22 January, 2017

Fortinet Security Researcher Discovers Two Critical Vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player

Fortinet security researcher Kai Lu discovered and reported two critical zero-day vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player in November 2016. Adobe identified them as CVE-2017-2926 and CVE-2017-2927 and released a patch to fix them on January 10, 2017. Here is a brief summary of each of these detected vulnerabilities.

This is a memory corruption vulnerability found in Flash Player’s engine when processing MP4 files. Specifically, the vulnerability is caused by a MP4 file with a crafted sample size in the MP4 atom specification that causes an out of bounds memory access, which sometimes triggers an access violation exception.
Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by using the out of bounds access for unintended reads, writes, or frees -- potentially leading to code corruption, control-flow hijack, or an information leak attack.
Fortinet released IPS signature Adobe.Flash.MP4.stsz.atom.Memory.Corruption to proactively protect our customers.
This is a heap overflow vulnerability that is exposed when processing Adobe Texture Format (ATF) files in Flash Player. Specifically, the vulnerability is caused by a malformed ATF file which causes an out of bounds memory access due to improper bounds checking when manipulating a pointer to a heap allocated buffer.
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by using the out of bounds access for unintended reads, writes, or frees -- potentially leading to code corruption, control-flow hijack, or an information leak attack.
Fortinet released IPS signature Adobe.Flash.Adobe.Texture.Format.Heap.Overflow to proactively protect our customers.

ديجيساي تتعاون مع أفلام النصر لنشر إنتاجاتها على الانترنت



القاهرة  19 يناير 2017 - تم بالأمس توقيع اتفاق بين الفنان شريف رمزي ممثلا عن شركة أفلام النصر و أحمد عباس ممثلا عن شركة ديجيساي DigiSay لتحويل كل إنتاجات الشركة إلى محتوى رقمي وذلك لنشرها على الإنترنت وعلى رأسها موقع يوتيوب وعدد من المنصات الأخرى.

وقد عبر أحمد عباس مدير العمليات بشركة ديجيساي عن سعادته بهذا التعاقد وأضاف "من واقع خبرتنا بالإعلام الرقمي فنحن ندرك أهمية هذه الخطوة نظراً لحجم الجمهور الكبير المتواجد على المنصات الرقمية والذي يبحث باستمرار عن مثل هذا المحتوى، خاصة وأن شركة النصر تمتلك مجموعة كبيرة من أهم أفلام السينما المصرية ".

وتعد شركة أفلام النصر للإنتاج والتوزيع من أعرق شركات الإنتاج السينمائي، وهي أيضا أحد أعضاء المجموعة الفنية المتحدة التي تضم كلا من شركة الماسة و شركة أوسكار للإنتاج الفني،ومن أهم أعمالها على سبيل المثال "كراكون في الشارع" و "التوت والنبوت" و "الراقصة والطبال" و"حتى لايطير الدخان"و"بيت الطالبات" و" صباح الخير يا زوجتي العزيزة" و"ولا يزال التحقيق مستمرا".

Samsung Introduces Stylish, Powerful and Practical Galaxy A (2017) with Enhanced Camera




Cairo, Egypt – 18 January 2017– Samsung Electronics Egypt today announced the latest Galaxy A series, including the 5.7-inch A7 and 5.2-inch A5 smartphones, with refinements that deliver a beautiful design, powerful performance and ultimate convenience.

“At Samsung we are committed to our customers, and continue on our innovation story to ensure that every Samsung product is the most advanced on the market,” said Hesham Abo Zeina, Head of Hand Held Products, Samsung Electronics. “The latest Galaxy A series is testament to our unwavering commitment. We have incorporated our unique approach to design with features that our customers have come to know and love through the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. These added features ensure that the 2017 Galaxy A7 and A5 users have a premium experience and added performance without compromising on style.”   

The Galaxy A features a premium metal frame and 3D glass back that draws on Samsung’s premium design heritage. With a sleek camera and home key, the device is more seamless than ever and comfortable to hold and use. The Galaxy A is available in four stylish colors including Black Sky, Gold Sand and Blue Mist.

