With 300 CO₂-The Graubünden Health Department, together with Empa researchers, investigated the air quality in 150 classrooms in Graubünden. At the same time, the number of positive Corona test results in these classrooms was recorded. The evaluation showed that more pupils and teaching staff were infected with the corona virus in classrooms with poor air quality than in rooms that are regularly ventilated.

Poor air quality affects learning

Press release Empa

Details of the study

How the CO₂-The correlation between indoor CO concentration and the transmission of diseases via the air we breathe has not yet been empirically proven. In the pilot phase of the studies currently underway, the Graubünden Health Department therefore had sensors installed in around 150 classrooms in 59 schools throughout the canton to measure CO₂They recorded the CO2 content of the air - two at a time - to validate the measurements. They recorded CO2 concentrations and other data such as temperature and barometric pressure continuously, while weekly corona mass tests were conducted on students and teachers.

The preliminary results now available are based on measurement data between November 1 and 19. The number of infections per 100 pupils, the so-called prevalence, correlated with the measured CO₂-concentration in classrooms. In high-risk schools, it often exceeded 3,000 parts per million (ppm) - a level very significantly higher than the recommended level of no more than 1,000 ppm.

In order to determine the dependence between infection incidence and CO₂-However, statistics alone are not enough to describe the exact content of the carbon dioxide. In addition, the Empa researchers' analysis is subject to certain limitations. For example, in addition to the "cumulative" CO₂-content, i.e. the summed quantity of the gas, may provide further indicators of the risk of exposure to infectious aerosols.

For this reason, the experts will also take other variables from the CO₂-time series, such as the temporal variation of concentration and temperature changes - with the aim of identifying any dependencies between prevalence and the recorded CO₂-Hold on.

IT security specialist Cybereason sees three key trends for 2022:

Trend #1: Ransomware crime reaches new dimension

Ransomware as such is not a new trend - but it will certainly have a decisive impact on the next year. Because what is new is the approach that hackers are taking with regard to the extortion software. Instead of guerrilla actions by individual small groups who spread their malware as widely as possible, criminal tactics are evolving. Cartels are now forming that make ransomware an element of large-scale attack strategies. These are referred to as so-called RansomOps.

RansomOps are different from classic ransomware attacks. Whereas ransomware attackers previously often acted directly after penetrating corporate networks, they now take an approach in which companies are infiltrated over the long term. After the malware makes it into the network, it initially behaves inconspicuously, gathering information about the valuable data and digital infrastructure. Only when companies discover these comparatively inconspicuous behavior patterns, for example with the help of Indicators of Behavior (IOBs)they can successfully defend their network against these attacks.

Trend #2: Supply chains multiply vulnerabilities 

Nearly all companies today have a widespread and sophisticated supply chain. Cybercriminals take advantage of this by targeting individual links in these supply chains and then spreading their attacks to all companies in the supply chain. The results of the Cybereason research on DeadRinger and GhostShell were already indicative of this strategy this year. Attackers targeted telecommunications companies whose networks then served as doorways into the digital infrastructure of other companies. These attacks were only a means to an end. Instead of infiltrating 100 individual companies, it is enough to hack one company. This also shows that cyber criminals are thinking in terms of ever larger structures and are more frequently pursuing long-term strategies. This development will continue. Companies need to be aware of this - especially those with a large-scale supply chain and many interfaces with subcontractors.

Trend #3: Cyber criminals and states cooperate

It is a truism that the wars of the future will increasingly be fought on battlefields in cyberspace. What is interesting, however, is that state actors have also increasingly targeted private companies in the past year. These often have control over a state's critical infrastructure, for example in oil production or food production. So it is only logical that they are targeted in interstate conflicts. Cyber criminals and states are increasingly cooperating with each other in this regard. While criminals act out of financial incentive, states focus on geopolitical interests. This trend will continue in 2022, especially as conflicts between states intensify.

