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Eat rujak together with new BonCabe Bumbu Rujak Buah

By
Tan Heng Hong
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PT Kobe Boga Utama has launched a new spicy seasoning that goes well with Indonesia’s popular rujak (fruit salad dish). Known as BonCabe Bumbu Rujak Buah,  the new seasoning has a spicy intensity of 10, which is below the level 50 that BonCabe has for its spiciest seasoning. BonCabe Bumbu Rujak Buah has a mix of spicy, sour and sweet taste that goes well in the fruit salad dish.

The latest launch shows how Kobe Boga Utama targets specific usage occasion and in this case rujak, which makes the seasoning relavent for both foodservice and in-home usages.

Malaysians Can Now Enjoy Their Milk Tea And Favourite Local Teh Tarik On-The-Go With Lipton’s New Milk Tea Range

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Lipton brings a local classic for consumers in a convenient, to-go format

KUALA LUMPUR, 3 MARCH 2022 – Lipton, one of the world’s leading tea brands has launched their new milk tea range, Lipton’s very own blend on the local favourite drinks. Continuing to expand their current offerings for consumers in Malaysia, Lipton Malaysia decided to launch two variants under this range – Lipton Teh Tarik and Lipton Milk Tea. With the increasing interest of milk tea drinks in Malaysia, these new additions are sure to captivate consumers’ taste buds and satisfy their milk tea cravings.

Leveraging on the on-going market trend for bottled and canned tea products and responding to customer preferences, Lipton is not only expanding its product portfolio beyond Black Tea and Green Tea segment but also bringing delicious milk tea with a blend of imported Lipton tea leaves for Malaysians, that has lower contents of fat and sugar. Lipton is looking into being the landscape creator by being the only tea brand offering Teh Tarik and Milk Tea variants in a convenient can format as opposed to key competitors’ offering in bottle format.

“We at Lipton has always strived to give our consumers products that are innovative and delicious. During the pandemic, we noted that we were missing an important aspect of our Malaysian culture – Mamak Teh Tarik sessions. With this in mind, Lipton has introduced our very own Lipton Teh Tarik and it is with great excitement that we are bringing the local flavour in a to-go format while adding the Lipton Milk Tea to our product portfolio. Both flavours have less than 5g sugar level with low fat content which gives our consumers a drink they can enjoy with less guilt. We will continue to take our consumers taste preferences into consideration and give our consumers a drink that they can enjoy,” said Yee Pek Kuan, Vice President of Marketing at Etika Sdn Bhd.

Bringing tea lovers a delicious blend, Lipton’s latest milk tea range, will be made available in two exciting variants, namely Lipton Teh Tarik and Lipton Milk Tea.

Recognising an important aspect of Malaysian culture, Lipton decided to bring the local mamak teh tarik to the consumer’s home with their brand-new Lipton Teh Tarik variant, which will be available in 240ml cans on the shelves of your favourite grocer. With the Lipton Teh Tarik, Malaysians can now enjoy their Mamak Teh Tarik on-the-go.

For the modern tea lover, Lipton has also introduced a brand-new Lipton Milk Tea variant with Brown Sugar flavour. Ensuring that their products are better for consumers, the Lipton Milk Tea replaces white sugar with brown sugar, giving the milk tea a deeper flavour, still tapping into the Brown Sugar trend in Malaysia. Both Lipton Teh Tarik and Lipton Milk Tea have less than 5g sugar level. Lipton Milk Tea comes with low fat content, whereas Lipton Teh Tarik doesn’t have any artificial sweetener and preservatives, which are perfect to sip on during a tea break. Consumers can now enjoy their Teh Tarik or Milk Tea pleasure with less guilt!

Cannot wait to get your hands on the new Lipton Teh Tarik or Milk Tea? Both products are available in 240ml cans nationwide across major convenience stores, petrol stations as well as provision stores.

If you want to give Lipton Milk Tea range a try, free samplings will be offered at selected convenience stores and petrol outlets. If you are using public transport to commute daily, keep an eye out, as Lipton will also be offering free samplings at selected MRT/LRT locations.

For more information, stay tuned to Lipton’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/liptoniceteaMY/.

Disinfect Surfaces Like A Professional with Clorox

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Start Clean to Stay Safe and Hygienic

Kuala Lumpur, 03 March, 2022 –  The Covid-19 pandemic has made all of us hyper-aware of viruses and germs. The fourth wave of the pandemic is happening globally, fuelled by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. In Malaysia, the Omicron variant is now dominant[1].

