Some users have been reporting network problems under Windows 10 and Windows 11 since October's Patch Tuesday, which Microsoft released last week. For example, it can happen that all network adapters only resume their connection to the outside world after a reboot of the PC. In one Status Dashboard Microsoft now confirms the network problem. The Redmond company explains that the October Patch Tuesday caused problems in the handshake with the transport layer security protocol (TLS/SSL), which caused connections between clients and servers to be interrupted temporarily.

In order to fix the problem, Microsoft is now providing two unscheduled Windows updates. These are the two patch files KB5020387 and KB5020435 for Windows 11 and Windows 10. The update can be applied manually or via the update search in the Windows operating system.

Source: Editorial office

The 24 accident insurers in Switzerland recorded a total of 832,000 accidents and occupational illnesses among employees and job seekers in 2021. According to Suva, this is 3.6 percent more than in 2020, but 4.2 percent less than in 2019 before the Corona pandemic.

Thus, due to the pandemic, the number of occupational accidents and diseases in 2021 is almost back to the level of 2019, with about 277,000 registrations. The number of leisure accidents is about 536,000 and, however, still significantly lower than in 2019. In 2019, there were 6.6 percent more leisure accidents in percentage terms. This is also because certain recreational sports could largely not be practiced during the Corona pandemic.

In 2020, accident insurers paid a total of 4.9 billion Swiss francs in medical costs, daily allowances and disability pensions under the UVG. According to Suva, an extraordinary expense of 3.5 billion Swiss francs was required to top up the coverage spiral of all current pensions. The current costs for 2021 are not yet available.

The long-lasting phase of declining numbers of cases of reported occupational diseases came to an abrupt end with the outbreak of the Corona pandemic. The number of filings reached an all-time high in 2020. At the height of individual Covid 19 waves, this number skyrocketed to several thousand per month. In 2020, accident insurers recognized a total of 16,138 occupational diseases, of which nearly 13,000 were Corona-related.

For more information www.unfallstatistik.ch.

Source: Suva

The cloud is seen as an important driver of digitization. Companies need it to bring new products and services to market faster, scale flexibly and save IT costs. But there is also a downside: By moving workloads to the cloud, you lose some control. That can be dangerous. After all, data and technology form the basis for business success today. Controlling them is crucial for your own digital sovereignty. In the public cloud, this becomes difficult, as IT infrastructures operated by third parties are used. Companies know neither which components are used nor where they were developed and made resilient. In addition, there is a legal conflict when it comes to data protection, especially with the large American hyperscalers: In the event of a criminal investigation, the U.S. Cloud Act overrides the GDPR - even if there is an additional agreement and the data center is located in the EU.

Determine the need for sovereignty

Nevertheless, companies do not have to do without the public cloud altogether. After all, digital sovereignty is not an either-or decision. Rather, the best way is a hybrid approach that combines different cloud variants. As much agility as possible and as much control as necessary is the motto. It's about finding the environment that offers the right level of sovereignty for each data type and application. To do that, you first need to analyze needs and assess risks. What data types and digital assets are there in the company? How sensitive and valuable are they? What damage would a loss or failure cause? Who accesses which data and how is it transferred? This then determines the need for protection as well as the appropriate cloud model and the associated security measures.

Choose the right cloud

The vast majority of all data in a company is generally non-critical and can be moved to the unrestricted public cloud without hesitation. For the remaining data, it is important to check whether it can be adequately protected with the cloud provider's native security features and additional external controls. This is known as a controlled cloud. If this is not sufficient, the next stage would be the trusted cloud: This refers to cloud services that are certified according to country or EU security standards, for example SecNumCloud (France), C5 (Germany) or EUCS (EU). Such a trusted cloud is particularly suitable for scenarios in which companies have to meet certain regulatory requirements.

Finally, disconnected private cloud services offer the highest level of control. They are completely under their own control, but are the least agile. In addition, companies have to do without features such as PaaS services and serverless functions.

Establish Zero Trust

Particularly in environments that cannot be controlled or can only be partially controlled, it is also advisable to implement a zero-trust model. Nothing and no one must be given the benefit of the doubt. Instead, all access and network requests must be authenticated, regardless of whether they are internal or external. Identity and Access Management (IAM) based on the least privilege access principle is crucial for this: each user and asset should only be granted the rights that are absolutely necessary. In addition, data and data transmission should be encrypted. Awareness training for employees is also important. After all, even the best security technology is useless if people allow themselves to be tricked by cybercriminals.