Preparation is half the battle

"Cybercriminals' approaches will continue to advance in 2022. Hardly anywhere else is change as rapid and ubiquitous as in the world of cybersecurity. It is therefore essential for the security of companies that they continue to develop here and always remain up to date," Frank Kölmel, Vice President Central Europe at Cybereason, looks ahead. "Only those who know the methods and strategies of hackers and prepare their companies accordingly will be able to protect themselves effectively against cyber attacks in 2022."

Source: Cybereason

discover security vulnerabilities

The trade association Suissedigital launched a bug bounty program for its members together with the IT security company FortIT about six months ago. Under the programme, hackers are rewarded with a bounty if they discover security gaps in the IT system or in IT services offered (e.g. Internet, TV or telephony services).

The telecommunications company net+ (www.netplus.ch) was the first association member to get involved in the programme, according to Suissedigital. After evaluating the first experiences during a pilot, the company draws a positive conclusion: "The bug bounty programme works excellently. We have been able to discover and eliminate a number of weak points. This benefits our customers, but also us as a company and our partner networks," says Jean-Blaise Rey, Head of Applications at net+. The company is so satisfied with the programme that it intends to switch from the pilot to a regular model in 2022, according to Suissedigital.

Further information:

• To the bug bounty program: https://bugbountyhub.com/de-ch

• To the online test "Security Check https://securitycheck.suissedigital.ch

One in three employers (36 %) are currently recording more voluntary redundancies than before the pandemic. This is shown by the current labour market study by Robert Half, a talent solutions provider. Respondents cited difficulties in balancing work and family life (13 %) as the most important reason.

Other factors leading to voluntary job changes are concerns about job security (12 %) and the lack of prospects for salary increases or career opportunities (11 %). High workloads (11 %) and uncompetitive salaries (10 %) also lead to employees voluntarily leaving.

These are the top 5 reasons for quitting according to the 2021 Labor Market Study:

• Lack of work-life balance (13 %)
• Concerns about job security (12%)
• No prospect of salary increase/promotion (11 %)
• High workload (11 %)
• No competitive salaries/benefits (10 %)

In the 2019 job market study, the main reasons for quitting were still too low a salary and the lack of prospects for a position with an international focus. "The motives for changing jobs have changed significantly. The home office options introduced in the pandemic have not led to an improvement in work-life balance for all employees," says Eva Mahoney, associate director at Robert Half in Zurich. "In addition, the economic shocks have raised many concerns about job security. In addition, companies struggling with the impact of the pandemic restrictions are currently unable to offer salary increases or development opportunities. This is contributing to higher churn."

However, every voluntary termination causes costs and a loss of knowledge. Companies would rather keep their top employees - especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers. Therefore, active countermeasures are advisable.

How to reduce voluntary resignation of employees

Five tips from Eva Mahoney on how employers can reduce the risk of their employees voluntarily resigning:

1. Transparent internal communication

If employees are worried about their jobs and quit for this reason, there may also be a misunderstanding. The employee may think that the company is in a bad way due to the current framework conditions - although the real figures do not give any reason for this. This is where transparent internal employee communication can come in, providing information about the company's economic situation and openly stating its position.

2. Flexible working hours and remote work

Both improve the compatibility of family and career for many employees and contribute to a higher level of satisfaction in terms of work-life balance. In many professions, a high degree of independent work and free time management is possible. This scope allows for creative work and individual breaks for reflection.

3. Appreciation Express

Those who value their employees and give them the feeling of being important to the company shape the group feeling and the emotional bond. The same applies to a good working atmosphere - the feel-good factor plays a major role here.

4. Actively promoting employees

Employees who do not want to stand still but have goals are grateful for cooperative employee development. They feel noticed, important and supported.

5. Living values and corporate culture

Values and corporate culture also play a major role: flat hierarchies, co-determination and communication at eye level strengthen the potential for identification. It is important that the corporate mission statements not only have an image-building effect on the outside, but are also lived. Regularly reviewing this is an important management task.