Capture important memories with the enhanced front and rear 16-megapixel cameras, which are now more stable with accurate autofocus, resulting in vibrant and clear photos and selfie even in low-light conditions. With the Galaxy A, taking selfies has never been easier. Touch anywhere on the screen to easily snap a high-resolution selfie with the floating camera button and use the display as a front flash for bright pictures. The camera on the Galaxy A offers a simplified UX, including easy swipe to quickly change modes or instant filters to activate picture effects. Users can leverage modes such as the Food Mode, to optimize photos and enhance the color of images.

Galaxy A takes the hassle out of everyday tasks. For the first time on the Galaxy A series, the smartphone offers IP68 water and dust resistance, allowing it to withstand the elements, including rain, sweat, sand and dust, making the device suitable for nearly any activity or situation.  

The Galaxy A provides expanded, a larger memory, as well as expandable storage with microSD support up to 256GB. With a longer battery life to keep up with users’ active lifestyles and Fast Charge, the device powers up in no time. The Galaxy A is equipped with reversible USB Type-C port for easy connectivity including hassle-free charging. It also features Always on Display so users can quickly glance at the time and calendar without waking up the device, saving time and battery.

سامسونج تُطلق سلسلة هواتف جالاكسي A ذات التصميم الرائع والأداء القوي والعملي مع كاميرا مطورة أكثر وضوحاً



القاهرة في 18 يناير 2017- أعلنت سامسونج الكترونيكس مصر اليوم عن إطلاق سلسلة هواتف جالاكسي A الذكية، والتي تتضمن هاتف A7 بشاشة 5.7 بوصة، وهاتف A5 بشاشة 5.2 بوصة. يتميز الهاتفان الجديدان بباقة من الخصائص المطورة التي تمنح المستخدمين تصميماً أنيقاً وأداء قوياً وسهولة تامة في التعامل مع الجهاز.   

وتعليقاً على إطلاق الجهازين الجديدين، يقول السيد/ هشام أبو زينة- رئيس قطاع الأجهزة المحمولة , سامسونج الكترونيكس مصر: "إننا في سامسونج نلتزم تجاه عملائنا، حيث نواصل مسيرتنا الممتدة في مجال الابتكار بما يضمن أن يكون كل منتج من منتجات سامسونج هو الأكثر تطوراً في السوق، حيث تُعد سلسلة هواتف جالاكسي A الذكية دليلاً على التزامنا المتواصل تجاه السوق المصري. لقد قمنا بدمج أساليبنا الفريدة في التصميم مع باقة متميزة من الخصائص التي سبق لعملائنا التعرف عليها وتفضيلها في هاتفي جالاكسي S7 وS7 edge. وتضمن هذه الخصائص المضافة لمستخدمي هواتف جالاكسي A7 و  A5 لعام 2017 الحصول على تجربة رائعة وأداء سلس دون التخلي عن التصميم الأنيق والجذاب"       
 

يتميز تصميم هواتف جالاكسي A بإطار معدني وزجاج ثلاثي الأبعاد من الخلف، وهو مستوحى من تصميمات سامسونج المتميزة. ومع الكاميرا ذات التصميم الأنيق والزر الرئيسي، أصبح استخدام الجهاز أكثر سهولة وسلاسة من قبل، كما أصبح أكثر راحة في الاستخدام مع تحكم قبضة اليد فيه بسهولة.      
والآن يمكنك التقاط أجمل اللحظات مع الكاميرتين الأمامية والخلفية للجهاز بقوة 16 ميجا بكسل، واللتان تتمتعان ببؤرة ذاتية أكثر ثباتاً ودقة، وهو ما ينتج عنه صور فائقة الوضوح وألوان ناطقة وصور سيلفي يمكن التقاطها جميعاً حتى في الإضاءة الخافتة. لقد أصبح التقاط السيلفي مع جالاكسي A أسهل من أي وقت مضى. اضغط على أي مكان على الشاشة والتقط سيلفي فائق الوضوح بمساعدة زر الكاميرا المتحرك، مع امكانية استخدام الفلاش الأمامي لصور أكثر إضاءة. وتتيح كاميرا جالاكسي A تجربة مبسطة للمستخدمين، بما في ذلك خاصية سهولة انزلاق الشاشة لتغيير أوضاع التصوير أو استخدام فلاتر التصوير الفورية لتنشيط المؤثرات البصرية للصور. يمكن أيضاً للمستخدم الاستفادة من أوضاع تصوير جديدة مثل وضع الطعام، لتحسين وضوح الصورة ودرجة الألوان.       