Conclusion

With a hybrid, risk-based cloud strategy and zero trust, companies can reap cloud benefits and still remain digitally sovereign. The best way to implement both is in collaboration with a specialized service provider. They help to identify risks, select suitable cloud services and take appropriate security measures. Last but not least, digital sovereignty itself is also becoming an important competitive factor. After all, customers today attach great importance to data protection and cybersecurity.

This technical article appeared in the printed issue SicherheitsForum 4-2022. You want to read the articles of this issue? Then close right away here a subscription.

The legal overall responsibility for a building is borne by the owner. The owner can delegate the management and the associated legal responsibility to a property management company. Often the real estate management is alone with the topic of fire protection and is not aware of the responsibility that is borne. Driven by internal requirements and demands as well as by economic efficiency, property managers today are not only there to look after a property and to ensure the communication channel to internal and external persons. Today, management largely means generating a return on investment and generating additional space in order to be able to offer as much space as possible on the market. In addition, all possibilities are constantly being examined to generate even more capital from the existing property. This results in conversion work or technical adjustments in and on the building.

The high expectations of the tenant community are often demanding. The aim is always to obtain the best location and to have as much freedom as possible in the design of the space. In addition, there are the needs of the various tenants. These needs can be of a design nature, as well as adaptations in terms of security requirements and burglary protection, or even fundamental changes in the use of the property.

Legal requirements and standards shape the object, this is also not an isolated case in fire protection, but this is often strongly neglected. The various specifications regarding structural, technical and organizational fire protection are not recognized by the management because the necessary expertise is often not available. This usually becomes a problem when the necessary expert knowledge, which could be obtained on the market, is only realized after a larger investment or due to the complexity of the building.

It is questionable why there is not already training on this topic during the training to become a manager. On the labor market, property management can quickly be divided into two categories. On the one hand, there are managers who mainly look after residential properties. Here, changes are rather rare. Likewise, the demands of the tenants are clear and will in principle not bring about changes. However, as soon as it comes to the management of commercial properties, the necessary knowledge is quickly required. The tenants, especially in a new occupancy phase, have many concerns that need to be taken into account. Floor plans are checked and, if necessary, rooms are adapted and changed accordingly. The requirements are also constantly increasing as a result of new technologies on the market, such as electromobility.

How can this tension be resolved?

There are many ways to resolve or at least improve this conflict. A large part is already being prepared by the cantonal fire protection authorities. The Zurich building insurance company has taken a major step in this direction and produced the document "Fire protection in the utilization phase". In addition, there is a range of training courses available on the market, which also provide the management with an appropriate basis. In addition, it is important to check what is actually involved, especially in the case of larger buildings. If necessary, it can be determined by an examination whether a safety representative fire protection is needed. Consequently, the conditions and training requirements can be quickly clarified here. Thus, the management can leave the focus on the core business and is accompanied with the appropriate basic knowledge.

To ensure quality assurance in fire protection, it is necessary to maintain the relevant documents. Today, the standard of digitization in fire protection basically exists. However, this is still far from being equally advanced everywhere. Real estate management can move a lot here and also maintain it. The plans must not only be maintained for area management, but also kept up to date as a basis for fire protection. The creation of these plans often triggers costs that could be saved in advance with good maintenance.

Integral tests

In addition to the daily fire safety, integral tests are to be carried out according to the building complexity. These should be carried out for the first time after completion of the construction project and the resulting handover to operation. In this way, the entire building is tested on the basis of the technical fire protection equipment. In this way, weak points in the fire matrix should be elicited and consequently the safety of persons and the building improved. After completion of the construction project, the integral tests are often neglected. Initially, those responsible for management must know that such tests are required according to the specifications. For this purpose, the building must be classified into one of the three risk groups in order to determine the periodicity. The scheduling of the integral test now requires negotiation skills with the tenants. Considering the demands of the tenants and their operational processes and specifications, it is important to establish clear, goal-oriented and good communication. After all, integral tests cannot always be carried out outside operating hours.

To analyze this further, it is necessary to understand the object. If the building is subject to collective control, this means: the overall control of all fire protection equipment in the building. This would mean, for example, the activation of all fire doors and gates. Consequently, operations are stopped and essential production processes are disrupted or prevented. If the object is subject to selective control, work can be carried out selectively according to sections, and essential operating processes can be planned and paused selectively in order to carry out the integral test and quickly reestablish production. Therefore, the involvement of the tenant community is essential to the execution of the integral test as well as its success. Many of these tasks can be delegated to external service providers. With the necessary agreements, a large part of the responsibility can be transferred. Nevertheless, there are other duties for verification and quality assurance that must still be performed.

This technical article appeared in the printed issue SicherheitsForum 4-2022. You want to read the articles of this issue? Then close right away here a subscription.

