Phishing Scam

By Raul Bernardino

Introduction:

Nowadays, phishing is becoming one of the hottest topics that victimize the businesses and customers, who are using the internet communication as a definite place for marketing and purchasing their goods and services. Phishing defines as the practices of attracting the internet users with the fake web sites, whereas looks an authentic email and sites in order to capture the other information such as a log-in points (users name and passwords), information about personal financial statements, personal or corporate credit card information and etc. In other words, phishing is one of the social engineer models that are used by hackers in order cracking or hacking people information and then attack the individual or institutional systems. They use emails as a point of contacts to communicate or to launch the attacks. Sometimes, they use a pop up links or emails with attractive attachment whereas hoping that the target victims’ will be clicking one of the traps and victim machine and system become a back doors, planting an application that can allow crackers to monitor the victim activities, or it’s just a simple form for the victims to be filled up with their identity information and send them over to the hackers. For instance, target group received anonymous links or popped up dialog boxes, where they are attracting the victims or clients to be clicked or filled up their personal information or identity and may request for call back, or its simple applications that planted as a key locker, etc. It is more dangerous computer users that have high privileges in the system (who has admin right to the machine and system).

 “The New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) spotlighted Phishing scams at the 2008 Top Consumer Frauds & Complaints Conference held in New York City today. With these scams affecting both consumers and businesses who continue to be targeted by fraudsters, the CPB’s Internet/online services complaints - - including reports about Phishing scams - - were on the Agency’s Top Ten Major Complaints Listings in every quarter of 2008”, Rausch, D.S., (Mar.5, 2009). In this article said that in 2008 the “anti phishing working group” found in June 2008 is 9,529 fraud cases whereas 47% increased from previews months in the same year, Rausch, D.S., (Mar.5, 2009).

With this information above, business players and customers have to know some tricks and tips from the cracker and hacker in order to prevent, to avoid or to protect their own information and not be shared with the stranger people. The customers have to attend training and awareness from the experience business player or institution or person who has dealt with the phishing behaviors. It can be learned from social networking experts, system analyst, information analyst or system security experts.

Some tips and tricks for customer and business player as follows:

a.     Use common sense: 

·        not share your information to the stranger;

·        tell to your kids to not talk to any stranger;

·        confirm the identity of caller;

·        be aware the unusual people in your work area; ask them a questions: May I help you?; who are you looking for?;

b.     Keep passwords secure;

·        don’t make easy passwords; make a combination of letter and number with minimum of 16 characters;

·        it is good to memorize your complex passwords;

·        not write them down and put it in your valet or in the sticky notes and hung in front of the monitors;

·        don’t share your password;

·        don’t use same password with multiple systems;

·        do change password periodically such as every two to three months;

c.      Keep computers & laptops and other device secure;

·        always lock your computer screen whenever you are away or not in front of it or in your working desk;

·        lock your laptop when you leave for a day;

·        secure your key in the safety box or safety place;

·        use an updated anti-virus;

·        automate your distribution patches;

·        encrypt your communications tools

·        maintaining and updating your data back up and store in the safety place with protection;

·        use bit locker to lock your hard drive;

·        not ever login your system with admin rights if it is not really a necessary to use that privileges;

·        use firewalls

·        don’t clicks any hyperlink that you are not familiar with the sender or the link itself;

d.     Keep personal information secure

·        your work identification number;

·        your driver license information;

·        your credit card information;

·        your home phone number;

e.      How crackers get information?

·   Use social engineering: art of deceiving people into the revealing confidential information for example people salary, job titles, vocation schedule or on mission schedule; phone numbers;

·        Using computers such as scanning phone number by searching modems; phreaking is taping the phone network and make free long distance calls; and trash dumps which is using trash to search companies and individual confidential information;

f.       How hackers get information?

·        Use Trojan horse to attack a personal computer (PC), Laptop, and other mobile devices; first to scan open ports on the devices that connect to the public networks and attack from there;

Conclusion:

In any organization that used Information and Technology (IT) to facilitate their business operations secure and effectively should have minimum requirement such as IT steering committee or IT board, IT governance, IT policy and procedures in place in order to control users that used the system. We do also delivery awareness, tips and training the users in which to increase their knowledge and skills on how to protect their identities with strangers.

