Editorial

The Metaverse Is Taking Shape: Here’s What You Need to Know

The metaverse is a hot topic in the tech world right now. It’s a virtual world that people can interact with using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets. The metaverse is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize the way we live, work, and play.

Here are some of the latest developments in the metaverse:

• Facebook has rebranded itself as Meta. The company is investing heavily in the metaverse and plans to make it the “next chapter” for the internet.
• Microsoft is also investing in the metaverse. The company has acquired several VR and AR companies, and it is working on developing its own metaverse platform.
• Other tech giants are also getting involved in the metaverse. Google, Apple, and Samsung are all developing their own VR and AR headsets.

The metaverse is still a long way from being fully realized, but it has the potential to change the way we interact with the world around us. It could be used for everything from gaming and entertainment to education and business. As the metaverse continues to develop, it will be interesting to see how it shapes our future.

In addition to the developments mentioned above, here are some other things to keep an eye on in the metaverse:

• The development of new VR and AR headsets that are more affordable and accessible to the general public.
• The creation of new metaverse platforms that offer a variety of experiences, from gaming and entertainment to education and business.
• The development of new applications and services that are designed for the metaverse.

The metaverse is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to be a major disruptor in the tech world. As the metaverse continues to develop, it will be interesting to see how it shapes our future.

Has F-Secure created the best cyber security system?

Not so long ago the world was a simpler place the internet was used to check emails and if you wanted to know what your friend had for dinner you asked them on your landline.  With the growth of technology and faster internet connections a whole new world of possibilities evolved.  It was a magical time when the impossible was made possible. A time where we waited patiently for a website to load and hoped that the connection was not disrupted with someone using your home phone.

It was 1995 and I went to watch ‘The Net’ starring Sandra Bullock as a young computer programmer, Angela Bennett.  This was the first time I witnessed computer hacking, I recall being completely horrified as Miss Bennett’s digital identity was erased and replaced with a new identity as Ruth Marx a wanted criminal.  This was almost a science fiction thriller, the technology we had back then was nowhere near as advanced in this movie and as I left the cinema I thought this could never happen to me, could it? Complacent with my anti-virus software I felt that this was enough to protect me.

Fast forward to the year 2017 and we are so technology dependent the millennials could never have coped with life in 1995 nowadays your friend who you have not spoken to in real life for years posts what they had for dinner and you click a like button to show acknowledgement.  We post our whole lives online, which can be argued to be a positive thing but if your home was hacked and your digital identity erased how much of your life would you lose?

The 12th May 2017 was the beginning of the worldwide cyberattack of the ‘WannaCry’ ransomware which targeted computers running Windows by encrypting data and demanding ransom payments in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency.  The world had its first wake up call that cyber attacks are a potential threat and that normal people can be affected. It was a wake up call to get a cyber security company. In Britain, the NHS were affected and the ‘Wannacry’ threat dominated headlines making the average Joe take notice.  There is now an awakening that there could be a loophole in people’s security software. Perhaps smart devices have the potential to work against you if you do not have the right protection.

The smart move is to be prepared and not be in a position to get hacked in the first place.

Thankfully F-Secure a Finnish cyber security and privacy company established since 1988 have been working on a device to protect your home network and the forever growing number of IoT devices. You can talk to Connected Solutions Group for more information.

They have developed F-secure SENSE which offers a three layer protection; Firstly with the SENSE router that you connect to your existing router in your home, secondly the SENSE advanced security app allowing you to manage your home network and protect devices, even outside the home, and third, they have developed cloud protection which monitors your network for threats in real time.  

SENSE creates a complete secure home network that will prevent personal private information being shared with companies without your permission. SENSE was unveiled last month at The Next Web conference held in Amsterdam. Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer from F-Secure gave a speech about the internet of insecure things and captivated the audience with a tale on how your toaster will soon be connected to the internet, not for any benefit to you but the manufacturer.  He also discussed how people do not read instruction manuals and how back in the 80’s and 90’s video tape players all had a flashing display of 12:00 as no one had the patience to sit and programme the time.

Hypponen’s Law “Whenever an appliance is described as ‘smart’ it is vulnerable.” With this law in mind, F-secure had a task before them to create a simple yet powerful device that will protect your home network and the ever growing internet of things. “SENSE revolutionises online security by protecting your entire home network, not just specific devices. Its IoT security technology senses traffic from connected devices to provide extra protection against IoT threats”

F-secure SENSE was unveiled to a select few journalists and bloggers from Europe where we got to see the router in action.  Harri Kiljander, Director Customer Experience Design Consumer Cybersecurity demonstrated how the SENSE app and router work. Check out a short interview with Harri on the Techaddicts podcast here. The app was simple to use as he connected two mobile devices to the router and demonstrated how the app would pick up a malicious website.

“Everyone in your SENSE network can surf the web with peace of mind. SENSE secures browser traffic by automatically blocking phishing, intrusive tracking and other malicious attacks”

Ultimately there will be other security routers similar to SENSE appear on the market but F-secure promise ongoing automatic updates that will be free, making every SENSE network even more private. Shipping now £169 with free delivery you receive the SENSE router plus one year’s security subscription.  Subscription costs £8.50 per month after the first year. F-secure have developed a product that in theory sounds like a device that every home will need, the monthly subscription is a small price to pay for a piece of hardware with software that will update to protect your home and IoT devices against computer viruses and hackers. Without the subscription, SENSE still functions as a powerful router. 

We will be unboxing and providing a full review within the next month here on the Tech Addicts.