Toyota Kirloskar Motor Launches a First of its Kind Interactive Test Drive Application Across Dealers

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has announced the launch of a Test Drive Application to standardize the Test Drive Process across Toyota dealerships in India. This is the first of its kind initiative in the industry which explains the key product features while the customers go for their test drive, enhancing their overall driving experience.

Toyota, being a front runner in innovation and technology and in a bid to provide their customers with newer and better experiences has launched this application to build Product Conviction with effective Test Drive Experience. The unique aspect of this application is that it is multi-lingual, thus explaining the features in multiple languages [currently, Hindi & English]. This Application is connected to the vehicle through an OBD (On Board Diagnostic Device) to make it interactive with the vehicle driving pattern. Thus the features are automatically triggered based on the driving response.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch, N. Raja, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd said, “We at Toyota continuously strive to understand evolving customer needs, to offer newer and better driving experience beyond traditional vehicle transport.  Keeping in mind changing customer lifestyle, we have introduced this application to further streamline the test drive experience at dealerships and strengthen the customer connection to the brand – converting one-time product sales into long-term service-oriented relationship. With booming digitization, we entered this space through Paperless Customer Information Capturing in the Pre-Sales Area and Toyota Connect in the Post Sales Area.  We are expanding our horizon introducing the First in Industry Unique Digitalized Test Drive Application aiming to standardize the product explanation during the Test drive and make the experience more exciting. The interactive feature lends a ‘human touch’ to this application, thus making it unique.

The initial feedback from customers in the pilot phase has been very encouraging for us.  Test Drive is a critical part of making an informed purchase decision. We believe this informative experience during the test drive will increase the awareness about functions and features of the car and transform the vehicle sales experience.” He added.

This application is an iOS based state-of-the-art technology, designed for iPad Devices. The application is installed in iPad and configured with OBD i.e. “On-Board Diagnostics” device which is fitted to the car and paired with the Car’s Audio System.

Once the engine is started, the iPad Application senses engine performance parameter triggered by the OBD device and based on the customer driving response, respective performance and features will trigger and initiate explanation of the characteristics from the ipad application. The voiceover explanation of the car highlights through the car’s audio system ensures customer Test Drive experience is unique, uniform and universal.

Karanataka Wins 16 Medals at IndiSkills 2018, All Set to Make a Remarkable Entry in WorldSkills 2019

In the IndiaSkills2018, Karnataka won a total number of 16 medals among that 7 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals. In addition the state has also secured one Medallion for Excellence. There were 23 young men and women from Karnataka, who took part in the prestigious national skill championship- after passing the state and regional level competition.           
                      
Congratulating the winners, Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, “Congratulations to the winners of IndiaSkills 2018. I am hopeful and confident that they will go on to bring laurels for the country in World Skills Competition to be held in Russia in August 2019. I complement the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for the successful completion of IndiaSkills Competition.”

More than 400 competitors from 27 states displayed their skills in 46 skills, 7 traditional skills and 4 demo skills, before experts and jury members. More than 15,000 A total of 164 winners were awarded medals in their respective skill categories. Of these, 45 won gold medals, while 47 won silver and the bronze medal went to 43 winners. Maharashtra topped the medals tally with 23 medals, followed by Odisha, which had 21 winners. Karnataka and Delhi came third with 16 medals each, while Chandigarh finished in the fifth position with 12 medals.

More than 50,000 youth had registered for the IndiaSkills 2018; 500 competitions were held across 3 months at the district and state level. In keeping with the norms of the

WorldSkills International competition, each skill category has three winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. A new addition has been the Medallion of Excellence that was awarded to competitors who have scored more than 700 marks. An interesting feature of IndiaSkills 2018 has been the introduction of four new skills. Referred to as Demo Skills, these categories are Hotel Receptionist, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing and Water Technology, skills that have been included with an eye for preparing the youth in future-ready professions.

Abilympics or the ‘Olympics of Abilities’ for candidates with disabilities (PwDs) was also a novel addition that has seen overwhelming response from participants. Day 1 of the National Abilympic Vocational Skills Competitions saw 50 participants competing in 10 different skill trades, including Computer Programming, Creating Web Pages, Data Processing, Word Processing, Photography, Poster Designing, Embroidery, Waste Reuse, Painting and Restaurant Service.

IndiaSkills saw a huge support from corporate India, with Ola awarding a cash prize of Rs. 20,000 to the Gold Medalist in the Autobody Repair and Automobile Technology category. Axalta Coating Systems gave away a cash prize of Rs.25,000 for Sustainable Practice Award in Car Painting. The event also saw Paytm awarding insurance up to Rs. 1 lakh to all Gold and Silver medalists for IndiaSkills trades.

MSDE, in close conjunction with Industry, will work towards preparing the winners on best practices before they head to the 45th WorldSkills Competition at Kazan, Russia in 2019. India won 1 Silver, 1 Bronze and 9 Medallions of Excellence and ranked 19th among 56 countries at the last WorldSkills 2017 in Abu Dhabi.

AQR Capital Management Establishes Engineering Center in Bangalore, India

AQR Capital Management, LLC has announced the establishment of an engineering center in Bangalore, India. The new Bangalore office will significantly expand AQR’s Engineering team by drawing from the region’s deep supply of highly talented technology professionals. The Bangalore team will collaborate closely with AQR’s U.S. Engineering group on the development of technology central to AQR’s research, portfolio management and trading systems.

AQR’s Bangalore team will be an extension AQR’s global team, which spans offices in the U.S., UK, Hong Kong and Australia. AQR expects to hire approximately150 quantitative engineers and data scientists as it builds out its Bangalore presence. The team will focus on developing and enhancing solutions primarily on a cloud-based platform, including trading systems, data and visualization tools, portfolio analytics, and micro-services to support a variety of front office platforms.

“We are excited to open our Bangalore office, which will substantially grow our engineering capabilities,” said Neal Pawar, Chief Technology Officer at AQR. “As a leading global investment management firm and a pioneer in quantitative investing, technological innovation is at the core of what we do. We believe engaging Bangalore’s top technology talent will fuel our ability to further develop the cutting-edge technology that underpins our investment processes. Bangalore has start-up culture in its DNA and we’re looking to attract the top talent in the region to join our Engineering organization.”

