- The World Once Laughed at North Korean Cyberpower. No More.
Their track record is mixed, but North Korea’s army of more than 6,000 hackers is undeniably persistent, and undeniably improving, according to American and British security officials who have traced these attacks and others back to the North.
Amid all the attention on Pyongyang’s progress in developing a nuclear weapon capable of striking the continental United States, the North Koreans have also quietly developed a cyberprogram that is stealing hundreds of millions of dollars and proving capable of unleashing global havoc.
Unlike its weapons tests, which have led to international sanctions, the North’s cyberstrikes have faced almost no pushback or punishment, even as the regime is already using its hacking capabilities for actual attacks against its adversaries in the West.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/15/world/asia/north-korea-hacking-cyber-sony.html
- CFOs Need Procurement as Their Right-Hand Man. Here’s Why.
CFOs should also look to procurement for a fresh perspective when it comes to solving business problems. Due to its far-reaching nature (procurement departments are involved in most, if not every, department in the organization), procurement is uniquely positioned to see and understand departmental and overall business needs. This gives CFOs a more accurate look at what technology and processes will be most beneficial in the long run.
The need for a future-focused perspective when making long-term internal strategy decisions is especially important to ensure high ROI on each investment that a CFO makes. As the report stresses, “This can be particularly important in extremely fast-growing organizations that need to move quickly to find innovative solutions for an ever-changing constellation of business needs.”
http://daily.financialexecutives.org/cfos-need-procurement-right-hand-man-heres/
- Equifax: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (NSFW)
John Oliver is a little late, I covered this topic last month 🙂 - Sorry, Millennials — You Are Not Entrepreneurs
However, the truth shows that millennials are full of shit. The number of people under 30 who own a business has fallen by 65 percent since the 1980s and is now at a quarter-century low according to the Wall Street Journal.
The reason why entrepreneurs are generally older is that they are better suited to the risk involved with starting a business. Nine out of 10 startups fail, so those individuals that choose to create companies are generally better prepared and more experienced than a typical millennial. They aren’t discouraged by past failures. They learn from them and apply those lessons to future opportunities. Business is far from a fair or easily solved equation.
- Here Is Everything You Need To Make Your Conference Calls Not Suck
Point 1:“The aim for a conference call or other kind of distance meeting should be to create the notion of sitting in the same room,” says Konftel’s product manager, Torbjörn Karlsson. “If you need to raise your voice to be heard or have a hard time to perceive what people say, you need to identify the weak components.”
Point 2:
“Today’s modern, minimalist rooms are the most common cause of poor sound quality in audio conferencing,” says Eriksson. “A cold room causes the sound to bounce around and gives a longer reverberation time.” He recommends taking several steps to minimize this “minimalist bounce” including furnishing the room with soft furnishings, and on the floor, fitted carpet or rugs; putting up long blinds, curtains, and wall hangings to absorb any bounce if the room has windows and large empty walls; and even decorating the room with potted plants.
Point 3:
“Before and during the meeting there are a number of minor tips that have an immediate effect on sound quality and cut irritating distractions,” says Eriksson. “Don’t tap your pen or fingers on the table. Remember that the screen on your laptop is a barrier between you and the microphone. Don’t place paper or folders over any expansion microphones on the table. Don’t put your chin in your hand when you’re talking.” All of the above can make it hard for the remote worker to understand you clearly. You’ll know exactly what Eriksson means if anyone on the call has ever asked “What’s that tapping noise?” and you’ve realized that it was your fingers drumming on the table.
Photo: Benjamin Child