The operation of cranes is associated with great danger. Due to the high density of cranes in Switzerland, several serious accidents involving cranes occur every year, according to Suva. But the handling of other construction vehicles should not be underestimated either. Accidents often occur because construction machines are reversing and people are standing in the danger zone, warns Fredy Suter, health and safety specialist in the field of construction machinery and cranes at Suva, on the occasion of an SGIG conference at Zeder AG in Hochdorf. Therefore, a solid training is necessary in any case. The focus is on comprehensive thematic knowledge of the vehicle to be operated.

Know-how is important

Driving construction machinery is associated with special dangers (Art. 8, Ordinance on Accident Prevention, VUV). Many accidents still occur with the smaller weight classes. It is therefore essential that persons operating construction machinery have the necessary know-how. But when is instruction sufficient and when is training in the respective equipment category required?

According to the VUV, a general training obligation applies to the driving of all construction machines with a driver's seat. However, training is also mandatory for construction machines without a driver's seat, such as anchor drilling rigs.

Young people under the age of 18 are not permitted to operate construction machinery. This does not apply to apprentices who are required to operate construction machinery according to the training plan. "When it comes to the training plan, you always have to consider who exactly is operating what equipment," Suter emphasizes. This is especially true when it comes to dangerous equipment. It could happen, for example, that apprentices have to fetch a load of concrete, are not instructed enough and then have an accident while handling the construction machine.

When is instruction enough?

The situation is different for so-called pedestrian-guided machines and devices that only have a footboard to ride on or are hand-guided. For these machines, instruction in accordance with Art. 6 of the VUV is sufficient. An important basic requirement for all pedestrian-controlled machines and equipment in the construction industry is a so-called dead man's switch. These preventive devices are usually found on dangerous machines and are often required by law and insurance regulations. They respond to motionlessness and stop the machine when released. According to Suva, frequent accidents also occur on small excavators, dumpers and rollers, for example, when safety belts are not worn and the rollover protection device is not used.

Various training models

The crux of the matter is that there are different training models for construction machine operators depending on the industry, and there is no federal certificate of proficiency. In order to be allowed to operate construction machinery in the main construction trade, a so-called construction machinery operator course is completed in accordance with the examination regulations of the K-BMF association, which is recognized throughout Switzerland (with the exception of some special cantonal regulations, the legal situation in Valais, Vaud, Geneva and Neuchâtel). An identity card is not required, but according to Art. 8 of the VUV a training confirmation is required. According to this article of the law, training can be designated as such if a comprehensive imparting of theoretical and practical knowledge on a specific subject is ensured, taking into account the review. Instruction according to Art. 6 of the VUV is always a practical instruction on a specific activity, which usually takes place at the workplace. An instruction can be extended branch-specifically. The competences are imparted by experienced construction machine operators or by instructors before the training.

Classification of construction machinery

In addition to the so-called pedestrian-controlled machines (which require instruction according to VUV Art. 6), the other construction machines, for which training is mandatory according to VUV Art. 8, are divided into so-called M classes. However, this categorization is not identical in all sectors. The weight class of construction machines under five tons (M1) includes small equipment and construction machines (e.g. excavators, pile loaders, dumber, etc.). The weight class above five tons is divided into the following M categories: Pneu and crawler excavators (M2) and wheel loaders or track loaders (M3). Other categories from M4 to M7 include walking excavators, pavers, rollers and special machines. In the M6 category with rollers, the weight class is not necessarily limited, but only their range of use according to different pavements.

Open questions

Various training centers have been audited by the K-BMF association. However, in connection with the weight classes and the transitional provisions of the industry, there are still some open questions between Suva and the association K-BMF. A clear differentiation would be particularly advantageous in the classes with small equipment, as the frequency of serious accidents is still significantly higher in the classes with lower weights, says Suter. Training courses by industry are also correspondingly confusing, as an example of training for construction equipment operators illustrates: construction equipment operators in the green industry, for example, are trained as part of a three-day basic module. Forklift and construction equipment operator instruction, on the other hand, can take up to five days.

With the creation of an Ekas guideline for the operation of construction machinery, the basic training would be more clearly regulated in this respect, the Suva expert is convinced. Against this background, a number of industry associations have already been surveyed on this topic at the beginning of 2022. According to Suva, the feedback will be evaluated this year.

At the Apple Developers Conference a few months ago, the tech company announced that password authentication, which is still ubiquitous on the Internet, will soon die out. Apple relies on the Safari browser and a password-free login with the "passkey". The security upgrade can be seen as a new chapter in the "Passkey" security strategy launched in 2012. Fido Alliance can be considered. At that time, the Internet giants Meta and Google and hardware manufacturers from Intel to Qualcomm joined forces to form the consortium. The alliance is committed to open and license-free industry standards.