How can we keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from viruses and germs while reclaiming our home, work or study space, as a clean zone?

First, know what you’re dealing with. Covid-19 is a respiratory virus that can spread via droplets, when someone who has the virus coughs, sneezes or touches their face and then touches a surface[2]. Use a disinfectant and make sure you always follow the product label’s instructions for proper usage and contact time[3].

Introducing the Clorox Expert Disinfecting range that helps you disinfect your home, workplace, school or university like a professional. Developed with components used in Clorox’ professional lines that are intended for hospitals and medical services, it is EPA-approved to kills 99.9% of both viruses and bacteria in 1 minute[4], including the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19[5]. It works professionally and thoroughly, making it a good choice to keep your space safe from germs and viruses including the COVID-19 virus*.

Clorox has been in the business of cleaning and disinfection solutions since 1913. Clorox is the #1 Bleach brand in the World[6] and has been trusted for generations to kill 99.9% of germs. Its claims are backed by data and its products have been tried and tested even before the pandemic by professionals and home users.

“The Omicron variant is highly transmissible making it vital to disinfect hard surfaces, more often[7].  Aim to disinfect frequently touched surfaces like keys, door knobs and handles, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, keys, the interior of your vehicle and even parcels and deliveries[8]. It is better to be extra vigilant to stay safe,” said Paulo Lao, Sales and Marketing Director for Clorox Southeast Asia. “The transmissibility of the Omicron variant means that we can be the ones who bring the virus into our homes and pass it to our loved ones.  It is important to disinfect the items we come in contact with for safety, hygiene and peace-of-mind.”

Clorox would like to share some tips on how you can reclaim your space and protect yourself and your loved ones in the face of rising Omicron cases.

Work, School and College Space Safety

Collaboration is a large part of in-office and in-person school or college sessions. While we aim to maintain social distancing, we might come in contact with items that have been touched by others. It is okay to be a ‘clean freak’ by disinfecting your work or study area when you arrive and again after lunch.

 Create a Prevention Pack

Keep illness prevention items (such as face masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, disinfecting wipes and disinfecting spray) in a centralised spot in your home, the centre console of your car, at your work or study station, or inside your purse/backpack for when you’re on the go.

Disinfect all your devices and ‘carry-ons’ daily

Your carry-ons such as your handbag, backpack, laptop, and mobile phone may come in contact with droplets – from yourself or from those around you. Always give these items a good wipe down. Be sure to bring along the Clorox Expert Disinfecting Wipes flowpack when you are out and about to ensure that your personal items are safe and not inadvertently spreading the virus.

Disinfect your vehicle

We spend so much time in our vehicles, often with our masks off. Keep Clorox Expert Disinfecting Wipes within reach, to wipe down and disinfect hard surfaces in your vehicles. Remember to wipe the air conditioner vents and the door handles both inside and out.

Spray the germs away 

Before bringing groceries or parcels into your home, spray them down. Keep Clorox Expert Disinfecting Spray at the entryway to quickly disinfect items to keep you safe from viruses and bacteria.

Disinfect high-touch hot spot surfaces in your homes

Handrails, light switches, handles and doorknobs are all notoriously germy, as are high-touch items like phones, computer keyboards and TV remotes. We recommend Clorox Disinfecting Wipes for in home usage as they kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria including the Covid-19 virus in just 15 seconds[9]. Give them a good once-over daily.

Don’t let your guard down. Following these simple tips can help us stay safe and healthy, better able to cope with the challenges posed by the Omicron variant.

The Clorox Expert range includes Clorox Expert Disinfecting Wipes Flowpack of 15s and 30s and Clorox Expert Disinfecting Spray. Clorox products are available nationwide at leading retailers and online retail partners, LazMall and Shopee Supermarket. Get more information on clean matters, activities and more from Clorox Malaysia’s website at https://www.cloroxmalaysia.com or follow Clorox Malaysia’s social media pages at https://www.facebook.com/CloroxMalaysia/ and https://www.instagram.com/cloroxmalaysia/.

[1] https://www.facebook.com/100064560379224/posts/322709616557715/?d=n

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/non-us-settings/overview/index.html

[3] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html

[4] *Staphylococcus Aureus, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, E.Coli, Candida Albicans, Influenza A H1N1, Influenza A H3N2, Human Coronavirus 229E, SARS-CoV-2. Use as per label instruction(s).

