing a new, safer version of Skype.

From this they summoned the other co-founders: Jon Callas, creator of Apple's encryption software, and Vincent Moscaritolo to found the company, in 2014, with the launch of the first phone designed to protect the privacy and digital safety of users. Its name: the BlackPhone.

To reinforce their commitment to the privacy of information, in 2014 they moved their headquarters to Geneva (Switzerland) since this is considered one of the countries with a stronger legislation to protect the privacy of information and, therefore, its customers’.

After four years of operation in Europe and the US, the company committed to emerging markets, targeting Mexico and the rest of Latin America. This is a region that has all elements at play when it comes to security, but there is still work to be done regarding the awareness of risks that exist and how much of the users contributions play a part in being at risk.

Privacy and security in communications must be included within the security plan of organizations and individuals. This initial phase should provoke a cultural and organizational change. Prevention is always the best tool when it comes to crises. The lack of privacy and security can bring financial and reputational losses to both organisations and individuals.

Silent Circle wants to work for the privacy of Latin American markets and their people. They will focus in carrying their message to CEOs or CTOs, as well as the whole society by talking about the risks that exist today in mobile environments. And at the operational level, within organizations, for them to understand the current severity of implementing these policies.

Over the past few years, losses have been reported due to leakages or theft of information equivalent to more than 156 billion dollars. But we should keep in mind that this risk is for companies, organizations and the end consumer. It's not about restricting, but raising awareness and giving people the right tools for them to have a professional and personal balance without losing connectivity or sacrificing functionality.

Image courtesy of Jon Callas at Flickr.com

In this scenario, Silent Circle offers the first platform designed for the privacy of individuals, which is composed of their mobile device, the BlackPhone 2 and the software Silent OS, and the Silent Phone, along with services that add value such as the Silent Manager. The purpose of each of the components of this platform is to provide private and secure communications to the users.

Silent OS the operating system which is exclusive to the BlackPhone 2. It is based on Android but it's designed to address the current concerns about the privacy and safety of users. This means there won't be any leakages of information. The operating system gives users control of their personal, work and family privacy without sacrificing their lifestyles.

Blackphone 2 is the device that provides extra levels of security, such as the Security Center to give absolute control over the personal information that apps request on the mobile device.

The potential markets

The company got to Mexico with an aggressive plan. Seeking to consolidate in that country and then opening to other markets in order to meet the needs of digital privacy and security of the region, it includes staffing and business partners that allows them to develop and effectively execute their operations, which in turn directly affects job creation.

Thanks to their portfolio, the company works hand in hand with the constant needs of private entities, government or whoever handles sensitive information in a more frequent way that has an impact on their organizations. In addition, at the moment, they believe they have an offer and a solution that penetrates different niches and contemplates the growing need for privacy and security of communications and the information in society. This allows them to position themselves in the various Latin American markets and consumer preferences.

How will the BlackPhone be marketed?

The company started operations in its first phase with just one mobile carrier, but it will subsequently do it with the rest of the carriers. The phone is intended for all users, not just businesses, as it provides all the functionality of the best smartphones in the industry and it adds an important piece of privacy and information security and communications. This gives them a very broad spectrum of consumers and they are not limiting functionality or connectivity to their daily lives, but they protect them through the Silent OS and their communications platform, Silent Phone, at the highest level, both information management and communications.

Telecommunication trends: what you need to know to make profit

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The modern world is propelled by the power of Telecommunications, which is the exchange of information over significant distances by electronic means. A complete, single telecommunications circuit consists of two stations, each equipped with a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and receiver at any station may be combined into a single device called a transceiver. The medium of signal transmission can be electrical wire or cable (also known as "copper"), optical fiber or electromagnetic fields. The free-space transmission and reception of data by means of electromagnetic fields is called wireless.

To better understand this wide concept, lets analyze the simplest form of telecommunication, which takes place between two stations. However, it is common for multiple transmitting and receiving stations to exchange data among themselves. Such an arrangement is called a telecommunications network. The Internet is the largest example. On a smaller scale, examples include: Corporate and academic wide-area networks (WANs), Telephone networks, Police and fire communications systems, Taxicab dispatch networks, and Groups of amateur radio operators.

For businesses to remain competitive, they must monitor the latest telecommunications developments and adapt their products and services to meet marketplace demands. Small and medium businesses phone service buyers can find significant cost savings and employee productivity gains when choosing suppliers and technologies. Associated advances in technology, make telecommunications even more critical for SMBs. Global spending on cloud, mobile, social and big data technologies and solutions in 2016 will be growing to more than $3.8 trillion by 2019.

In order to remain competitive in their industries, SMBs need to consider four telecommunication trends that will allow them to make profit and take advantage of the changing technologies.

Information Technology and Telecommunications Convergence

Telecommunications convergence is the way distinct services are merged into single networks. For example, devices such as smartphones that offer voice calls, web access, video, productivity applications and more. In this, Internet is the way information is relayed across networks, and the cloud storage and computing services the massive deluge of data have spawned, foundational for businesses today. Cloud computing is the one with more increasing relevance because the cloud enables the use of all web based tools and applications, from smartphone apps to business basics, such as video conferencing. The cloud is third party, offsite storage and processing of data, in massive. SMBs can purchase their data storage and processing, from a “cloud” provider, avoiding huge capital costs and ensuring access to the latest storage and processing technologies.