Additionally, in Timor-Leste (TL) the Information Communication Technology (ICT) is new tools for the country. The ICT is still not having a high priority in the government. There is no information technology law in place yet however, in the Timor-Leste constitution has clearly stated in “Section 38 the protection of personal data” and “Section 53 the consumer rights” TL Constitution (2002). In these two sections Timor-Leste is willing to protect its citizen’s personal data or information including the privacy. Moreover, it is also protected customer right to have a goods and services with the quality, it has compliance with health and safety, and has truth information on it.

References:

• Armstrong, G. and Kotler, P. (2010) Principles of marketing,13th edition, Global edition: Prentice Hall
•  Rausch, D.S., NYS Consumer Protection Board Spotlights Phishing Scams at 2009 Top Frauds Conference in Manhattan - Business Brands Targeted by Scammers-, [online]. Available from: http://www.nysconsumer.gov/informing/advisories_and_releases/2009/mar052009.htm   (Accessed : 11 July 2011)
• Timor-Leste Constitution [on-line]. Available from: http://www.gov.east-timor.org/constitution/constitution-Timor-Leste.pdf  (Accessed: 13 July 2011)

Intensity of todays Global Marketing Competition

By Raul Bernardino

Abstract:

In early stage of the technology based firms are confronted with the complexity of foreign markets and global competition from their earliest stages of development. Not only must technology entrepreneurs keep destined with ever-changing technology based product offerings, but they must also simultaneously stay abreast of competitors and industry trends in multiple countries.

The findings suggest that resources necessary to pursue international sales have an important impact on both foreign market intensity and diversity. Additionally, firm age was positively associated with global diversity but not international intensity. Moreover, today business does not have to have resources; most importantly knows how to deploy resources in the timely manner.  These findings support the notion of small technology firms being “instant internationals” but suggest that proceeding to the next step-achieving global diversity-requires significantly greater time and resources.

Introduction:

Nowadays, with the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) era especially the existing of the internet, transportations and financials flow, the global competition market becomes so easy to adjust and adapt with the new products and services. It is including easy doing a strategic plan toward to the new market environment. Additionally, the global market becomes booming in almost all part of the world whereas it has accessed the communication means (telephone, radio, TV, and internet) and access to the transportations (private and public) including the multi financial accessing.  

There are several factors need to be considered in the global competition as follows:

•         ‘Global competition in the home market’: A lot of new brands are arriving and supplying into the local market. Moreover, it is attracting a lot of current customers. Most probably, we would also lose our own customers very quick; it is because there was a good quality of the products and services that offered from the competitors. The product price may also lower than our products. The global competitions at home (local) markets are also speeding up a new innovation and added value to the customers, it is including developing and improving the current products and services with the high rates quality standard. 

•         ‘Stagnant or shrinking home market’: The global communication also helps to stagnant the home market. For instance, new products that not yet launch or still under development however in other hands, the promotion of that products have been advertising and the customer will be waiting for that new products instead of buying the existing products with old fashion. 

•         ‘Foreign markets with more opportunity’: It is an opportunity to expand the market in the foreign country, however the marketers have to understand several issues such as ‘International Trading System, foreign country economic environment, foreign country political and legal system, foreign country culture and it is environments’, Armstrong and Kotler (2010:580-585). The international trading system may have a restriction from one country or nation to the other countries. For instant, to protect their domestic products and its company, the government of the country may put high tariff or taxes to the imported goods in order to have additional revenue as well to the country.  The economic environment, the marketers have to analyse ‘foreign country industrial structure and income distribution’, Armstrong and Kotler (2010:582). The industrial structure consists of economic subsistence, export raw material economies, economies of the industrialization, and industrial economies itself. The income distributions have to look at low individual incomes, medium, and high household. The foreign country political and legal system. The political stability, bureaucracy, and legal system are the major factors and metrics point for the new market entry into the country. The marketer has also need to know the new target country’s culture and norms before trying to expand their products and services marketing. Each country has different norms and beliefs. For instance, we cannot sell fast food with pork meat in the Islamic countries and etc.

•         ‘Expansion of customers to international markets’: Building a good relationship with new customers and with existing customer can be seeing as the point to expanding new products and services, including introduce new product that foreign countries have.

Conclusion:

According to Professor Gary Hamel, London Business School on ‘Creating the Future’ presentation to the senior executive course at Stanford University (December, 1997) stated that:  “Ninety per cent of what you need to learn, you will learn from outside your own business sector.” Therefore, we do need a coping from other organizations and adapt them into our own business environments.  Especially the changes are more quickly than ever (time compressing era).