The Bangalore office will be led by Chrys Kattirisetti, Managing Director and India Country Head at AQR. She joined AQR from D.E. Shaw India Private Ltd., where she was a Director overseeing a front office technology group overseeing quantitative development as well as a member of their Operating Committee. With 20 years of front office development experience, Chrys’s immediate focus will be on growing the Bangalore team.

New Research Uncovers $500 Million Enterprise Value Opportunity with Data Literacy

According to a major academic study commissioned by Qlik, on behalf of the newly launched Data Literacy Project, large enterprises that have higher corporate data literacy experience $320-$534 million in higher enterprise value (the total market value of the business).

Corporate data literacy is the ability of a company workforce to read, analyze, utilize for decisions and communicate data throughout the organization. Beyond having a data literate workforce, organizations must ensure these skills are used for decision making across the business to compete in the fourth industrial revolution.

Despite a clear correlation between enterprise value and data literacy, there is a gap between how companies perceive the importance and relevance of data, and how they are actively increasing workforce data literacy. While 92% of business decisions makers believe it is important for employees to be data literate, just 17% report that their business significantly encourages employees to become more confident with data.

Corporate Data Literacy Can Improve Financial Performance

The Data Literacy Index is a rigorous model that scores companies based on the extent to which firms have the necessary data and the capabilities to use data for decision making. When correlated to measures of corporate performance, organizations that rank in the top third of the Data Literacy Index have 3 to 5% higher enterprise value. In addition, improved data literacy appears to have a positive correlation with other measures of corporate performance, including gross margin, return-on-assets, return-on-equity and return-on-sales.

Arun Balasubramanian, Managing Director at Qlik India, concluded, “The world today is inundated with data, and yet organizations are struggling to utilize it to drive better decision-making. Despite India having the most data literate workforce globally, these skills could be underutilized – this could be due to a lack of adequate processes or training within the organization to use data. Qlik has been working towards raising awareness about the critical need for promoting data literacy across the globe, and how it has become a key opportunity area for global enterprises. The findings of the Data Literacy Index merely highlight why business leaders across industries need to take charge of the data evolution of their organizations and the significant value that data literacy brings to the organization. Only by empowering their employees with data literacy can they realize the greater business value and continue to thrive in a fast-changing, hyper-competitive business landscape.”

“This is the first time that data literacy has been measured on a company level, which includes not only the data skills of company employees, but also the use of data for making decisions throughout the company,” said Lorin Hitt, Professor at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. “This is important because our research suggests that this broader concept of corporate data literacy represents a mutually reinforcing set of business practices that are associated with higher financial performance.”

To inform the Data Literacy Index, 604 global enterprise business decision makers in 10 geographies were surveyed on their companies’ use of data and approach to data literacy. The research study was defined by Wharton academics and conducted by PSB Research. Other key findings include:

Businesses Not Ready to Pay for Widespread Data Expertise

The majority of business decision makers feel it is vital for employees to be data literate, but just 24% of the global workforce reports being fully confident in their ability to read, work with, analyze and communicate with data.*

Further aggravating this skills gap, while two-thirds of companies (63%) are planning on hiring more data literate employees, the onus is on the individual. Business leaders have been unwilling to commit resources to improve the data literacy of their workforce, with only 34% of firms currently providing data literacy training, and only 36% willing to pay higher salaries to employees who are data literate.

Data Skills Are Not Leading to More Data-Driven Decision Making

Nearly all business leaders acknowledge that data is important to their industry (93%) and in how their company currently makes decisions (98%). Shockingly, just eight percent of firms have made major changes in the way the data is used over the past five years.

In fact, data-driven decision making has the lowest score of the three dimensions of corporate data literacy measured. Even companies that have data-literate employees across every business unit are likely not turning data into useable information as effectively as possible.

European Companies Show the Highest Data Maturity

Europe holds the highest data literacy score of any region, with the UK, Germany and France among the most mature nations for corporate data literacy. Slightly lower, the US and APAC regions were not statistically different from one another, although Singapore is the most data literate nation globally.  

This reflects a greater recognition that European business decision makers have for the value of data, with 72% affirming that it is “very important,” compared with just 60% in Asia Pacific and 52% in the US.

Mixed results in Asia Pacific

Asia Pacific recorded the highest increase in the importance of data in the last 5 years – moving faster than the US and EMEA. Despite that, only one in ten (10%) companies have made changes in the way they use data and only 20% are willing to pay higher salaries to employees who are data literate – revealing a severe disconnect between the state of affairs and how enterprises are dealing with it.

Singapore emerged as the most data literate nation globally, with the highest Corporate Data Literacy (CDL) score of 84.1 compared to 81.3 in the United Kingdom and 72.6 in the US. Within Asia Pacific, India had a score of 76.2; Australia had a score of 72.4; while Japan had a score of 54.9. The banking and finance industry led the way in terms of achieving the highest average CDL score in Asia Pacific.

Industries with Higher Data Literacy

There are far greater differences in corporate data literacy between industries than between regions. The healthcare, retail and real estate industries underperformed on data literacy (with respective data literacy scores of 67.1, 69.2 and 70.7), while the administrative, technical services and finance industries performed more consistently (81.1, 80.2 and 77.4 respectively).

Commenting on the findings, Jordan Morrow, Global Head of Data Literacy at Qlik said: “With the greater presence of automation, robotics and artificial intelligence, the fourth industrial revolution is looming. Data will be its universal language and those companies that master it will reap the rewards.”

“Yet, while companies pay strong lip service to the relevance and importance of data literacy to their business, their willingness to commit resources for data literate employees and evoke change to allow for data-driven decision making is lacking.”

“Within just five years, the winners of the data revolution will be clear. The Data Literacy Index is not merely an eye opener. It is a call to arms for business leaders to defend their market share.”

The Corporate Data Literacy Index was created by Qlik on behalf of the Data Literacy Project, a new global community dedicated to igniting richer discussion and developing the tools we need to shape a confident and successful data literate society. Founding partners include, Cognizant, Qlik, Pluralsight, Experian, the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Data to the People.

Samsung's Campaign – #VoiceForever – Showcases Meaningful Innovations Using Transformative Future Technologies

Samsung India has launched a digital campaign showcasing the capabilities of its digital voice assistant – Bixby through a powerful narrative that strikes a chord with viewers. The film is inspired by the life of a Motor Neuron Disease (MND)/ALS patient Sonal (name changed) who agreed to let Samsung work on a pilot project to help preserve her voice forever for her daughter.