[5] https://www.cloroxmalaysia.com/en/products/clorox-expert-disinfecting-wipes/fresh-scent/

*Kills SARS-CoV-2 virus on hard, nonporous surfaces. Use as directed for other germs.

[6] Source : Euromonitor International Limited; Home Care 2020 Edition; Bleach, all channels, retail selling price, Global Brand Name Clorox 2019 data.

[7] https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/fresh-research-says-omicron-lasts-much-longer-surfaces-other-variants-disinfecting

[8] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html

[9] Kills SARS-CoV-2 virus on hard, nonporous surfaces. Use as directed for other germs.

About The Clorox Company

The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with approximately 8,800 employees worldwide and fiscal year 2019 net sales of $6.2 billion. Clorox is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The company has been broadly recognized for its corporate responsibility efforts, included on CR Magazine’s 2019 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, Barron’s 2020 100 Most Sustainable Companies, the Human Rights Campaign’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index and the 2019 Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, among others. In support of its communities, The Clorox Company and its foundations contributed about $12 million in combined cash grants, product donations and cause marketing in fiscal year 2019. For more information, visit TheCloroxCompany.com, including the Good Growth blog, and follow the company on Twitter at @CloroxCo.

[1] https://www.facebook.com/100064560379224/posts/322709616557715/?d=n

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/non-us-settings/overview/index.html

[3] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html

[4] *Staphylococcus Aureus, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, E.Coli, Candida Albicans, Influenza A H1N1, Influenza A H3N2, Human Coronavirus 229E, SARS-CoV-2. Use as per label instruction(s).

[5] https://www.cloroxmalaysia.com/en/products/clorox-expert-disinfecting-wipes/fresh-scent/

*Kills SARS-CoV-2 virus on hard, nonporous surfaces. Use as directed for other germs.

[6] Source : Euromonitor International Limited; Home Care 2020 Edition; Bleach, all channels, retail selling price, Global Brand Name Clorox 2019 data.

[7] https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/fresh-research-says-omicron-lasts-much-longer-surfaces-other-variants-disinfecting

[8] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html

[9] Kills SARS-CoV-2 virus on hard, nonporous surfaces. Use as directed for other germs.

Lab-grown cultured meat enters Singapore hawker scene as a trial

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Image from Eat Just

Lab-grown cultured chicken meat maker Eat Just, which sells under GOOD Meat, has partnered with Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice in Singapore. The new famous Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice offered the option of GOOD Meat cultivated chicken and was priced at only SGD 4. The dish was served for a limited time until 1 March 2022. For the first time in history, Singapore’s hawkers are starting to serve meat made without slaughter.

According to Eat Just, “GOOD Meat will be popping up at traditional hawker stalls and centers in Singapore”.

For plant-based meat or even cultivated meat to truly become mainstream, it is important for companies to make these ingredients available at an affordable price at hawker stalls and centers.

However, we feel that this will take time. Take a look at croissant in Malaysia where consumers previously viewed it as a premium pastry. With the availability of frozen croissant and the growing popularity of croissant in restaurants, we finally see croissant becoming an option in hawker stalls or kopitiam in Malaysia, selling alongside the more traditional toasted bread but at a slightly premium price.

McDonald’s Malaysia Announces Expansion Plans, Achieves Record Sales in 2021

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Dato’ Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia providing 2021 business updates and announcing McDonald’s Vision 2026.

Ongoing growth momentum and business expansion plans set to create 50,000 career opportunities by 2026

PETALING JAYA, 2 MARCH 2022 – McDonald’s Malaysia has announced its five-year business expansion plans amid achieving a 15 percent year-on-year growth in 2021. The significant improvement in business performance is attributed to strategic management decisions focused on several key business drivers. Overall, the company looks to continue the upward trajectory and maintaining its momentum which saw its 2021 business performance returning to pre-pandemic levels and outperforming its 2019 results.

McDonald’s Malaysia achieved a 15 percent year-on-year growth in 2021 and announces its five-year business expansion plans.

“We were able to navigate through a challenging environment over the last two years because we made bold decisions to focus on four key business drivers, which are namely the Drive-Thru, McDelivery, our Digital Platform and McCafé,” said Dato’ Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia.

 McDonald’s continues to strengthen its position as the number one drive-thru restaurant operator in the country, with 214 drive-thru restaurants across Malaysia and growing.

