Due to COVID-19 pandemic, work-from-home using internet has become a growing way of connecting with associates and clients. This year, internet use has nearly doubled, due to work-from-home and lockdowns. But internet is a risky environment, especially when connecting your mobile devices to a public network. You are at an airport and connect to its public Wi-Fi network. But you are unaware that there is a hacker lurking around the corner, monitoring the internet traffic and ready to hack into your personal account. It is estimated that there are over 450 million public Wi-Fi hotspots globally, offering a rich hunting ground for cyber criminals.
Cyber specialists tell us that currently there are more than 375 malicious threats PER MINUTE and growing. Mobile malware threats grew by a whopping 70% in Q1-2020 over Q3-2019! Cyber criminals have generated 113,000+ malicious URL’s related to COVID-19, targeting healthcare, education and banking in particular. Cybercriminals steal personal and company information by hacking into our susceptible computers and mobile devices. Cyber-attacks are especially devastating for small businesses - industry data shows that a staggering 60% of small companies, which have been hacked by cyber criminals, go out of business within 6 months after the attack.
While business operations, from conceiving an idea to its final delivery to the user, are going digital at breakneck speed, the entire operational areas remain vulnerable to cyber malfunctioning in one form or other. This impact the operations very hard short-term as well as long-term. Cyber security threats can be due to inherent flaws within the system. But the possibility of deliberate cyber-attacks and hacking from one source or the other is abundant. As competition and market battles hot up, this remains a real danger.
The risk covers a large area. One of the biggest threats is the compromising of vital data. This includes important technical details, hard-earned market information, customer information etc. Loss of data can bring the operation to a halt at great financial impact. As hinted, the problem can be due to malfunctioning of the software or external interference to steal the data.
Either way, the cost of recovery is immense, not to talk about the time lost in the process. Hidden or not, these expenses will have a big role in fixing the final profit and loss accounts.
Adding to this is the loss of credibility of the business. The output will be negatively impacted and the company will have to do great degree of explanations to the customer. It is an equal task to recover lost data and to recover lost credibility. Consumers have other options and look elsewhere. But the company cannot afford that luxury.
While the margin for deliberate external intrusion possibilities remains large, many of these security breaches are caused by human error. One needs to realise that however deep an entity goes digital, there is always that unavoidable human touch that makes it run. AND, to err is human!
This underlines the need for proper intense training. There are studies that say employee ignorance is one of the leading contributors. Workers may know the essential basics of an application, but that does not make him or her a cyber security expert. While the IT departments execute a new cloud computing initiative or new application software, they have to ensure that those handle it on a daily basis are equipped to manage a crisis.
Types of cyber threats
Cyber threats are ever-evolving and cybercriminals use different types of malware to get what they want. Malware is an abbreviated form of “malicious software.” This is software that is specifically designed to gain access to or damage a digital device, usually without the knowledge of the owner.
Crypto jacking: Malware that gives cybercriminals access to “mine” cryptocurrency on your computer, at the expense of your resources.
Form jacking: Malware in which cybercriminals inject malicious code into online forms to steal payment card details on legitimate websites.
Ransomware: It is a malicious software that uses encryption to hold data for ransom, the purpose of which is to extort money from the victims with promises of restoring encrypted data. Like other computer viruses, it usually finds its way onto a device by exploiting a security hole in vulnerable software or by tricking somebody into installing it.
Phishing: These are fake emails that can look surprisingly legitimate. If you get tricked into clicking a link or providing information, thieves can get your passwords and account numbers.
Zoom Bombing: Intruders hack into online meetings.
Remote Access Trojans (RAT): Malware that gives a cybercriminal a “back door” to remotely access a compromised computer.
Spyware: It is unwanted software that infiltrates your device, stealing your Internet usage data and sensitive information. Spyware gathers your personal information and relays it to advertisers, data firms, or external users.
Dark web: It is an underground online community where criminals can go to buy and sell your personal information.
Defense
All digital devices need to be protected using a highly-rated, proven anti-virus program. These programs provide a shield for your operating system in the form of a real-time scanner. When your antivirus program detects an infected file or program, it can delete it on the spot or move it to a special "quarantine" folder. When your antivirus quarantines a file, it prevents it from interacting with the rest of the computer.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a private network within a broader network, adding security by using encryption and tunneling mechanisms. There are some free VPN products available, but these may trade your information to help offset their costs, or impose other limitations, such as how much VPN data available per month. A paid subscription service may enable you to deploy a powerful, yet easy-to-use VPN that protects your Wi-Fi connections, bandwidth and privacy with guarantees against any losses. These VPN’s work with all digital devices - PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets.
It goes without saying that users of all digital devices that use Wi-Fi connectivity must become more mindful of cybersecurity needs, and companies must invest in security programs and ongoing employee training.
Tegeta Green Planet Champions Environmental Responsibility In Borjomi Schools
- By TT News
- June 24, 2026
Tegeta Green Planet has launched a significant educational initiative across the Borjomi region of Georgia, designed to cultivate environmental stewardship among the youth. The programme, which commenced in 2022, holds a pioneering status as one of the first organisations in the country authorised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture under the Extended Producer Responsibility framework. This authorisation underscores the company's commitment to managing the full lifecycle of specific waste streams, including used tyres, oils and batteries, in alignment with circular economy principles.
The initiative recently brought company representatives to Public Schools No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 in Borjomi, as well as the Kvibisi Public School. The programme’s location is strategically significant, given that Borjomi is celebrated for its unique natural environment, mineral waters and vital forest ecosystems. The region’s sustainable development is inherently linked to the preservation of its natural heritage, making the education of local youth a critical component for its future.