The campaign shows a loving mother who is diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND)/ALS and is losing her voice and ability to move, and how Samsung customizes its AI enabled Bixby technology to keep her voice alive on a Samsung smartphone so that her loved ones can continue to hear her voice.

For this project, Samsung Research Institute, Bangalore (SRI-B) worked with a company which specializes in core speech technologies. We recorded an independent voice, and using TTS (Text To Speech) technology tested that voice for compatibility on Android OS (Samsung Smartphone). Testing on Tizen OS (Refrigerator, Television) is under progress. This phase led to the discovery of Asha Ek Hope Foundation, the first registered NGO for MND/ALS in India. It is a non-profit organization supporting people with motor neuron disease (MND) and their families. It’s striving to infuse hope and positivity in their life, which will empower them to overcome the illness.

“At Samsung, we are focused on transforming people’s lives with innovative technologies. The endeavor is to solve real-life problems of consumers through meaningful innovations. This film depicts how Samsung can make the seemingly impossible, possible by using its AI voice assistant, Bixby to preserve the voice of a mother who is diagnosed with MND,” said Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung India.

Link to the campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OhJ00an0mI

In the film, the daughter is seen reading out an essay at school where she describes the beautiful relationship with her mother. She crafts a narrative which celebrates the mother daughter bond through activities, just the two of them spending time together, listening to and laughing with one another. As the video continues streaming, the mother is missing from the picture and we see the daughter speaking to a phone with her father in the backdrop.

“Samsung, the leader in innovations, is always looking for ways to help people do the impossible. We are developing the first ever personalized AI voice assistant - Bixby to help people affected by Motor Neuron Disease leave their voices for their loved ones before they lose it. Cheil team set out to present a simple yet moving film showcasing the endless possibilities that Bixby can bring to the family coping with this unfortunate condition. We are delighted to see the heartwarming response that the film is getting and we are looking forward to perfecting the technology and inspiring many others.” added, Josh Seokjin, Sr. Art Director & Alberto Rodriguez, Sr. Copywriter from Cheil HQ Global Creative Division.

Samsung believes in delivering connected consumer experiences across its spectrum of products and has been focused on cutting edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual Reality (VR), Machine learning and 5G mobile networks. It spent more than $14 billion on R&D globally last year and has more than 65,000 engineers and designers working to innovate and, bring the best products and solutions for our consumers.

The launch of the world’s largest mobile factory in Noida is testimony to its strong commitment to Indian consumers. Following the launch of the factory, was the opening of the Company’s largest mobile experience centre in Bengaluru’s iconic Opera House. This centre showcases differentiated product experiences that revolve around transformative technologies such as VR, AI and IoT, which Samsung is pioneering globally. The customized Bixby voice solution is another example of Samsung’s commitment towards its consumers.

First of its Kind, All in One Shaving System called Trazor Launched by a Delhi Based Startup

Trazor was born as a result of everything that could be fixed with the current wet-shaving systems. The inspiration came from a Swiss Army Knife kept side by side with a shaving razor. 

Trazor is the first shaving system in India which serves both as a shaving gel and aftershave, into the handle. The Trazor's gel eliminates the need for harmful, non-environmentally friendly shaving foams and alcohol-based aftershave. Each Trazor shaving handle dispenses the gel that is free of parabens and alcohol.  Trazor allows you to choose from 25 + popular blades, giving the user freedom to choose blades of his choice. 

The mandate for the Trazor team was simple – A design with unlimited possibilities-  An incredible design to fall in love with, ergonomic to minimize slips and cuts, and an inbuilt natural shaving gel and after-shave free of harmful chemicals and alcohol with minimum use of water (Trazor Gel). A design that would work equally well for him and her, young and young at heart, that is also easy to carry and easy to use.

How it all started

One afternoon back in 2015 two old friends met after 15 years at a coffee shop in Noida and discussed shaving and all the things that could be fixed for 3 hours, consequently a new shaving system was born that would completely revolutionize the shaving world. 

The journey started back in 2015 – From a humble two-person operation gradually some of the smartest design engineers and innovative minds from around India were brought together, who put in 1000's of hours of painstaking labour, designing, building and rebuilding dozens of prototypes, failing multiple times, before finalizing on the current version of Trazor.

Why the Trazor shaving system was created:  

The major razor companies that make most shaving systems in the market charge exorbitant prices for blades, and to protect their fat margins, they ensure the blades fit only their handles. They have gone one step further by charging even more from women.

You will never again be locked to a handle that only accepts a certain type of expensive blade. Not only that, Trazor comes with its own signature five-edge stainless steel razor blade for a smooth and comfortable shave.

Trazor is designed to offer you the ultimate in shaving experience.

Trazor is one compact system for home and away-from-home use - take it with you wherever life takes you. With Trazor, shaving will be a hassle-free and convenient experience, be it in the washroom of your home, workplace, gym, hotel, anywhere.

NIMHANS Uses Simulation from Dassault Systèmes to Improve Efficacy of Medical Treatment through Neuromodulation

Dassault Systèmes has announced that National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), the apex center for mental health and neuroscience education in India, has deployed Dassault Systèmes’ SIMULIA applications to predict the efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive clinical treatment for schizophrenia patients, virtually before the clinical procedure. The announcement was made at Dassault Systèmes’ first ever local edition of its global event Science in the Age of Experience in India that aims to showcase the company’s simulation applications in transportation, aerospace and  life sciences verticals.

NIMHANS’s adoption of SIMULIA applications powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a first-of-its-kind deployment, where psychiatrists at NIMHANS will be able to leverage simulation technology to forecast challenges and outcomes of the treatment procedure for disorders such as schizophrenia. With SIMULIA applications, the team envisages the potential to develop a conceptual non-invasive method for Deep Brain Stimulation.

Dr. G. Venkatasubramanian, MD PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Head, Department of Clinical Neurosciences at NIMHANS, “Computational modelling and simulation technologies allow mathematical reconstruction of the impact of tDCS in the treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders. . With multiphysics simulation capabilities on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, under the WISER Neuromodulation Program at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, patient-specific finite element models of the brain are used to accurately estimate the likely impact of electrical stimulation for treating the symptoms of schizophrenia, which, in turn can facilitate personalized neuromodulation.”