  • Meanwhile, the popular McDelivery service registered a 35 percent market share last year. McDelivery now has over 1,500 delivery points, served by nearly 6,000 active delivery riders.
  • The McDonald’s Digital Platform also witnessed accelerated growth, with more than nine million downloads of the McDonald’s App since its launch in April 2018, making it the No. 1 app in the quick service restaurant category. Recently, a new feature known as the Mobile Order & Collect was introduced and this is expected to further enhance the McDonald’s digital platform service business over the next 12 months.
  • McCafé has firmly staked its position as the best value for money espresso coffee brand, with its promise of democratising the coffee experience for Malaysians ringing true. McCafé currently owns 23.5 percent market share and serves more than three million cups of coffee each month.

“We will focus on speed, accuracy and convenience by continuing to ramp up our Drive-Thru, McDelivery, Digital Platform and McCafé business segments in the upcoming years as part of our business expansion plans. McDonald’s Malaysia’s success is premised on our promise of always delivering delicious feel-good moments to customers anytime, anywhere,” said Azmir.

Strong Expansion Plans Opens Up 50,000 Career Opportunities

As part of McDonald’s Malaysia’s Vision 2026, the company will be investing a total of RM1.35 billion over the next five years to open 205 new restaurants, bringing the total up to 500 restaurants in the country by 2026.

Given the company’s growth trajectory and ongoing business uptrend, McDonald’s also expects to offer more than 50,000 career opportunities for Malaysians by 2026. Staying true to its ‘Malaysians Serving Malaysians’ philosophy, the quick service restaurant remains committed to hiring 100% Malaysians to join its workforce.

According to Azmir, the 50,000 job vacancies will help fuel the company’s growth and support ongoing restaurant operations which have significantly evolved over the last two years. With the introduction of more table service in the restaurants, double track drive-thru outlets, increased delivery services as well as adherence to health and social distancing guidelines, the company will require additional staffing to ensure quality and standard of service remains top notch.

From left to right: Melati Abdul Hai, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s Malaysia; Azhar Darbi, Vice President and Chief People Officer of McDonald’s Malaysia; Mohd Iman Bin Ismail, Crew Leader at McDonald’s Equine Park; David Janil, Assistant Manager at McDonald’s Rawang; Intan Syafiqah Binti Azmin, Restaurant General Manager at McDonald’s Pearl Point; Shamsidar Yahya, Director of Corporate Communications of McDonald’s Malaysia; Dato’ Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia.

“We aim to offer Malaysians more than just jobs but also meaningful careers at McDonald’s. Today, an individual may join as a restaurant crew, but given the right training and guidance, they can easily rise through the ranks within McDonald’s in a few years,” said Azmir.

“McDonald’s commitment to strengthening youth employability is well recognised in the hospitality industry. Today, Malaysian youths can kickstart their career via the McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme under the government’s National Dual Training System (SLDN),” added Azmir, noting that McDonald’s is aiming to invest RM300 million in training and development programmes by 2026.

McDonald’s is the first quick-service restaurant operator in the country to be awarded the SLDN accreditation by the Department of Skills Development (DSD) of the Ministry of Human Resources. As of 2021, McDonald’s Malaysia has trained more than 3,500 youths who are now gainfully employed in the hospitality industry. In line with the company’s Vision 2026, the quick service restaurant aims to produce up to 15,000 Vocational Academy apprentices in the next five years.

Currently, more than 80% of McDonald’s full-time employees are already earning a minimum of RM1500 in basic salary per month. By the end of 2022, McDonald’s will be adjusting the wages of its full-time staff in support of the government’s latest proposal to raise the minimum wage, a testament to its ‘people-first’ commitment.

To find out more about careers at McDonald’s Malaysia, please visit the McDonald’s Careers page HERE.

SOULed OUT and WIP outlets offer authentic St. Patrick’s fare and experiences

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

March 2022 – Throughout the month of March, SOULed OUT outlets in Kuala Lumpur, Bangsar South and Kota Kinabalu, as well as WIP at Bangsar Shopping Centre and WIP On The Park at Marc Residences are featuring Irish themed food and drink offerings to keep the St. Pat’s vibe going all month long. Of course, in true St. Patrick’s spirit, the curated cuisine has been infused with the world’s most loved stout, Guinness. All participating outlets boast ample open-air dining, stringent SOPs and fully vaccinated staff so guests can enjoy a day or night out without any qualms.

