< Previous30 edge_ june 2023 feature Job search just got a lot easier with AI L inkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, is introducing a generative AI feature for job seekers. The company is piloting a tool that will enable users to send brief, personalised messages to prospective hiring managers on the platform. The feature, which is currently being rolled out to premium subscribers, is expected to revolutionise the way candidates communicate with potential employers. With the update, users will have the option to select “Let AI draft a message to the hiring team”, alongside open roles on the platform’s job page. How does it work? The feature uses information from the user’s profile, the hiring manager’s profile, the job description, and the company of interest to craft a highly personalised message. How will it look? The AI-generated message will function like the opening lines of a cover letter, tailored to the specific job listing and company in question. However, the message’s content and structure will depend on the user’s LinkedIn profile and the amount of information provided therein. The company advises that while the tool is designed to be highly customisable, users should still take the time to review and edit the message before sending it. AI-generated message will function like the opening lines of a cover letter, tailored to the specific job listing and company in question The benefit to employers: While the new feature will streamline the job application process for users, it is also expected to benefit employers by enabling them to quickly identify qualified candidates. The AI-generated messages will provide hiring managers with a more detailed and nuanced understanding of a candidate’s qualifications and experience, potentially saving time and resources in the hiring process. The potential risks Some experts have raised concerns over the potential impact of AI-generated messages on job seekers. For instance, there is a risk that users will become overly reliant on the tool, leading to a decline in the quality and originality of their messaging. Additionally, there is a possibility that the personalised messages generated by the AI tool will reinforce Microsoft-owned professional networking platform LinkedIn has rolled out a new AI feature that’s set to transform the job search process. Here’s what you need to know… By Kate-Lynne Wolmarans SOCIAL MEDIA Job search New feature produces AI-generated messages to hiring managersedge_ june 2023 31 feature existing biases in the hiring process. Despite these concerns, it is believed that the new feature is a testament to the potential of AI in the HR and job-seeking industry. With the rise of machine learning and natural language processing, it is becoming increasingly clear that AI can provide valuable insights and assistance to job seekers and employers alike. What else is LinkedIn doing with AI? The new feature is just one of several AI- driven enhancements that LinkedIn has recently implemented. The platform has also introduced AI writing suggestions for user profiles, enabling individuals to more effectively showcase their skills and experience. Additionally, LinkedIn has unveiled “collaborative articles” that utilise AI-generated text to assist users in crafting engaging content. LinkedIn Premium The AI feature will be rolled out to premium subscribers soon HR tool The function helps employers identify qualified candidates, but raise concerns about messaging quality and biases32 edge_ june 2023 tech tips to free up space on your Android phone 5 ways APPSedge_ june 2023 33 tech tips Make room for more data and apps with these simple tricks By Adelle Geronimo W e’ve all been there, especially if you’re rocking an Android phone with what you thought was a larger amount of storage space you may well soon find that it’s filling up. Picture this: you’re psyched to install that awesome new game or that captivating app, but suddenly, the dreadful message pops up- you’ve hit the dreaded storage limit. Don’t panic just yet! If you’re not quite ready to splurge on a new phone, and your device doesn’t come with a convenient microSD slot for extra storage, fear not. With a little bit of simple house cleaning, you can likely reclaim a substantial amount of free space. But before we dive into the simple tips you can do to take back some of that storage space, find out first how much storage you have. Here’s how: In the Settings of your Android device, you’ll find a dedicated “Storage” section. This handy feature allows you to monitor the available space on your Android phone or tablet and identify what’s taking up the most storage. To discover which Android apps are hogging your storage, the process may vary slightly depending on your device. On a Samsung Galaxy device, navigate to Settings > Battery & Device Care > Storage. For Google Pixel and most other Android devices, you can find it easily by going to Settings > Storage. Within this section, you’ll find a breakdown of storage usage categorised by images, videos, audio, documents, apps, and more. It’s an excellent starting point to identify where your storage is being consumed. Now, let’s free up some space! Tip 1: Use your phone’s ‘Free up space’ tool Some Android devices have their own ‘Free up space’ tool built-in into their settings. 1. This can help users maximise the usable storage on your phone. Accessing this tool is a breeze: 2. Open your phone’s settings and select “Storage.” Within this section, you’ll find details about the amount of space in use and a categorised list of files. 