Dr. Gollnick, why are apps and cell broadcasting not enough in the event of a disaster?

Dr. Dietmar Gollnick: Population warning must be reliable and efficient. That means reaching as many people as possible simultaneously and safely, everywhere and at all times - even under extreme conditions. Warning apps alone cannot do that. If the public mobile network fails, they are ineffective. The same applies to the currently much-discussed cell broadcasting, which provides warning short messages to all recipients of a common radio cell: This also requires a functioning public mobile communications network. If it fails - for example, due to storms or congestion - no messages are possible.

What specifically happened with severe weather warnings? Were the warnings via the state warning apps too late or were the apps not sufficiently implemented in the states?

Both. Of course, one can wish for higher penetration in the population for whatever warning solution. Some of the warning information arrived, some of it was certainly upgradable in its specifics, and after power and data lines to the transmitter sites partially failed, there was no cell phone reception.

Warning is always: to see from end to end. Good, specific and timely content is just as important as being prepared for unforeseen failures with multichannel.

Why do state structures still not succeed in providing central technological solutions in disaster and health protection? What are the reasons for failure?

I cannot fully endorse this general statement for the countries in which our members are active. But there is room for improvement everywhere. Our competence in this context is alerting emergency forces, warning trusted and responsible persons on site, and warning the population. The government agencies do not cooperate with us enough. We would like to talk with EU and member authorities about end-to-end multi-channel warning and differentiated for both trusted persons on the ground and "everyone". This is happening too sporadically.

What could possibly make Switzerland better - or worse?
Or: What can Switzerland learn from?

Basically, the following applies to the warning: Everything helps. Furthermore, please think from end to end, i.e. from the creation and development of the warning information to where it should arrive, when and with whom, and what reaction it should cause. According to my information, the cantons in Switzerland are at different stages. More should be learned from each other. This also includes the fact that Swisscom and others "mostly" work well, but we have had some failures noticeable throughout Switzerland in recent months even without catastrophes. In Germany and France, we have nationwide NP2M networks that work even when cellular networks fail, as recently demonstrated again during the July storm. Switzerland is also well ahead in this respect. The Telepage network operates in a similar way to the e*Message NP2M networks mentioned above. Usage must increase, and the variety of end devices - whether weather stations, smoke detectors or pagers - must become greater.

Warnings can also be issued via cell broadcast. However, not when the cell phone networks are down or overloaded, as was the case, for example, during the attacks in Brussels, Paris and Nice or, in some cases, during the severe weather and flooding in western Germany. In this respect, you also have to put a price tag on Cell Broadcast: What more does it bring in terms of security if it doesn't bring any more in the event of cell phone network failure?

Of course, warnings are only useful if they are heeded: Wouldn't it also be possible for individual population groups to provide more information about their housing situation of their own accord? For example, residents of ground-floor apartments could be warned differently.

Seat belts are compulsory in cars. What if smoke alarms and personal weather stations and other devices had the additional benefit of "warning"? Simply included as standard. This would make it possible to issue very small-caliber, pinpoint warnings, and it promises to be more useful to me than getting into a data protection discussion about citizens' floor numbers right now.

You advocate a redundant second infrastructure?

The greatest possible reliability in population warning is achieved through the interaction of various forces. This is achieved through the use of a second infrastructure that functions independently of the primary digital warning channels, supplementing and safeguarding them. If the primary routes fail, the second infrastructure takes over: satellite-based professional radio networks, which can be used for alerting and warning and which have long since proven themselves with fire departments, THW and rescue forces. They can be used to control sirens as well as everyday devices.

Why should smoke alarms be included in warning the public even in the event of a disaster?

Households contain millions of private weather stations and - in some cases mandatory - smoke alarms. If these are equipped with a radio module, every household can theoretically have its own private warning station that can be reliably controlled and alarmed or triggered via a professional radio network. Independent of public mobile networks. Reliable and efficient. So the warning arrives safely - at any time, even at night with wake-up effect. Proposals for such an overall solution are on the table. Your advantage: It is available and therefore quick and easy to implement.

This interview appeared in the issue SicherheitsForum 4-2021. You want to read all articles of this issue? Then close right now here a subscription.