إنّ هواتف جالاكسي A تخلصك من الصعوبات المرتبطة بالاستخدامات اليومية للجهاز. فلأول مرة يتم إضافة خاصية IP68 لمقاومة المياه والأتربة في سلسلة هواتف جالاكسي A، بما يتيح للجهاز مقاومة الأمطار والعرق والرمال والأتربة، ويجعله ملائماً للاستخدامات والمواقف اليومية.     

تتمتع هواتف جالاكسي A أيضاً بذاكرة أكثر اتساعاً، مع القابلية لزيادة سعة الذاكرة من خلال بطاقة microSD التي يدعمها الجهازين حتى 256 جيجابايت. ومع امتداد عمر البطارية لتلائم أنماط حياة المستخدمين وخاصية الشحن السريع، يمكن شحن البطارية في وقت قصير للغاية. الجهازان مزودان أيضاً بمدخل USB من طراز Type-C بما يتيح إمكانية الاتصال بسهولة بما في ذلك الشحن السريع دون أية تعقيدات. يتضمن الجهازان أيضاً خاصية Always on Display بما يتيح الاطلاع بسرعة على الوقت والتاريخ دون تغيير وضع الشاشة بما يوفر الوقت والبطارية.  

Panasonic Introduces i-PRO Extreme Surveillance Technology for GCC Market at Intersec 2017