At the announcement, Samson Khaou, Managing Director, India, Dassault Systèmes said, “The biggest challenge faced today by the healthcare sector in India is the absence of a standard procedure to predict the effectiveness of a treatment for various chronic diseases. As the life sciences industry moves towards more ‘personalized healthcare’, custom-made simulations allow for more precise analyses and predictions of human body dynamics. With Dassault Systèmes’ SIMULIA and BIOVIA applications on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, we aim to bridge this gap by enabling our customers develop new and innovative methods for patients treatment.”

Historically, simulation has not played as large a role in life sciences as it has in more traditional engineering industries like automotive or aerospace. In addition, the simulation of human systems and their interaction is considerably more difficult and less evolved than the simulation of metal components. Human tissue response is complex and not easily simulated with simplified models. SIMULIA applications contain a wide variety of materials, procedures and load types to simulate the human body, medical and surgical equipment, and the manner in which the equipment is used.

Fullerton India’s Second Edition of Finnovatica Enters the Appathon Round

Fullerton India Credit Company Limited (Fullerton India), a leading non-banking financial company with a strong pan-India presence, launches the Appathon round or the second round of this year’s Finnovatica programme. This is the second year the Company is hosting the Finnovatica programme, a platform that seeks to leverage the ideas of talented young students to develop innovative digital solutions that may redefine the landscape of retail and rural lending in India. The initiative is in alignment with Fullerton India’s agenda of continued focus on digital innovations to improve consumer experience.

Finnovatica comprises of three stages – i) Genesis, where ideas from students are received; ii) Appathon, where the shortlisted teams are first mentored by senior executives of Fullerton India and subsequently, the ideas are presented to an eminent jury and iii) The Final Arena, where the shortlisted teams give  a demo of their fully functional prototypes, post which the winners are announced. This year, the programme has received an active participation of almost 200 students from six premier engineering institutions across the country. During the Appathon round, the aspiring teams will be mentored and counselled on the business viability of their ideas, by senior executives of Fullerton India, having more than a decade of experience. The ideas presented by the participants will facilitate the use of new technology to enhance customer experience, explore new channels for customer acquisition, and introduce innovative ways to redefine business processes.

Commenting on the programme, Rajashree Nambiar, MD & CEO, Fullerton India said, “We launched Finnovatica last year to boost entrepreneurship skills among promising students and encourage the young minds to bring in new ideas that can help improve efficiencies in our day-to-day business. We are delighted to witness a 33% increase in participation this year. We will continue to support these bright minds to create new technological solutions and guide them to transform their ideas into scalable business models. This initiative is a part of our overall agenda of being a digitally-driven organisation to offer enhanced consumer experience.”

Fullerton India has been committed to improve customer experience and expand its reach through the development of digital assets using unique initiatives to ensure quick and hassle-free loan processing.

Tata Motors Announces the ‘Festival of Gifts’ Campaign in India

Bringing in the joyous festive season, Tata Motors has announced a special festive campaign for car buyers in the country – ‘Fes tival of Gifts’. As the name suggests, through this campaign, the Company is offering assured gifts like Tanishq Vouchers, iPhone X, Tablet, 32” LED TVs and much more, worth up to Rs 1 lakh on every purchase of a new Tata car, making this festival season more gratifying for its customers. Additionally, the Company is also providing its customers with a chance to win a brand new Tata Tigor, on purchase of any passenger vehicle from the Company.

Commenting on the offer rollout, S.N Barman - Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Customer Support, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said, “With the onset of this auspicious festive season, it is an exciting time for us to be a part of our customers’ celebrations by providing them with various offers. To provide our customers with the maximum benefit this year, we have rolled out the ‘Festival of Gifts’ campaign. Through this campaign, we have tried to make an effort to bring a smile on every customers face by providing each and every Tata car buyer with an assured gift on his/ her purchase till October 31st. We firmly believe that this proposition will provide a huge boost to the buyer morale, thus cultivating for them a strong sense of association with our brand. We wish all our customers and partners greetings for the season.”

While winning the Tigor is valid on every purchase through a luck draw every week, customers also stand a chance to win an assured gift through a scratch coupon, which they will receive on delivery of their car. For assured gifts, customers will need to download the ‘Festival of Gifts’ app from the Play Store.

PRODUCT PRICE BENEFITS
Tigor  5.06  73000
Nexon  6.23  57000
Storme 10.9  87000
Hexa  12.57  98000
Zest   5.54  83000
Tiago   3.4  40000

Extortion Spam Emails have Raked in Rs 1.5 Crore since August 2018: eScan

Although Bitcoin has been the most volatile in the past few years, yet this has not deterred the criminals from collecting bits from the Bitcoins. When we talk about extortion, we have seen the emergence and effectiveness of Ransomware using Bitcoins and other forms of crypto-currencies. We have also seen Crypto-Currency Miner (sic.Monero) being deployed on hacked servers/systems, so as to take advantage of the computational resources and generate crypto-currencies. However, lately, we have seen a rising trend in extortion emails, asking for Bitcoins.

These emails are in plain text format and warn the recipient of a malware being deployed on an Adult Porn Site, furthermore, in the mails, it is also explained in brief how the recipient's, the webcam was hacked, keylogger was deployed and the login credentials were stolen. The email also explains that a video was captured while they were busy visiting the Adult Porn site and the recipient is threatened with dire consequences viz. sharing of the video with those present in the stolen address book.

Similar to Ransomware and Miner Attacks, this scam also relies on the anonymity provided by crypto-currencies. It's a simple plain text threat, based on the premise that the recipient has visited some Porn site. The criminals have in most of the cases, successfully invoked the aspect of fear and social stigma into the psych/mind of the email recipients.

eScan's research team has been analyzing and tracking these emails and most importantly, the Bitcoin addresses found in these mails. The Modus-Operandi of the criminals is to
Create Bitcoin-Address for every Spam campaign.
In case the recipient's do pay up the extortion BTCs, the BTC is broken down and transferred to multiple Bitcoin Wallets so as to ensure that researchers find it difficult to track the transactions.
The breakdown and subsequent transfer of the BTC is done a couple of times, hence at the end of third iteration we have close to 100 BTC wallets.
Finally, all these wallets are consolidated and the BTCs transferred to one single wallet.

