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National Technology Day: How Tech has Changed the Way We Live

What was life like twenty years ago? What technology did we use? How did we get work done in 2002? While twenty years may seem like a relatively short period of time, our everyday lives have drastically changed over the past two decades. We went from flip phones to iPhones, from CDs to music and video streaming, from printed-out MapQuest papers to instant GPS directions. In the past twenty years, modern technology has changed nearly every aspect of our lives. 

Because of the incredible technological advances we’ve seen in the past twenty years, AXEL founded National Technology Day, a holiday celebrated every year on January 6th. On National Technology Day, we encourage everyone to reflect on the advances made in business, culture, and entertainment. From maximizing efficiency at the office to sharing your own media online, technology has changed the way we live and will continue to change our lives in the future. While it’s unclear what the world will look like in twenty years, we do know one thing: Technology will continue to innovate.

With that said, here are a few ways how recent technological advances have radically impacted our everyday lives:

How Tech Changed Public Health

Undoubtedly, one of the greatest technological triumphs in public health in the past twenty years has been the widespread use of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Most COVID-19 vaccines are mRNA vaccines, and with billions of doses administered in one year, these high-tech vaccines have saved countless lives. But how are mRNA vaccines different from traditional vaccines? With an mRNA vaccine, a weakened pathogen isn’t injected into your body like with traditional vaccines. An mRNA vaccine delivers “coded” mRNA to your immune cells, and using that code, your immune cells can produce proteins that are found on the specific pathogen [1].

The development of mRNA vaccines was made possible by technological advances in the pharmaceutical industry. Although they are relatively new today, mRNA vaccines have been studied and theorized for decades. Finally, modern technology caught up with researchers, and a new soldier in the war on infectious diseases was created.

While vaccines have certainly had a massive impact on the world, they aren’t the only way that technology has changed public health. An obvious example is the rise of fitness and health trackers. Today, about one in five Americans use a fitness tracker and corresponding app [2]. With these trackers, users can track their steps taken, calories burned, steps climbed, blood pressure, sleep quality, and dozens of other metrics. While research on their effectiveness has been mixed, fitness trackers give people fun, convenient ways to check on their health [3].

How Tech Changed Education

If the pandemic taught us one thing, it’s that technology allows us to be connected, even when we can’t be physically present together. This was particularly apparent when schools across the world were closed and classes were taught online. Although there are certainly valid criticisms of e-learning, the fact that instruction was able to continue in the midst of a pandemic highlights just how much technology allowed education to evolve. Now, almost every lecture or assignment can be completed online, ensuring that education can continue even after future pandemics or natural disasters.

While e-learning is certainly new, the advancement of technology has always correlated with expanded access to education [4]. Think about it: 500 years ago, the only educational materials were books, and books were only available to the extremely well-off. However, the technological innovation of the printing press made books far more available for middle and lower-class people. Now, thanks to the Internet, there are millions of educational websites and videos available to all. Today, a student can learn calculus or biology from reliable sources on their own time, for free. While some may criticize technology for “dumbing down” our youth, it’s a simple fact: Technological progress leads to greater access to education.

How Tech Changed Business

Even before the pandemic, technology was radically changing the modern office. One of the biggest changes in the past twenty years has been the way employees share information with each other. Although email existed twenty years ago, it was certainly in its infancy, and when files needed to be shared, physical documents were printed off and delivered. Now, most documents are shared electronically, without the need for paper and ink, helping to save businesses time and money. Outside of file-sharing, even the way workers communicate with each other has greatly changed. Today, software applications like Slack make it easy for employees to communicate without anyone being left out of the loop. Technological advances have made office communication digital and instantaneous, making the necessary transition to remote work during the pandemic relatively simple.

Outside of office communication, technology has allowed businesses to increase efficiency in nearly every department. From resumé software to digital marketing, technology has greatly changed the way businesses operate. Unfortunately, this also means that the businesses that haven’t embraced technology are at risk of going under. After all, if your business doesn’t have a digital presence, such as social media or a simple website, it may as well not exist. 

Technology has fundamentally changed the way work gets done in the United States, and it’s not done changing either. In twenty years, Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of the “Metaverse” may become our everyday office. One thing is known: If it can save money, businesses will continue to test and use innovative modern technology.

How Tech Changed Cybersecurity

Twenty years ago, “cybersecurity” was little more than simply having a password. Unfortunately, as technology has progressed, so have cybercriminals. Today, features like encryption, multi-factor authorization, and artificial intelligence are the norm when it comes to cybersecurity. 

It’s no coincidence that the technological advancement of computers and their related technologies is correlated with the number of cybercriminal attacks [5].

