We exist in an age where technology advances faster than we can keep up with it. Despite our good intentions, technology and intelligence will inevitably fall into the wrong hands. Cybersecurity threats are happening every second of the day, and while nothing is guaranteed, one thing is certain: technology advancements are not slowing down. Even without the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to build better security measures using data analysis and predictions.

If we choose not to improve our cybersecurity around specific predictions such as; artificial intelligence, cloud services and IoT devices, the innovations and investments we build will eventually fuel and fund cyberterrorists.

Artificial Intelligence

We are years away from when AI and machine learning (ML) was just a theory and the basis for science fiction movies. Today, AI and ML are a part of every program and every device, from simple auto-correct on our mobile devices to massive data-analysis applications. AI is without a doubt, a beneficial and crucial part of the first line of defense in cybersecurity. Its ability to detect and remediate cyberattacks without draining human IT resources makes its value priceless, but cybercriminals are capitalizing on the deficits of AI and counting on the lack of consumer education to leverage their time and attacks. Attackers are using AI to execute multiple attacks by relying on programmed code to do the dirty work.

Weaknesses in security infrastructure

When cybercriminals use their own human and artificial intelligence to figure out what a security program is looking for, they can create solutions that avoid detection and self-learn patterns for every device and network. As director Justin Fier of cyber intelligence and analytics at Darktrace puts it, “Malicious AI will be almost impossible for humans alone to detect or stop.” AI is entering a space that requires a user’s understanding and cooperation to keep up and fight the malicious and criminal backed artificial intelligence. In order to create better AI cybersecurity, we need more human intelligence to create better artificial intelligence.

Dissolving the Cloud

In the past, malware attacks have bankrolled cybercriminals’ extracurriculars by going after industries that require constant access to their technology platforms; banks, hospitals, governments, and the like. As more businesses move their data to cloud platforms, there will likely be a massive dissolution as ransomware targets cloud-based servers and assets.

Internet of things (IoT)

The average home utilizes no less than 10 IoT devices every day, that number can be tripled for small businesses. People and corporations are connected in ways like never before, from smartwatches and baby monitors, to light switches and doorbells. While these devices are made to simplify tasks, reduce overhead costs and streamline processes, they are all back doors to an experienced hacker.

The constant exchange of data that occurs through IoT devices is a cherry-picking paradise for hackers. Research from Gartner, Inc (2015) suggests that 21 billion IoT devices will circulate the marketplace by the end of 2020. With nearly all IoT devices having the ability to connect to the cloud – the threats are limitless. 

Extortion of weaknesses in infrastructure

Cybercriminals and cyberterrorists know their targets, and the potential monetary losses for a company equal a monetary gain for extortionists in 2020. Ransomware is evolving and targeting organizations in a customized manner, capitalizing on the weaknesses in operations. These advancements and upgrades will penetrate traditional security protocols and create a cat and mouse game that drains an organization’s resources. The average cost of a ransomware attack to a business is $133,000 and with the US ranking highest among those attacks, it is time to strengthen our cybersecurity. 

How Socialfix is here for you

As we all adjust to this rapidly changing economy, our team of experts is working at maximum capacity to keep you updated and informed.

We encourage you to follow legitimate and official sources and to always use a security solution on your devices that will protect you from phishing, fraud and malware.

Who would think the saying: “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure” could be the

impetus for a burgeoning business model?

“Recommerce”, or the reselling of once used merchandise through informal or organized online distribution channels has been the answer to that question for quite some time.

This type of business model has actually existed informally for a long time before the Dot Com burst of the ‘90’s, however it was that era that helped propel this business model into the digital and connected world at the time. To that effect, we saw the creation of online multi-vendor platforms such as eBay and craigslist where private users were empowered to resell their “junk” to any viable bidder with an internet connection.

Since then, companies have been built and have since thrived utilizing the recommerce business model. In the early 2000’s technology retailers were offering professional buyback or trade-in programs. Consumers would be able to trade in an old electronic device  as a means to put credit towards another purchase of a newer device of the same category. Similar to trading in a car, more companies were implementing this credit program to drive sales and increase customer loyalty. Soon after, online stores, like Gazelle or NextWorth, popped up, taking a similar idea, but cashing out the sellers, and reselling goods for their own profit.

For the clothing and apparel sector, the implications of the recommerce business model have been especially lucrative. As of now, the secondhand retail apparel industry is worth about $20 billion dollars. Apparel recommerce brands have been benefiting from a consumer trend to shop sustainably, and now leading clothing brands are noticing the same trend.

These clothing brands are tapping into secondary markets, to reap the benefits of their apparel being resold on the third-party recommerce sites. As a result, some of the leading recommerce platforms have developed new programs to partner with these brand companies as a initiative to mutually benefit from the consumer base of both sectors.

