More IT companies could have faced cyber attack, says blog

Cyber attackers may have targeted IT majors Infosys, Capgemini and Cognizant to access data of third-party company resources, according to cyber security blog KrebsOnSecurity, with Capgemini confirming to ET that it faced a pattern of attack similar to Wipro’s, but took quick remedial action.

KrebsOnSecurity founder Brian Krebs wrote on Friday that the “crooks responsible for launching phishing campaigns” in computer systems of Wipro last month “appear to have targeted” a number of other competing providers.
The blog first reported on Tuesday that Wipro was subject to a systematic attack “over months”, which the company said was a ‘zero-day attack’ that was thwarted and a forensic investigation launched to look into it.

A zero-day attack refers to any cyber attack conducted on the same day that a software vulnerability has been discovered and for which a patch had not been set up to counter effectively.
Capgemini’s internal security centre detected and monitored suspicious activity that showed similar patterns to the attack faced by Wipro, a company spokesperson confirmed in an email to ET.  

Apple, Google, and Netflix don't require employees to have 4-year degrees, and this could soon become an industry norm

Students assume getting a four-year degree - and taking on the thousands of student loan debt that comes along with it - is the only way to get your foot in the door at top companies like Apple, Google, and Netflix.

But that isn't always true.

To read the full article, please visit:

https://www.businessinsider.in/apple-google-and-netflix-dont-require-employees-to-have-4-year-degrees-and-this-could-soon-become-an-industry-norm/articleshow/68819464.cms?utm_source=social_Facebook&utm_medium=social_sharing&utm_campaign=Click_through_social_share&fbclid=IwAR1C9rxJE3p0bKUbfUXoGOqE-2tsfSRXdRB6BjGJ23lG_eMx_1uY9OnRlnU (Accessed on April 22, 2019)

IT's raining jobs: TCS, Infosys, Wipro added 7 times more staff in FY19

Aggregate employee addition by the top three Indian IT services companies jumped close to seven times in FY19 as these firms went into an overdrive hiring fresh talent as well as rebadging employees of client organisations. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys and Wipro together did a net addition of 64,805 (after taking into account the attrition) in the financial year ended March 31, 2019, when compared to an addition of 9,864 in FY18 and 48,350 in FY17.

While industry leader TCS added the highest number, 29,287, in FY19, it was 24,016 for Infosys and 11,502 for Wipro. In ...

To read the full article, please visit:

https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/it-s-raining-jobs-tcs-infosys-wipro-added-7-times-more-staff-in-fy19-119041900904_1.html (Accessed on April 22, 2019)

'Pharmacy' to be used in place of 'chemists and druggists' on signboards

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, the description “chemists and druggists” is displayed by licencees who employ registered pharmacists but do not have a pharmacy for compounding – preparing personalised medication for patients -- against prescriptions.x

The Drug and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has approved changing the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to bring uniformity to medical store signboards.(HT Photo/Representative Image )

The words “chemists and druggists” appearing on the signboards of medical shops will soon have to be replaced with the word “pharmacy” following an order by the government’s top advisory body on drugs.

Dr S Eswara Reddy, drugs controller general of India, said, “Stores are using different nomenclatures and there was a need to bring in uniformity. Globally, the word pharmacy is used and widely accepted, so we decided to do the same.”

The Drug and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has approved changing the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to bring uniformity to medical store signboards. According to the minutes of the DTAB meeting where the proposal was discussed, “the term ‘chemists and druggists’ was coined in 1945 and is quite old and has lost relevance and also, at present, the word ‘drug’ is looked upon as more clandestine and as addiction for chemicals, hence, not suitable to refer a professional pharmacist.”

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, the description “chemists and druggists” is displayed by licencees who employ registered pharmacists but do not have a pharmacy for compounding – preparing personalised medication for patients -- against prescriptions. The terms “pharmacy”, “pharmacist”, “dispensing chemist” or “pharmaceutical chemist” can be used only by licencees who employ the services of a registered pharmacist and run a pharmacy for compounding against prescription.

Registered pharmacists no longer practise compounding of medicines because the pharmaceutical industry sells formulations in different dosages and potencies. “There was need for this [renaming] as the concept of druggists is outdated. Earlier, there were not so many formulations available, so druggists themselves used to prepare medicines with relevant dosage etc, but now the pharmaceutical companies are doing the job. Everywhere pharmacy is used; so should we,” Sandeep Nangia, president, Retailers and Distributors Chemist Association in Delhi.

The matter was discussed in the 55th Drugs Consultative Committee meeting held in January this year, which recommended the renaming. The proposal was then placed before the 82nd DTAB meeting held on April 2, and the board agreed to amend the rules.

“We will have to update our database and add the changed names of stores that are registered with us. The final notification will provide a time frame to apply for name change with our licencing division,” said Dr Reddy, drugs controller general of India.

After the Union ministry of health and family welfare formally notifies the amendments, chemists will be given a time frame to make the necessary changes.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pharmacy-to-be-used-in-place-of-chemists-druggists/story-U3aS8umKeXUh1Q9benQx3H.html (Accessed on April 22, 2019)

NASA Airborne Telescope Spots Universe's First Molecule

India, April 19 -- NASA's airborne observatory has detected the first type of molecule ever formed in the universe.This is the first time helium hydride has been found in the modern universe.Scientists discovered the molecule in our own galaxy using NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), as the aircraft flew high above the Earth's surface and pointed its sensitive instruments out into the cosmos.SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. It found modern helium hydride in a planetary nebula, a remnant of what was once a Sun-like star.Located 3,000 light-years away near the constellation Cygnus, this planetary nebula, called NGC 7027, has conditions that allow this mystery molec...

To read the entire article, please visit:
https://www.ndtv.com/science/nasa-airborne-telescope-stratospheric-observatory-for-infrared-astronomy-spots-universes-first-molec-2025482 (Accessed on April 22, 2019)

IIT Kharagpur researchers create algorithm for marketing & sales on social media

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKgp) have developed an algorithm that tracks marketing and sales activities on social media. This low-cost solution would especially benefit micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), according to the researchers.
The solution is a model based on a computerised algorithm to identify social media influencers (with large contacts and followers) who have more reach and impact on social media.
The algorithm is applied to the data derived from select social media pages of test products. This is a great way to optimise marketing for companies with fewer resources, said professor MK Tiwari, who is leading the research at IIT Kharagpur.

To read the full article, please visit:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/iit-kharagpur-researchers-create-algorithm-for-marketing-sales-on-social-media/articleshow/68898061.cms (Accessed on April 22, 2019)

NPCI mulls using blockchain solution to strengthen digital payments

NEW DELHI: Payments network NPCI is considering using highly scalable blockchain solution to further strengthen digital payments, which have seen an exponential growth in recent times.

A blockchain or distributed ledger is a continuously growing list of encrypted transactions called blocks. A block may contain any type of data such as unique digital identifiers of physical products

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organisation for all retail payments in India. It was set up with the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India and the Indian Banks Association (IBA).

To read the entire article, please visit:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/npci-mulls-using-blockchain-solution-to-strengthen-digital-payments/articleshow/68872909.cms (Accessed on April 22, 2019)