When registering Fido support, a key pair is generated on the user's device each time. Access to the authenticator is secured locally. This can be done via biometric methods (for example iris or fingerprint scan) or via USB, NFC or Bluetooth security tokens. With Apple's Passkey, a key for the respective website is generated via Apple's facial recognition or TouchID to activate the function. What is new is that the passkey is passed on to other devices of the user via the iCloud Keychain. Password-free authentication makes it almost impossible to intercept login data. However, leading hardware and software providers must now increasingly collaborate on implementation. Corresponding authentication solutions can be integrated "out of the box" into the existing software architecture without much effort. As cloud solutions, they offer companies the certainty of keeping pace with the further development of the Fido standard.

Source: Editorial office

Disc problems can occur in any part of the spine and are not always caused by heavy physical work. One-sided strain - for example, predominantly sedentary work with too little movement - can also cause twinges and sprains. It's not for nothing that back experts have been preaching for years that sitting is at least as harmful to our backs as smoking is to our lungs.

The cross with the cross

But what exactly pinches from sitting around? Martin Vierl, head physician at the Sonnhalde Rehabilitation Clinic in Donaueschingen, a specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery, and an advisor to Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V., a campaign for a healthy back, knows all about it: "The intervertebral disc is a cartilaginous connection between two vertebrae that buffers shocks and pressure on our spine like a shock absorber. Its core is a gelatinous mass enclosed by a fibrous ring of strong connective tissue. This gelatinous mass absorbs water, which our body weight squeezes out throughout the day - sort of like a sponge. Unfortunately, as we age, our sponges can't bind the water quite as well, their elasticity decreases and with it the buffer function." And then the complaints start.

A rolling stone gathers no moss

This wisdom is especially true for our intervertebral discs, because they love to keep moving! Whether the load is heavy or one-sided - a balancing movement works wonders. In addition, stretching exercises help to get the muscles and fascia back into shape. Regular training of the back muscles relieves the intervertebral discs. By the way: To strengthen the back muscles, the abdominal muscles must also be involved! A true elixir of life for our intervertebral discs is water - so always drink enough every day.

In addition, a conscious diet also ensures the well-being of our shock absorbers. Vitamins, minerals and trace elements ensure an optimal supply of the body!

Simple tips that are good for the intervertebral discs:

• Make sure you are active every day: cycle or walk short distances. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up from your desk every now and then and walk a few steps.
• Maintain posture: consciously pay attention to your posture - avoid forced postures and bent-over activities, stand as upright as possible, challenge your back muscles and keep changing your posture. The following also applies to PC activities: The next position is the best position. So keep moving and change your position often, even when sitting.
• The right equipment makes the difference: if possible, use equipment that promotes back health. In every area of life, there is furniture and solutions that can make your personal environment more ergonomic and make your day easier.
• Everything completely relaxed: There are numerous relaxation techniques - find the right one for you to release unconscious tension. How about autogenic training, ASMR or conscious breathing techniques?
• Friendly togetherness: Maintaining contacts and friendships also nurtures our well-being. Shared activities and beautiful moments are therefore also healing.
• Take it sporty: Do sports, ideally also in the fresh air. Exercise, but without overloading yourself. But regular walks, preferably in nature, or bike rides also have a relaxing effect and promote back health.

Source: Aktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR) e.V.

The Polycom radio network is a nationwide radio security network of the rescue and security authorities and organizations (BORS). It enables radio contact within and between the various organizations, Federal Office for Customs and Border Security, police, fire department, ambulance service, civil defense and supporting units of the army. For some time now, the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP) has been in the process of upgrading existing 55,000′ users with all functions to the latest generation of communications infrastructure. A large part of the equipment in use has to be renewed due to the technology change from Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) to IP technology.

The modernization of the security radio network is now progressing, according to the FOCP. Thanks to the cooperation with the supplier, the outstanding deficiencies and pending issues have been resolved, according to the FOCP, which has been able to give the go-ahead for the nationwide migration of a mass rollout to the latest generation since October 10. The updates will now allow all federal antenna sites to be fully modernized by 2024. According to the FOCP, outstanding deficiencies and functionalities could be worked through.

Switzerland-wide conversion of all 754 sites by 2024

With the decision to mass rollout, the modernization of all Polycom networks is now taking place in consultation with the cantons. Each canton has its own network, and in the case of the border cantons, the approximately 250 antenna sites of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security are integrated. A total of 754 antenna sites with the associated components must therefore be renewed, of which around 90 have already been migrated as part of the pilot phase; among others, the antennas of the cantons of Aargau, Bern, Uri, Ticino, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Thurgau and Solothurn were converted in the process.