The Japanese manufacturer is showcasing its wide range of unrivaled security products and solutions at the event
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Panasonic, a leading provider of integrated security and video surveillance solutions, introduces its next generation i-PRO® Extreme technology platform at Intersec 2017, happening at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) on January 22 -24.
Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa (PMMAF) has launched the i-PRO Extreme in response to the fast growing demand for integrated video surveillance in the region, which has seen a tremendous growth for video security equipment in recent years. Industry studies indicate that the regional commercial sercurity market is expected to be worth US$10.2 billion by 2020, growing annually by 24 per cent from its US$3.8 billion value in 2015.
The i-PRO Extreme platform is available on Panasonic’s new line-up of cameras, recorders and video management software (VMS) —providing a native end-to-end H.265 compression while also delivering demonstrable enhancements in image quality, system reliability, IP security and embedded intelligence.
“Panasonic's wide network camera line up and surveillance video management softwares are among the best in the world, and offer outstanding visibility and reliability features. With i-PRO Extreme, we aim to exceed customer expectations by providing a cutting edge technology that maximises the effectiveness and efficiency of their video surveillance while offering value on investment. The latest system is perfect for use in harsh climate and is immune to any cyber threats with its Secure Communication Technology,” commented Mr. Yasuo Yamasaki – Director, System Solutions and Communications Division, PMMAF.
Key technology enhancements delivered by i-PRO Extreme include:
Extreme Visibility
Intelligent Auto Mode: Advanced image stabilisation steadies the camera to prevent blurred images and intelligent sensitivity enables the camera to automatically adjust gain and shutter speed to adapt to the brightness and object movement in a scene.  
144dB Enhanced Super Dynamic and Face Super Dynamic: High-performance face detection technology in the camera combined with new 144dB enhanced SD capabilities, automatically enables clear identification of a person’s face, even in very dynamic scenes or heavily backlit conditions for optimal face recognition and evidence capture.
Color Night View: Firefly night view enhancer technology transforms a standard 1/3-inch sensor camera into an effective low-light capable camera enabling it to produce a very high-quality colour image—even in the most challenging lighting conditions.
Extreme Compression
H.265 Compression with Smart Coding: Now included on the new cameras, recorders, video management software, the latest H.265 standard provides an 80 percent enhancement in compression when compared to H.264 devices, delivering high picture quality with half the bandwidth requirements and reduced storage costs.
H.264 Backward Compatibility: New H.265 enabled cameras include H.264 compatibility modes enabling customers to migrate portions of their system to the new standard at their own pace. This allows users to maximise existing investments in H.264 products while reducing overall TCO and helping to future-proof their networks.
Intelligent Face Compression: New cameras capable of detecting up to 8 faces simultaneously can now be linked with new compression techniques to maintain the Region Of Interest (ROI) at a higher picture quality. A built-in self-learning algorithm enables the camera to predict where movements may happen and ensure the camera is responsive and effectively manages picture quality in real-time.
Extreme Reliability
HDD Dynamic Power Control: HDD power control technology built into the new recorders intelligently and dynamically powers down HDD’s without risking recording loss, while extending HDD life up to seven years (depending on environment and usage). Recorders can be connected in tandem to enable seamless recording redundancy for mission critical applications.
Extreme Data Security
Secure Communications: Because every device with an IP address is potentially vulnerable to cyber threats, Panasonic has expanded its deployment of Secure Communication Technology across its new line of i-PRO Extreme H.265 cameras, recorders and video management software. Panasonic’s Secure Communications Protection Suite, developed in collaboration with Symantec, the global leader in cyber security, combines Symantec’s scalable and reliable Device Certificate technology to perform trusted device authentication, and together with Panasonic’s own in-house embedded cryptography technology, provides a highly secure and robust protection layer for its embedded surveillance products.
The Secure Communication Suite specifically protects against spoofing (false data), video tampering or altering (changing images), and snooping of protected surveillance communications (stealing passwords).
These protection technologies include video data encryption, IP communication encryption and Symantec’s Key based verification certificates, now currently available in most Panasonic H.264 based cameras, will be extended to the complete line of iPRO Extreme H.265 based hardware and software products providing the most extreme end-to-end IP security available in an IP video surveillance platform.
Besides i-PRO Extreme Panasonic is showcasing a wide range of security and surveillance solutions at booth A24 located in Sheikh Saeed Hall no 1 at Intersec 2017.  
Few models of the camera line-up with i-PRO Extreme platform are already available in the region since December 2016 and more will be introduced soon.
***ENDS***
Key enhancements include:
H.265 Smart Coding (Smart Face Coding, Long GOP, Auto-VIQS,)
Enhanced Super Dynamic 144dB at 30/60 fps (depending on model)
Ultra-high sensitivity from 0.0008 lux to 0.015 in colour mode (depending on model)
Auto Image Stabilization
Max. 4 channel simultaneous H.265 encoding
Touchable Rain Wash Coating (outdoor models only)
Secure Communication with Symantec Certification
Built-in IR LED (up to 100 feet)

 About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, enterprise solutions and device industries. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates 474 subsidiaries and 94 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.553 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2016. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/global.

19 January, 2017

New Research: Cisco Reveals the Current State of Digital Transformation in Retail



  • Retailers remain in the early phases of digital transformation; missing out on $187 billion opportunity
  • Cisco research reveals that despite the risks, retailers around the world are moving too slowly when it comes to digital transformation

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 18 January, 2017: Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO)  Analysts are hailing 2016 as the best year for holiday sales growth since 2005. However, this growth is not coming from the traditional brick and mortar channel. Instead, Internet shoppers saved the holiday season by setting new records for online sales during Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Bounceback Tuesday. This has huge implications for the industry and for retailers’ 2017 technology plans.