In 2002, cybercriminals mostly utilized phishing attacks to make their money. Cybercriminals used fake emails and pop-ups to trick users into divulging their names, addresses, credit card information, or even Social Security numbers. Thankfully, most of these phishing attacks were easy to identify [5]. However, cybercriminals quickly learned even more efficient methods of making money. Today, ransomware is the main tool that cybercriminal organizations use to wreak havoc around the world. Much more efficient than individual phishing emails, ransomware can shut down an entire business, forcing executives to pay millions in order to get their data back. Put simply, as technology has advanced, so too have cybercriminals. It’s an unfortunate fact, but all hope is not lost.

While cybercriminals are taking advantage of modern technology for a quick buck, more savory organizations are also working to prioritize security. Even AXEL is utilizing modern cybersecurity technology in innovative ways to protect users. One of AXEL’s patents, US11159306B2, describes a token identification system that allows users to perform transactions privately, while making the transaction verification public. This technology prioritizes the digital privacy of users, secures the specific aspects of the transaction, and offers public verification. Patents like this are being presented, approved, and utilized every day, creating a more private, secure Internet. So while cybercriminals may be quick to exploit technological flaws, an army of individuals and businesses are ready to fight for digital security.

About AXEL

Technology will continue to advance, and our lives will become more digitized than ever before. That’s why data security and user privacy remain as important as ever. At AXEL we believe that privacy is a human right, and that your information deserves the best protection. That’s why we created AXEL Go. AXEL Go uses military-grade encryption, blockchain technology and decentralized servers to ensure it’s the best file transfer software on the market. Whether you need cloud video storage or cloud file management, AXEL Go is the secure file hosting solution. If you’re ready to try the best file sharing app for PC and mobile devices, try two free weeks of AXEL Go here.

[1] Dolgin, Elie. “The Tangled History of mRNA Vaccines.” Nature News. Nature Publishing Group, September 14, 2021. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02483-w

[2] “19% Of Americans Use Wearable Fitness Trackers and MHealth Apps.” Mercom Capital Group, October 13, 2021. https://mercomcapital.com/90-americans-wearable-mhealth-apps/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20new%20survey,or%20tablet%20app%20(32%25)

[3] Marks, Adam. “Do Exercise Trackers Make You Healthier?” Ace.edu, February 16, 2021. https://www.ace.edu/blog/post/2021/02/16/do-exercise-trackers-make-you-healthier

[4] “How Has Technology Changed Education?” Purdue University Online.. https://online.purdue.edu/blog/education/how-has-technology-changed-education

[5] Acharjee, Sauvik. “The Evolution of Cybercrime: An Easy Guide (2021).” Jigsaw Academy, February 13, 2021. https://www.jigsawacademy.com/blogs/cyber-security/evolution-of-cybercrime/

The Ethical Responsibility for Data Security in Finance, Law, and Healthcare

It’s difficult to argue that the vast majority of businesses today don’t have an ethical responsibility to adequately protect and secure their customers’ data. However, it’s an even more crucial aspect for organizations with known fiduciary duties to their clients or consumers, such as those in the Finance, Legal, Healthcare, and Insurance sectors. Let’s dig into each of these industries in the United States, look at their unique ethical demands regarding data security, and find some common solutions.

Finance

The financial industry includes banks, investment firms, real estate companies, and insurance organizations. According to the International Monetary Fund, it is the sector targeted most by hackers[1]. It makes sense. In a 2020 survey by Verizon Communications, researchers found that 86% of data breaches are primarily for money[2]. Who has more money than the financial industry?

Hackers target these institutions in a variety of ways. One of their most common tactics is attempting to gain access to customer login info. Direct attacks against an organization’s reserves gain immediate attention and mitigation, but hackers can take over a user account and move around smaller sums for much longer periods.

Another method they use is stealing sensitive financial documents. It provides the malicious agents with a treasure trove of confidential data to use for identity theft.

So, what ethical obligation do they have to their clients for securing this data? Since they’re such huge targets, financial institutions tend to employ data protection strategies that are more sophisticated than average. In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission proposed amendments to the Safeguards Rule and the Privacy Rule in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Under these proposals:

  • Financial institutions would need to safeguard customer data more robustly, such as utilizing encryption for all information.
  • Customers could opt-out of data sharing policies between banks and third-parties.
  • Banks would require employees to pass multi-factor authentication (MFA) to access client data.

The FTC has not ratified these amendments yet, but they would serve as a much-needed update to the current regulatory framework.