3. Tap on the “Free up space” button to remove unwanted data and clean up storage. You’ll be seamlessly directed to Google’s Files app, specifically to its “Clean” feature, where you’ll receive valuable suggestions on how to free up space by eliminating unnecessary junk files, deleted screenshots, large photos, backed-up media, and unused apps.34 edge_ june 2023 tech tips But if you can’t find the option in settings then download that app directly from the Google Play Store instead. Tip 2: Delete your downloads Over time, your Android device can accumulate a significant number of downloads. From ringtones and Facebook memes to photos for sharing with friends or work-related PDFs, the “Downloads” folder becomes a repository for a lot of files. 1. Locate the Downloads folder, by utilising a File Manager app. On Samsung Galaxy devices, you’ll find it labeled as “My Files.” Google Pixel devices typically come preinstalled with Files by Google. 2. Once located, simply select the files you wish to delete and tapping the trash button. Keep in mind that the Downloads folder can quickly fill up with files that are no longer necessary. By keeping it tidy and regularly removing unneeded files, you can effectively address your storage woes. Tip 3: Get rid of unused apps To free up valuable space, you could declutter your device by deleting apps that you haven’t used in months. We often download apps, try them briefly, and then forget about them while moving on to other things. 1. If you’re curious about the last time you used specific apps, here’s how you can find out: 2. Open the Play Store app on your device. 3. Tap on your personal icon located in the upper right corner, and then select “Manage apps & device.” 4. Choose the “Manage” tab. Below that check if “Installed” button is highlighted. If not, tap on it. 5. On the right side of the “Apps” heading, tap on it and sort it by “Least used.” Now, you’ll see the apps you have rarely or never used at the top of the list. While you may not want to remove all of them (some apps may still be useful to have around just in case), you might identify a few that you no longer need. By reviewing and removing unnecessary apps, you can reclaim valuable space on your device. Keep files organised Google Files recommend apps, spam, and duplicate files to remove Internal storage Deleting downloads can reduce instances of internal errors Review your apps Free up valuable storage space by removing redundant apps While you may not want to remove all of them (some apps may still be useful to have around just in case), you might identify a few that you no longer neededge_ june 2023 35 tech tips Tip 4: Clear your Android phone’s cache As you use apps on your Android device, temporary files known as “cache” are downloaded. These files often help with app performance and enable smoother loading, especially when you have a weak data connection. The good news is that deleting cache files can reclaim storage space without causing significant disruptions to the app. To clear your cache, simply: 1. Swipe down from the top of your screen once or twice (depending on your phone) and tap the gear icon to access the Settings. 2. Go to the “Apps” section within the Settings app. Here, you’ll find a list of all the apps installed on your Android device (you may need to expand the list to view them all). 3. Tap the app you want to clear. 4. On the App Info page, you’ll see the option “Storage & Cache” or simply “Storage.” Choose the appropriate option. 5. Choose between “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache.” In this case, we want to select “Clear Cache.” Please note that “Clear Storage” essentially resets the app, so exercise caution. 6. Once you select “Clear Cache,” the cache files will be immediately cleared, and you’ll notice the cache size listed on the page decreasing to zero. Tip 5: Embrace the cloud! Taking numerous photos on a regular basis, whether they’re delightful moments with your kids, adorable pets, or simply selfies, can quickly eat up a big chunk of your phone’s storage space. So, it’s worth considering if you truly need all those photos taking up valuable memory. While it’s enjoyable to have local access to your photos for immediate viewing and sharing, using cloud storage presents an alternative solution. Apps such as Amazon Photos or Google Photos offer a convenient solution for quickly and easily back up your photos to the cloud, helping free up space on your phone. You can store your photos at high quality, ensuring that you don’t compromise on the storage experience. To make things even more seamless, these apps can be configured to automatically upload your photos to the cloud each time you capture a new image. This eliminates any concerns about potential data loss. However, at some point, you may find it necessary to invest in a paid storage plan to accommodate your increasing storage needs. Last resort If these tips still don’t resolve your storage issues, you might consider resorting to a factory reset. This process can effectively clean your phone and restore it to a fresh state. However, it’s important to note that a factory reset will result in the loss of files and personal data stored on the device. Therefore, it is crucial to back up any important files or data before proceeding with the reset. Apps such as Amazon Photos or Google Photos offer a convenient solution for quickly and easily back up your photos to the cloud, helping free up space on your phone Access files from anywhere Apps and photos can be automatically saved to the cloud Backup A factory reset is a final resort for freeing up storage space, but it is crucial to backup data before doing so36 edge_ june 2023 opinion Hiring in a talent crunch F ollowing numerous announcements of layoffs across the tech industry, many tech and business leaders