WHAT'S BUZZING
Over half of Asia Pacific businesses are not confident in their cyber defences
Faced with more and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, 57% of Asia Pacific businesses are unsure if their cybersecurity defences are strong enough to combat hackers’ new strategies.
The 2021 EY Global Information Security Survey also reveals businesses in the region only allocate 0.05% of their annual revenue on cybersecurity spend, and 41% of them expect to suffer a major breach that could have been avoided through better investment.
The study encourages cybersecurity and business leaders to strengthen their relationships to ensure that their organisation’s cybersecurity strategy keeps pace with digital transformation.
Currently, only 20% of organisations in the region include cybersecurity in the planning phase of any digital transformation programme. Almost 80% of them also said cybersecurity teams are not always consulted or briefed in a timely manner until after the planning stage has finished.
“Businesses are planning a new wave of technology investments to thrive in the post-Covid-19 era. If cybersecurity is left out of investment discussions, the threat will continue to grow in the years to come. They should consider sharing the cost of cybersecurity across the business to support transformation,” says Richard Watson, EY Asia Pacific cyber leader.
“Mapping their cybersecurity strategy and organisation’s risk profile against business and IT goals will ensure alignment and cement strategic relationships between [cybersecurity leaders] and the rest of the C-suite,” he adds.
OneConnect powers up Indonesian Ringan’s loan application journey
Peer-to-peer lending app Ringan has deployed solutions from technology-as-a-service platform provider OneConnect Financial Technology (OneConnect) to offer Indonesians a seamless and secure loan application experience.
With OneConnect’s digital lending solutions, Ringan can automate and simplify its loan process from loan origination, loan management and application, to debt collection, risk assessment, analytics, and reporting.
The Ringan app also utilised OneConnect’s artificial intelligence fraud prevention technology for its electronic know-your-customer process. The technology is deployed in local data centres to ensure a seamless experience and highest security standards.
To date, over 100,000 applicants have successfully scanned their Indonesian identity cards and completed the seamless loan application on Ringan. The electronic application process also reduces human error, minimises identity fraud and increases staff productivity.
“[OneConnect has helped] make loan applications easier while protecting our company against fraud and potential losses. At the same time, we are able to provide a great experience and seamless process for our customers,” says Yudhono Rawis, CEO and president director of Ringan.
“With a seamless customer journey, Ringan can now scale and serve more Indonesians in a truly efficient manner. We believe that our collaboration will drive deeper digitalisation of the traditional banking processes and bring about a greater financial inclusion for Indonesians,” says Yao Jing, CEO and president director, PT OneConnect Financial Technology Indonesia.
IN PICTURE
Photo: National University Health System
A team of neurosurgeons at the National University Hospital in Singapore will be testing the use of holographic technology to spatially locate brain tumours when operating on patients.
Using holographic visors, a three-dimensional (3D) hologram of a patient’s brain scan is projected into space and superimposed onto the patient’s head during surgery. This hologram is generated from the patient’s own brain CT scan using a 3D medical software created by apoQlar, called Virtual Surgery Intelligence (VSI).
When the hologram is set in place on a patient’s head, surgeons can view the 3D holographic images of the brain from different angles. They can also pull up information and alter the images in the visor by gesture and speech recognition, allowing them to interact with, and control the holographic image that is superimposed onto the patient.
This effort is part of National University Health System’s research and development programme to explore the use of mixed reality technology in clinical care to enhance diagnosis, education and patient care.
DIGITAL LIFE
Singaporeans are some of the most sleep-deprived people in the world. We average 6.8 hours of sleep per night, less than the recommended seven to nine hours by the National Sleep Foundation.
Many of us are now faced with “coronasomnia”, a term to describe how the pandemic has made it difficult for people to get a good night’s sleep.
Since sleep is essential for better health, check out these apps to get consistent, high-quality shuteye.
Calm (pictured above) can help you cope with common mental health issues, including anxiety, stress and insomnia.
One of its key features is Sleep Stories. It offers soothing tales that mix music, sound effects and voice talent — including actors Matthew McConaughey and Priyanka Chopra Jones — to help you drift to dreamland.
Pzizz (pictured above) uses beautiful “dreamscapes” — a mix of music, voiceovers and sound effects designed based on the latest clinical research — to help you sleep better at night or take power naps during the day.
Set a timer for however long you want to snooze, and Pzizz will play a dreamscape to help you slumber before the built-in alarm gently wakes you up at the scheduled time.
Featured photo: Unsplash