Leprechaun Popcorn Chicken

For St. Patrick’s Day on 17th March, SOULed OUT Kuala Lumpur will be bringing an authentic Irish experience to partygoers, where they will be welcomed and decked out in an iconic black and green stovepipe hat courtesy of Guinness, enjoy a variety of fairground games, like the claw game and high striker, watch a St. Paddy’s parade complete with mascot, jive out to live music and traditional tap dancing, as well as participate in party games, including pub quizzes, step dancing and a scavenger hunt, where revellers stand to win special edition Guinness t-shirts for one night only. Guests can also visit the ‘Guinness Tavern’ across the street, constructed for this celebration. Another unique experience patrons can look forward to is getting a picture-perfect pint of stout from the aptly named ‘Guinness Stoutie’ with their faces or other images printed in foam art for the memories or to upload the ideal social media post.

Beer Can Spring Chicken

Right now, punters can tease their tastebuds with seasonal offerings like the Beer Can Spring Chicken; a whole roasted spring chicken brined in Guinness accompanied with a tangy mango salsa, crispy pumpkin fritters and a Guinness infused BBQ sauce for RM28++. Traditionalists will enjoy the Guinness Beef Stew and hearty vegetables served with a mushroom and chickpea ragout on toasted sourdough for RM30++. Pescatarians and seafood lovers can dig into the Guinness Battered Fish & Chips. It showcases a dense and robust Threadfin Fish which releases its moist sweetness with a touch of Guinness added to the batter to make the final result extra crispy when it leaves the fryer. Coupled with hot chips, guacamole, coleslaw, and Guinness infused tartare sauce this masterpiece is priced at RM40++. For pub snacks the Leprechaun Popcorn Chicken for RM18++ at SOULed OUT outlets and RM24++ at WIP outlets is wonderful as a festive appetiser or for sharing. These bite sized morsels of Guinness brined chicken are fried until golden and accompanied by a corn tortilla cup, zucchini chips and Guinness tartare sauce. All St. Patrick’s inspired food offerings perfectly complement the Guinness-infused brews and promotions available at SOULed OUT and WIP outlets all month long.

Guinness Beef Stew

To wash down all that tantalising goodness, there is the Guinness Float for RM21++ at SOULed OUT outlets and RM25++ at WIP outlets, a delicious combination of Guinness Draught and Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup, resulting in the perfect dessert-inspired cocktail. For larger groups, the Guinness Lychee Shooters are fun sized concoctions of Guinness liquorice syrup, lychee, Malta and topped with whipped cream that comes in a set of 10 shots for RM30++ so everyone can partake.

Guinness Float

Also available now until March 31st, patrons at SOULed OUT and WIP outlets also get a pair of quirky limited edition Guinness party glasses for every two sets of Guinness they order at WIP. Each set at WIP outlets is 5 mugs for RM70++ and at SOULed OUT outlets for 3 pint or 5 mugs at RM68++. It’s an entire month of all things St. Pat’s, so don your best green gear and let the party begin.

Guinness Battered Fish & Chips

ABOUT SOULed OUT

SOULed OUT began in 1996 as a small neighbourhood café in Mont Kiara and moved to her current premise in Desa Sri Hartamas in December 1999. So, named as each and every staff member puts their heart and soul into providing her patrons with the best. More than two decades on and having served over 5 million patrons, SOULed OUT has matured into an assured personality with a fun-loving spirit. An eclectic mix of Asian, Western and Northern Indian food and beverages make it a place for friends and family to foster the spirit of friendship and camaraderie.

Our other outlets in Bangsar South and Kota Kinabalu are located in the heart of the city to cater to patrons in the vicinity. Whatever it is, an encounter with SOULed OUT is always ‘as good as a hug’. SOULed OUT’s accolades include ‘Outlet of the Year’, ‘Best Resto-Bar 2013-2014’ at the prestigious Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards (HAPA), Malaysia Tatler Best Restaurants 2015 SOULed OUT Kuala Lumpur – Exceptional Cuisine & Service, Timeout KL Food & Drink Awards 2016, Best Neighbourhood Pub, winner of Dining’s Best of The Year Award 2020: and most recently Tatler Malaysia’s Legacy Award and Tatler’s Best Restaurant for 2022 for SOKL, WIP BSC & WIP On The Park.