During the school visits, students were introduced to the technicalities of waste stream management, learning the proper handling procedures for tyres, batteries and oils. The curriculum emphasised the environmental necessity of correct disposal and explained the broader connection to a circular economy, demonstrating how discarded materials can be transformed into valuable resources. The sessions highlighted how individual responsibility directly contributes to broader environmental protection and sustainable societal growth.
The educational format employed by Tegeta Green Planet was highly interactive, moving beyond traditional lectures. The programme featured presentations followed by engaging activities and educational games to reinforce learning, encouraging active participation from the students. The workshops provided a platform for open dialogue, where young attendees posed questions and proposed local solutions for creating eco-friendly communities. To make the experience more memorable and rewarding, symbolic gifts were distributed to all participants at the conclusion of the sessions.
Longmarch Group Begins Construction On €160 Million Tyre Plant In Egypt's Suez Canal Zone
- By TT News
- June 24, 2026
China’s Longmarch Group has initiated construction on a substantial tyre manufacturing venture in Egypt, valued at EGP 9.5 billion (EUR 160 million). The official groundbreaking was confirmed on 17 June by the Suez Canal Economic Zone's general authority. The new facility, named Longmarch Tyre (Egypt) Ltd, will be situated within the integrated industrial zone of Ain Sokhna, occupying a sprawling 200,000-square-metre site.
The development is structured as a two-phase project. The initial stage is designed to achieve an annual production capacity of 600,000 units for trucks and buses. Upon completion of the second phase, the plant's total output for these tyres will escalate to one million units per year, alongside an additional annual capacity of 4.5 million passenger car radial tyres.
Production from the Egyptian plant is primarily intended to satisfy local market demand, though the company also has clear ambitions to target export markets across the region and beyond. Longmarch Group’s chairman, Jin Yong Sheng, lauded the investment climate within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, highlighting its strategic location and superior logistical advantages as key factors for the company's expansion.
Established in 2003, Longmarch already operates a production base in Chaoyang, China, and manages a tyre joint venture in Pakistan. The Egyptian project marks a significant milestone in the firm's global strategy, leveraging the economic zone's competitive environment to strengthen its international footprint.
JK Organisation Marks 93rd Birth Anniversary Of Hari Shankar Singhania With Pan-India Blood Donation Effort
- By TT News
- June 24, 2026
JK Organisation commemorated the 93rd birth anniversary of its late former President, Hari Shankar Singhania, by hosting blood donation camps across its offices and manufacturing facilities. The initiative drew the voluntary participation of over 8,000 employees from various Group companies, underscoring the conglomerate's steadfast dedication to social responsibility. Prior to donating, all volunteers underwent health screenings for blood pressure, haemoglobin and weight, and each received a certificate of appreciation for their contribution.
The drive served as a tribute to the Padma Bhushan awardee’s enduring legacy, which was marked by a profound commitment to nation-building and societal service. The late leader was instrumental in expanding the organisation’s footprint, overseeing the establishment of new enterprises and the integration of multiple businesses into its burgeoning portfolio.
Enthusiastic involvement was observed across all Group entities, including JK Tyre, JK Paper, JK Lakshmi Cement, JK Agri Genetics, JK Fenner, JK Foods, Delopt, CliniRx Tangent Research Ltd., JK Insurance, Indica Travels, PSRI Hospital and JK Lakshmipat University.
Dr Raghupati Singhania, Vice President, JK Organisation, said, "At JK Organisation, we have always believed that progress is meaningful only when it contributes to the well-being of our surrounding communities and the nation at large. For well over a century, JK Organisation has believed that business growth must go hand in hand with social progress. The blood donation drive organised across JKO Group companies is a meaningful expression of that philosophy and an opportunity to contribute towards a critical healthcare need.”
Bridgestone Plants Nearly 59,000 Trees Through Fourth Annual App Campaign
- By TT News
- June 23, 2026
Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, has concluded its fourth annual ‘Download the App, Plant a Tree’ campaign, resulting in nearly 59,000 new trees being planted across United States. The initiative, which ran from Earth Day on 22 April through the end of Bridgestone’s Sustainable Business Week on 12 May, encouraged customers of Firestone Complete Auto Care and Tires Plus to transition away from paper-based processes. In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, the company committed to planting one tree seedling for every new download of its mobile applications.
Since the programme’s inception in 2023, the cumulative effort has contributed over 244,000 tree seedlings to a conservation project spanning 3,600 acres. For the second consecutive year, Bridgestone has collaborated with The Nature Conservancy to focus reforestation on flood-prone areas within the Mississippi Delta region, protecting vulnerable farmland. This work builds upon a significant prior contribution, as the company donated over 5,700 acres of Tennessee land to the organisation in 2018, the largest land donation in that chapter’s history.
The mobile applications function as digital glove boxes, enabling customers to schedule appointments, access vehicle histories and review promotional offers. By incentivising digital adoption, BSRO seeks to curtail paper waste across its 2,200 retail locations. Beyond reducing paper consumption, the company’s sustainability strategy incorporates electric vehicle maintenance and charging services, alongside recycling nearly all products and byproducts used in stores.
This reforestation effort supports the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, a framework of eight corporate values guiding sustainability objectives. The campaign exemplifies the company’s dedication to Energy, Ecology and Efficiency, demonstrating how customer engagement drives environmental outcomes. Through these actions, BSRO integrates ecological responsibility into its retail operations and long-term business model.
Marko Ibrahim, President, BSRO, said, “We are proud to see this campaign continue to grow and support Bridgestone’s long-term sustainability goals. By helping expand green space in communities across the country, our stores are demonstrating what it means to live out our Promise to Care.”
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