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The Hack of the Port of Rotterdam: A Wake Up Call?

On the 27th of June in 2017 an unexpected cyber-attack put the port of Rotterdam in a complete chaos. A so called (not)Petya-virus took the whole operating system of two of the largest terminals (APM terminals) down, which directly resulted in cranes which stopped moving and containers that kept dangling in air. Subsequently, it took the responsible companies several weeks to repair their systems in order to operate normally again. Total financial damage? Hundreds of millions of euros. Was this hack an incident, or is Cyber Security becoming more relevant than ever?

In a business environment where innovative digital systems and digitization are becoming the norm, and where the majority of companies possess sensitive and personally identifiable information, the importance of cyber security is bigger than ever, and therefore, should be addressed more often.

The hack of the container terminal in the port of Rotterdam portrayed that every company in every industry can potentially be a target of cyber criminals. Motives from these hackers can range from obvious reasons such as money to simply seeing a challenge or even ‘having fun’ in hacking an (large) enterprise. Research shows that it is often financially more advantageous to invest in a sophisticated cyber security program beforehand. The occurrence of a hack could do enormous financial and reputational damage to any company, as was the case with the hack in the port of Rotterdam.

This warning seems redundant, as it is obvious that all companies need advanced data security. However, more than 77% of organizations still do not have a Cyber Security Incident Response Plan and over 80,000 cyber-attacks are being executed daily. Furthermore, 43% of cyber-attacks is aimed at small businesses which have little to no cyber security awareness (Cybint, 2020).

So, we now understand that cyber security is crucial in all businesses. But, what should companies focus on first?

AT&T (2020) came up with five easy ways to improve cyber security in a company:
1. Enforce password rules
2. Update regularly
3. Implement VPNs for all connections
4. Retire all unused services
5. Leverage existing security options
Be aware, be secure!

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https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/artikel/4631/apm-terminal-rotterdam-gedwongen-plat-door-herstelwerk-na-hack

https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/cyberaanval-ontwrichtte-haven-het-blijft-niet-bij-deze-hack~a9df8631/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

https://www2.deloitte.com/nl/nl/pages/academy/articles/cyber-security-as-an-opportunity-in-the-golden-age-for-hackers.html

https://www.business.att.com/learn/tech-advice/5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-cybersecurity.html#

https://www.klevenberg.com/rotterdam-port-arms-itself-against-a-new-cyber-attac

https://www.cybintsolutions.com/cyber-security-facts-stat/

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Virtual (and Augmented) Reality – a blessing or a curse?
Over forty years ago already, the first VR-systems were getting developed. By then, these systems were mainly used for medical trainings, flight simulation, automobile design and military training purposes. Ever since, the technology continuously kept improving and simultaneously started to get more affordable for the public. Reports conclude that Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR & AR) slowly and silently invaded our society as an accessible technology around 2012. The introduction of VR and AR was discouraged by many, as it was something completely new, special and exciting. But, is it really that special and exciting? Or is there a catch?

Potential effects of VR
Everyone remembers their first VR experience. For many, it is similar to the first time you got your hands on a personal computer or the first time they used a smartphone. And all these first time-experiences are likely to be different as the possibilities are more than endless these days. Usage ranges from virtual business trainings to virtual rollercoaster rides or even the possibility of playing virtual videogames with friends, while wearing VR glasses. Unfortunately, this potentially ‘fun’ experiences with VR also come with many downsides. Short term effects include eye strain, dizziness and nausea, but also anxiety or stress resulting from the immersive nature of VR and AR. Potential long term effects include harm caused by electromagnetic frequency radiation to which the user is exposed, according to research by Lavoie (2020).

The future of VR
As the technology advances over time, the integration possibilities will increase, as well as how realistic the simulations can get. For instance, VR is likely to be integrated into fashion(stores), showrooms, journalism, health care, education and much more. Sounds efficient, exciting and promising, right? However, this is also exactly where the trap lies.

What if VR gets so realistic that it gets indistinguishable from our ‘real world’? What if VR gets ensconced in our society in a way that it becomes an extension of our reality? A logical consequence could be that people who are not enjoying their lives fully, constantly seek for an escape to the world as perceived in virtual reality. Fortunately, this is not a realistic view yet. However, we should be aware of potential threats which the technologies that we develop, such as VR, can cause to our society.

Do you know other health risks which can be caused by using VR? Do you think that a situation in which VR becomes (almost) as realistic as our perception of the ‘real world’ could become reality?

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• https://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/13/health/virtual-reality-vr-dangers-safety/index.html
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2019/07/17/the-important-risks-and-dangers-of-virtual-and-augmented-reality/#1d7847f63d50
• https://coolminds.nl/artikelen/de-geschiedenis-van-virtual-reality
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10055-020-00440-y
• https://www.netflix.com/title/70264888?s=i&trkid=13747225
• https://www.vesttech.com/4-health-risks-from-using-virtual-reality-headsets/

The Hack of the Port of Rotterdam: A Wake Up Call?

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Virtual (and Augmented) Reality – a blessing or a curse?

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