Connectivity includes not only their infotainment systems but also critical vehicle systems, such as door locks and ignition, which are now accessible online. Thanks to apps, one can easily control their vehicles at the touch of a button. Sure it’s convenient, but how confident can we be that no one else is snooping on your connection and using it to break into your car?

In order to find this out, Kaspersky Lab researchers have tested seven remote car control applications that have been downloaded by millions of users. The research discovered that each of the examined apps contained several security issues. These issues can potentially allow criminals to cause significant damage for connected car owners.

The list of the security issues discovered includes:

• No defense against application reverse engineering. As a result, malicious users can understand how the app works and find a vulnerability that would allow them to obtain access to server-side infrastructure or to the car’s multimedia system
• No code integrity check, which is important because it enables criminals to incorporate their own code in the app and replace the original program with a fake one
• No rooting detection techniques. Root rights provide Trojans with almost endless capabilities and leave the app defenseless
• Lack of protection against app overlaying techniques. This helps malicious apps to show phishing windows and steal users’ credentials
• Storage of logins and passwords in plain text. Using this weakness, a criminal can steal users’ data relatively easily.

One of the biggest damages a hacker can do is to gain control over the car and steal the target vehicle. They can also unlock the doors and turn off the security alarm.

Kaspersky Lab researchers advise users of connected car apps to follow these measures in order to protect their cars and private data from possible cyberattacks:

• Don’t root your Android device as this will open almost unlimited capabilities to malicious apps
• Disable the ability to install applications from sources other than official app stores-
• Keep the OS version of your device up to date in order to reduce vulnerabilities in the software and lower the risk of attack
• Install a proven security solution in order to protect your device from cyberattacks.

Staff Reporter

Picture source: Supplied photo

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In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, researchers at Johns Hopkins have determined that large bags of blood products — such as those used in transfusions — can maintain vital temperature and cellular integrity while being transported by specially-modified drones that come equipped with a hardened, temperature controlled cooler.

In an interview with Khaleej Times, Johns Hopkins’ Dr Timothy Amukele noted that the rapid transportation of medical products is vital especially in areas in which “transport is an issue.”

“The impact it has depends on what you’re moving. In the case of an organ, for example for transplant, (speed) is the difference in getting an organ or not getting an organ … it’s life or death,” he said. “If the organ is delayed past a certain amount of time, it’s not useful.”

In the case of transporting blood products, such as those taken from a donor, controlling temperature and vibrations while in flight is of the utmost importance, Dr Amukele noted.

“For packed red cells, for example, they have to be between zero and six degrees celsius, or it’s no longer viable,” he noted. “There’s also hemolysis, which is basically cells breaking open. It’s like an egg, which is useful in its shell, but when it’s broken is just a mess. We needed to make sure there wasn’t hemolysis from the vibrations of the drone engine.”

To make sure that blood arrives in good condition, the research team customised the drone to ensure the engine was separate from its cargo package, which was lined with foam inserts to prevent excessive vibrations.

Dr Amukele noted that there are engineering, biological and regulatory challenges that need to be solved before drones are adopted for medical purposes on a wide scale.

“In terms of engineering, we already have drones that are commercially available that can do what we need, to move medical supplies between hospitals, but it can be improved on,” he said. “But we still don’t have a robust engine that can go over long distances without changing the battery, and we need the capabilities to communicate with a drone over those distances. People are working on that, but I think we’re probably three years out.”

“The medical piece, the stability of the substances, so far seems to be pretty stable under the conditions we’ve looked at,” he added. “The regulation, however, is lagging behind technology and public acceptance. But it will catch up.”

The benefits of drones

Eventually, drones will be useful in both urban and rural environments, particularly in cases in which smaller facilities need to get units of blood from larger, better stocked facilities.

“This is true everywhere in the US, and it’s true all around the world,” he said. “But the need maybe more dire in rural areas.”

Drones, he added, are likely to be implemented in healthcare before being used in other sectors, due to the relatively simple — and never-changing — flight plans that would be needed and the urgency of medical requirements.

“If I’m a hospital, I’m going from point A to point B, and that track is very clear,” he said. “The flight plan can be approved and monitored by the government and will never change.”

“Applying them to healthcare helps drones make more sense,” he said. “From a big picture standpoint, we’re used to getting shoes from Amazon whenever they come. Nobody sees the need to get shoes in minutes as opposed to a day. Once it comes to healthcare, that need is much more obvious.”

Another tool

Looking towards the future, Dr Amukele noted that drones will never totally replace current methods of medical transport, but will become a common tool used alongside them.