The antenna sites in the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Schaffhausen will now be renewed by the end of 2022 and work will continue in the canton of Bern. The ambitious goal remains the renewal of all antenna sites by the end of 2024 in order to avoid parallel operation of the old and new components beyond 2025, which would lead to additional costs, the FOCP writes.

Source: FOCP/Editorial Office

In its current assessment of the situation, the DDPS considers it unlikely that Russia will use nuclear weapons or deliberately cause a nuclear accident in connection with the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, if a nuclear event were to occur in Ukraine, it would represent a crisis of great magnitude, complexity, and, in particular, temporal urgency. To ensure a rapid and effective response in the event of an incident, the Federal Council defined the crisis organization and leadership at the end of September.

The Federal Council has therefore authorized the DDPS to set up the Federal Civil Protection Staff as the Federal Strategic Command Staff (SFB) in the event of a nuclear incident or if such an incident becomes imminent. This is headed by the DDPS Secretary General. The secretaries general of all departments, the speaker of the Federal Council, the directors of the FOPH, the FOCP, the FOCA and the SFOE, a representative of the armed forces and the secretaries general of the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors (KKJPD) and the Intergovernmental Conference on Military, Civil Defence and Fire Services (RK MZF) are members of the SFB.

According to the Confederation, no new and parallel structures will be created. The directors' conference of the Federal Civil Protection Staff (BSTB) will be composed on an event-specific basis to ensure efficient crisis management. The responsibilities and competencies are located with the individual federal agencies.

Source: VBS/Editorial Office

The influenza A virus (IAV), which is responsible for 250,000 to 500,000 deaths worldwide each year, may soon lose its scare, thanks to researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine, part of Mount Sinai Health System. The experts have identified the gene TDRD7 as a key regulator against the virus that causes respiratory infections in countless people. This could facilitate the development of novel therapeutic interventions against influenza virus infection.

Viruses use weakened gene

The researchers used so-called RNA sequencing to analyze gene expression over time in cells and tissues collected from IAV-infected humans, ferrets and mice. This revealed several important defense processes. One gene that plays a key role in immunological defense mechanisms against IAV is TDRD7. To prove this, agents that inhibit the gene were used. Promptly, IAV multiplied much faster.

The scientists conclude that the gene is an important weapon against infections, but it needs to be tightened up, according to the report. "Identifying both common and species-specific responses to influenza is essential for developing effective therapies against influenza and may also help improve research on other respiratory infections such as covid-19," said Christian Forst, assistant professor of genetics and genome sciences and microbiology.

Immune system reactions

When IAV infects its host, an immunological response begins that consists of a series of molecular processes. IAV can infect in a variety of ways, and physiological and genetic differences contribute to different host responses. Some cope loosely with the attacker, others struggle but ultimately succeed, and still others become severely ill. "Identifying key defense processes and key regulators can facilitate the development of therapies for IAV infections," says Bin Zhang, director of the Center for Transformative Disease Modeling.

Source: Press text.com

The topic of mental health effects of the Corona crisis was strongly present in the media during the first year of the pandemic. Research reports for the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) show that the majority of the population's mental health was not affected in the first year of the pandemic. In contrast, certain population groups, such as young people, experienced an increase in mental stress, including hospitalizations among young women due to suspected suicide attempts. Initial data showed no increase in suicides.

These preliminary findings are now confirmed by the 2020 cause of death statistics. This year, 696 men and 276 women committed suicide across Switzerland, the same number of women and 46 fewer men compared to 2019. As in the past, clear differences by gender and age were again evident in 2020: two-thirds of suicides were committed by men, one-third by women. More than 70 percent of suicides occurred among people over the age of 45, with seven percent to eight percent of cases involving men and women under the age of 25.

The Federal Statistical Office FSO records suicides as part of the cause-of-death statistics and publishes these annual.

Source: BAG

Software giant Microsoft is tinkering with a new update for Microsoft Defender for Office 365, which should give Microsoft Teams users the advantage of notifying their company's security team about suspicious messages, according to the portal "Bleeping computer"reports. The new feature is intended to enable administrators to better filter potentially dangerous messages that could, for example, redirect employees to phishing websites.

The Microsoft 365 roadmap states, "Users will be able to report suspicious Microsoft Teams messages as a security threat, just as they do with email, to help the organization protect itself from attacks through Microsoft Teams.

Source: Editorial office