About the labour market study: The study was conducted in June 2021 on behalf of Robert Half. In Continental Europe and the UK, 1500 managers with HR responsibility were surveyed.

On 29 November 2020, the popular initiative "For responsible companies - to protect people and the environment" was rejected at the ballot box. This means that the indirect counter-proposal of the parliament will be adopted. In particular, it dispenses with an additional liability provision, as envisaged by the initiative. According to the Federal Council, this is internationally coordinated legislation that is primarily based on the regulation currently in force in the EU.

Two important innovations

The new provisions in the Code of Obligations (CO) provide for two important innovations: Firstly, large Swiss companies will be legally obliged to report on the risks of their business activities in the areas of the environment, social concerns, employee concerns, human rights and the fight against corruption, as well as on the measures taken against these risks, thereby creating transparency. On the other hand, companies with risks in the sensitive areas of child labour and so-called conflict minerals must comply with special and far-reaching due diligence and reporting obligations. The Federal Council has regulated the details of these specific obligations at the ordinance level.

Adjustments based on the results of the consultation

As expected, the feedback from the consultation on the ordinance was controversial, writes the Federal Council in its press release. There were calls for the ordinance to be tightened up as well as relaxed. The Federal Council is convinced that the ordinance adopted today, based on the results of the consultation, takes the various interests from society and the economy into account in the best possible way. It was not possible to include in the ordinance those demands that go beyond the law passed by parliament, according to the statement.

The "Ordinance on Due Diligence and Transparency Regarding Minerals and Metals from Conflict Areas and Child Labour" (VSoTr, cf. vsotr (2)) specifies which companies must comply with the new due diligence requirements. In analogy to the corresponding EU directive, the VSoTr determines the import and processing quantities for minerals and metals up to which a company is exempt from the due diligence and reporting obligation regarding conflict minerals. The threshold values set could be adjusted at any time to take account of any EU developments. In the area of child labour, the Federal Council has decided, based on the results of the consultation, in favour of a tightening up in the sense of a catch-all regulation for proven cases: Accordingly, SMEs would also fall under the due diligence and reporting obligation if they offered products or services that were obviously manufactured using child labour. With the regulation on child labour, Switzerland is going a step further than the EU, which has so far only known specific due diligence obligations for the area of so-called conflict minerals.

Finally, the ordinance specifies the individual due diligence obligations and lists the relevant internationally recognised regulations.

Due diligence requirements to be applied for the first time in 2023

The new provisions in the CO and the VSoTr will come into force on 1 January 2022. The law grants companies one year to adjust to the new obligations. They will therefore apply for the first time in the 2023 financial year.

Source: Confederation

Table-international-comparison

A hybrid model is emerging for the work organization of the future, in which office work, working from home and mobile work stand side by side and with each other on an equal footing and are meaningfully networked. Companies and, above all, managers must adapt to this new situation and lay the foundations for it at various levels. The global technology company Zoho shows the most important fields of action:

1. Create the right infrastructure. An important prerequisite for the hybrid work model is an appropriate technical infrastructure. It must ensure data integration on the back end and create a consistent and uniform work experience for employees on the front end, regardless of where they are working from. In this way, customers can also be offered an excellent customer experience.
2. Adapt corporate culture. In order for hybrid work models to find acceptance throughout the organization, the internal culture of the company must also change. Managers have the task of adapting internal structures, security guidelines, compliance and safety requirements and ensuring that they are adhered to. At the same time, they must actively get employees on board, inform them comprehensively about all changes and give them the time they need to familiarize themselves with the new corporate culture.
3. Protect employees. Not all employees cope equally well with the changing conditions of hybrid work models: some don't mind the lack of social contact at work, while others run the risk of feeling lonely and isolated. Managers therefore need to protect their employees emotionally. To ensure the emotional well-being of the entire workforce, regular exchanges should take place at both the team and individual levels. This helps to assess whether structural changes are necessary. Managers also have a duty of care with regard to data protection in the home office. The prerequisite for this is the central regulation of the use of tools, applications and hardware to ensure that both the employees' and the company's data are reliably protected.
4. Promote communication and motivation. The partial elimination of physical presence in the office has an impact on internal communication and employee motivation. The use of modern collaboration and communication tools helps to compensate for this and ensure a consistently high level of employee commitment. Here too, regular discussions with each and every individual play an important role in identifying signs of demotivation at an early stage and taking countermeasures if necessary.
5. Use for Recruitment. Due to the flexibility of hybrid work models, work is becoming increasingly independent of time and place. Rigid structures are a thing of the past. Achieving goals and results is becoming more and more important, and it often doesn't matter whether this happens during traditional working hours. While some regular core working hours may be required for business reasons, hybrid working allows a large part of the working day to be chosen to suit individual lifestyles. This also opens up new opportunities for recruiting employees who would not have been available in the old working models.

"Hybrid working models have proven their worth in the pandemic in many places," says Sridhar Iyengar, Managing Director, Zoho Europe. "The challenge now is to recognise and exploit the opportunities they present. Leaders who are willing to adopt new strategies and explore new avenues will be best placed to future-proof their companies. Those, however, who rigidly stick to old practices may fall behind."

The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) has updated the list of occupations subject to registration (see also here). The 2021 list already reflects the increase in the unemployment rate in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic, the federal office writes. Due to this increase in unemployment, the number of occupational types that meet or exceed the job notification threshold of 5 percent will increase slightly again in 2022.

In addition, five types of profession

In 2022, five additional occupational categories with around 213,000 employees will be subject to the job registration requirement. By far the largest new occupational category subject to mandatory reporting is sales staff in retail outlets (approx. 158,000 employees), which achieved an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent in the reference period, according to Guy Parmelin's department. According to the EAER, vacancies for specialists in marketing and advertising, graphic and multimedia designers, painters and related professions as well as travel specialists must now also be reported.

Reportable occupation types for 2022 can be viewed at: www.arbeit.swiss

Membership of the Technology Transfer Centre Anaxaminitiated in 2019 by the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), the "Swiss Nanoscience Institute" (SNI) and the canton of Aargau, on the one hand promotes the exchange of experience among researchers in the growing field of "additive manufacturing". Above all, however, important additional analytical equipment is now available to industrial companies - an important factor in staying ahead in quality control in 3D printing.

X-ray tomography for heavy and light

Three Empa devices in particular should be of interest to developers of 3D printing solutions. In the Linac high-energy X-ray tomograph, which is particularly suitable for large workpieces, workpieces up to 70 centimetres in diameter and up to 2 metres high can be examined. The X-rays penetrate steel up to 35 centimeters thick. X-ray images of samples made of reinforced concrete are also possible with this device without any problems. On the other side of the scale is the RX X-ray tomograph, which can produce images with a resolution of 0.6 micrometers. This means that even the smallest material defects can be detected. Empa's phase-contrast X-ray equipment is particularly well suited to lightweight materials, such as plastic components, which show only low contrasts in X-ray light. Thanks to a special analysis of the scattered X-rays, this new method can achieve resolutions down to one micrometre.

The available equipment at Empa's X-ray Centre is complemented by the Empa Platform for Image Analysis, which uses sophisticated image processing methods to make the information in the two- and three-dimensional X-ray scans accessible. And with training courses for industry, Empa's experts ensure that the analytical methods are used safely and effectively.

Expertise for the industry

The Anaxam Technology Transfer Center, which Empa has now joined, is part of the "Advanced Manufacturing Technology Transfer Center" (AM-TTC) alliance, which Empa helped to launch. The AM-TTC initiative is a measure in the Federal Government's Action Plan on Digitization of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) to promote innovation and accelerate knowledge transfer.

