In spite of the billions of dollars that are being put into the cyber security industry, there are still reports of the industry still being under threat from new and improved tactics from enterprising hackers, bringing the element of fear as to the security of data critical to the proper functioning of the organization. This is where the concept of the Cyber Simulation comes in. Cyber simulation can help your organization by simulating a real-world attack on your IT infrastructure, which can test your organization’s defenses, the knowledge and skills of the professionals (employees) in handling such threats, testing your processes and procedures – which can be a huge asset in the fight against cyber threats. The outcome of a cyber simulation will help you and your organization get a better picture as to the current state of the defenses being employed, and how this picture can be changed to incorporate a much more solid defense.

The one truth that you cannot get away from is that eventually, the day will come when your organization is attacked by malicious actors, and you will need to be prepared for such an eventuality. When you take your security team, and train them at the cyber range, which is a platform for cyber simulation to take place, then you are giving them an edge over the attackers, with exposure to real-world cyber-attacks in the pressure filled time span in which they occur, thus dramatically improving their response times to such attacks as well as their performance in dealing with this.

In order to build an effective cyber simulation, the organization must work with experienced cyber security organizations and experts in order to be aware of the trends of the security space, so that the simulation that is built will serve the intended purpose and will not be out of date. As we know, that simulations are very effective when used properly, and can be powerful tools to impart proper real world experience to the professionals who have to deal with such security threats. A proper cyber simulation must adhere to the standards that have been set by eminent organizations that have already constructed such simulators. In order to be able to properly assess the threats as well as the threat response, the simulator needs to adhere to some basic parameters that have already been set by such organizations.

Proper cyber simulation requires that the organization owns high end computing and networking equipment, along with software that accurately models a variety of attack scenarios that are congruent with real world scenarios, and to then pit these professionals by giving them the tools and equipment necessary to be able to defend the data as well as the hardware equipment from the attacks. A proper cyber simulation serves as the first line of defense for any organization looking to seriously counter the threats posed by such malicious actors, and it is very important that any organization looking to implement such a simulation, goes after it seriously and implements the latest technologies into this simulation in order to derive the most benefit.

Rubber parking blocks are designed to protect parking lots, pedestrians, and vehicles. They are produced from recycled rubber. The benefits of rubber parking blocks are numerous, especially when compared with concrete blocks. Here are the top benefits of rubber parking blocks below:

Flexibility

The presence of flexible rubber in rubber parking blocks allows them to shape to the surface on which they are installed. If you are installing them on an unlevelled surface, you don’t need to worry; they’ll still work effectively. Concrete parking blocks may be cheaper, but they are rigid, which makes them more prone to damage and difficult to install

 Easy to Install

Rubber parking blocks weigh a lot less than concrete parking blocks, are easy to install, and require less manual labour and equipment. The portability of rubber parking blocks makes them ideal for temporary installations since they can be quickly mounted and retrieved after they are no longer needed.

 Durability

Unlike concrete parking blocks, rubber parking blocks don’t chip or crack. Rubber parking blocks generally feature reflective tape that is molded into the product, which prevents the reflective tape from falling off or peeling. Rubber parking blocks also have a shrewd resistance to weather and temperature changes that concrete parking blocks can’t afford. Similar to concrete roads, concrete parking blocks hardly resist moisture from penetrating and causing cracks. The damage is even expanded further when temperatures fall below freezing. By choosing a rubber parking block, you get a durable parking block that is perfect for any weather or climate.

Aesthetically Pleasing

Painting is the only way to design a concrete parking block. This is time -consuming and paints can fade with time. Rubber parking blocks come in various colors such as terracotta, black, blue, and never fade, which keeps your property appealing at all times.

When it comes to digital spreadsheets that help businesses accomplish tasks, Excel is among the most reliable options. This guide aims to explain how Excel works.

Microsoft’s Excel is wildly popular. 

Strike that. It’s insanely popular. SO popular that it’s hard to figure out many people actually use it. 

Back in 1996, Microsoft published a news release stating that more than 30 million people used Excel, making it the most popular spreadsheet of all time. (It’s an open question as to how many people actually knew how Excel works.) 

Today, there are an estimated 120 million Excel users and another 1.2 billion people that might use Excel through their use of Microsoft Office. 

You too can join that happy throng. Here are the basics about how Excel works. 

The Principles Behind How Excel Works

Excel is all about storing, organizing, manipulating and pulling meaning from data. 

That sounds like a lot. Don’t worry. We can break it down even further. 

The program is a spreadsheet app. We use spreadsheets to organize and store information in alphabetized columns and numbered rows. Excel is packed full of features to help you get information organized the way you want and in a format that makes sense to you. 

It also helps you identify patterns in the information. Using that information, you can display those patterns in graphs or charts. 