conclude that the tech talent crunch is over. It is far from over. In a Gartner survey conducted in November and December 2022, 86 percent of CIOs reported facing more competition for qualified candidates and 73 percent were worried about IT talent attrition. Demand for tech talent still significantly exceeds supply. Gartner expects it will be the case until at least 2026, based on forecast IT spend. Contrary to what we’re seeing in the headlines, many of those being impacted by layoffs are in business functions, rather than tech roles. Additionally, there are increasingly opportunities for IT jobs outside traditional tech companies, so it’s important to look beyond just the tech provider community to truly grasp the state of the tech talent crunch. Many of the reductions in workforce from the last several months were largely driven by public companies seeking to optimise share prices and to satisfy shareholders’ desire for reduced spending. While these layoffs have been described as an adjustment after over- optimistic hiring, data shows that new hires were not necessarily impacted. Instead, recent layoffs affected a broader range of employees and initiatives as organisations prioritise key products and services to position their company for specific market opportunities. In fact, Gartner research found that the companies behind the By Mbula Schoen Senior Director Analyst, Gartner What CIOs need to know PEOPLE Priority CIOs need to take strategic action to acquire IT talentsedge_ june 2023 37 opinion 10 largest layoffs in tech talent still employ over 150,000 more people in total than at the beginning of 2020. It’s critical that business and IT leaders do not misinterpret this current wave of layoffs. There will likely be more swings and volatility as the market works its way through economic turbulence, ongoing pandemic adjustments and a shift in prioritisation of skills. However, the tech talent crunch will continue long after current turbulence has subsided. How CIOs should adjust IT hiring plans Tech leaders responsible for mobilising growth through digitalisation must look beyond the noise of headline-catching layoffs to see the signals coming from the market. The IT skills shortage is critical, with CIOs losing their talented employees faster than they can hire them. In key function areas, like data science, software engineering and cybersecurity, the talent supply remains as tight or tighter than before. IT leaders should expect increased competition in many talent pools and that the cost of IT talent will continue to rise. Delivering on digital growth opportunities will only be achievable with the recognition that the IT talent crunch continues unabated. While the overall supply of tech workers in the labour market has increased by only a few percentage points at most, CIOs can take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen their recruiting efforts. Now is the time for CIOs to take action to strategically acquire top IT talent, rather than stalling in response to market noise. Ways CIOs can effectively attract and retain top IT talent CIOs must be more intentional in applying proven practices that help them effectively attract top talent and quickly fill open positions. For example, CIOs should cast their nets wide to tap into a large pool of passive IT candidates. Many IT hiring plans are designed to target active job seekers rather than passive ones, leaving an untapped opportunity to increase the quality and quantity of IT candidates. CIOs should consider ramping up employee referral programs, or use talent intelligence capabilities that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to source passive candidates from social search. CIOs can also acquire skills not available in the IT labour market by targeting laid-off workers in adjacent tech categories and training them to build needed IT skills. For instance, it’s hard to find data scientists, but there is a significant pool of data and business analysts available in the talent market, who could be trained on more technical skills. CIOs should work with recruiting functions to adjust job posting requirements to include adjacent skills that are desirable for open roles. Finally, organisations that can revamp their employee value propositions (EVP) for tech talent will be better positioned to capitalise on market opportunities for focused and efficient growth. With opportunities in IT vastly exceeding what is available, companies that do not live up to employees’ expectations may find that even if they are able to get candidates in the door, those candidates leave as soon as a better offer comes along. Focusing on factors other than compensation that employees care about, such as flexibility and growth opportunity, can improve the IT organisation’s EVP to win current and future competition for talent. 73% The proportion of CIOs worried about IT talent attrition (Source: Gartner) Specialised skills Talents around data science, software engineering and cybersecurity remain scarce s38 edge_ june 2023 3 Cs of cybersecurity blindness T he security operations centre is blind. In a technology hotch-potch of unvetted remote devices, third-party networks, and anonymous clouds, the region’s SOC analysts are left in the dark. But these unknowns come with one advantage. They are known to us. They are known unknowns. We know what we don’t know. This may seem like meager comfort when facing a threat landscape as ominous as the one currently outside our digital doors. But the plain truth is, if we only rise to the occasion and extend our security beyond our data centres and endpoints to the beyond - public clouds, their services, and their identities - we take a huge step