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Reflecting on 2023, looking forward to 2024

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

As we bid farewell 2023, we can’t help but marvel at the incredible journey it has been for us at STEP Software.  This year has unfolded with moments of triumph, growth, and innovation that have shaped our narrative and set the stage for an even more promising future. Join us as we reflect on the milestones that defined our 18th year in business and cast an eager gaze into the horizon of 2024.  As we navigated the shifting landscape of work, embracing what some might call the “new normal”, we have been able to freely gather with clients and colleagues again, we proudly launched our revamped...

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What the fox is going on at STEP Software? 

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

We know what you’re thinking: it’s a bunch of marketing nonsense. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.  Back in 2019, we embarked on a mission to rebrand our company, which included launching our sassy mascot, Quinn.  We embraced his fox-like qualities of being clever, bold, and creative in every decision we made, every client we collaborated with, and every project we became part of.  We developed a plan that included a new website, the launch of an exciting new product, and a round of hiring to formalise our HR, Sales, and Marketing efforts. But, like many businesses,...

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Toyota halts production after hard drive fills up: The 6 things you must know.

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Toyota halts production after hard drive fills up: The 6 things you must know.

OUT OF SPACE AND TIME The seeds for the catastrophic event were laid uneventfully on August 27th, when, according to two anonymous sources quoted by Reuters, something went wrong after IT staff attempted to update the parts ordering system. In a press release, Toyota confirms one of the server drives ran into an all-too-common problem: “During the maintenance procedure, data that had accumulated in the database was deleted and organized, and an error occurred due to insufficient disk space, causing the system to stop. Since these servers were running on the same system, a similar...

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CDW/IDC Canada report: Businesses facing unprecedented cybersecurity risks

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog, StringN. No Comments on CDW/IDC Canada report: Businesses facing unprecedented cybersecurity risks

WORRYING NUMBERS, WORRYING TRENDS According to the 2023 Canadian Cybersecurity Study, businesses are under increasing pressure from cybercriminals as both the frequency and sophistication of attacks continue to escalate. Around 40% of respondents said they had faced more than 250 security-related attacks or threats throughout 2022. Just as concerning, approximately 10% of all cyberattacks over the same period were successful. Compared to the previous year’s report, the number of attacks resulting in a breach – defined as the unauthorized removal of data or files – increased by 130%....

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Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3 tell two very different stories for developers

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3 tell two very different stories for developers

UNDERSTANDING THE WHY It could be months before investigators figure out what happened to Russia’s robotic probe in the critical moments as it maneuvered above the lunar surface. Yuri Borisov, Director General of Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, blamed a botched engine burn for the disaster. He said a planned 84-second engine burn that was supposed to put the probe into a “pre-landing orbit”, instead ran for 127 seconds.  The mission was Russia’s first since 1976, when the Soviet Union lofted Luna-24 toward Earth’s nearest neighbour. Borisov said failure to...

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Maui wildfire alert system failure highlights critical gaps in disaster planning

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog, StringN. No Comments on Maui wildfire alert system failure highlights critical gaps in disaster planning

COMPREHENSIVE WARNINGS, ALL SILENCED The State of Hawaii calls its All-hazard Statewide Outdoor Warning Siren System the “largest single integrated public safety outdoor siren warning system in the world.” It has over 400 solar-powered sirens – 80 of them on the Maui archipelago – capable of alerting residents to a wide range of natural and human-caused events, such as hurricanes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods, terrorist threats, and wildfires. The sirens are a critical part of the more broadly scaled Statewide Alert and Warning System (SAWS), which uses the Federal Emergency...

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LastPass breach: an historic – and likely ignored – cybersecurity lesson

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog, StringN. No Comments on LastPass breach: an historic – and likely ignored – cybersecurity lesson

THE PASSWORD MANAGEMENT PROMISE Password management has always been a struggle between convenience and security, with end-users often using the same password across multiple systems and using passwords – such as names of pets or significant others – containing clues easily obtained from social media. Some will even use the same passwords for years at a stretch, which can extend vulnerability long after their authentication information has been compromised in a breach. Password management solutions like LastPass, 1Password, and Dashlane promise to address the weakest...

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Cybersecurity staffing alert – Gartner sounds the alarm about stress and retention

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Cybersecurity staffing alert – Gartner sounds the alarm about stress and retention

IT’S A PEOPLE PROBLEM We tend to think of cybersecurity events, like incursions, breaches, and ransomware attacks, as largely caused by failures in technology. But Gartner’s figures paint a different picture where over-stressed cybersecurity leaders are increasingly thinking of quitting. The numbers also highlight how under-resourced employees are bypassing organizational protections and exposing stakeholders to unacceptable risk. The report suggests that by 2025, almost half of all cybersecurity leaders will have moved on from their current jobs – and 25% of them will exit the...

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Apple’s new device fingerprinting rules send clear privacy message to developers

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Apple’s new device fingerprinting rules send clear privacy message to developers

NOT A ONE-TIME CHANGE Apple is no stranger to the privacy game, as this move is only the latest in a series of policy updates designed to strengthen data access and usage policies across its platforms and devices. The most significant of these changes was the introduction of App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14.5 in 2021. That update required apps to request end-user permission to track activity across other apps and websites. Opting in allowed developers to use Apple’s IDFA identifier to share activity with third party data brokers and marketing agencies. Opting out...

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Developers take notes as Twitter rebrands as X – and kills the bird for good

Written by Carmi Levy on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Developers take notes as Twitter rebrands as X – and kills the bird for good

THE POWER OF A BRAND Rebranding could very well be the most strategic decision an organization ever makes. Brand equity, after all, represents the sum total of how customers, end-users, and other stakeholders feel about the organization – and why they choose to interact with it in the first place. It can’t be bought, it must be earned and strengthened over time. Executed well, a rebranding can build on that foundation. It can keep the brand fresh and competitive – even relevant – amid the relentless pace of changing consumer trends, and of course shifting competitive pressures. A botched...

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