References list:

• Armstrong, G. and Kotler, P. (2010) Principles of marketing,13th edition, Global edtition: Prentice Hall
•  Miles, G.,Preeece,S.B., Beatz, M.C. (1998), Explaining the international intensity and global diversity of early-stage technology-based firms [on-line]. Available from:  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883902697001055 (Accessed Date: 22 October 2013)

Future Computing Profession

By Raul Bernardino

Abstracts:

It is now become public knowledge that the Information and Technology (IT) evolution and revolution have become a part of the human life and it brings new culture and norms to the society. It is now become an integral part of the human society. Every effort that is built toward the new technologies is for the sake of the society.

Technology now brings human being more closer, things can be monitored more closely by using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Global Positioning System (GPS), social networks such as Facebook, Skype, IBM Connections and Sametime, twitter, Bebo, etc., technology helps users to have flexible of communicating with their respected partners, users have flexible time for learning without have to travel to the destination course venue, etc., technology can helping doctors to do proper diagnostics, surgeries, therapies, intelligent machines, and etc.

Introduction: 

We are currently in the middle of technology revolution; information technology grows in every hour’s event every second around the world. Human are so creative and innovative to develop new technology and system for the sake of society. Moreover, we are informed of the birth of new technology. This technology industry revolution has covered other sectors such as education, health, environment, medicine, mechanical industries, chemical industries, agriculture, products and services in the markets, communication, etc. Additionally, information technology sector becomes a multi-disciplinary sector. Therefore each of the sectors will be always tied to the evolution of information and the technology. As computing professionals, we have to accept that, we should continually study and research and also to be the focal point of this industry revolution and evolution. All computing professionals, scientists, and researchers have tried to give their answers to the needs and the requirements of the society however, how this sector may be will continue to improve or may be will change in the following years? Who knows?

Information and Technology job’s Titles in Market:

More than 50 job titles are globally available and apply differently to the industrial sectors, institutions, organizations, companies, and governments. It depends on each sectors needs and requirements. The effective ratio of having computing professional in their organizations is 1:15 means 1 computing professional can effectively serve 15 employees in the institution. This computing professional can be deployed internally or outsourcing. There are several studies have been done toward the ratio. According to computer economics (August 2013) stated that Help Desk Staffing Steady over Time. The ratio will vary by organization size and sectors, however, below graphic provide some illustration after did an assessment of the overall help desk staffing trend.

There are 14 key of IT jobs function that each organization has to have. They are:

Help Desk Desktop Support Network Support Server Support  ERP Support  Database Administration (DBA)  Data Management

Application Development and Maintenance Business Analyst IT Quality Assurance and Testing Web/E-Commerce Project Management IT Security IT Management

  

In some cases the IT staff has multi-function. For instance, Help desk staff does desktop support function or even does Network support function. In the professional manner, each function has to fill up with one specific profession.

List of I.T. Job Title:

Applications Engineer Information Technology Director Information Technology Manager Management Information Systems Director Network Architect Network Engineer Network System Administrator Programmer Programmer Analyst Security Specialist Senior Applications Engineer Senior Database Administrator Senior Network Architect Senior Network Engineer Senior Network System Administrator Senior Programmer Senior Programmer Analyst Senior Security Specialist Senior Software Engineer Business Analyst (BA) Senior BA Junior BA IT Project Manager Web Developer Webmaster Web Administrator

Senior Support Specialist Senior System Administrator Senior System Analyst Senior System Architect Senior System Designer Help Desk Technician Chief Technology Officer Chief Information Officer Computer and Information Systems Manager Database Administrator Senior Systems Analyst Senior Systems Software Engineer Senior Web Administrator Senior Web Developer Software Engineer Software Quality Assurance Analyst Support Specialist System Administrator System Analyst System Architect System Designer Systems Analyst Systems Software Engineer Technical Specialist Telecommunications Specialist Etc.

How these job titles above can be filled? In my own opinion, these job titles can be filled by professionals who as higher education in information and technology plus experiences and skills in the field, who attends specific course, exam, and certified and also globally recognize and comply such as ITPM, Cisco CCNA, IBM Notes, etc.