During the course of research, we came across numerous wallets with one of them (3FJDeT2E1fWb4oZBeub4MH9ennUp5e4QG6) having received around 31 BTC and were then sent to other wallets. The criminals have sometimes transferred the BTCs to Escrow Accounts / Exchanges to further anonymize/convert the BTCs into cash. At the existing exchange rate of BTC, the wallet was worth 1,49,09,139 INR and thus the Spam Campaign can be considered highly profitable and successful.

Some of the BTC addresses of the campaign:
* 19YayKasVoiRcjcihqmUpjVwvWB9aGyKCC
* 1DtBY4zD7cK35fpbNecpxSaEuEmfu9uyVG
* 1BmXuzjeWdoBKhsX8kJMNBFz5uJzrc2Gvc
* 1HRpxFdKGc7Anb7xfpQf3tmAcH6pph2ssX
* 1FCaw9jXhHveRyLxB54ypCpJ2CtanVoLC1
* 1MJcj7MdWeKR7eT7PukLG78jcRGf4opcsD

Due to the anonymity provided it is impossible to track the identity of the Wallet Owner. Since the month of August 2018, there has been steady increase in these extortion spam mails.

According to eScan researchers these mails are a part of a spam campaign and advices that recipients shouldn't reply to these emails. However, since this campaign is in its nascent stages, there is a possibility that in near future the emails might be weaponized with the usual variants.

Prevention Measures:
Ensure to not reply to these emails at all.
Install and Configure eScan with all security modules active.
eScan Real Time Monitoring
eScan Proactive protection
eScan Firewall IDS/IPS Intrusion prevention
Users shouldn't enable macros in documents.
Organizations should deploy and maintain a backup solution.
Most important, Organizations should implement MailScan at the Gateway Level for mail servers, to contain the spread of suspicious attachments.

Absolutdata Names Dr. Sudeep Haldar Senior Vice President of Growth Analytics and AI Solutions

Absolutdata, a leader in delivering scalable business impact through AI-powered solutions, advanced analytics, and data science services, today announced the appointment of Dr. Sudeep Haldar as Senior Vice President of Growth Analytics and AI Solutions.

In his role, Dr. Haldar will be instrumental in leading key strategic accounts and providing thought leadership to the organization. With deep expertise in leading-edge predictive analytics, he will help clients drive digital transformation, particularly through innovative use of AI and Machine Learning based solutions. He will also lead the development of Absolutdata’s NAVIK AI Platform for the enterprise. NAVIK AI combines AI, technology, data and analytics to serve as a foundation for building the intelligence stack for forward-thinking companies.

 “Absolutdata has already made ground breaking strides in bringing AI deep into the enterprise,” said Dr. Haldar. “I look forward to driving growth in key strategic accounts and deploying AI solutions that bring scalable business impact to our clients.“

Dr. Haldar has over 25 years of experience in global analytics, marketing strategy, marketing effectiveness and consumer insights. He has worked in leadership roles with organizations such as Mondelēz, Kraft, Staples, McKinsey and Cerenti Marketing Group.

Sudeep holds a PhD in Marketing from Cornell University and has taught at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and Syracuse University. He is an engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Bangalore.

“Sudeep is an important asset to Absolutdata’s growth and an excellent fit for our executive team,” said Absolutdata’s CEO, Anil Kaul. “The NAVIK AI Platform and AI services are experiencing a high growth trajectory. Adding Sudeep to our team gives us strategic momentum and support during this time of rapid expansion in the AI arena.”

Greaves Care Centre Opens 100th Outlet for Conventional/ Alternate Fuel and Electric Vehicles in India

Greaves Cotton Limited, India’s specialist in last mile mobility solutions and a diversified company, announced the opening of its 100th organized service retail outlet, catering to current as well as future vehicles in the mobility segment. With the opening of this milestone store, Greaves aims to continue to deliver higher lifetime value for end customers at the bottom-of-the-pyramid with professional service. Greaves Care is a one-stop shop for all the service & repair needs of customers in the last mile transportation segment.

Commenting on the milestone, Nagesh Basavanhalli, MD & CEO, Greaves Cotton Limited, said “Greaves Care is a step closer to the customer in providing assurance to end customers in last mile segment. We aim to provide quality customer experience enhancing productivity for the last mile user. Greaves Care is a significant step towards delivering a rewarding retail experience, as we organize the existing unorganized service. This 100th service center strengthens our commitment to the market & supports our future foray to support future products and services.”

Greaves Care offers quality repairs by Company-trained mechanics, Greaves certified quality spare parts, quick service, transparent operations with a 6 months’ warranty on select parts. It also offers end-to-end vehicle service covering body, engine, transmission, electrical, lubricants & more through all of its 100 stores which have a standardized branded look & feel and customer centric process & systems. The quick turnaround time ensures customers get higher uptime on road, improved productivity & higher earning opportunity. Customers can also access the customer lounge and relax, access internet on their mobile phones through free Wi-Fi and watch TV while their vehicle gets serviced. They also get advice on vehicle upkeep & maintenance. In addition, frequent service camps, on-road assistance & night camps have been planned to help keep customers on the go and earn in an uninterrupted way. It will also be a center for service & care for products in the Farm & Energy segment.

Adding to this, K.Vijaya kumar, President Special Projects, “Greaves Care was started with a mission to provide our customers with end to end solutions. From humble beginnings in early 2018, Greaves Care has grown to 100 stores in a short timeframe. Greaves Cotton Limited aims to continue growing Greaves Care retail footprint and ensure everyone gets access to future ready services& products across India.”

These 100 Greaves Care service centers not only provide entrepreneurial support to workshop owners, but gives good opportunity to re-skill mechanics who are key breadwinners for their families & now live with a sense of pride in their communities.

Saveyra App Launches Worldwide on iOS and Android Platform

Silvermine Group launches Saveyra, India’s homegrown emoji, avatar and stickers app.  Saveyra is designed specifically for a new generation of India’s youth, who like to express identity, emotions and greetings with images. Saveyra presents a visual language that celebrates both our unique identity and the diversity of our community. Built with love and teamwork, this language helps us clearly see that we are stronger when we are together.

Saveyra, the app and keyboard, currently supports Hindi and English. It features avatars and stickers depicting a variety of emotions, greetings, and expressions. Avatars and stickers are customized for the user based on seasons, local customs, and the user’s design of the avatar. Dil ki baat, emoji ke saath.

