Apple says it’s rolling out an update to its iMessage texting platform that can defend against future encryption-breaking technologies such as decryption by quantum computers.

Apple says its PQ3 “groundbreaking post-quantum cryptographic protocol” offers Level 3 security, i.e. it provides protocol protections that surpass those in all other widely deployed messaging apps. Apple says PQ3 (post-quantum cryptography 3) has the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world and that it has “rebuilt the iMessage cryptographic protocol from the ground up to advance the state of the art in end-to-end encryption”.

Although Apple acknowledges that quantum computers with the capability to crack classical public key cryptography algorithms don’t exist yet, it says its PQ3 update offers “the strongest protection against quantum attacks” in the future and is “the only widely available messaging service to reach Level 3 security”.

Just days after it was announced that the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the FBI, and Europol had taken down the Russian LockBit ransomware gang’s website, it’s been reported that LockBit ransomware is still being deployed via flaws in a popular remote access tool.

Researchers at cybersecurity companies Huntress and Sophos have highlighted how two bugs in the ConnectWise ScreenConnect remote access IT support tool, usually used by IT technicians, are being exploited to launch LockBit attacks.

ConnectWise has issued an alert urging IT administrators to take quick action to patch the two critical vulnerabilities. Details are available here.

The ‘gasification’ of waste tea prunings is being used to both provide free energy for factories in Kenya and to decarbonise the tea sector.

Gasification 

UK-based waste-to-energy company Compact Syngas Solutions (CSS) has developed a ‘gasification’ process which can convert biomass and other feedstocks into synthesis gas (syngas), which can be used to generate heat and power.

Challenges 

In Kenya, where half of the tea drunk in the UK originates from, the tea industry faces challenges including:

– An unreliable and expensive electricity grid. This grid cuts out for an hour a day on average, meaning that tea producers must rely on diesel generators for power and wood for heat. As well as being disruptive, it is not environmentally friendly.

– Fertile soils are needed for tea, yet using fertilisers at scale can be expensive and can also be environmentally unfriendly.

How ‘Gasification’ Technology Can Help 

The ‘Micro-Hub’ modular gasification system from CSS can provide the following solutions to the above-mentioned challenges in the tea industry by:

– Being able to run 24/7, thereby addressing the outages that cause the disruption and the need for diesel generators, and matching the peak demand of tea factories.

– Generating energy from waste products, such as biomass like waste wood, tea cuttings, and other selected non-recyclable materials. Also, the power and hydrogen produced from biogenic feedstock has lower CO2 emission which, coupled with CSS carbon capture technology, means the Micro-Hub is carbon neutral. This can make tea production greener and help with the decarbonisation of the tea industry.

– Economic benefits/cost savings, i.e. the payback for a Micro-Hub can be as low as 2.7 years.

– Scalability and the ability to tailor to the user’s energy requirements, e.g. as and when demand grows, more modular plants (Micro-Hubs) can be added.

– Transportation and fertiliser production opportunities resulting from the green hydrogen from syngas production (syngas is a mix of hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide and monoxide).

– Increased tea yields (up to 23 per cent), increased fertiliser use efficiency, and better drought resilience.

Job Creation Too 

The 500kWh plant Micro-Hubs that produce the green energy will also reportedly create jobs for up to 10 skilled technical and operational workers. This could add up to 300 new jobs in Kenya within the first five years.

Plans To Expand 

Plans are already in place (pending proven success in Kenya) to expand the green energy Micro-Hubs to Malawi, Uganda, South Africa and, perhaps, across the world.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

For tea producers in Kenya, a major challenge is the unreliable power grid. Also, the industry needs to decarbonise. Having a mini, modular, 24/7 power/energy generator on hand that runs on tea plant cuttings (and other biomaterials) can, therefore, meet these challenges and provide many other benefits.

For example, essentially free green energy that meets tea factory demand will help to decarbonise the tea industry and improve efficiency and productivity. The mini power hubs may also provide the added benefit of new job creation in an exciting new field. This story is an example of how technology can be used in a way that benefits an industry, a country, and the world in terms of carbon emission reduction, economic advancement, and the scalability of this system and its benefits.

You may not know that Microsoft Word doesn’t spellcheck uppercase words by default so, if you’d like to make sure your entire document (even your uppercase words) is fully spellchecked, here’s how:

In Word, click on ‘File’.

