Catch up on this month’s round-up of the latest hosting and tech news. Here’s what we’ve uncovered since our last edition.
Data Skills Crisis
The chronic lack of data skills within the UK is costing the British economy £57.2 billion a year according to the Multiverse Skills Intelligence Report. The report’s findings highlight considerable inefficiency across UK businesses, with employees spending an average of 14.3 hours each week on data-related activities of which 4.3 hours are wasted due to poor skills in areas like data analysis, automation and predictive modelling.
The report also shows that nearly 90% of business leaders know there are significant skills shortages within their companies, while half of employees believe they lack the necessary skills to improve data efficiency. While most businesses depend heavily on applications like Microsoft Excel, many employees are not trained to use more sophisticated tools, such as Power BI, Tableau and Python.
According to the report, the data skills gap is particularly evident in knowledge-driven sectors, like education and manufacturing, while notably, over 90% of professionals in the healthcare sector said they had no Python skills, despite them spending around 20 hours a week on data tasks. Removing this gap is vital, with the McKinsey Global Institute estimating that UK GDP could rise by as much as 22% by 2030 through AI-driven productivity enhancements. However, for this to happen, the workforce would need to be sufficiently trained.
AI Funding Cut
Facing a £22 billion black hole in the country’s finances, the government has decided to cancel £1.3 billion in funding that had previously been allocated for various technology and AI initiatives. This includes £800 million that had been earmarked for an exascale supercomputer at Edinburgh University.
The decision has been criticised by industry leaders who are concerned that the move could drive UK talent overseas and undermine the country’s rising reputation in essential future sectors. In response, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the U-turn was necessary to reduce budgets and deliver economic stability. The fate of the Edinburgh supercomputer, regarded by many as crucial for providing advancements in AI, scientific research and medicine, remains in jeopardy.
QR Code Fraud
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has issued a warning over the increase in QR code fraud within the North West region. In the past month, the force has reported multiple incidents where criminals have used counterfeit QR codes to mislead the public. The scams, which frequently take place in public areas, such as car parks, see fraudsters place fake QR code stickers over legitimate codes on parking meters and other notices. As a result, when users scan the fake codes they are sent to convincing-looking cloned websites that are designed to steal their personal and financial data.
GMP and local authorities are advising the public to remain alert and recommend inspecting QR codes to make sure they have not been altered or covered over with stickers. If uncertain, users should manually input the website address instead of scanning QR codes. Anyone who falls victim to these scams is encouraged to report their experiences to Action Fraud.
Hazard Robot
After receiving a £1 million contract from the Ministry of Defence, Oxford Dynamics, one of the UK’s leading robotics companies, has developed a robot called Strider that can be deployed in environments that are hazardous to human safety. This includes operating in areas where there are chemical, biological and nuclear threats.
The robot, which should be completed by September, will be able to retrieve contaminated items, carry out semi-autonomous operations and manoeuvre through difficult terrains with the help of sophisticated sensors, such as radar and lidar. Additionally, the company intends to incorporate its AVIS AI software into Strider, which could enable it to be used in submarines and fighter aircraft. Oxford Robotics aims to manufacture thousands of the robots in a bid to minimise human exposure to hazardous situations.
GitHub Malware Network
Recent research by cyber security solutions outfit, Check Point, has revealed that a cybercriminal group called Stargazer Goblin is secretly spreading malware and phishing links via a sophisticated network of ghost accounts on GitHub. The network, which primarily targets Windows users, operates by disguising harmful links as authentic software repositories.
So far, over 3,000 active ghost accounts have been discovered participating in the operation, which spreads malware variants such as Atlantida Stealer and Redline. Moreover, by functioning as a distribution-as-a-service (DaaS) provider, the network makes its repositories look legitimate by using tactics like starring, following and forking. Check Point also suspects that Stargazer Goblin ghost accounts are operating on social media sites such as Instagram, YouTube, X and Discord.
Visit the WHUK website for more news, knowledge base articles, blog posts and information on our wide range of services.