Law

Legal professionals now face an even greater risk to their clients’ personal information. Being the processors of strictly confidential information always put large targets on them. But, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many lawyers out of the office and courtroom and into their den. Working from home is the new normal for legal pros, and that means more cybersecurity risks. Whereas they probably worked in a closed system at the office that IT experts monitored daily, it’s much more challenging to evaluate weaknesses in everyone’s home networks. Coupled with the fact that lawyers, on the whole, aren’t the most technically literate people in the world, and you’ve got a recipe for data breaches.

The American Bar Association gives broad ethical expectations for data security throughout its Model Rules of Professional Conduct[3]. A recent formal opinion published by the organization outlines them in greater detail[4], specifically for those engaged in a virtual practice. This opinion has the following provisions:

  • Lawyers must make “reasonable efforts to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized access [to client data].” Today, a reasonable attempt goes well beyond attaching a confidential document to an email and sending it off with nothing but the hope that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
  • Virtual practitioners should look into setting up Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), keeping the computer’s operating systems updated so that security patches stay current, utilizing file encryption, using MFA, setting strong passwords, and changing them regularly.
  • Legal professionals must vet software and hardware providers to ensure proper security.
  • Lawyers should never use smart speakers (Alexa, Google Home, etc.) or virtual assistants (Siri) when conducting confidential business. These “helpers” listen to every word that is said and can be hacked easily by malicious agents.

Hopefully, The ABA codifies the recommendations given in this opinion into its formal standards.

Healthcare

The medical industry also deals with extremely private, confidential information and is susceptible to drawing attention from hackers. 2020 was an especially bad year for this, as the rise of COVID-19 caused a 55% spike in data breaches compared to 2019[5]. It’s a chilling reminds of how opportunistic threat actors can be. Sensing healthcare providers were stretched to the max and short on resources, they attacked.

Common reasons to target the healthcare industry include stealing patient medical records for resale on the Dark Web, identity theft purposes, or extortion schemes, and ransomware attacks to cripple critical systems until the organizations pay a hefty fee.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services set national regulations about healthcare data security through the HIPAA Security Rule. Here are some of the guidelines:

  • Organizations must have physical and technical security measures enacted for hosting sensitive health data. Examples include facility access limits, computer access controls, and strict limitations on attempts to transfer, remove, or delete patient records.
  • Technical systems must have automatic log-off settings, file encryption capabilities, regular audit reporting, and detailed tracking logs of user activity.

With COVID cases declining and vaccinations increasing, the healthcare sector could soon return to normal and start allocating more cybersecurity resources. At least for the first time in over a year, there’s cause for optimism.

Conclusion

With cyberattacks on the rise, there’s still much room for improvement in these industries. Organizations should go above and beyond legal requirements if adequate cybersecurity is a priority. Combining the right technical solutions with a plan of ongoing education is crucial. Usually, the weakest links in a network are the employees themselves. Train them regularly on the basics of phishing techniques and how to spot them. You’ll have a more resilient workforce who won’t fall for common scams that can put your organization at serious risk.

AXEL Go

Part of the equation is still using suitable technical systems. If your company transfers or stores confidential data, you need to ensure it’s locked down. AXEL Go is a decentralized, private and secure file-sharing and storage platform. It offers industry-leading security features that set it apart from the typical Big Tech applications. It uses blockchain technology, advanced file sharding, the InterPlanetary File System, and military-grade encryption to keep important documents away from hackers. Try AXEL Go and gain access to all of its premium features for only $9.99/mo. It’s the safest way to share and store online.

 

[1] Jennifer Elliott and Nigel Jenkinson, “Cyber Risk is the New Threat to Financial Stability”, IMF.org, Dec. 7, 2020, https://blogs.imf.org/2020/12/07/cyber-risk-is-the-new-threat-to-financial-stability/

[2] “2020 Data Breach Investigations Report”, Verizon, May. 19, 2020, https://enterprise.verizon.com/resources/reports/dbir/?CMP=OOH_SMB_OTH_22222_MC_20200501_NA_NM20200079_00001

[3] American Bar Association, “Model Rules of Professional Conduct”, Americanbar.org, https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/model_rules_of_professional_conduct_table_of_contents/

[4] American Bar Association Standing Committee On Ethics And Professional Conduct, Formal Opinion 489, Americanbar.org, March 10, 2021, https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/professional_responsibility/aba-formal-opinion-498.pdf

[5] “Healthcare Breach Report 2021: Hacking and IT Incidents on the Rise”, Bitglass, Feb. 17, 2021, https://pages.bitglass.com/rs/418-ZAL-815/images/CDFY21Q1HealthcareBreachReport2021.pdf?aliId=eyJpIjoiOE54NGRRTkhCZDY3aUxGMiIsInQiOiJ0RTZ1QVZXbnFPUGRhZXhVbmhyMmVnPT0ifQ%253D%253D