January 2024 Newsletter

First Successful Neuralink Surgery January 28, 2024

On January 28th, 2024, the world saw the first Neuralink Impact occur in a human patient. Elon Musk stated on X (Formerly Twitter) that the unidentified patient “Is recovering well after the person received the implant.” Musk reiterated that the brain science start-up that he founded would be titled “Link,” and it would “allow humans to control phones and computers by “just thinking.”

For those unfamiliar with this new technology, Neuralink is a pioneering venture founded by Elon Musk in 2016.? this ambitious project aims to merge human consciousness with artificial intelligence, potentially revolutionizing how we interact with technology and treat neurological conditions. Neuralink implants a device approximately three millimeters into the human brain into the cerebral cortex. This device focuses on developing ultra-high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers that can send communication waves to help people with paralysis, blindness, depression, insomnia, hearing loss, memory loss, and pain to help overcome and remediate the conditions.

Neuralink could herald a new era in medical science. It could offer revolutionary treatments for neurological disorders, significantly improving the quality of life for millions. Restoring or enhancing sensory and motor functions could offer newfound independence to individuals with disabilities.

In the wrong hands, the technology could be used for coercive mind control or creating super-intelligent entities that could dominate or manipulate humans. The dependence on technology for cognitive processes might also lead to vulnerabilities, where system failures or malicious attacks could have catastrophic consequences.

Let’s watch this technology as the wonders and possibilities will change the world as we know it today.

Cybersecurity News

Over 2023, our cybersecurity team witnessed major breaches from organizations such as DarkBeam, which impacted almost 4 million data records in the United Kingdom. In the United States, there were 1.6 million records that impacted the Real Estate Wealth Network, and early last year, Twitter had a data breach of 220 thousand records.

Ransomware was one of the leading attacks on businesses. It has been reported that every 40 seconds, an organization receives a ransomware attack. Analysts predict the average breach is $2,000,000; by 2031, ransomware will occur every 10 seconds.

First, many small businesses had to deal with a considerable increase in phishing attacks. Many of our clients received a vast rise in inboxes appearing in emails even if the emails were previously blocked. The bad actors sent the same type of email from a different account, knowing that it was a numbers game, hoping that you inadvertently clicked on their malicious emails.

Next, many clients witnessed more spoofing accounts appearing, especially during the holiday season. Last, many IT Security analysts dealt with many attempts from hackers using passwords and invalid MFA to penetrate their business entities. Remember, “they have to be right only once; you must always stay on top of your game.”

Here are seven quick tips individuals and businesses can take to help alleviate the increasing rise in cybersecurity threats.

1. Have your users change their passwords frequently and use longer lengths and phrases.
2. Make sure that you have multifactor Authentication activated.
3. Increase security on your domain. Hire a firm such as Infinavate and let us harden your Active Directory.
4. Implement Intrusion Detection and Intrusion Prevention devices onto your network.
5. Hire a firm like Infinavate to conduct a penetration test with blue, red, and purple teams to harden your network.
6. Teach your teams what to look for in websites and emails. Education, training, and testing will perform wonders for your organization.
7. Add a Cybersecurity Insurance policy to your organization. The extra protection can't change what happens, but it may be able to recoup some of the rebuilding costs or cover the ransom breach.

Benefits of STEM Programs – Let's increase in 2024

One of the most incredible activities that Infinavate and many other organizations participate in are STEM programs. STEM means Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These programs can offer a wide range of short-term and long-term benefits for young adults. These programs are designed to provide education and exposure to STEM fields and skills. Here are some of the benefits:

Short-Term Benefits:

Skill Development: STEM programs help young adults develop critical skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills, which are valuable in various career paths.

Hands-on Experience: Many STEM programs offer hands-on experience through experiments, projects, and activities, allowing participants to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings.

Exposure to STEM Fields: These programs expose young adults to various STEM disciplines, helping them explore different career options and discover their interests.

Confidence Building: As participants complete STEM projects and activities, they gain confidence in their abilities and become more self-assured about pursuing STEM-related careers.

Long-Term Benefits:

Career Opportunities: STEM programs can lead to a wide range of career opportunities in fields such as engineering, computer science, healthcare, and more, which often come with competitive salaries.

Higher Education: STEM programs can prepare young adults for further education, including college or university programs, where they can pursue advanced degrees and specialize in specific STEM areas.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship: STEM skills and knowledge can inspire young adults to become innovators and entrepreneurs, creating their startups and contributing to technological advancements.

We believe that STEM provides an outstanding contribution to Society: We know that STEM professionals have the opportunity to work on projects and their research that can positively impact society, improving the quality of life for many young adults, providing a foundation for skill development, career opportunities, and personal growth, both in the short term and long term.