Click on ‘Options’.

Click on ‘Proofing’.

Un-check ‘Ignore words in UPPERCASE’ and click ‘Save’.

After the Amazon-owned ‘Ring’ video doorbell company’s recent major subscription price hike across its range caused anger and made the news, we look at what customers have said and if there’s a way to beat the price hike.

Ouch! 

Ring has angered customers and received some negative publicity after announcing that starting on 11 March this year, its subscription price for its basic plan customers will rise by an eye-watering 43 per cent, from £34.99 to £49.99 per device, per year.

This will mean that the basic plan price has doubled since 2022 when it was priced at £24.99 per year for each device.

Also, those who pay monthly will see a price increase from £3.49 to £4.99 a month.

Angry 

The announcement of the price increase prompted angry reactions from customers including many taking to Reddit to complain, saying they’d already cancelled their subscription, and suggesting ways to object and force a U-turn. For example, one very popular threat in the Ring sub-Reddit is called “Cancel your Ring subscription.” At the head of the thread in Reddit, for example, the ‘Discussion’ summary reads: “Even if you plan on paying for it with the new price, just cancel it now and select price as the reason why” and “it just increased not long ago and now they are trying to introduce an even bigger increase. If everyone cancelled, the increase would be called back immediately.” 

Other points that angry customers have made include:

– They’ve just bought a Ring doorbell or been given one for Christmas but won’t use it because the subscription price is now too high.

– Not wanting to invest heavily in hardware for a company that has gained a reputation for subscription price hikes.

– Highlighting how the company’s increase in per-device price for a capability that may not be used anyway (the ability to save, review and share video recordings) amounts to Ring damaging its reputation unnecessarily.

Others, however, who can accept the price rise, are not willing to cancel or switch (they still perceive value outweighing the price). For example, one Reddit user wrote: “It sucks, but who’s going to switch over 10 dollars a year? I’m not going to uninstall it and change to another one. I live in a neighbourhood with a lot of people and the past recordings are insurance in case anything happens.” 

What Does Ring Say? 

As yet no specific statement in answer to the threat of mass subscription cancellations has been released by Ring and there’s only a price update page on the website explaining what happens if customers cancel their subscriptions.

Suggestion About How To Freeze Price – Martin Lewis 

Consumer financial champion and broadcaster Martin Lewis, however, took to the ‘X’ platform to suggest a way that users can beat the 43 per cent price hike. Mr Lewis suggested: “Cancel now and get a pro-rata refund (you may lose saved files though) – Sign up again at the current price which then locks it in for the next year.” 

Mr Lewis also said he will be sending out a “Full checked out update to come via MSE News” i.e., Money Saving Expert news.

Alternatives 

In what is a growing video doorbell market, there are alternative/competing products, although Ring is the market leader in the UK (up until now), and competitors are unlikely to have the backing of a company with the market power and wealth of Amazon.

Some examples of competing products include Nest Hello, Arlo Video Doorbell, August View, Eufy, and Tapo. Nest Hello, for example, is known for its high video and audio quality, sleek design, and advanced features like activity zones and familiar face alerts. Arlo Video Doorbell is reported to offer excellent video quality, a wide field of view, two-way talk functionality, and smart notifications that can differentiate between people, vehicles, and animals. August View is known for characteristics like its user-friendliness and day-to-day use.

Other Concerns 

Beyond price issues, there are other concerns around the use of video doorbells not least of which is privacy. For example, back in October 2021 in the UK, a judge ruled that video images and audio files that a Ring doorbell and cameras captured of the neighbour of an Oxfordshire plumber were her personal data and that the video doorbell and the use of the doorbell of this case was a kind of harassment and had been in breach of the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. Consequently, the owner of the Ring doorbell (the plumber) was fined a substantial sum. Following this Fairhurst v Woodard case, Amazon, the parent company of Ring LLC, issued a warning to its Ring Doorbell owners saying, “We strongly encourage our customers to respect their neighbours’ privacy and comply with any applicable laws when using their Ring product.”

The case doesn’t mean that any usage of Ring doorbells is illegal as the prosecution mainly centred around the doorbell’s audio recording capabilities (the range at which it was capturing audio) being too much for crime prevention and home protection purposes. Also, it was found that the doorbell’s owner hadn’t been transparent about how and when his camera was operating. That said, it does highlight how there is a real risk if video doorbell owners don’t adhere to data privacy and other relevant laws.