Some future computing profession perspective:

The information revolution has come as primary needs of the society; nowadays without assessing information a person will be isolated. In other hand information becomes an expensive and only available for those who have money. The distribution of the information is still not fully reach out to the indigenous people in the remote locations. As computing profession has to think how to bring technology and information that is fitted to indigenous people. For instance, develop graphic interface, screen touch technology, voice recognize tools, etc.

In 10 years’ Time:

I assume that in ten year time, the computing professional figures will change; however, the natural revolution of the information continues and actual situation will be improving and more close nature. I think, the biggest revolution and evolution will be on total integration of the cloud computing inside the organizations. "Cloud computing is internet-based computing in which the cloud is really an arena for sharing," (Pitta, D.A., 2011). Therefore, computing professional has to be ready to develop and implement these systems. Additionally, the computing professional has to know how to protect them. The computing professional skills that should have and ready are computer programming, computer security, and networking. In other end, the hardware devices evolution has to think about the environmental impact. The Green IT is become a popular in last few years back and will continue to do so. "Companies in the 21st century accept and acknowledge their responsibility in protecting the environment," (Berthon, P. at all, 2010).

In 25 years:

In the middle term, we can now see the evolution of maximizing internet protocol. One of example is VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). "The evolution of this technology, an organization can gain a great financial benefit over traditional telephony system," (Ismail, M.N., 2010). Moreover, the evolution of the Internet Protocol (IP) is IPv6 comparison to the IPv4; this will be improving a mechanism for assuring a secure and confidential transfer bits or packages of the information among users and their electrical devices. For instance transfer data packages from cars to palm devices, from computing devices to mobile devices, etc.  In this case, computing professional should prepare to answer company necessities such as ‘Bring Your Own Device' (BYOD) demands which help companies or organizations will have less infrastructure investment. However, companies have to invest human resource capacity in order to develop an open standard and cross plat form application whereas to be compatible with the variety of the electronic devices. The computer professional fields that need to be ready are programming, computing security expert, business analysts, project management, help desk supports, and networking skills. 

Moreover, during this period of time, the computing profession prediction will be more focusing on the ‘Infrastructure as a Service’ (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). The IaaS is a standardized infrastructure, highly automated offering, where compute resources, complemented by storage and networking capabilities are owned and hosted by a service provider and offered to customer’s on-demand. According to Gartner, “customers are able to self-provision this infrastructure, using a Web-based graphical user interface that serves as an IT operations management console for the overall environment. API access to the infrastructure may also be offered as an option”.

Gartner defines “SaaS as software that is owned, delivered and managed remotely by one or more providers. The provider delivers software based on one set of common code and data definitions that is consumed in a one-to-many model by all contracted customers at any-time on a pay-for-use basis or as a subscription based on use metrics”.

In 50 years:

In next 50 years, the computing future will be more complicated to predict. In my own opinion, there will be more innovation on the integration plat forms and open standard, artificial intelligent, archiving, business intelligent, more analytical apps, and more focusing automation process. For instant IBM current develop ‘Watson’, more technology and science on health improvements, etc.

Alan Turing may consider as the father of the modern Artificial Intelligence (AI).0 years. Dr. Turing started to ask himself. Could machine think as human?  Could machines reply human questions? In order to answer at these questions, dr. Turing proposed a test called ‘Turing Test’, in which is used to understand, if those machines are intelligent or not and he concluded with this statement:

"We can only see a short distance ahead, but, we can see plenty there that needs to be done", (Turing A.M., 1950)

"And he also predicted that by the year 2000 machines would have a 30% chance of passing a five minutes Turing Test", (Brookshear, 2010:508)

Although, today Turing prediction still not respected fully, however, in next 50 years these machines will able to think. There are several research current runs to improve Watson from IBM. If I will be still alive in 2063, I will be a witness of this success. Additionally, computing technology is to greater extent and improves society life.

Several Conclusions:

As computing professionals, we have to be ready to introduce new technology that is being developed, the technology that will be most probably to be developed and also design new capable system to accommodate society needs.

The future computing profession, it looks like the same as it is today plus new additional field and functions. There would be no major changes in this field of the profession. More computing profession becomes a good CEOs and leadership because they had multidisciplinary background knowledge and experiences.  

There would be lot of developers whereas to develop the databases or information systems databases will be not as difficult as it is today and it maybe just using drag and drop tools.  Or the developer found the smarter application databases that can adjust and adapt to any needs.