The Rise of the App Economy

In the last year alone, an estimated 180 billion applications were downloaded globally. But what originated as an Information Technology catchphrase for smartphone tools has a much deeper meaning for business productivity. Business intelligence applications delivered through telecom systems, such as video conferencing and unified communications, help employees work collaboratively, increase their efficiency and optimize overall business processes. The potential payoffs are huge. Thanks to Business Intelligence, applications are growing in importance and have the biggest impact on a company’s telecommunications needs. Cloud based voice over Internet Protocol calls, and associated applications let small and medium business reap the benefits of applications that allow unified communications through virtually every business application imaginable. Unified communications applications bring productivity improvements for mobile employees, they can also favorably change ways in which all employees communicate as well as reduce the necessity of travel. And, with the right service partner, these solutions to complex business needs, can be implemented simply and cost effectively.

Cyber Security

Image courtesy of Christiaan Colen at Flickr.com

Cyber security ceased to be optional. Everything from banking and healthcare to education and government, is protecting these digitized networks and the data they hold is critical. Cybercrime is crime that involves a computer and a network, with the computer being used in the commission of a crime, or being be the target Cybercrime costs are projected to reach $2 trillion by 2019. 

Regulations to protect this sensitive data are substantially increasing and are becoming increasingly complex. This creates a dilemma for SMBs, for whom these expectations may be the same as large companies’ with substantially greater resources: to remain competitive; do they incur the huge costs of self-implementing every possible security protection; or do they just take the risk? Fortunately, SMBs have another choice: obtaining data and network security as a service from a provider with third-party data security certifications, covering the key risk areas and regulatory requirements.

Large telecommunication providers

The fourth trend is that large telecommunication providers are shifting their focus away from small and medium businesses. This market segment requires a greater level of customer service than consumer markets, leaving them out of the sweet spot of most large telecom providers. Selling and servicing SMBs involves a greater number of stakeholders and requires higher and more frequent degrees of touch.

All you need to know about Encrypted Communication basics

Image courtesy of Intel Free Press at Flickr.com

Nearly every computing device we interact with on a daily basis utilizes some form of encryption technology. From smartphones (which can often have their data encrypted), to tablets, desktop, laptops or even your trusty Kindle, encryption is everywhere and it is a good idea to have some notions about this technology and know how to use it in case of need. Let's analyze the basic concepts:

We can define Encryption as the process of encoding messages or information in such a way that only authorized parties can read it. Encryption does not of itself prevent interception, but denies the message content to the interceptor. In an encryption scheme, the intended communication information or message is encrypted using an encryption algorithm. For technical reasons, an encryption scheme usually uses a pseudo-random encryption key generated by an algorithm. It is in principle possible to decrypt the message without possessing the key, but, for a well-designed encryption scheme, large computational resources and skill are required. An authorized recipient can easily decrypt the message with the key provided by the originator to recipients.

When we use the Internet, we're not always just clicking around and passively taking in information, such as reading news articles or blog posts, a great deal of our time online involves sending others our own information. Ordering something over the Internet from an online vendor, or signing up for an online account, requires entering in a good deal of sensitive personal information. A typical transaction might include not only our names, email addresses and physical address and phone number, but also passwords and personal identification numbers. The incredible growth of the Internet has excited businesses and consumers alike with its promise of changing the way we live and work. It's extremely easy to buy and sell goods all over the world while sitting in front of a laptop. But security is a major concern on the Internet, especially when you're using it to send sensitive information between parties.

There is a whole lot of information that we don't want other people to see, such as Credit card information, Social Security numbers, Private correspondence, Personal details, Sensitive company information and Bank account information.

Information security is provided on computers and over the Internet by a variety of methods. A simple but straightforward security method is to only keep sensitive information on removable storage media like portable flash memory drives or external hard drives. But the most popular forms of security all rely on encryption, the process of encoding information in such a way that only the person with the key can decode it.

How does it works?

Encryption is a modern form of cryptography that allows a user to hide information from others. Encryption uses a complex algorithm called a cipher in order to turn normalized data (plaintext) into a series of seemingly random characters (ciphertext) that is unreadable by those without a special key in which to decrypt it. Those that possess the key can decrypt the data in order to view the plaintext again rather than the random character string of ciphertext.

Two of the most widely used encryption methods are Public key (asymmetric) encryption and Private Key (symmetric) encryption.

The Public Key Encryption uses the recipient’s public key as well as a (mathematically) matching private key. With the public key you could enter new information to the storage but you wouldn’t be able to view items already in there, nor would he be able to retrieve anything. The private key is used for encrypting cipher text. On the other hand, with the private key you could open the storage and view all items inside as well as removing them as you see fit by using the matching private key. However you could not add things to the box without having an additional public key.

Image courtesy of Karl Baron at Flickr.com

The Private Key Encryption or symmetric encryption differs from Public Key encryption is in the purpose of the keys themselves. There are still two keys needed to communicate, but each of these keys is now essentially the same. Two users need two different keys, but with them, they both are allowed to encrypt a message as well as decryption it, so they are both allowed to add or remove things from the storage.

We can conclude that Encryption is safe. The amount of time, energy usage and computational cost to crack most modern cryptographic technologies makes the act of attempting to break an encryption (without the key) an expensive exercise that is, relatively speaking, futile. That said, encryption does have vulnerabilities that rest largely outside of the power of the technology. But no matter how secure the encryption, a backdoor could potentially provide access to the private key. This access provides the means necessary to decrypt the message without ever breaking the encryption.