There are four online Recommerce platforms responsible for revolutionizing the way the industry works: thredUp, Yerdle Recommerce and The Renewal Workshop. Each of which, have implemented new ways to partner with brand companies, and generate lasting and effective programs to increase sales for both recommerce platforms and brand apparel companies.

thredUP’s Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs have proven to be good for business, and in this case good for the environment. thredUP, one of the biggest Recommerce companies on the web has implemented a loyalty program that gives consumer sellers the option to get paid out with a additional 15% if they opt into receiving a gift card in the brand seller’s name. This type of partnership is especially lucrative because customer loyalty brings in more sales over a longer period of time. There isn’t quite a better return on gifting a little extra to bring in a customer that lasts a lifetime.

Yerdle Commerce’s White-Label Service 

Yerdle Commerce has put in place a “white-label service” for apparel retailers where these retailers can manage their own recommerce stores through the Yerdle-owned platform. This tactic empowers brand name retailers to use the Yerdle platform, while seemingly acting independent but reaping the benefits of Yerdle (one being used-clothing repair). Yerdle understands that certain consumers might have a taste for brand name apparel but without the means to afford it. While the platform itself is generating sales and promoting their mission secretly, brand name apparel companies are generating sales in a market where they would not have originally  thought they could tap into.

The Renewal Workshop’s Revenue Sharing Agreement 

For stores like The Renewal Workshop, they offer a revenue sharing agreement with brand retailers that use their services and platform. The Renewal Workshop is a little different then Yerdle Commerce, in that while providing services to repair, clean and conduct quality assurance they allow retailers to either sell on the Renewal Workshop platform online or resell items in the Brick and Mortar location. Apparel brands first pay a “processing fee” and are free to choose how to sell the goods. (As a bonus, The Renewal Workshop provides ways for apparel companies to make clothing more durable, thus promoting their sustainability mission.) Although brand name’s aren’t positioned as the direct seller such as with Yerdle Commerce, the partnership still provides exposure to consumers looking to buy high-end fashion in an affordable way, where brand name’s still gain a profit.

As these partnerships continue to benefit from one another, both entities will see the impact such sales have on the larger consumer trend that is moving toward sustainable consumerism. Tapping into this market trend can effectively secure profitable goals for years to come, as environmental consciousness increases. Even without tapping into the environmental movement of today, there are still consumers looking to buy brands they can afford at full retail value. Bottom Line: Now is the time for brand apparel retailers to grow their business through the help of online recommerce platforms.

References:

https://www.windowswear.com/4-companies-pioneering-the-clothing-recommerce-market-greenbiz/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recommerce

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/07/05/emerging-market-for-pre-owned-certified-smartphones/fFJPIs0AfTymQw1MhrgMYP/story.html

If you’re online, then you’ve no doubt been hearing about GDPR. But what even is it? Why is it a concern? And what do you need to do to make sure you’re compliant? We’ve got the answers to all your GDPR questions.

What is GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new set of laws and regulations designed to better protect the privacy and sensitive data of EU residents. Since coming into effect earlier this year, GDPR has shaken up the way companies interact with consumers and their data in a variety of ways:

• A company’s terms and services for having consumers consent to an online service now have to be clear, concise, and easily understandable. Consent must also be as easy to withdraw as it is to give.
• Data subjects now have the right to obtain information on if and how their data is being processed, and to have the controller of their data fully erase and cease the use of any their data the company has on file. The data subject also has the right to receive a copy of their provided data
• Customers and data controllers must be notified of data breaches within 72 hours of the breach being found.

Companies that fail to comply with GDPR regulations can be fined up to 4% of their annual turnover or €20 Million (whichever is more).

Will My Company Be Affected?

If you’re located in the EU, the answer to this one is pretty simple – YES. But you think you’re excused from these new regulations by not being a European company, you’re probably mistaken.

The jurisdiction of GDPR extends not only to European companies, but any company that holds or processes personal data of EU residents. This means that if it offers goods and services to, or otherwise monitor data of EU individuals, a non-EU company is subject to the same rules as a company based in the EU.

How Do I Stay Compliant?

With the steep penalties for non-compliance, your concern is probably (or at least should be!) making sure your company is up to the necessary standards. The first thing you should be looking at is your privacy policy. The changes to consent conditions have made largely changed what makes an acceptable privacy policy, and frankly, most pre-GDPR policies don’t meet the new requirements.

Another important step is auditing your databases. Make sure all of your data is complete, consistent, and most importantly was given with perfectly clear consent from the data subject.

Any holes in your data put you at big risk of breaking compliance, so it’s a little bit of spring cleaning is well worth your time.

One more thing to consider is the importance of communication. Silently making adjustments in the background may not be enough, especially if there are new terms and policies that customers need to agree to. Make sure you’re being clear with your customers about their privacy rights and informing them of any changes to policies or terms.
If all this still sounds confusing, there’s no need to worry! At Socialfix Media, our team has the resources and the know how to ensure your company’s website and operations are 100% GDPR compliant. So what are you waiting for? Reach out to us today and let us help you, we can’t wait to get started!

