Google rolls out BeyondCorp for secure remote network access without a VPN
Google has launched BeyondCorp Remote Access, a new security service designed to provide remote access to internal systems without using a virtual private network (VPN). This new cloud-native security product is based on a “zero-trust approach” and is founded on a system that Google originally built for internal use almost a decade ago. Google said that when the number of remote connections suddenly increases, the VPN architecture may not be able to handle the load. BeyondCorp Remote Access includes a database of every device authorized to connect, a security certificate installed on that device, and integration with a human resources database containing information about usernames and group memberships.
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Zoom adds encryption as it passes 300 million daily users
Zoom Video Communications has launched an update of its virtual meetings software, adding encryption and new security measures. According to the company, the deployment of the Zoom 5.0 update is an important milestone in its 90-day plan to address security concerns on the platform. Zoom said that the number of its daily users has already exceeded 300 million, up from 200 million in March. The latest update offers additional security features that allow users to choose their data center region, have more effective monitoring during meetings, and also report uninvited people ‘zoombombing’ private meetings. This update is expected to be completely rolled out by the end of May.
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WHO Covid-19 information to be shared with billions via SMS
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), supported by UNICEF, have announced a plan to work with telecommunications companies around the world to send vital COVID-19-related health messages to people without internet access. As much as 3.6 billion of the world’s population do not have access to the internet, with most living in low-income countries where on average only two in ten people are connected. The WHO and ITU said that they will start with the Asia-Pacific region before expanding to global deployment.
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Telus is donating over 10,000 smartphones to hospitalized coronavirus patients
Telus Corp., one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies, has announced it is giving over 10,000 free mobile devices and CAD 0 rate plans to hundreds of organizations across Canada to keep the country’s most vulnerable citizens connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative is valued at more than CAD 5 million. Quite a few people hospitalized with COVID-19 do not have personal mobile devices and cannot reach out to their families as a result. Telus has already distributed more than 6,000 mobile devices paired with CAD 0 rate plans including unlimited nationwide talk and text and 3GB of data per month.
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Alibaba to invest $28bn in cloud amid Covid-19 tech boom
Alibaba Group is set to invest around USD 28 billion in cloud computing services over the course of the next three years amid a surge in demand for business software following the coronavirus outbreak. The company plans to build more data centers to complement an existing global network covering 21 regions across APAC, the Middle East, Europe and the USA. Alibaba will also support the development of semiconductors, operating systems, and technologies in areas such as AI-inference chips. As of 2019, the e-commerce giant owns 46.1% of the Chinese cloud market, followed by Tencent Cloud, Amazon Web Services and Baidu AI Cloud.
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