Source: Empa

Joint event 

One year after their foundation, the two Technology Transfer Centers m4m and Anaxam present themselves in a joint event: on Friday 3 December from 4 to 7 p.m. in the "kultur & kongresshaus aarau".

Registration under https://hightechzentrum.ch/aktuelles/veranstaltungen

Researchers at the University of Arizona http://arizona.edu have developed a new sensor for monitoring bone recovery. The sensor is attached directly to the bone and provides doctors with important data on the healing process of fractures. The data from the paper-thick electronics is read out using NFC. An electromagnetic field from the outside activates a tiny coil in the electronics, which generates enough electricity for a transmitter, which is also integrated, to transmit the data to the outside.

For rehabilitation and therapy

The sensor is barely bigger than a one pence coin. "This technology platform allows us to develop investigative tools to figure out how the musculoskeletal system works and use the information we collect for rehabilitation and therapy," says Philipp Gutruf, assistant professor of biomedical engineering. "Because the device is so thin, it easily conforms to the curvature of the bones," adds graduate student Alex Burton.

Fractures associated with conditions like osteoporosis make for longer hospital stays than heart attacks or breast cancer. That could change with the small device, the researchers hope. Once approved for use in humans, they say, it could be used not only to monitor healing but also to improve health. For example, it will indicate when the stability of the bone decreases to such an extent that new fractures are imminent.

Adhesive fuses with bone

The novel sensor is attached to the bone with a special adhesive, which is considered to be the body's own. Normal adhesives would be rejected after a short time, as the outer layer of bone regularly renews itself. The adhesive and thus the sensor would fall victim to this process. John Szivek, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, solved the problem. His adhesive, which contains calcium particles with an atomic structure, resembles that of bone cells. "The bone thinks the device is part of it and grows together with it," Gutruf says. "This creates a permanent bond, so measurements can be made over long periods of time."

Source: pressetext, Wolfgang Kempkens

Online retail is booming. However, the appeal of online shopping is also attracting cybercriminals. With the following seven tips from NordVPN consumers can protect themselves from scams.

1. Create multiple email addresses

Especially during the hottest shopping phase of the year, fraudsters tempt users to register on fake sites using their name and email address. In this way, criminals can obtain information that facilitates the hacking of private and business e-mail accounts. Anyone who wants to indulge in safe shopping or use other portals with registration should therefore create a special address for online shopping only, which, if possible, does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the real name or employer. If hackers nevertheless gain access to the account, the damage is usually limited.

2. Shop on secure websites

Once all private and business accounts are secured, the focus should be on surfing protection. Secure pages can often be identified in the browser by the URL - it then begins with "https://". The "s" stands for "secure" and indicates that at least one TLS encryption is active on this page. TLS stands for Transport Layer Security and describes an encryption protocol for secure data transmission. Of course, there are other security measures, but HTTPS offers at least basic protection for your own data.

3. Pay attention to correct URLs

Unfortunately, not all fraudulent websites can be exposed simply by looking at the URL. There are also scam sites that use HTTPS. Users should therefore make sure that they are on the correct shop page and pay particular attention to the spelling. If parts of the company name in the URL are replaced by numbers (such as in "n1ke"), it is most likely a scam site.

4. Be careful with shortened and cryptic URLs

In social networks, where space for text is often very limited, the use of URL shorteners has become established. These helpers turn a very long URL into a short one. The problem is that these URLs are cryptic. The URL https://bit.ly/1uA9DkP for example, leads to the NordVPN page. At first glance, it is not possible to see where the link leads. Only a click on the link or a close examination via mouseover reveals the destination. Fraudsters can thus suggest a false sense of security, because the shorteners use HTTPS, but this only applies to the redirect, not necessarily to the destination page. In addition, users can no longer tell if it's even the correct website of a store by looking at a flashy URL before visiting the page. Before clicking on the link, users should therefore check whether the source is trustworthy. If there are any doubts, the more cumbersome way to the official shop page via a search engine is safer.