The Files

Excel can use several different file formats. The two more common types are the Microsoft-unique .xlsx and the more universally accepted .csv format, with .csv standing for comma-separated values. For the latter, information is stored in a serious of lines where data are separated by commons and lines are separated by return characters. 

Excel displays that file in need and tidy gridlines. But if you opened the same file with certain programs a line of data might look like this: “65, red, MxPx, Cincinnati.”

The Sheet

This is where the magic happens. This is really how Excel works for you. 

Each sheet is made up of columns and rows. The area where columns and rows intersect are called cells. Cells are like rooms that contain information. 

Across the top of the sheet, you will see a bar that looks like a search form. It’s not. It’s the formula bar. There, you can use basic math to create new information by referencing other info on the sheet. You also use a who cornucopia of built-in functions to manipulate data. 

Your programmer friends may use something similar when they refer to the Net ExcelLibrary. 

Storing and Sharing

To save an Excel file, you’ll click the symbol in the top left corner that looks like a floppy disk. 

If you know what a floppy disk is, great! If you don’t know what a floppy disk is, you can have a seat at the kid’s table at Easter dinner. You can just click “File” and then “Save” or “Save As.”

When you’re just starting to learn how to use Excel, you’ll want to make it a habit to save early and often. This can prevent a lot of heartbreak in the event something happens to your file. 

Excel files, on the whole, are usually fairly small and don’t take up a lot of storage space. That means you can save a lot of different files. But be sure to also save files with meaningful names in a spot on your computer that you will be able to easily find in the future. 

Getting Started

Most Microsoft computers come with at least a trial of the Mircosoft Office suite of products. If you don’t have the full program, you can set up a free Microsoft account and work with a lighter version of Excel through the OneDrive application. 

ShaderTech is here for anyone at any level, regardless of whether you do or don’t already know how Excel works. You can learn more by browsing a few more of our tech articles. 

From encryption, tokenization, to introducing analogue interferences, OTT and live content streaming platforms use several methods for securing their live content. But illegal streaming and piracy continue to result in losses worth billions of dollars every year. Check out this post to know how watermarking techniques are helping such platforms.

As per a report by the Sport Industry Group, more than 50% of the millennials watch live sports through illegal streaming. While the live content streaming television channels and online platforms have been using several methods like encryption and tokenization for securing their content, illegal streaming of live content continues to rise.

This is because all of these methods help in ensuring that only paid users can access the stream. But once a paid user has access to the stream, copying and sharing the content is not much of a hassle. There are now hundreds of audio and screen capturing solutions available that can be used for illegally recording and sharing live content.

This is the reason why an increasing number of OTT platforms now make use of digital watermarking techniques. Let us have a detailed look at what it is and how it works. 

What is Digital Watermarking in Live Content Streaming?

While there are now security solutions that can help platform and content owners to know if their content is being streamed illegally, it is impossible for them to track the exact source from where the streaming is being done. Digital watermarking techniques are now working as the missing piece of the online piracy puzzle. 

With the help of watermarking, content owners can track the exact source of leak or piracy and take actions to shut down the same and even initiate legal proceedings. In the case of live content, a unique signal or mark is added to every stream. This unique signal helps the platform owners track the source from where the live content is being illegally streamed.  

Increasing Popularity of Digital Watermarking

In 2018, the Streaming Video Alliance (SVA) released a technical document on implementing digital watermarks for streaming media. The document outlines the benefits of watermarking and also includes all the technical information a content platform might require for applying digital watermarks. 

This, in itself, shows the rising popularity of watermarking techniques among online content platforms. While watermarking is only a passive security solution and in no way the only content security solution that you will need for your live content, it does play a very crucial role in helping platform owners track the exact location of leaks and illegal streaming.

Types of Digital Watermarking Used for Live Streaming

As compared to VOD (Video-on-Demand), adding a watermark on live stream is known to be more challenging as latency becomes a major issue with live content. This has made visual watermarking, forensic watermarking, A/B watermarking, and bitstream-based watermarking very popular among streaming platforms. 

All the different types of forensic watermarking work differently and have their own benefits and drawbacks. However, as compared to visible watermarks, invisible watermarks are a preferred option. In fact, there are now cloud-based watermarking service providers that add invisible watermark to your live streams in real-time to help you track and detect illegal streaming.  

Future of Digital Watermarking

As per a report by Digital TV Research, the cost of online piracy will surpass $50 billion by 2022. While piracy-prevention tools and technologies have been around for a very long time, most of it has failed in delivering any considerable results on a long-term basis. 

But when combined with an extensive security solution like DRM, watermarking has what it takes to be a lasting saviour for the entertainment industry. Moreover, with the availability of cloud-based watermarking services, it is now easier and more affordable for content platforms to adapt to the technology for securing their content. 

Going forward, it is not difficult to assume that such services will only get more popular as online platforms are now turning into the preferred source of entertainment for masses all over the world.