“In the future, it will be one more option. It won’t replace an ambulance, but hospitals will have ambulances, cars, and a drone fleet as part of the package,” he said.

Did you know?

Several ideas for the application of medical drones have already been proposed and experimented with locally. At the 2015 UAE Drones for Good Awards, for example, one Emirati team proposed teaming up with DHA to use drones to deliver medicine to the elderly and special needs patients, as well as deliver blood, medical kits, and test results.

Bernd Debusmann Jr./Khaleej Times

bernd@khaleejtimes.com

Picture source: Supplied photo

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According to Major-General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director-General of Dubai Civil Defence, the smart system – Dolphin – extinguishes fires on ships and beachside buildings, adding that a diverse package of smart applications will be launched on the sidelines of the three-day event.

The projects will be a beginning of a new phase of the technical development of civil defence services, he added. Major-General Al Matroushi also launched a conference on fire safety on the sidelines of the event.

The floating civil defence centre provides manpower and the mechanism to reach offshore fire sites, buildings and other facilities, which facilitates rescue efforts.

In his speech, Al Matroushi said that Intersec sessions have exhibited fire protection techniques across the world, and the impact of new products in improving the safety of the people, besides the development of methodologies and applications in the field of civil defence in the region in general and the UAE in particular.

Al Matroushi inaugurated the Fire safety Conference 2017 in the presence of Colonel Rashid Khalifa Buflasa, director of fire and rescue department, and Colonel Ali Hassan Al Mutawa, assistant director-general of the Dubai Civil Defence for Smart Services, and a number of civil defence and other officials.

He said that the Dubai Civil Defence over the years was keen to introduce the latest technologies to achieve one of the strategic goals of the UAE Vision 2021, which marks the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the founding of the UAE.

He said this coincides with the completion of the infrastructure strategy to host Expo 2020, in order to dazzle the world with what will be achieved during and after the much-awaited world fair.

He confirmed that the Dubai Civil Defence will always be key partners with all government agencies and private companies in order to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world in terms of safety and security.

First Lieutenant Tahir Hassan Al Taher, head of the inspection and permitting department at Dubai Civil Defence, presented Emirates Guide for Fire Protection and Safety of Life based on the analytical studies of accidents and in accordance with the requirements of the time.

Specialities of floating centre

• It provides the mechanism to reach offshore fire sites, buildings and other facilities, which facilitates rescue efforts during emergency situations.
• It is partially solar-powered centre and is less expensive
• It shortens the response time as it could avoid road traffic in arriving coastal areas.
• It provides unlimited source of sea water for firefighters.

Amira Agarib/ Khaleej Times

– amira@khaleejtimes.com

Picture source :Supplied

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The underlying goal of the smart pedestrian signal is to ensure a safe crossing of pedestrians in line with RTA’s vision of ‘Safe and Smooth Transport for All.’

Engineer Metha bin Adai, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, said:

“RTA had tentatively installed and operated smart light signals for pedestrians on Al Saada St. The operational system of the signal is designed to eliminate the time allocated to pedestrians if it senses no pedestrians waiting on the pavement, thus provides more time for vehicles to pass.

“The traffic signal uses a sensor-based smart system through an optical ground system that works in perfect harmony with the lights of the signal. It spots the movement of pedestrians on the pavement (before crossing the street) or on the crossing path (during crossing) and automatically modifies the timing of the signal’s light accordingly. Thus, it allows the safe passage of the largest possible number of pedestrians and accordingly provides an excellent and smart service to all road users.

“The system has gone through all technical tests and trials to ensure a smooth functionality. RTA is currently pondering to broaden the scope of this trial by installing more signals on similar locations of Dubai roads network,” added Bin Udai.

Staff Reporter/Khaleej Times

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IoT spending by healthcare providers across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region is predicted to surpass $500 million in 2016 and increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7 per cent over the 2016-2020 period.

The GCC will be one of the fastest-growing regions within MEA, with IDC Health Insights forecasting that IoT spending in the GCC will grow by more than 20 per cent per annum in some segments of the healthcare industry.

Based on Ericsson’s Mobility Report, by 2021, it is estimated that there will be 28 billion connected devices globally – close to 16 billion of which will be part of the Internet of Things. 5G communication technology, along with the continued development of 4G, will be the foundation for enabling these connections and helping realise the full potential of the networked society.

Standardisation efforts for 5G have just begun and are expected to be completed by 2020.