5. Use an ad blocker

Caution is the mother of internet safety, but there are also tools that make the internet experience much safer. These include ad blockers, for example. They prevent websites from displaying advertisements and pop-ups from opening. At best, these ads, which come from external sources, simply track visitors' online activity. Often, however, the ads entice visitors to visit third-party sites. Since website operators do not usually check these ads and pop-ups in detail, questionable links are often included. In the worst case, the hope of a bargain turns into the horror of a hacker attack.

6. You better shop invisible

Careless surfing on the Internet is a big problem - especially when making purchases online and handling sensitive logins or even bank data. But physical location can also prove to be critical to security. Public networks on buses and trains or in the café on the corner are popular gateways for data pirates. Users should therefore generally avoid connecting to such networks unless they can protect themselves. For example, with a VPN.

7. Cover your tracks with a VPN

Not only in public networks, but also when shopping online at home, Virtual Private Networks are a guarantee for privacy when surfing. VPNs encrypt the online activities of their users and their IP address. The system is even more effective in the home network: If the VPN tool of choice runs directly on the router, all devices connected to it are protected.

"In addition to classic tools such as anti-virus software, users nowadays have access to a variety of apps such as VPNs to protect themselves," emphasizes Joanna Rusin-Rohrig, Country Manager DACH at NordVPN. "But all the privacy tools are of no use if users themselves don't pay attention to their own protection. Even when shopping online, they should only disclose information that is absolutely necessary. If websites ask for unusual data such as a personal ID number or a password, the likelihood of a fraud attempt is high."

Source: NordVPN

The second round for the work of the Artificial Intelligence Standardization Roadmap will open on 20 January 2022. The aim is to update and further develop the results of the first edition of the roadmap as a strategic roadmap for standardization in the field of AI, as announced by the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) and the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies in DIN and VDE (DKE). The second edition will also set new priorities and formulate recommendations for action in the areas of socio-technical systems, financial services and energy/environment. On 20 January, information will be provided on the participation of interested experts from industry, science, the public sector and civil society. The roadmap is being drawn up on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).

Norms and standards as a basis

"Norms and standards are an essential basis for the further development of artificial intelligence. This is made clear in particular by the draft regulation on AI regulation (Artificial Intelligence Act) published by the EU Commission in spring 2021, which assigns a central role to standards in the area of high-risk AI applications: Requirements for AI systems, including transparency, robustness and accuracy, are to be technically specified by harmonized European standards. One task of the AI Standardization Roadmap will be to take these needs into account when shaping the further roadmap for standardization," explains Christoph Winterhalter, Chairman of DIN's Executive Board.

The experts involved can build on the highly regarded results of the first edition of the roadmap, which were presented at the Digital Summit 2020, as DIN and DKE write. The recommendations for action adopted at that time are currently being implemented - among other things, through lighthouse projects that are being carried out in close cooperation with various partners.

"In order to develop marketable and trustworthy standards for the various fields of application of AI, it is necessary to identify the application-specific needs at an early stage. Standards must be developed and tested on the basis of concrete use cases, and new scientific findings must be incorporated into standardization at an early stage. We will take this approach even further in the second edition of the roadmap," explains Michael Teigeler, Managing Director of DKE.

Virtual launch event 

According to the standardization bodies, AI experts from industry, science, the public sector and civil society are invited to participate in the working groups on the key topics of the roadmap and to put forward their ideas for discussion. In a virtual launch event on 20 January 2022, DIN and DKE will present the project in more detail and answer questions about participation. Interested experts can register on the collaboration platform DIN.ONE register for collaboration. The publication of the Standardization Roadmap AI - Edition 2 is scheduled for the end of 2022, as the organizations write.

According to DIN/DKE, the work and implementation of the AI Standardization Roadmap is steered by the AI Standardization and Conformity Coordination Group, which was established in May 2021. With representatives from industry, the public sector, science and civil society, it brings together all areas relevant to AI. The coordination group is not only responsible for the strategic further development of the roadmap, but also sees itself as a place of coordination, exchange of ideas and participation for the entire AI landscape in Germany for aspects of AI relevant to standardization.