According to Kaspersky, attacks on industrial infrastructures are becoming more diverse and are still on the rise. Cybercriminals are using various types of spyware and scripts. While the number of ICS systems attacked in the DACH region fell slightly (0.12 percentage points), the number of such attacks in Switzerland rose by 2.1 percentage points, according to the experts at Kaspersky. in a statistical report for the first half of 2021.

Cybercriminals have increasingly targeted Swiss ICS computers: Threat actors, according to Kaspersky, use scripts on various websites that host pirated copies to, in turn, redirect users to websites that distribute spyware or malware. These are mainly designed to mine cryptocurrencies . In contrast, the number of spyware attacks (Trojan spy malware, backdoors, and keyloggers) increased by 1.45 percentage points in Germany, 1.77 percentage points in Switzerland, and 2.34 percentage points in Austria.

Industrial companies should invest in comprehensive cybersecurity solutions and regularly train all employees to protect against all types of cyberthreats, Kaspersky said.

Source: Kaspersky

In total, employed and job-seeking persons reported more than 800,000 accidents last year. According to Suva, however, the number of accidents reported fell by 7.6 percent compared with the previous year, due in particular to the pandemic. The number of accidents involving job seekers, on the other hand, has increased, as the number of unemployed has also risen.

According to Suva, occupational accidents decreased by 5.2 percent, while an overall decrease of 9.1 percent was associated with recreational accidents. Suva attributes this decrease to lower levels of sporting activity during the pandemic.

Switzerland compared to the EU average

Currently, European accident statistics also provide an insight into the development of fatal and non-fatal accidents at work in the EU countries - with the aim of comparing the effect and efficiency of measures to improve safety and health at work across countries.

Employers in EU countries are obliged to keep a list of all occupational accidents that resulted in employees being absent from work for more than three days. In Switzerland, the accident insurance collection point (SSUV) has been participating in the data delivery since 2004.

A total of 2.5 million occupational accidents were reported in the EU countries for 2018. France recorded over 3400 accidents per 100,000 workers, followed by Portugal and Spain with 3300 accidents per 100,000 workers each. The incidence rate for the EU average is 1600 occupational accidents per 100,000 workers.

Striking: In Switzerland, the incidence rate is almost twice as high as in the EU. Suva suspects a very high reporting rate of non-fatal accidents in Switzerland. In terms of fatal occupational accidents, nearly 3200 such accidents were reported in the EU in 2018, corresponding to a standardized incidence rate of 2.1 per 100,000 workers. Here, Switzerland is slightly below the EU average with around 2.0 fatal accidents per 100,000 employees.

Source: Suva

The 37th International Congress on Occupational Safety and Health at the A&A, which begins on October 26, 2021, at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center, includes many challenges for the occupational safety and health professional scene. The focus will be on leading topics such as the digitalization of work. Other issues that will be discussed revolve around the aspects of organizing decentralized workplaces in a safe and healthy manner, as well as the balance between mobile and stationary work.

In Hall 10 trade visitors will find the Safety and Health Meeting Point, the competence center for all occupational health and safety issues. The Robotics Park is also located in Hall 10. This is divided into the Self Experience Space and the Exoworkathlon. The partner of the Robotics Park is Fraunhofer IPA from Stuttgart.

Ergonomics is not a marginal topic either, for example with regard to the need for workplace prevention that arises from musculoskeletal stresses, as well as the prevention of carcinogenic substances in the workplace. In the Self Experience Space, the following manufacturers of exoskeleton solutions will be presenting their products, which visitors can try out for themselves: Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA, Japet Medical Devices SAS, Iturri, German Bionic Systems GmbH, Ergoschutz GmbH, suitX Inc, hTRIUS GmbH, Levitate Technologies Inc. and Laevo B.V.

In Hall 4 the Trend Forum will feature expert presentations on the topics of digitization versus safety, digitization versus health, sustainability, protection and hygiene, and safe handling of hazardous substances, providing an insight into current developments.

In Hall 5 is the Corporate Fashion Lounge. Here, trade visitors can find out about the latest trends in fashionable workwear and experience how diverse modern workwear is today. At the same time, the lounge provides an outlook on the future role that the topic of corporate fashion will play at the trade show from A+A 2023 onwards.