In addition to privacy concerns, other risks that owners of video doorbells may need to consider include:

– Security risks (i.e. a risk of hacking) where unauthorised individuals could gain access to your video feed or personal data.

– Not understanding where and how video data is stored, who has access to it, and how long it is retained (and the potential legal implications thereof).

– Network requirements. This is because video doorbells require a stable and strong Wi-Fi connection. Weak signals can affect performance.

– As illustrated by this Ring price hike, beyond the initial purchase, buyers need to carefully consider subscription fees for additional features, like cloud storage or enhanced security measures.

– For wireless video doorbell models, battery life can vary, and replacing or charging batteries can be a hassle.

– It’s possible, depending on the sensitivity and technology used, owners may receive false alerts from passing cars, animals, or other non-human movements, which can be annoying and disruptive.

– Whether or not the doorbell can operate well in the weather conditions common to your area.

– Compatibility with existing smart home devices and ecosystems can vary, impacting your overall smart home experience.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Even though Amazon’s Ring doorbell company announced a couple of years ago that there would be a price increase, the sheer scale of it has been met with anger as well as many threats and claims of cancellations. The fact that customers appear not to be able to see any additional value or extra benefit to justify such a large price increase (and perhaps a lack of further communication about it) alongside the availability of some quality alternatives appears to have considerably lowered the barrier to exit and created a PR disaster for Ring.

Having Amazon as a very powerful and wealthy owner may have been a key reason why Ring has become the market leader, but this makes it all the more surprising that a price rise has been handled in this way. For Ring customers who’ve only recently purchased or been gifted the hardware, this is a blow that may cause them to cut their losses and try a competitor. For video doorbell competitors, therefore, it’s the best opportunity they’ve had in years to gain share and chip away at Ring’s market position.

For Ring, however, if the ‘customer rebellion’ continues, it could put pressure on them to go for a climbdown or to announce some kind of additional benefit(s) to pacify and retain customers. Price sensitivity and changing market conditions, particularly in a cost-of-living crisis, are something that all B2C companies (especially) need to take seriously in their pricing strategies.

In this tech-insight, we take a look at the world of virtual cards, who offers them, their benefits, and other secure payment alternatives.

What Are Virtual Credit Card Numbers? 

Virtual credit cards and their card numbers (as the name suggests) only exist in the virtual world, e.g. in an app on your phone, and are temporary, randomly generated 16-digit numbers that are associated with an existing credit card account (it masks the real card number). The number is unique for each transaction for a limited time. Just as they can be quickly generated and immediately and customised after their initial use, they can also be immediately revoked if necessary (handy for security).

Virtual cards with virtual numbers (although they still have an expiry date and CVV) can be used to purchase things online and in-app, in some cases over the phone, and also to pay in-store with mobile payment via other services such as Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Why?

Having a virtual, randomly generated, temporary (and easy to revoke) number makes online transactions safer and more secure by reducing the risk of fraud and misuse, e.g. from phishing and hackers. It essentially creates an invisible buffer between a card account holder and bad actors.

Other Benefits 

In addition to the added security and convenience, other benefits of virtual credit cards include:

– Users can get more control over their spending, for example by implementing setting spending limits and expiration dates on virtual cards, thereby helping to manage budgets and prevent unauthorised charges.

– Greater privacy protection during online transactions because virtual cards don’t directly expose the user’s primary credit card information, and they help protect the user’s privacy during online transactions.

– Enabling easy subscription management, i.e. they can be extremely useful for managing subscriptions or trial services, as they can be easily cancelled without affecting other transactions or the need to change the primary card details.

Who?  

Virtual card numbers are available to consumers (online shoppers), businesses managing their expenses, and any individuals or entities concerned about financial privacy and security.

In the UK, virtual card numbers are offered by a mix of traditional banks, fintech companies, and specialised financial service providers. Examples include:

– Barclays, through its Barclaycard product line, for individuals and businesses.

– The Revolut fintech app. This offers virtual cards alongside its physical debit card.

– Monzo, which says customers can create virtual cards in its app and have up to 5 at any time.

– Starling Bank, which says its customers can create virtual debit cards linked to budgets. Starling customers can have multiple virtual cards for free and use them to make payments in person using a mobile wallet.

– The Curve fintech company which offers a virtual Curve Card, enabling users to pay using their app or the virtual card can be added to Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay.