Website hacks are certainly not a new thing, but these days the threat of being hacked is more prevalent each and every day. With the explosive growth of E-Commerce and the importance that companies (correctly) place on their online presence, hackers are ramping up their game, with even big name companies showing up in the news over high-profile hacks. But there’s no need to fear! The hackers aren’t going away, but there are best practices that can (and should!) be followed to keep yourself safe.

Updates Updates Updates!

Listen, we get it. Nobody likes having to update things, but that’s the first thing you should be doing to keep your website secure. Plugins, themes, and anything else that could present a potential for security breaches need to be kept up to date. Above all, the most important thing to maintain is the CMS installation itself. A number of very popular CMS platforms such as WordPress and Drupal are completely open-source, which means it’s code is available for anyone and everyone to get into, for better or for worse. Because of this, developers are in a constant war against those who try to take advantage of this for nefarious purposes. Whenever vulnerabilities are found, patches are usually pushed out very quickly. If you aren’t installing these patches just as quickly, you’re leaving easy targets for hackers to exploit. Keep in mind that depending on how your website is developed, you may run into compatibility issues and other bugs when updating your CMS, plugins, or themes. For this reason, it is always recommended to have someone with development experience on hand to assist if needed.

Strong Passwords = Stronger Security

Now, this one should be obvious, but it’s so important that we had to include it. One of the first thing a hacker will do is try to break in through the front door by capitalizing on weak logins. For this reason it’s important to ensure that all usernames and passwords are strong and hard to guess. Passwords should be completely random with the max character limit allowable. Best practice is to use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and special characters. For usernames it should be a similar story, making your username something harder to guess than “admin” can go a long way.

Safe and Secure, Inside and Out

Hacks don’t always come from faraway sources over the internet. Sometimes the breach can come from inside, making internal security just as critical as external. Now don’t worry, we aren’t implying your employees and coworkers are scheming to take down your site, but ignoring the threat of internal breaches leaves you open to unexpected attacks. Make sure all employee logins are secure, admin access is restricted to only those who need it, and every device that enters your network is scanned for malicious software.

Stay Alert to Stay Safe

Ok, so you’ve secured your logins, and everything on your site and on your network is up to date, so now everything is safe, right? Unfortunately, security just isn’t as simple as that. Unexpected attackers can slip through unseen cracks even on the most secure sites. Catching these incidences early can be the difference between a slight scare and a complete catastrophe. The same way you go to the doctor for checkups, you should be scanning your sites regularly for malware, phishing, and scamming; the most common symptoms of a hack. We recommend monitoring for malicious files and activity on a daily basis.

Keep a Backup (Or a Bunch of Them) Just to Be Safe

But what if the worst case scenario happens? What if someone managed to not only get into your website, but majorly mess it up? Cases like this are why maintaining a site well includes making regular backups of it. Monthly, or even weekly backups of your website and its content prevent hours of development time and irreparable damage to your company’s reputation by allowing you to roll your website back to a previous and untampered version. In some cases, daily backups may be the most appropriate option if you are updating your website very regularly.

The threat of hackers is a real and dangerous one, but that doesn’t mean you or your company should avoid or abstain from the internet to be protected. Maintaining proper security practices and protocols can help immunize your site from this plague that’s sweeping the internet. That’s why at Socialfix Media, we do it for you! We offer comprehensive website maintenance and protection plans to keep you and your customers safe, and prevent your website from catching the virtual flu. Let’s connect and discuss your website’s cyber-security strategy!

The past two years have seen two browsers make big changes in market share in both the American and global markets. Internet Explorer has lost about 15 points across all versions and Chrome has gained a little more than 15 points in the American market. Globally, Chrome is doing even better as shown in the second image.

What’s behind these changes and what lies ahead? Let’s take a look at our predictions for 2014.

Internet Explorer and Chrome Continue to Battle

As it stands, the race for browser dominance is a two-horse race. When Chrome makes big gains, Internet Explorer suffers losses. This trend will continue in 2014, especially in the American market.

IE6 and IE7 may hold steady, but web developers will no longer go to the expense and trouble of accommodating the needs of these outdated browsers.

Safari and Firefox Hold Steady

Safari and Firefox have maintained their share of the browser market over the past two years and there’s no reason that shouldn’t continue. The numbers graphed above are for the desktop versions of the browsers. Safari gets quite a boost when tablet browsers are added to market share calculations.

Opera Loses More Ground

Opera dropped their HTML rendering engine, Presto, and switched to Webkit, the rendering engine used by Safari and Chrome. Unfortunately, this didn’t improve their useage numbers. That’s a pretty big change to see no impact on market share. We predict Opera will continue to lose ground unless it figures out a better way to stand out from the crowd.

Mobile Web Browsers are History

Our biggest prediction for 2014 is that mobile browsers will be replaced by full versions that operate across all devices. We’ll take it a step further and say that 2014 will be the year that responsive web design will be the norm and developers will continue to create sites based on how their visitors access the web.