According to a recent survey conducted by IDC Health Insights in hospitals across Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, 50 per cent of them are currently using some type of IoT-based solutions.

“Technology transformation will sit at the heart of the healthcare developments being undertaken in the GCC,” said Nino Giguashvili, a senior research analyst at IDC Health Insights. “The tip of the iceberg is already visible, and the growing convergence of mobile, big data, social media and IoT will play an unparalleled role in the digital transformation of GCC healthcare systems.”

Mirroring the global trends in healthcare and other industries, IoT-enabled solutions are emerging fastest in the tracking and monitoring of people and assets, using technologies such as radio-frequency identification and bar coding. However, the uses are expected to broaden in terms of supporting care delivery, especially in the areas of monitoring hospitalised patients and smart systems for pharmacy management.

In the consumer segment, personal wellness represents one area with great IoT deployment potential. The GCC personal wellness wearables market, according to IDC Health Insights, will expand at a CAGR of about 22 per cent over the coming years.

“While health, wellness and fitness wearables have become a fashionable way of supporting healthy lifestyles among consumers, healthcare payers and providers are striving to benefit from the possible cost savings arising from their potential preventive value,” said Giguashvili. “Health authorities across the GCC are increasingly promoting their use as a method of encouraging healthy lifestyles. For example, the Dubai Health Authority has initiated an incentive programme aimed at rewarding residents for healthy behaviour that is based on data recorded by fitness trackers.”

Staff Report/Dubai

rohma@khaleejtimes.com

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The move is in line with the courts’ commitment to strengthen public confidence in both domestic and international judicial system by bolstering the local judiciary’s performance and efficiency based on justice, independence, transparency, accessible legal services, and fair and reliable implementation of laws and government regulations in line with Dubai Plan 2021.

Commenting on the announcement, Taresh Eid Al Mansouri, Director-General of Dubai Courts, said: “Rased enables a follow-up on strategic and operational performance and shows detailed indicators of the main operations, quality initiatives, and sub-services. It identifies the level and results of performance in a comprehensive and coherent way as well as inform customers about the results of the key processes in a transparent and credible manner.”

Wam

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“The Smart Mall concept rolled out by RTA in collaboration with Etisalat is the first of its kind worldwide enabling Dubai Metro commuters a smart shopping experience via an interactive, high-definition 3D digital screen spanning nine square meters. It enables two persons to process their purchase transactions at a time,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA).

“The expansion of the Smart Mall initiative follows the success of the first experience of the project, which started with the selling of foodstuffs. More products will be added in the following phase such as clothes and electronics. Two smart screens (kiosks) offering the same services would be in place to provide privacy to clients. In the Smart Mall, the customer can choose from the items on show by adding them to the shopping cart. Then, the customer can pay for items selected using a credit card, and the goods would be delivered at the time & place specified by the customer. RTA is considering other payment options such as NOL cards or mobile phone (Etisalat balance),” explained Al Tayer.

(Video by Sherouk Zakaria)

Salvador Anglada, Chief Business Officer at Etisalat, said, “Digital & smart technologies pave the way for future life patterns of people in the UAE. We are proud of our excellent partnership with RTA in launching Phase II of the Smart Mall project following the success of the initial phase. Such a success is an outcome of the huge investments made by Etisalat in upgrading a digital environment that contributes to a positive transformation in the daily lifestyles of individuals, and brings back a value added to users of our networks & reliable digital services.”

“Etisalat and the RTA would continue working together to develop creative services & solutions capable of building a sophisticated smart structure and empowering the digital future we are looking forward to. Dubai is a city characterized by a quick tempo that is evident in the daily hectic life of people. In this regard, the Smart Mall project fits well with the quick life trends through capitalizing on the technological advancement of Dubai city. It enables individuals to shop on the go rather than set a time for grocery shopping. Such an exercise makes life easier after a busy day and avails people a time to use in other more important affairs. Thanks to our long experience in (Trolley.ae), the first online grocery shop in Dubai, we will contribute to empowering the Smart Mall to deliver best-in-class services and provide thousands of options & products,” added Salvador.

Staff Report

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Visitors can enjoy the abras on the Global Village canal, which runs in an arc within the premises.

“RTA always seeks to provide abra services with the start of the Global Village events in November each year, especially as the ridership of abras had clocked 134,738 riders in the last season of the Global Village,” said Mansour Al Falasi, Director of Marine Transport, RTA Public Transport Agency.

“This figure is indicative of the substantial contribution of abras in supporting the tourist activities in the Global Village, which span several months each year. The service is part of our vision to generate an added positive experience to this recurrent annual event as evidenced by the huge numbers of people including residents and visitors.”