– Capital One, which allows customers to create virtual numbers linked to one of their Capital One cards.

Drawbacks 

Although a virtual card / virtual card number offers the primary benefits of security and convenience, there are some drawbacks. For example:

– Being virtual means that there’s no magstripe or Chip & PIN, meaning that a virtual card can’t be used to withdraw cash, e.g. from an ATM.

– Not all merchants accept virtual cards, especially for transactions that require a physical card to be presented at a later time, such as car rentals or hotel bookings.

– Challenges with returns and refunds. For example, if you need to return a purchase made with a virtual card, the process can be complicated if the card has expired or if the merchant requires the original payment card to process a refund.

– Since virtual cards rely on digital platforms and internet access for their creation, management, and usage, they can be subject to technical issues such as problems with the app or limited internet access; it may be difficult or impossible to generate a new virtual card or access existing ones. This reliance on technology can be a significant drawback in situations where digital access is compromised or unavailable.

Alternatives 

There are several alternatives to virtual cards that also offer a layer of security, such as:

– Digital wallets / e-wallets, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, which allow users to store their payment information securely on their devices. As mentioned above, virtual card providers also let customers add their virtual cards to and use them via these wallets.

– Intermediate-style payment services like PayPal, Venmo (in the US), and Alipay.

– Some bank-issued secure payment apps.

– Mastercard Click to Pay and Visa Checkout.

– Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and others, which offer a decentralised way to make secure transactions.

– Prepaid cards such as Monese or the Revolut prepaid card.

What About Google Pay Or Apple Pay? 

Although Google Pay and Apple Pay don’t directly offer virtual card numbers in the same way that banks or specific credit card issuers do, they provide a form of transaction security that resembles the use of virtual card numbers. For example, in the case of Apple Pay, actual card numbers aren’t stored on the device or on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted, and securely stored in the Secure Element on your iPhone and each transaction is authorised with a one-time unique dynamic security code.

Similarly, Google Pay uses tokenisation to replace the actual credit or debit card number with a virtual account number when a transaction is made meaning that the real card details aren’t shared with merchants during the payment process.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Ways to pay digitally are evolving, which is just as well because so are the methods to commit fraud and cybercrime. Virtual credit cards are a shift towards more secure and manageable financial transactions. They offer a range of benefits across the spectrum of commerce, from banks issuing these cards to retailers accepting them, and businesses using them for operational expenses.

The banks and other issuers of virtual cards stand to benefit from reduced fraud losses, as these cards offer enhanced security features that make unauthorised transactions harder to execute. Also, offering virtual cards can be a strong competitive differentiator, attracting customers looking for innovative and secure payment solutions. It also opens up new revenue streams through service offerings tailored around virtual card management and security services.

For retailers and other businesses, accepting virtual card payments allows them to tap into a growing segment of consumers who prefer using digital-first payment solutions. It can be faster and lead to reduced transaction disputes and chargebacks due to the enhanced security features of virtual cards. Also, embracing such payment methods demonstrates a commitment to customer security, potentially boosting consumer trust and loyalty.

Businesses leveraging virtual cards for their expenditures can achieve greater control over their finances. For example, these cards facilitate precise budget management, enable easy tracking of spending, and simplify the reconciliation process. Virtual cards also allow businesses to minimise exposure to fraud in B2B transactions, ensuring that vendor payments are secure and controlled.

For us consumers, virtual cards offer enhanced security and convenience when making online purchases. By masking their real card details, consumers can shop with peace of mind, knowing their financial information is better protected against fraud. Virtual cards also offer a more seamless online shopping experience, with features like easy subscription management and controlled spending limits.

While the benefits appear to be significant, it’s still important to acknowledge the drawbacks mentioned earlier, such as limited physical acceptance and potential challenges with returns and refunds. However, the positive aspects outweigh these limitations for most users. The tech dependency of virtual cards, although a drawback in some scenarios, is also a testament to the digital transformation shaping our financial transactions.

Virtual cards, therefore, embody the future of secure, flexible, and convenient payments. For businesses, embracing this technology means staying ahead in the digital curve, enhancing operational efficiency, and building stronger trust with customers. As we move forward, the continued evolution and adoption of virtual cards will likely shape the next generation of financial transactions, making them more secure, efficient, and user-friendly for all stakeholders.