No Rabbits Here: Austin-based HOPZERO battles cybercrime with hops

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Cyber-security is one of the most pressing challenges companies around the world will have to address in the coming years. Here are some recent statistics on cybercrime from thebestvpn.com:

– In 2016, the U.S government spent $28 billion on cyber-security, compared to $7.5 billion in 2007.
– According to Microsoft, the potential cost of global cyber crime to the global community is $500 billion, and a data breach can cost a company $3.8 million.
– Ransomware attacks increased by 36 percent in 2017.
– According to Warren Buffett, cyber attacks are the biggest threat to mankind, and in his opinion, this threat surpasses nuclear weapons.

With disturbing statistics like these, what can be done? An Austin-based company is developing a promising solution.

HOPZERO provides cyber-security by monitoring hops through its cloud-based service, Hop Sphere Radius Security. “For the last two years, I’ve been developing this technology to limit how far data can travel, and we do that by hop count,” Bill Alderson founder and CEO of HOPZERO said. For context, hops are one portion of the path between a source and a destination. By way of the internet, a data packet passes through bridges, routers and gateways that connects network devices, and thus the passing of a data packet is called a hop.

HOPZERO controls the number of hops a packet of data can make before it expires in a network—this means data is directed to destroy itself before it is used for pernicious or malicious purposes. “Every packet has a toll value in it, and we limit that toll value based upon our analysis that looks at every device it’s going to, and we record the hop count to and from all their peers,” Alderson continued. If a data packet is moving more hops than the set amount, HOPZERO will cease any further data movements. The hops technology controls distance, while firewalls control access, and when together, they make for an innovative defense system.

It is worth mentioning that a web server can be restricted to a local area, all the way up to another country. This is called a device hop radius. Any network device can be restricted to a set safe zone, even if a firewall is not present.

HOPZERO also wants to develop protections for various devices, including the copious amount of existent IoT devices out there. “We are automating to bring it to thousands of systems. We believe we have found the solution that everyone has been looking for that will significantly protect our government, businesses, homes and personal devices from hackers and malicious malware,” Alderson said.

Are you developing new cyber-security technologies?

Did you know that you can receive up to 14% back on your research expenses with the R&D Tax Credit? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is Texas’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim prep & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Dallas-Fort Worth Airlines leading the charge towards Inflight WiFi

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Soon, “Airplane Mode” on your laptops and mobile devices may become a thing of the past. More and more airlines are introducing inflight WiFi, according to the 2018 WiFi Report by Routehappy, a flight shopping platform. The Report found that 82 airlines worldwide now offer inflight WiFi. That’s 12 more airlines compared to last year. “Two years ago, there was only a one in three chance you would board a flight with Wi-Fi,” said Jonathan Savitch, Routehappy’s chief commercial officer. Now, it’s almost a 50% chance.

Not only is inflight WiFi becoming more common, it is also getting faster and more advanced. WiFi systems are categorized into three types: basic, better, and best.  Airlines are increasingly moving away from basic connectivity – with no streaming media capability – to the “better” category which allows for web browsing and limited media streaming.  57 percent of WiFi systems are using “better” connectivity. The “best” WiFi system consists of satellite-based broadband service that allows for video streaming and is comparable to your WiFi connection at home. While only 16 percent of inflight WiFi systems currently have “best” connectivity, it’s already a 129 percent increase from last year and the shift from “better” to “best” connectivity isn’t slowing down. Jason Rabinowitz, director of airline research at Routehappy, said, “It is now likely that Wi-Fi at 32,000 feet may be cheaper and faster than the WiFi at many airports.”

86% of carriers in the United States offer full or partial inflight WiFi, with Dallas-Fort Worth airlines leading the charge. Southwest Airlines, based in Dallas, is  one of only three carriers in the world that guarantees inflight WiFI on all of its flights. The other two are Icelandair and Virgin Atlantic. Routehappy also measured inflight WiFi availability by Available Seat Miles (ASM) which determines airline capacity. The Report found that Fort Worth-based American Airlines ranked second only to Delta in terms of most ASMs with inflight WiFi. Both American and Southwest have committed to upgrading its WiFi systems to become faster and more reliable.

The United States’ leadership in the inflight WiFi market isn’t guaranteed, however. Savitch said, “When we look at this from a long-haul perspective, we see where the next battleground is. Emirates has the lion’s share.” Last year, Emirates had included WiFi connectivity on its fleet rollout of Boeing 777s. Lufthansa is also catching up with its introduction of a hybrid satellite and LTE connectivity for its narrow-body fleet.

Inflight WiFi in the United States has come a long way but there is still room for improvement. Are you working on innovative ways to improve WiFi connectivity on American flight carriers and helping the United States maintain its position as a leader in aerospace travel? Your efforts could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you could receive up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE credits as well as CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.