In the schools will be starting to use a computers, let say starts from elementary to senior high in order to entertain their interactive learning process and as part of the curriculum too. It would be possible also to implement the on-line study for elementary schools. The youth under care and travel can also continue their learning process from anywhere while accompany the live sessions from classes.

Today, green environment campaign also triggers to have a paperless at schools, offices, and etc. Therefore, in coming future from 10 to 50 years there would be no more paper found in the schools, shops, home, and offices; all are in digitals. The trend is mobility. A lot palm devices will be producing with interactive applications in which to use on time decision making processes their business, connect from anywhere and anytime, and easy to operate.

The cloud computing and internet communication are also helps a lot for the new running enterprise business because this new entrepreneurs do not need to invest in Information Technology Infrastructure. They can just started with their own mobiles and connect to cloud computers in which all data are being processed. Moreover, there will be lot of integrate system such IaaS and SaaS, to accommodate the data centers, archiving system, cross plat forms, open standard, workflow, and social networking capabilities.

Most importantly, the ethical computing and professional are still in needs because it is dealing with the copyright, trade-marks, privacy, data security, and freedom of speech.

Other aspects of the technology need to be constantly increased the awareness’s are the cultures. The culture will be quite different because people are use to connect, communicate, coordinate, and collaborate (4Cs) and there will be no clear boarders are defined. Internet connection will be everywhere. Anyone can interact or communicate with everyone-else without have a precondition. The Video conferences can be available from palm to palm or mobility (Cars, mobiles), from a fix phone terminal to other fix phone terminals; from mobility to video conference tools, etc. This will be allow other professional can be interact quick decision making process. For example, hearth disease patient need to establish a quick communication with his or her Cardiology Doctor while he or she is on trips in order to have a dr. prescription, Auto drive cars, etc.

How about language in computing profession? I think English still a preferable language for the information and technology and however there would be an adaptation to the original mother tongue, acronyms, and slogans.     

Reference list:

·        Developing the Project Charter and Baseline Project Plan [on-line]. Available from: http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/95/04717153/0471715395-3.pdf  (Accessed: 26 February 2011)

·        The Future of the Computing Profession [on-line]. Available from: http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl/abs/html/mags/co/2010/07/mco2010070088.htm#target3  (Accessed: 26 February 2011)

·        From Computing Machinery to Interaction Design [on-line]. Available from: http://hci.stanford.edu/~winograd/acm97.html (Accessed: 26 February 2011)

·        Doyle, A. (N), About.com Guide, List IT Jobs Titles, [on-line]. Available from: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/job-title-samples/a/it-job-titles.htm(Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        The Computer Economics (August 2013), Help Desk Staffing Steady Over Time [on-line]. Available from: http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1881(Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        The Computer Economics (N), Worldwide Technology Trends [on-line]. Available from: http://www.computereconomics.com/page.cfm?name=Worldwide%20Technology%20Trends(Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        The Computer Economics (N), IT Staffing Ratios: Benchmarking Metrics and Analysis for 14 Key IT Job Functions [on-line]. Available from: http://www.computereconomics.com/page.cfm?name=IT_Staffing_Ratios&gclid=COb5m76G7bkCFW964god0ysAqA (Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        Wikipedia (N:N), RFID, [on-line]. Available from: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFID (Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        ABC.net.au (June 25, 2013), IBM touts super computer Watson as future of business; ANZ bank signs up [on-line]. Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-25/ibm-touts-super-computer-as-future-of-business/4780054 (Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        Youtube (N:N), IBM Watson Solution, [on-line]. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/user/IBMWatsonSolutions (Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        BYOD (N:N), [on-line]. Available from: http://hs.maas360.com/main-site-theme-3/?id=337&K=byod&A=Australia_gsearch&O=HS&C=HS%20-%20BYOD%20(Australia)&gclid=CNmpj-Le8bkCFaei4god0woApQ (Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        Wikipedia (N:N), Software as a Service, [on-line]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_as_a_service (Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        Gartner (N), Infrastructure as a Service, [on-line]. Available from: http://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/infrastructure-as-a-service-iaas/ (Accessed: 27 September 2013)

·        Gartner (N), Software as a Service, [on-line]. Available from: http://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/software-as-a-service-saas/ (Accessed: 27 September 2013)