The multi-channel shopper is fueling a wave of digital disruption that threatens to put nearly half of retailer leaders out of business if they don’t transform themselves digitally. A new research report released today by Cisco, “Reinventing Retail: Cisco Reveals How Stores Can Surge Ahead on the Digital Transformation Journey” reveals that despite the risks, retailers around the world are moving too slowly when it comes to digital transformation and may not be investing in the right places. The holiday season’s choppy sales report and the recent closing of big box stores is just the beginning.

“The shakeup caused by digital disruption is already underway with many major retailers announcing the closure of hundreds of their brick and mortar stores in recent months, in order to better compete in a landscape where physical and digital channels are increasingly converging,” said Mike Weston, Vice President, Cisco Middle East. “Yet, there remains a tremendous opportunity, with the potential for retailers to generate more than $506 billion in value that can be achieved through digital transformation. Retailers need to make more progress in digitizing their workforce and their core operations in order to execute on the innovative customer experiences they want to deliver, and to position themselves for success in the new retail landscape.”   
In an effort to help retailers achieve digital transformation, Cisco previously released a "A Roadmap to Digital Value in the Retail Industry,” which guides retailers through three phases: (1) Enable digital capabilities, (2) Differentiate their brand through new digital capabilities, and (3) Define new business models through digital disruption.

To understand the progress retailers have made on that roadmap and in executing on their own digital transformation journeys, Cisco has spent the past 10 months facilitating in-depth workshops with more than 200 retail executives from North and South America and regions of Europe, representing brick-and-mortar retailers, e-commerce, apparel manufacturers, food service and other segments of retail. The new report reveals where they are on their journey to digital transformation, where they are currently prioritizing their digital technology investments and what they may not know about the flaws in their digitization strategies.

Key Highlights:
  • Retailers are stuck in the early phase of the digital roadmap. Retailers’ digital investment priorities remain concentrated in the earliest, “Enable” phase of the roadmap (49 percent), which is focused on more mature IT technologies that enable existing capabilities and processes, IT agility and operational efficiency.  
  • Retailers are missing a $187 billion opportunity by not prioritizing investments in Employee Productivity. These technologies and use cases deliver the greatest value from digitization by increasing associate efficiency, optimizing the checkout and improving worker collaboration. Prioritizing investments in these areas not only improves operational productivity and associate effectiveness, but also contribute to improved shopper experiences and increased loyalty. Just 6 percent of retailers’ investment priorities are focused on Employee Productivity use cases, despite the fact that Cisco estimates that these use cases deliver the greatest return on investment for retailers.
  • Retailers are not investing enough in the areas that create competitive differentiation and new revenue streams. Only 29 percent of retailers’ investment priorities are currently focused on the “Differentiate” phase and only 22 percent in the “Define” phase, the second and third phases of the roadmap, respectively. These are the more advanced phases of the roadmap, where retailers can differentiate their brand based on unique digital capabilities and services, or define new business models and revenue streams through digital disruption. These findings indicate that most retailers have not made enough progress when it comes to digital transformation and may be at risk of being out-performed by faster moving, more innovative retail ventures.    
  • Retailers are investing too much in customer experience. In contrast, retailers are prioritizing the majority of their digital technology investments in Customer Experience use cases (37 percent) that aim to improve personal engagement with consumers. While these use cases can deliver an estimated $91 billion in opportunity, overemphasizing their digital investments in Customer Experience use cases may limit retailers from getting the operational value they could from digital transformation of their business functions and workforce.
Some sub-segments of the retail industry are making more progress on their path to digital transformation than others. New York-based apparel manufacturers and garment industry retailers have placed 58 percent of their digital investment priorities within the Differentiate and Define phases of the roadmap, compared with just 39 percent from the brick-and-mortar retailers, department stores and food service retailers that Cisco spoke with in the southern region of the U.S.

Retailers in South America are prioritizing more of their technology investments in the earliest, Enable phase of the roadmap (67 percent) compared with their counterparts in North America (51 percent), indicating that South American retailers have not made as much progress in transforming themselves digitally. This may be due to economic conditions in South America causing retailers there to invest first in digitization of facilities, energy and other operational functions that help lower costs and free up capital.  

Supporting Resources

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