forward. So, let’s examine what we don’t know. First, we are not entirely sure of the extent of our attack surface. Second, we can only speculate as to the next attack methods threat actors will unleash upon us. And third, strangely, we may even be inadequately aware of the tools we have in place, what they do, and what further blind spots they create. We need to eradicate these unknowns because we know they leave security teams unable to defend our borders, our data, and our systems. A recent Vectra study revealed lack of visibility, lack of detection of modern attacks, and poor integration as the top three reasons security tools fail. All because of our unknowns - which, remember, are known to us. When trying to arm outgunned SOCs, we need to think upstream. We know what our unknowns are, but we should ask ourselves why security teams must endure them. The problem lies in three basic shortfalls - the three Cs of cybersecurity blindness. 1. Coverage We must face up to an unassailable fact. We operate in a perimeterless environment where prevention is all but inviable. All modern cybersecurity approaches acknowledge this to some extent. Attack surfaces are expanding, so we must deploy zero trust principles, for example, to cover the AWSes and Microsoft Azures, the Microsoft 365s, and the GCPs. Hundreds of SaaS apps and dozens of cloud-based identity products combine to form a sprawling unknown. This fills attackers with glee and a switched-on security professional with dread. Two-thirds of modern attacks use authorised services and APIs as inroads. Attack surface unknowns, for SOC teams, are addressable if only they could gain unified visibility across data centres, endpoints, public clouds, SaaS, and identities. In other words: coverage. By Taj El-khayat Area VP - South EMEA, Vectra AI CYBERSECURITY Cloud-based incidents escalate as unknowns persist, prompting organisations to prioritise prevention and inadvertently give attackers the upper handedge_ june 2023 39 opinion 2. Clarity Let us all spare a thought for today’s SOC. Facing more sophisticated attacks, CISOs and their teams watch their budgets dwindle. They see business expectations rise while resources shrink. And they see colleague after colleague bid farewell to the chaos, leading to more pressure. The SOC in 2023 is Doing-More-With-Less Central. Now consider the individual security analyst, a problem solver who spends their days tweaking and tuning tools. And not just any tools. These are legacy tools like SIEM and IDS that employ rules-based functionality that is inadequate in thwarting modern, high-speed attacks. There is no incentive for talent to remain in place. We must reimagine the SOC to allow it to deal with fast-paced, unknown attacks, or risk security staff heading for the exit. Fortunately, having previously solved the coverage problem, we can add much-needed context to real- time signals and reduce latency in SOC workflows. Technology that rapidly captures and analyses data in context, at speed and scale, is now possible. What we are describing is clarity. 3. Control So, attack opportunities are on the rise, attackers’ methods are becoming wilier, and security teams are shrinking. A recent report showed 42 percent of UAE cybersecurity professionals believed their organisation’s leadership was neglecting security. Vectra research has revealed that 72 percent of security leaders fear an attack is already in progress within their walls but they cannot confirm it because of a lack of visibility. Investments in technology and tools often do not translate to value because information and tool silos persist. This leaves SOC teams dashing between one pane of truth and another, never receiving the whole picture and becoming more frustrated by the day. And, of course, attackers often rely on just this kind of ill-equipped adversary for their success. The solution to the silo paradigm - a single pane that allows analysts to shut down suspect sessions, rescind credentials, and act against an aggressive anomaly - returns control of the environment to where it belongs: the SOC. To arms We are, essentially, trying to unwind a Spiral of More - more attack surface, more attack methods, more cybersecurity tools, more alert fatigue, more resignations. Indeed, the only thing we see less of in this spiral is talent. But there is something of which we need more. Signal efficacy. More signal efficacy equips SOCs in a way that makes attackers think twice. In trying to return some measure of intimidation to our battlements, we turn to Attack Signal Intelligence, the result of decades of research and analysis of attacker behaviors. AI and ML models have been fine-tuned to such an extent that they can detect real threats and ignore the ones that routinely result in false positives and alert fatigue. Attack Signal Intelligence is an autonomous digital detective, fully versed in attackers’ habits and exhaustively briefed on the individual environment it is tasked with defending. Cloud-based incidents are escalating. Unknowns have become the constant bane of security professionals. By prioritising prevention, organisations are inviting blindness; and attackers will be only too happy to capitalise. We must address the three Cs - coverage, clarity, and control - if we are ever to empower our security teams to see all the way to the horizon in every direction. Attack Signal Intelligence is the security professional’s best means of doing precisely that. “By prioritising prevention, organisations are inviting blindness; and attackers will be only too happy to capitalise” Perimeterless environments Preventing all cybersecurity threats is nearly impossible, a reality recognised by most modern approachesNext >