Saveyra’s team is led by ESPN and NFL alum Manish Jha. A mobile industry veteran, Manish brings over two decades of media and technology expertise to Saveyra.

“Saveyra represents dawn, a new beginning, full of hope and optimism. The Saveyra app infuses the distinct voices of India’s diverse communities with a modern sensibility, a union inspired by the colourful history and tapestry of India itself,” said Manish Jha, CEO of Saveyra.

“Designed to be fun and playful, Saveyra empowers a new generation of youth with a positive self-image.  Rather than using technology to divide people based on gender, race, class, caste, religion, etc., the Saveyra team celebrates our differences, reminding us that all of the world is indeed one family,” Jha continued.

With offices in Bengaluru, Los Angeles, and Madhubani, the Saveyra team collaborates across the world to bring the latest episode of what our ancestors started thousands of years ago when they started drawing on cave walls. 

Saveyra supports the major communications platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, What’s App and Hike. Saveyra is adding new platforms all the time. Users can seamlessly browse for emojis and stickers within the keyboard and share their customized user created avatars.

Skullcandy Introduces Noise Canceling Tech as Part of Premium Headphone Line with Venue

Skullcandy, Inc. the performance and lifestyle audio brand founded at the intersection of innovation and creative culture, announced the expansion of their product line with new headphones-Venue. These innovative headphonesoffers a fully immersive listening experience that allows the user to discover their audio in a whole new way.

“Skullcandy is an iconic audio brand that embodies independence, creativity and appeals to our youthful and adventurous audio consumer,” said Jason Hodell, CEO of Skullcandy. “For 15 years, Skullcandy has thrived at the intersection of music, technology and boardsports by unleashing the visceral power of music for all. With Venue, we’re continuing our vision of delivering incredible immersive audio experiences,”.

Speaking on the launch Amlan Bhattacharjya, founder and CEO of Brandeyes Distributors Pvt. Ltd said, “The Venue brings with it the best in class audio experience with premium acoustics, innovation in voice technology and unrivaled comfort. It also has unique features such as fast charging and the TILE technology to track your headphones. We believe Venue will be a game changer in the active noise cancellation category.

While most noise-canceling products are only seen in the business class section of an airplane, Skullcandy’s newest wireless headphone, Venue, offers a noise-canceling experience designed for everyone — co-workers, roommates and commuters struggling to find their own space in shared working, living and traveling environments. Venue’s active noise canceling (ANC) technology is designed to deliver powerful ANC performance at an affordable price so that Skullcandy’s consumer can tune into what matters most to them: music they can feel. When users do need to tap into the outside world, Monitor Mode easily lets them hear their surroundings with just a push of a button.

In partnership withTile,Venue is embedded with a technology that allows you to track or find your headphones through the Tile application on a mobile device. With up to 24 hours of battery life, Bluetooth® capability and a premium travel case, Venue keeps the music going wherever it’s taken. Venue is also equipped with Rapid Charge technology, providing five hours of battery life with just a 10-minute charge.

Venue is available now for order online in both Black/Black and White/Crimson at Skullcandy.in, Brandeyes.in and in select retailers on October 10, 2018 priced at Rs. 18,999.

Free Tele-Dermatology Sessions from Magadi General Hospital as Part of Hairline International CSR Activities

As a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Hairline International Hair & Skin Clinic has launched free tele-dermatology clinical consultation services for patients at Magadi General Hospital at Magadi. This has been done in association with the Health & Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka.

Several people of Magadi and surrounding region have been suffering from hair and skin related ailments like hair loss, acne, pigmentation to more serious bacterial, fungal and viral skin and hair infections, eczema and allergies including alopecia, contact dermatitis, herpes, melasma, vitiligo and psoriasis. They did not have access to expert medical consultation, until now. Realizing this lacuna, Hairline International took it on themselves to set up a free tele-dermatology consultation service for the people of the region.

This service and consultation room were inaugurated  by M V Savithri, IAS, Former Health Commissioner and Secretary Panchayathraj and Dr. Amarnath T, DHO, Ramanagar District. The inauguration was followed up with a live demonstration of a consultation through a tab which has been provided to the hospital for the service.

Addressing the media, M V Savithri, IAS, Former Health Commissioner and Secretary Panchayathraj said, “This initiative by Hairline International allows for patients from rural areas to avail of expert consultations without having to wait for long hours in a hospital or for specialized doctors who make occasional visits. The ease of online evaluation and prescription gives people from the region specialized care and is a great example of the use of technology in dermatology and skincare.”

Speaking on the launch, Bani Anand, Founder and Managing Director, Hairline International Hair and Skin Clinic says, “We at Hairline have always taken our corporate social responsibility initiatives very seriously. It is with this intention that we volunteered to tie up with the Health & Family Welfare Services of Government of Karnataka to provide this free service.”

Elaborating on the service, Anand explains, “For three days of the week, doctors at the Magadi Hospital, at a specially allocated consultation room in the hospital, will be able to have their patients clinically evaluated for hair and skin ailments free of cost via a software that acts as an interface between the hospital doctor and the dermatologist at Hairline. Prescriptions will also be provided online. Hairline International will plug into the software that will serve as an interface from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays”.

Speaking on what dermatology and trichology issues will be addressed via this online service, Dr. Dinesh Gowda, Senior dermatologist, Hairline International Hair and Skin Clinic says, “This interface technology allows an expert at Hairline International to clinically evaluate a patient for ailments of hair loss and skin, their intensity and offer a line of medication that is given through a prescription. It provides local doctors with the ability to provide their patients with expert care. Tele-dermatology may be used to diagnose acne and acne scars, pigmentary conditions, wrinkles, photo-aging, sagging skin, hirsutism, stretch marks and much more”.

Dr. Premalatha V, Dermatologist, Hairline International Hairline International Hair and Skin Clinic, who performed the demo further elaborates on these consultations and explains, “Our dermatologists and trichologists will be available for consultation as well as providing prescriptions. The hospital’s software will have all the necessary online forms that will enable us to take a patient’s history, provide prescriptions and maintain a record of their consultation. The focus here is on clinical evaluation of the patient more than aesthetics. Should a further input be required by a higher authority, then the patient will be referred to a district hospital”.

Currently the service is offered at one hospital and will soon go on to cover two more in the region.