“RTA is keen on running integrated transit services including electric abras, to meet the growing public demand and realize its vision of Safe & Smooth Transport for All. In collaboration with the Global Village management, RTA provides stylish mobility options featuring modern and environment-friendly transit means with heritage-inspired design. Through this coordination, RTA would do what it takes to run diverse mobility means for Global Village visitors to maximize their enjoyment of the lovely wintry conditions each year,” added Al Falasi.

Staff Report

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“This is part of RTA’s innovation,” Khaled Al Awadhi, RTA’s director of Automated Collection System, told Khaleej Times. “Drone deployment will begin in the second quarter of 2017 to monitor the streets and send back the information to the RTA control centre.”

Live traffic feed will be sent to the RTA, but the public will not yet gain access to this at the initial stage of the project.

The RTA, however, will use push notifications (via apps and social media) to inform the public of road hotspots and to inform the motorists of available parking spaces.

Drones will also be used to survey road conditions and conduct structural analysis of RTA buildings, Metro and tram stations, and other RTA infrastructure. The drones can conduct complete digital scanning and render 3D images. But the drones will not be used to report on traffic and road violations as this is under the purview of the police, according to Al Awadhi.

Al Awadhi explained that the RTA will divide Dubai into different fly zones for the remotely-piloted unmanned aircraft. “The number of drones to be deployed has not been decided yet, but basically the idea is to monitor major roads like Shaikh Zayed Road, 24/7,” Al Awadhi underlined.

“By deploying the drones, we can immediately see if there is any accident on the road and we can immediately dispatch an ambulance if needed. We are basically using the drones for quick intervention to ensure public safety,” he added.

Story by Angel Tesorero

angel@khaleejtimes.com

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Commercial Bank of Dubai, which has launched the digital only bank, said CBD Now would take customer centricity to a new level by allowing co-founders to shape their bank.

The launch of CBD Now in November coincided with the UAE Innovation Week, which was designed in line with the vision of the UAE government to develop innovation and drive client happiness. CBD said the new digital bank would reinforce its position as a digital pioneer in the region.

Speaking at a Press briefing held to reveal the bank’s brand identity, Murray Sims, general manager, Personal Banking Group at Commercial Bank of Dubai, said customer convenience and centricity lies at the heart of all initiatives of CBD.

“Our clients’ needs are rapidly changing and they want to bank in the most convenient way. We seek to seamlessly integrate banking into our clients’ everyday lives so that banking becomes simpler, easier and personalised. CBD Now offers a portal to a world of specialized financial services.”

Walter Lironi, general manager, Digital Banking and Transformation, said, CBD Now is a new era of innovation that will reshape customers’ relationships with their bank.

“CBD Now brand identity is unique and different, designed to appeal to digitally connected people particularly the millennial. The new brand represents innovation and passion and reflects our philosophy to offer a completely digital way of banking built around customers.”

“The new visual identity symbolises a brand personality that aligns with our commitment to provide a tailored digital experience that is smart, simple and secure. CBD NOW will offer a series of specialised products, including current accounts, saving accounts, and credit cards. The brand celebrates the present by offering specialised products and added value lifestyle benefits to help customers better control their finances so they can love the moments in life,” said Lironi.

Stelios Michaelides, head of Digital Banking said the ‘co-founders’ program involves pioneering customers who provide input to building the bank of their dreams.

“We are building a bank that is different from the rest, and so we want our co-founders to get involved and

participate in the creation and development of the new Bank. The CBD Now co-founders will access a world of benefits and rewards that fit in with their lifestyles. The program will allow us to recognise our customers’ evolving needs and ensure they are financially healthier and happier.”

According to Michaelides, any UAE resident passionate about shaping the bank of the future can sign up for the co-founder programme through the digital bank’s website: CBDNOW.ae.

“Digital technology remains a key driver for the Bank’s customer-centric approach. We have designed CBD NOW using the best practices and latest technologies to offer our customers a simple, safe and secure banking experience. It is about leveraging world-class technology to deliver the future of banking today,” said Asem Fikree, director of Systems and Operations.

As part of its digital transformation strategy, CBD has launched a series of innovative and first-to-market digital banking initiatives aimed at making banking simpler, efficient, and more personalised.

Some of these key initiatives included real-time customer account sign up – both in-branch and online, a completely new customer experience for people moving to the UAE “movingtouae.ae”, as well as an advanced payments solutions to support corporate clients and Smart Government.

– issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com 

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