ABOUT WIP

From its beginnings as a Work In Progress to a landmark lifestyle destination, WIP is now Whipped Into Place, and has firmly established itself as a polished diamond glittering in the dining landscape of Kuala Lumpur. Located at the prominent BSC and Marc Residence, the urban tropic garden is THE place to hang out and unwind.

Cosmopolitan Cuisine is the direction of WIP’s menu. With inspiration from different continents, the food is prepared with the best and most fresh of ingredients. It is an innovative and creative menu that will surely cater to a wide variety of tastebuds and please any palate. Lovers of innovative beverages will surely rub their hands in glee with resident mixologists creating liquid perfection before your very eyes at the uniquely shaped Clam Bar. A delectable selection of Mojitos, signature & classic cocktails are available to quench your thirst, as are fine whiskies, boutique liquors, premium beers, champagnes, and wine.

SOULed OUT Kuala Lumpur

No. 20, Jalan 30/70A,

Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur

t : 03 2300 1955 / 012 200 1955 (reservations) / 03 2300 1929 (general)

e : yum_yum@souledout.com.my

w : www.souledout.com.my

SOULed OUT Bangsar South

11-12, Ground Floor, Nexus, 7, Jalan Kerinchi, Bangsar South,

59200 Kuala Lumpur

t : 013 613 1663

e : burp@souledout.com.my

w : www.souledout.com.my

43% of businesses don’t protect their full IoT suite

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

2 March 2022

A recent Kaspersky report, “Pushing the limits: How to address specific cybersecurity demands and protect IoT”, revealed that in two-in-five businesses (43%), some parts of their IoT infrastructure are yet to have any protection. Meanwhile, the main barrier for implementation of many businesses’ IoT projects is the risk of cybersecurity breaches and data compromises.

According to IoT Analytics, the global number of connected IoT devices is expected to grow 9%, reaching 27 billion IoT connections by 2025. With that dramatic rise in connected devices also comes an increased need for security. In fact, Gartner highlights that, in the past three years, nearly 20% of organizations have already observed cyberattacks on IoT devices in their network.

While two thirds of organizations (64%) globally use IoT solutions, 43% don’t protect them completely. This means that for some of their IoT projects – which may be anything from an EV charging station to connected medical equipment – businesses don’t use any protection tools.

The reasons behind this may be due to the great diversity of IoT devices and systems, which are not always compatible with security solutions. Almost half of businesses fear that cybersecurity products can affect the performance of IoT (46%) or that it can be too hard to find a suitable solution (40%). Other common issues businesses face when implementing cybersecurity tools are high costs (40%), being unable to justify investment to the board (36%) and lack of staff or specific IoT security expertise (35%).

Furthermore, cybersecurity risks are seen by more than half of organizations (57%) as the main barrier to implementing IoT. This can occur when companies struggle to address cyber-risks at the design stage and then have to carefully weigh up all pros and cons before implementation.

“Cybersecurity must be front and center for IoT. Managing risk is a major concern as life, limb and the environment are at stake. An IT error can be embarrassing and expensive; an IoT error can be fatal. But cybersecurity is only one part of making a system trustworthy. We also need physical security, privacy, resilience, reliability and safety. And these need to be reconciled: what can make a building secure, (locked doors for example), could make it unsafe if you cannot get out quickly,” comments Stephen Mellor, Chief Technology Officer at Industry IoT Consortium.

“IoT projects are very fragmented, loosely-coupled, domain-specific and integration-heavy in nature. In comparison, IT projects such as messaging/communication, analytics, CRM, etc., have around 80% of common requirements. In the case of IoT implementation, however, we have to deal with all kinds of legacy systems, physical constraints, domain protocols, multiple vendor solutions, etc., and maintain a reasonable balance in availability, scalability and security. In pursuit of higher availability and scalability, certain cloud infrastructure has to be leveraged, the system has to be open to some extent, then security becomes an enormous challenge,” comments Eric Kao, Director, WISE-Edge+ of Advantech, a global vendor of industrial IoT solutions.

“Despite all these challenges, IoT brings fantastic opportunities not just to businesses but to all of us, enabling comfortable living, transport, faster delivery and communications. IoT is widely used in smart cities (62%), retail (62%) and industry (60%). These include projects such as energy and water management, smart lighting, alarm systems, video surveillance and many more. Experts around the world are working on the task of effective protection for such projects but efforts should be made at every level – from equipment manufacturers and software developers to service providers and companies that implement and use these solutions,” adds Andrey Suvorov, CEO at Adaptive Production Technology (Aprotech, Kaspersky’s subsidiary IIoT company).