Source: DIN / DKE

Very small, but very fine - that's how you could describe the premiere of the Smidex Suisse Exposyumas it is called, in a nutshell. The event was dominated by the topic of cyber security, which is perhaps not so wrong in times of "total networking" of all systems. And because the management of information security only succeeds when responsible persons inform themselves and exchange information, Smidex offered a corresponding platform. It is simply incomprehensible why many company managers still treat the topic stepmotherly, as various exhibitors reported, but also several speakers showed with practical examples.

The figures speak for themselves: around 41 percent of Swiss SMEs have already been the victims of cyber attacks. Small business owners who believe that their data is of less interest to cybercriminals are mistaken. Such companies are also attractive targets for cybercriminals for two reasons: First, to extort ransom money with the help of ransomware, and second, to use them as a gateway for attacks on larger companies that work with these SMEs.

Over 30 presentations

The new security platform was opened by Rainer Maria Salzgeber (moderator), Nicolas Bürer (digitalswitzerland) and Nathalie Gratzer (project manager for the implementation of the national strategy to protect Switzerland against cyber risks at the Federal Office for National Economic Supply).

In over 30 presentations, participants were informed about the current state of cybersecurity not only by CSIOs and CIOs, but also by C-level responsible parties in SMEs. Using a recent survey, for example, Candid Wüest (VP Cyber Protection Research at Acronis) showed where companies are currently struggling the most and how this relates to merging cyberattacks. And of course, ethical hackers played an important role in the conference. Sandro Nafzger (CEO & Partner of Bug Bounty Switzerland GmbH) gave an exciting talk explaining why collaboration is key to the success of any digital transformation.

ICT minimum standard also for companies

Nathalie Gratzer of the Federal Office of National Economic Supply presented the federal government's cybersecurity recommendations for the critical infrastructure sector (ICT minimum standard). Minimum standards, which take into account the specifics of the individual sectors, now exist for various industries such as health care, water supply, food industry, gas supply and others.

The ICT minimum standard serves as a recommendation and possible guideline for improving ICT resilience, as Gratzer emphasized. At Smidex, she pointed out that the standard is in principle also applicable to any company or organization and is freely available.  (Smidex / rs)

The organizer DeltaBlue AG is planning the next edition of Smidex Suisse Exposym in autumn 2022 in an international network.

Proudly writes the industry organization for public transport, the Alliance Swiss Passthat the Swiss Pass is one of the most widely distributed maps in Switzerland, with around five million in circulation. Now the plastic card has been given a visual makeover - it shows mountains and is red like a Swiss passport. What's more, the card is enriched with new functions and becomes an opener for doors, a payment and login card for devices and online services. What some people find great about the new Swiss Pass is a thorn in the side of others. The card offers the functions of an E-ID with these extensions, although the people clearly rejected an E-ID operated by companies in the spring of 2021, complains the Consumer protection. One has this is precisely what is feared: private providers tried to occupy the field without having to comply with legal requirements for data and consumer protection.

The FDPIC was not consulted

According to Consumer Protection, it remains unclear for the time being how the privacy of users of the new Swiss Pass will be protected. The data protection declaration for the card has not yet been amended. And an inquiry from the consumer protection agency to the Alliance Swiss Pass has so far gone unanswered. The consumer protection agency's media release also states that the Federal Data Protection Commissioner has not been consulted about the Swiss Pass extensions.

Improvements urgently required

Consumer Protection fears that the protection of data and privacy will be subordinated to the economic interests of the card operators. Therefore, the card should not be put into circulation until the fundamental questions of data protection have been clarified and regulated. In addition, the card users must be given the possibility to exclude or switch off the functions in the user portal in a data-effective manner, says the consumer protection.