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Month: February 2019

Frequently Asked Questions About Malware Botnet

A Malware-Bot is a type of malware that exercises control over the infected machine once the infection spreads through the system. It acts according to the instructions given by the master i.e. malware writer. Following are some most commonly asked questions about Malware Botnet:

  • What Actions Does A Malware Bot Perform?

A Malware Bot can perform numerous tasks such as-

  • Spying & tracking
  • Sending spams, hosting command servers, working as proxies & performing other malicious activities
  • Accessing corporate resources & hijacking
  • Stealing confidential information, documents, credentials, etc.
  • Bitcoin mining
  • Web browsing
  • Do All Malware Bots Perform The Same Actions?

The bot can perform all the above mentioned actions, however there are two types of malware actions that the Malware Bot does not perform, not because it is incapable to do so but because they make little business sense. Following are the two malware actions:

  • Actions Which Impend The Machine: A Malware Bot cannot work in a damaged environment. When the software environment is damaged the machine is usually reinstalled, thus removing the bot. So, Malware Bot does not usually perform an action that would restrain it from running on the machine.
  • Actions That Reveal The Infection: A bot does not want a user to know about its presence on their machine, which is why it operates stealthily. Thus, it does not resort to activities such as modifying browser setting, popping up dialogue box, etc.
  • How Are Botnets Investigated?

When the malware is launched, it reaches the malware researchers sooner or later. They capture it through various channels such as malware spam, honeypots, phishing sites, product reports, etc. Once captured, the malware researchers analyze it in a controlled environment to receive the updates.

  • How Is A Botnet Controlled?

It is controlled by a computer or a group of computers running a command & control server (C&C server). The server communicates & sends instructions to the Malware Bot in the format understood by it. The server then performs numerous functions such as instructing the bots to schedule or execute a task, keeping track of number & distribution of bots as well as updating the bots by replacing them with a new type of malware.

  • Why Do Botnets Emerge?

The main reason why the malware writers develop, deploy & maintain a botnet is to tap on financial gains.

  • How To Prevent A Malware Botnet?

After understanding the working of a malware botnet, let us know how to prevent it:

  • Update your operating system regularly.
  • Avoid downloading from P2P & file sharing networks.
  • Don’t click on suspicious attachments & links.
  • Install a good antivirus software.
  • Follow good surfing habits.

For more information, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213-4740.

Ways To Spot Phishing Emails

PDF Version: Ways To Spot Phishing Emails

What Is Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic process automation (RPA) involves using a software that is programmed to do basic tasks just as humans do. It uses artificial intelligence & machine learning to handle high-volume & repetitive tasks that were originally performed by humans. The tasks may vary from solving queries, making calculations, record maintenance, sending receipt messages, updating a spreadsheet, etc. The RPA software is basically designed to reduce the burden of simple routine tasks.

Applications Of RPA

  • Customer Service: RPA software helps in improving overall experience of customers by automating contact center tasks to provide better service.
  • Accounting: RPA can be used to perform certain accounting tasks such as general accounting, transactional reporting, budgeting, etc. This helps in reducing human effort as well as saving time.
  • Healthcare: RPA solutions can be used to handle medical records of patients, provide previous medical history, customer support, hospital account management & billing.
  • Human Resource: Tasks such as filing & updating employee information, on-boarding & off-boarding, etc. can be handled by a software bot.
  • Supply Chain Management: From procurement, order processing, monitoring inventory levels to shipment tracking, RPA can also be used for managing numerous tasks performed in the supply chain.

What To Look For In A RPA Software?

  • Speed
  • Scalability
  • Reliability
  • Simplicity
  • Intelligence

RPA Implementation Methodology

  • Planning: The first step is to plan and list the tasks you want to automate.
  • Development: In this step, the RPA software is developed as per the needs specified in the planning phase.
  • Testing: The software is pre-tested to identify & correct the defects.
  • Support & Maintenance: Support is needed even after a software goes live.

Benefits Of Resorting To RPA

  • Cost Saving: Robotic process automation helps in significantly reducing costs as tasks that were earlier done manually can be automated using RPA software. This improves the overall process performance and revenues of the business.
  • More Accuracy: Employees need to be very careful while performing a task because there are chances of inaccuracy. However, RPA automates the work which eliminates human errors & mistakes. This in turn, improves the quality & efficiency of work performed.
  • Saves Time: Robots can perform tasks at a higher speed as compared to human workforce. This helps in reducing the time taken to perform a task.
  • Gathering Insights: RPA software has the ability to gather, organize, analyze and provide valuable data insights to ease the process of planning & decision making.
  • Simple: Training an employee consumes time whereas RPA solutions are programmed as per need of the business. It is very easy & flexible to operate.

For more information, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213-4740.

How Big Data Impacts Retail Sector

Big data has positively impacted numerous industries including retail sector. It provides a competitive edge to businesses to stay ahead of time. As per a report of Statista, decentralized general-merchandise retailers who use big data to create performance group clusters, saw an approximate increase of 3-4% in their sales. Big data analytics help the companies understand customer’s shopping trends, get meaningful data insights, plan marketing strategies, etc. which can help them improve their bottom line figures.

Let us discuss in detail how big data impacts retail sector:

  • Generating Recommendations: Big data analytics enable businesses to predict customer buying behavior based on their purchase history. This helps the retailers in understanding their product preferences and plan accordingly. Also, machine learning models enable retailers to generate accurate recommendations for the customers.
  • Forecasting Market Trends: Customer’s demographic information and other economic indicators can be used to forecast market demands.
  • Strategic Decision Making: Businesses can consolidate data & generate information for making strategic & informed decisions.
  • Personalized Marketing: Big data enables retailers to perform one-to-one marketing and reach out to the target customer at the right place and at the right time.
  • Identifying Valuable Customers: One major benefit of big data analytics is that it helps the retailers to identify and focus on valuable customers. Thus, businesses can offer them additional discounts for better engagement, enhancing customer loyalty, etc. by capitalizing on the data insights.
  • Right Pricing: Earlier, retailers used to reduce the price of their products at the end of a buying season. However, big data analytics help the businesses in determining when the demand starts decreasing to gradually decrease the prices, thus maximizing revenues.
  • Enhancing Customer Experience: Big data analytics helps in anticipating buyer’s preferences which leads to a seamless customer experience.
  • Designing In-Store Marketing Tactics: Big data enables retailers to adjust & design in-store marketing strategies. It considers factors like foot traffic, in-store checkout & wait time, etc. to serve their customers better as well increase business’s revenue.
  • Utilizing Market Basket Analysis: Big data tools like Hadoop are used to conduct market basket analysis. It helps retailers to analyze the purchase history to understand the combination of products that are usually bought together by their customers.

Every individual has a digital footprint and big data is used to gather insights about an individual’s choices to form reasonable patterns out of it. Big data can be used at every step of retail process i.e. from recognizing target customers, studying their preferences to identifying market demand. Thus, big data analytics play a very important role in retail marketing.

For more information on Big Data and its application, call Centex Technologies at (254) 213-4740.

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