In Hall 6 trade visitors will find the action area Operational Fire Protection and Emergency Management, organized by the Bundesverband Betrieblicher Brandschutz, Werkfeuerwehrverband Deutschland (WFVD).

The A+A Congress will take place from 26 - 29 October 2021 takes place in Düsseldorf. The congress is one of the leading events worldwide on current topics relating to occupational safety and health and occupational medicine. According to the organizers, the A+A Congress is primarily a meeting place for decision-makers and players in occupational safety and health to exchange ideas.

Source: A&A

Using the EasyGov web platform, criminal hackers managed to steal a list of names of up to 130,000 companies via an automated query in August 2021. These companies had applied for Covid 19 credit in 2020, at the height of the pandemic-related economic crisis.

Not affected are those companies that have already repaid the loan in full, as well as all confidential company data such as bank details, IBAN number, contact persons, etc. The credit amount as part of the attacked data collection was not tapped by the hackers. The data of the companies registered on EasyGov is also not affected.

According to the analysis of EasyGov's access logs, an attack with up to 544,000 accesses per day was detected between August 10 and 22, 2021. A total of 1.3 million queries were made in August. This involved an automated query based on the UID numbers, and it was possible to generate a list of companies with a high probability of having applied for a Covid 19 credit and not yet repaid.

The investigations are being pursued "at full speed" by SECO, according to a statement from the federal government. SECO is not aware of any other security leaks.

The cyber attack that took place is still being comprehensively investigated and all necessary measures are being taken to ensure that the platform is also secure in the future in the public area (without login), according to SECO.

Source: SECO

IT security vendor Eset has published a new whitepaper on the topic of ransomware. The free e-paper "Ransomware: Companies targeted by malware and manipulation" examines how dangerous the encryption Trojan has become due to criminals' technical and psychological innovations.

The Eset researchers found that the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol is also abused as an attack vector. This protocol is mainly used for file and printer sharing in corporate networks - and offers ransomware opportunities to penetrate a company's network. As early as 2017, a programming error in the SMB protocol was exploited for the infamous WannaCry attacks with "EternalBlue".

As ransomware attacks become more targeted, organizations should be aware of and prepared for the latest methods used by cybercriminals. In addition to proper RDP setup and adherence to basic security rules such as regular updates, the whitepaper advises the use of advanced technologies such as "Endpoint Detection".

The report also provides answers to the questions of how companies can best protect themselves at present. It focuses on three specific attack vectors: Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), email attachments and the supply chain. The whitepaper is available free of charge on the Eset Securityblog Download ready

Source: ESET/Press release

In voluntary cooperation with the Swiss Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI), Media Markt Schweiz AG is recalling the Koenic brand mobile air conditioner. According to a statement from recallswiss.admin.ch there is a risk of fire and electric shock. Affected appliances may no longer be used and should be returned to the point of sale.

The product recall affects the mobile air conditioner KAC 3352 of the Koenic brand with the batches and PO numbers 7000008080, 7000008081, 7000008082, 7000008088.

Affected consumers are asked to contact Media Markt Schweiz AG / Imtron GmbH:

Phone: 0800 200 308

E-Mail: contact@imtron.eu

Source: ESTI/Media Markt

Researchers led by Aaron Young from the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed the "Asymmetric Back eXosuit" (ABX), a new exoskeleton that provides support not only for vertical but also for rotational movements. The innovation only puts a weight of around six kilograms on the wearer's legs. If the body is stretched from a bent position or the upper body is rotated, the ABX becomes active.

No back pain

Researchers have been looking for a way to reduce the strain on the spine in order to prevent back pain. They have succeeded with a high-tech backpack that is put on. Two motors are attached to the backs of the thighs. These are connected to the opposite shoulder with steel cables so that they cross each other. These cables transmit the power of the motors to the body when the integrated sensors detect a movement.

In tests, test subjects equipped with ABX picked up weights from the floor and swung them to the side, reducing the strain on the back muscles by an average of 16 percent. This was determined using electromyography sensors. When simply lifting a weight from the floor, the relief for the back muscles was as much as 37 percent. "People definitely felt that the technology was helping them," emphasizes Young.