To help organizations fill the gaps in their IoT security, Kaspersky suggests the following approaches:

  • Assess the status of a device’s security before implementing it. Preferences should be given to devices with cybersecurity certificates and products from manufacturers who pay more attention to information security.
  • Use a strict access policy, network segmentation and a zero-trust model. This will help minimize the spread of an attack and protect the most sensitive parts of the infrastructure.
  • Adopt a vulnerability management program to regularly receive the most relevant data about vulnerabilities in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), equipment and firmware, and patch them or use any protection workarounds.
  • Check the “IoT Security Maturity Model” – an approach that helps companies evaluate all steps and levels they need to pass to achieve a sufficient level of IoT protection.
  • Use a dedicated IoT gateway that ensures the inbuilt security and reliability of data transferring from edge to business applications, such as Kaspersky IoT Secure Gateway 100. It is Cyber Immune, which means almost no attack can affect the gateway’s functions.

The full report, “Pushing the limits: How to address specific cybersecurity demands and protect IoT”, is available to download here.

About Kaspersky

Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 240,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

foodpanda Welcomes More New Partners on foodpanda Shops

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

A Combination Of Grocery Stores, Pharmacies, Opticians And More

Malaysia, March 2, 2022 – foodpanda Malaysia today announced the availability of more new partners on foodpanda Shops to meet the growing demands of customers and have their essentials delivered right to their doorstep. These new additions will further expand the existing variety available and include a combination of grocery stores, pharmacies, opticians, beauty and fashion outlets, stationery shops and more.

Commenting on this exciting new announcement, Afzan Lutfi, Director of New Verticals said that the main goal is to create a single platform where users can place orders for their food, daily essentials such as groceries, medical and stationery supplies as well as beauty and fashion apparel. “We are constantly looking at ways and opportunities to enhance customer experience and provide them with a wide variety of options and convenience at their fingertips. This includes a seamless transaction from the time the order is placed right up to the delivery at their doorstep.”

“In recent months, we have witnessed a steady increase in orders placed on our platform, hence we felt that this is the most ideal time to introduce more variety to our users. Moving forward, we hope to be able to partner with more partners and continue to cement our position as the top delivery platform in Malaysia,” he added.

Some of the new brands introduced include Everrise, one of the largest and fastest growing supermarket chains in Sarawak, as well as IKEA and Focus Point. Besides that, users would also be able to purchase items from MIWA OLi, Shojikiya, myNEWS, Pet Lovers Centre and Sox World.

The excitement does not just end there. Hairdepot, Big Bath, Big Pharmacy, CHOIS, Sam’s Groceria, Petronas Mesra, ST Rosyam, Agni Gaming, BORDERS, Bee Cheng Hiang, Homecareshop, Sunlight Pharmacy KK, Lee’s Fandbee and AM PM Pharmacy are among the other partners are now available on foodpanda shops.

Both new and existing foodpanda users can enjoy these deals to celebrate and welcome these new partners:

From 1st to 31st March 2022, use promo code JOMSHOP to get 30% off (capped at RM8)  with a minimum order value of RM25. Valid for both new and existing customers. While stocks last. T&C apply.

Get RM15 off with a minimum order value of RM70 with promo code SHOPBIG between 1st to 31st March 2022. Valid for both new and existing customers. While stocks last. T&C apply.

Tealive opens in Manila, plans 30 outlets by end-2022

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
Image by Loob Holding Sdn Bhd

Tealive has officially opened its first store in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Located at SM Jazz Mall in Makati City, Tealive from Malaysia plans to open 30 outlets in the country by the end of 2022. It also aims to introduce the Tealive app in April 2022.

Image by Loob Holding Sdn Bhd

Apart from the Aren Palm Sugar Series, Tealive is also paying homage to Filipino taste with the Indulge Series featuring the use of toppings like Salted Caramel, Oreo and Lotus Biscoff.

Tealive first opened in Ilocos Norte in 2020.

7-Eleven Philippines is in the election mood

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

7-Eleven Philippines is in the election mood. Get ready to #SpeakCUP freely with Gulp and City Cafe starting 9 March 2022. This comes as the 2022 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections will be held on 9 May 2022, as part of the 2022 general election.

 

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