Paragon Footwear Improves Operational Efficiency with Integrated IoT Solution & Managed Services

At the IoT India Congress 2018, Aeris, a preferred Internet of Things (IoT) technology partner for Enterprises, today announced that it was awarded a contract by Sify Technologies Limited (SIFY), an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions and services leader, for delivery of IoT solutions to their customer, Paragon, India’s no.1 footwear brand.

Paragon aimed to address the issues of unexpected delays due to vehicle breakdown or wrong routes taken, leading to unpleasant incidents by errant drivers. This led to the search for an IoT-based solution to remotely track and monitor Paragons’ fleet in real-time in order to prevent vehicle misuse, idle time in the logistics chain  and even driver behaviour. Since footwear is a distributor-retailer led business, all of these were critical to ensure that supplies reach the market on time, every time. Paragon decided to use technology to manage their nationwide fleet. After a thorough research of the IT vendor landscape and as a first step towards digitizing their supply chain, Paragon decided to implement the Aeris solution across its nation-wide fleet, thus making them a single connected entity.

Adoption of IoT is on the rise in India. The number of IoT devices in India is expected to increase significantly from roughly 200 million units in 2016 to 2.7 billion units by 2020, according to a NASSCOM report. By focusing on innovation and generating new opportunities, IoT is bringing retailers, consumers and every object in the value chain into the digital realm.

To address the growing need of data management arising from the accelerated growth projection of IoT in India, Aeris collaborated with Sify Technologies, to develop niche IoT offerings with managed services for the Indian Enterprises. At the core of Sify’s Digital Transformation model is the Cloud iteration of IoT services. Specific to this strategic alliance was  a distinctive portfolio of managed Wi-Fi and Internet Service (ISP)-related offerings from Sify with propreitory IoT solutions and managed services from Aeris.

Aeris offers end-to-end IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions and services for the automobile, insurance, healthcare, utilities and manufacturing industries. Its comprehensive Aeris® Mobility IoT Platform (AMP) helps enterprises enhance revenue, create new services and business models. Aeris allows enterprises to evangelize and embark on their digital transformation journey across a portfolio of business solutions.

Aeris has successfully created unique IoT ecosystem for enterprises, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), technologists, system integrators and solution providers across many vertical sectors. Aeris empowers organizations to optimize human intervention and attain real-time remote monitoring of machines, equipment, and other assets along with predictive and preventive maintenance of various products and assets within enterprises.

Abraham Chacko,  Vice President HR, Paragon Polymer Products Pvt Ltd says, “With the successful deployment of an Aeris and Sify integrated IoT solution, we now have an advantage of minimizing the idle time, tracking a vehicle in real time, control and take timely action on the misuse of the vehicle in case a driver takes a wrong route, and quick loading and unloading based on the vehicle arriving information. This has significantly improved our distribution channel and dropped the number of complaints on late shipments.” 

Daniel Alex, President- Telecom, Sify Technologies remarks, “This is a highly customised IoT proposition. The Aeris & Sify IoT solution helped Paragon’s sales and distribution achieve an optimal fleet utilisation in terms of cost/kms and turnaround time at the retailers’ end.”

Dr. Rishi Mohan Bhatnagar, President, Aeris India says, “We are delighted to share that Aeris IoT technology and our partnership with Sify, has helped Paragon take the first step towards a connected supply chain with our connected fleet and managed IoT services solution. Paragon has realised full potential of IoT and gained quantifiable benefits though this engagement.”

METZ Unveils Premium Range LED Television & High End Appliances in India

Metz, a Germany based consumer electronic company, acquired by Chinese behemoth, Skyworth Electronics, has entered the Indian market today. During brand launch of Metz, the company also introduced premium sets of television in OLED – 4K Android, 4K Android, Android and Analog categories. The company launched six models of TV sets - M65S9A-OLED 4K UHD Android TV, M55G2 & M43U2-4K UHD Android TV (Also Available in 50”), M40E6 - FHD Android TV (Also Available in 32). Metz brand televisions will be made available across different formats of distribution network.

Along with Premium Models of Metz, the company also showcased its high end consumer goods such as Refrigerators, Washing Machines, Air-conditioners, Water purifiers etc. The company also announced that Metz brand has been acquired by Skyworth, Shenzhen based Chinese flagship company, the 5th largest maker for LED TVs in the world.

Metz brand brings to Indian consumer high innovation, technologically advanced, with high quality engineered LED televisions, which include M65S9A, the premium model of OLED 4K UHD Android TV, powered with wide colour gamut, enhanced local dimming with subtle gradations and brightness. The TV is equipped with latest AI technology offering 500nits super bright panel and digitally enhanced picture quality. It is powered by Android 8.0 operating system with 16GB ROM expandable upto 128GB. The 65-inch TV allows users to access apps like Netflix, YouTube etc directly onto the TV. It features Home wind Front Mount speaker and also includes Wi-Fi, Google Play, three HDMI ports, and two USB ports for connectivity. Available in 65inch, M65S9A has been priced at Rs 2,98,490.

The 4K UHD Android TV - M43U2, M50G2 and M55G2 are priced at Rs 48,990, Rs 54,790 and Rs 65,690 respectively. All of them are designed to provide smart user experience, allowing users to access all their entertainment content in one place. The model M50G2 and M55G2 are elegantly crafted with metallic design. The add on feature of these models are its Powerful 3D game Engine, bringing a game lover a smart viewing experience. Along with gaming, these models are equipped with entertainment apps such as Netflix and YouTube. The AI equipped TV sets, brings theater like experience with its richer sound for a stronger, rumble effect to the movies and games. It features Wi-Fi, Google Play, three HDMI ports, and two USB ports for connectivity.

In addition, the company also unveiled HD Android TV which is available in both 32 inch and 40 inch panel. The M40E6 model offers Full HD viewing experience whereas M32E6 is and HD TV. Equipped with thundering sound, clear picture quality and giving vibrant colors, these models are a smart entertainment package. The new TV range is designed simple and elegant providing a seamless transition from one scene to another. In terms of connectivity, the TV offers three HDMI, one USB and produces 8*2W RMS audio output. Add on feature, Dolby technologies bring the television a new era of quality sound. The 32 and 40 inch TV is available for Rs 29,790 and Rs 35,990 respectively.