Goal: finer force dosage

The team is currently seeking cooperation with industry partners to further develop ABX. According to Young, the system, which recognizes movements, still needs to be improved. When a person lifts their upper body from a lowered position, the cables currently always pull with the same force, regardless of the support required. "It should be possible to get the system to recognize different actions of the wearer and dose its support as required," concludes Young, highlighting one improvement option.

(pressetext.com)

Suva reviewed more than 2.5 million invoices for medical and therapeutic services last year, according to a statement. Of these, the accident insurer corrected or rejected more than 300,000 invoices, saving more than CHF 80 million, according to the company.

"The vast majority of doctors, therapists and hospitals bill correctly," explains Marcel Widmer, team leader for medical costs at Suva. Invoices that are often rejected relate, for example, to duplicate invoices because the doctor has forgotten to charge them or has inadvertently charged them incorrectly.

Spot checks in case of suspicion of systematic misbilling

In the case of invoices received daily, for example, invoices that have already been paid are also checked if systematic errors or incorrect billing procedures are suspected in retrospect. If, for example, a product is dispensed during an inpatient hospital stay but billed as an outpatient, Suva uses random samples of past billings to check whether these are individual cases or whether billing is systematically incorrect. If the suspicion is substantiated, the definitive extent of incorrect billing is determined.

"The fact that Suva takes a close look at invoice control is worthwhile for the insured," explains Michael Widmer. "It means they pay fair premiums, because Suva is not profit-oriented and returns savings to its insured."

Source: Suva

The canton of Fribourg still wants to wait with the introduction of e-voting, as the canton's Saatsrat writes in a press release. Since the technical and administrative complexity of the project has increased significantly, additional human and financial resources would be required for the canton. As the State Council writes, it prefers to use the available funds for digitization for other administrative services at the moment, for example for cooperation between the municipalities in the area of digitization.

However, it is convinced that e-voting meets a need of the population and that the voting channel will sooner or later become a "necessity of a modern democracy". As the State Council writes, the requirements in terms of additional human and financial resources have increased considerably, according to a statement.

Source: Canton of Fribourg

Like Heise reportsAdobe has deployed several October updates to its product portfolio. The one vulnerability (CVE-2021-40744) could inject code from attackers on Linux and Windows. Adobe says it has hardened version 21.3.1 against it. Other security updates for Adobe Acrobat and Reader for Windows and macOS fix several critical and moderate vulnerabilities, according to a related security bulletin entry.

Adobe Acrobat Reader for Android versions 21.8.0 and earlier are also affected. However, the patch with version 21.9.0 is supposed to fix the issues.

Adobe recommends that users upgrade their software installations to the respective latest versions to hoist.

Source: Adobe Security Bulletin/Heise

Researchers led by Tommaso Lenzi of the University of Utah's Bionic Engineering Lab have developed a new experimental exoskeleton for amputees. It attaches to the waist and stump of the leg and is equipped with motors powered by a battery. A microprocessor coordinates the movements so the disabled person has no trouble walking like a healthy person.

Half dozen tests

A standard leg prosthesis for amputees cannot fully take over the biomechanical functions of a human leg. Therefore, walking puts a lot of strain on amputees because they have to overexert the remaining muscles in order to progress. Lenzi's exoskeleton fully compensates for the lack of strength. Half a dozen disabled people are currently testing the device.

The device has a lightweight, efficient electromechanical actuator. A belt around the waist contains custom electronic systems, microcontrollers and sensors that run advanced control algorithms.

"The exoskeleton's artificial intelligence can track how a person moves and assist them in doing so," says Lenzi's Ph.D. student Dante A. Archangeli.

2.5 kilogram heavy

Unlike other exoskeletons, which are relatively heavy and therefore consume a lot of energy, Lenzi's model is very light at around 2.5 kilograms. It was limited to providing just as much power as the disabled person actually needs. He compares it to an e-bike, whose motor helps the rider pedal but does not do all the work.

Above-the-knee amputation reduces the mobility and quality of life of millions of people because much of the leg muscle is removed during surgery. "As a result, walking is difficult, although the person can still move in the hips," Lenzi explains. Above all, he says, there is a lack of strength.

(Press text.com)