Metz Brand also Launched Smart Home Appliances, with Unique Features, Integrated with its Advanced Technology Television.

Johnny Wang, President, Skyworth & Metz Overseas said, “We being one of the flagship company in LED TVs market in China are happy to acquiring Metz, a famous German brand, backed with German innovative and advanced technology. Along with the acquisition, it is also a great announcement to enter in India which is third largest market in the world for LED TVs. With burgeoning middle class, increase in high disposal income, steady and confident macro and micro Indian economic condition, and with increase in TV viewership India market for LED Televisions is poised for substantial growth. Entering in the market at this time, Skyworth and Metz aims to provide the highest customer satisfaction with technologically advanced products, high quality and value for money.”

Elaborating on the launch, Amitabh Tiwari, CEO, said “Metz brand is technologically advanced and innovative brand, with German engineering perfection. Under the global expansion plan for Skyworth, the launch of Metz brand in India, is very strategic decision. Indian Market is now ready for technologically advanced premium models of LED TVs, and high end appliances. We are very confident that contemporary design, technology, product innovation, the value delivery by Metz brand, will be a great success in Indian Market. Metz brand will be made available across all formats of distribution network for ease and convenience of buying.”

Commenting on the launch, Gopal Adhikarla, Director said, “Indian consumers are opting for advanced technology, high quality and premium products in LED TV and appliance category. Metz and Skyworth will delight the aspiring Indian consumer by delivering it at a great value. We have expertise in understanding customer needs, designing and integrating technology in the product for highest customer expectation. We will be making our quality products in highly reputed and well spread out - multiple formats of distribution network, with attractive financing schemes, will ensure ease of buying. We will match high speed delivery of product with efficient after sales service for fastest installation in the industry, to delight our customers. Metz and Skyworth will relentlessly focus on delivery of highly innovative, technologically advanced products across LED Televisions and Smart appliances. ”

Bundled with precise picture, colour quality, simple look and easy-to-use smart features, the new range allows consumer to access all content in one place. Please find below the specifications of the models.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Employees Donate One-Day’s Salary to Karnataka and Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief Fund

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) recently handed over contributions to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka H. D. Kumaraswamy and Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan for rebuilding Kodagu District (Karnataka) and parts of Kerala post the recent flood and landslides. 

This voluntary initiative along with the Toyota Group companies, Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s dealer partners and employees amassed strong support for swift relief activities currently being undertaken by the authorities.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Toyota has always been at the forefront of supporting the society in addressing critical social concerns. Further to the assessment of the on-ground realities and magnitude of the devastation, Toyota Kirloskar Motor jointly with its employees, opened the collection drive, who wholeheartedly coming forward to donate a day’s salary along with the company contributing an equal share to the affected regions.

In order to aid the Karnataka and Kerala flood victims, Toyota Kirloskar Motor extends needful support in terms of car repair. Some of the key highlights of such initiatives were:

-          Priority vehicle repair 
-          Free roadside assistance [doorstep pick-up and drop of repair vehicles]
-          Discounts on spare parts and labor charges
-          Free car spa [includes interior and exterior car treatments]
-          Additional benefits for new car sale [total loss vehicles owing to the disastrous flood scenario]

Toyota stands with the states of Karnataka and Kerala and pray for the prosperity and restoration of normalcy during these difficult times, wishing speed recovery of the affected regions.

Trend Micro Secures 25,000 Endpoints Across 4,000 Branches of Syndicate Bank

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, provides endpoint security solutions to Syndicate Bank, securing nearly 25,000 endpoints across its 4,000 branches, through Trend Micro OfficeScan protection. The solution suite with integrated data loss prevention (DLP) module, was deployed in partnership with CMS IT Services, who successfully implemented the solution across all endpoints in 60 days.

Syndicate Bank, having a Pan-India presence, required an endpoint security solution to be deployed ‘in-motion’, ensuring no impact to regular operations. The solution also had to be deployed effectively, taking into account bandwidth prioritization to other systems during business hours, and by leveraging an efficient centralized deployment system. Being named a ‘Leader’ in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms, Trend Micro, with proven capabilities in high-fidelity machine learning and behavioural analysis in endpoint security, helped meet their requirements. Trend Micro OfficeScan was deployed swiftly and effectively.

Speaking on the deployment, Nilesh Jain, Vice President – Southeast Asia and India, Trend Micro, said “Syndicate Bank decided to seek multi-dimensional protection by securing a robust endpoint protection and data loss prevention solution, with advanced security against ransomware attacks and unknown threats. They approached us and we offered an apt solution to suit their needs and protect their endpoints. Trend Micro OfficeScan, powered by XGen security, constantly learns, adapts, and automatically shares threat intelligence across the endpoint environment. This provides a blend of threat protection, which is delivered via an architecture that uses endpoint resources more effectively.”

“The lightweight plug-in DLP module, which protects sensitive data and prevents data loss via endpoints, SaaS applications, messaging, cloud storage, and web gateways, has helped protect 6,000 endpoints of Syndicate Bank, out of the 25,000 endpoint devices. This integrated DLP module has minimized complexity and reduced the cost of data security, enabling easy tracking, and securing all confidential data from multiple points within the organization and in the cloud,” he further added.

Syndicate Bank selected Trend Micro’s endpoint solution suite based on the system of tenders, along with rigorous evaluation of the various technical capabilities of the solution that was conducted via a proof of concept and pilot penetration testing.

“With the increasing ransomware outbreaks and cybercrime attacks in the financial sector, we wanted to avoid vulnerabilities and ensure virus definitions were updated on all endpoints at all times across all geographies. We chose Trend Micro as it had an advantage of a high penetration in the financial sector, due to the bespoke architecture suited for the banking and financial services environment. We are extremely satisfied with Trend Micro and their powerful endpoint protection suite, which now protects our endpoints against advanced ransomware, malware, Trojans, worms, spyware, etc., including adaptation to protect against new unknown variants as they emerge, and safeguards against data loss and theft,” said the GM IT from Syndicate Bank.

After implementing Trend Micro OfficeScan, Syndicate Bank’s endpoint devices gained threat protection with file reputation, variant protection, web protection, and exploit prevention. The DLP module is a complimentary endpoint solution that secures private data on-or-off network, including encryption of files before it leaves the network. It further offers protection against data leaks via cloud storage, USB drives or connected mobile devices, Bluetooth connections, and other media.