What Is Web Application Architecture

Web application architecture is a framework connecting different elements to enable web experience. It is the backbone of our daily internet browsing: typing in a URL and viewing and interacting with the website while the browser communicates with the server is one of the ways to describe what is web application architecture.

Attributes of a well-built web application architecture:

• Solves business problems
• Supports visual aesthetic
• Enables A/B testing and analytics
• Ensures fast user experience
• Provides security
• Sustainable and self-regulating
• Scales out and logs errors in an easy way
• Guarantees a high level of automation

Components of Web Application Architecture

Web application architectures consist of application components, middleware systems, and databases. They can be divided into two groups:

• UI/UX components
• Structural components

UI/UX components include dashboards, statistical data, notification elements, layouts, activity tracking, and other elements. These components create the visuals of a web page and lay the foundation for user experience.

Meanwhile, structural components include the web application server and the database server. The knowledge of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, as well as  Python, PHP, Java, Ruby, .NET, and Node.js are required to create them.

When it comes to building the components, there are several models to choose from:

• 1 web server and 1 database
• 2 web servers and 2 databases
• More than 2 web servers and databases

One web server with one database is the simplest model. With this web server architecture, the successful operation of an application depends on server stability. In other words, if there is a problem with the server, the app will not work. Still, the model is sufficient for testing and private sessions.

Using one database for two web servers is a more reliable model, as there is a backup server. On the other hand, ensuring the database is secure and always running is important.

Having more than two databases and web servers are the most dependable option. Due to its ability to manage and process large amounts of data, this model is a solid basis for an enterprise web application architecture.

Types of Web Application Architecture  

There are three web application architecture types. Each has its upsides and downsides and serves different purposes:

• Legacy HTML web app
• Widget web app
• Single-page web app architecture

Legacy HTML web app is established on the very basic logic: a user receives the whole HTML on request. In terms of web server architecture, it means that all the elements (namely, web page logic and overarching business logic) react to the full reload of the web page. This type of web application architecture is suitable for static pages, but not for dynamic web apps.

As a more sophisticated type, a widget web app allows for loading data without requesting the page reload. In this web application architecture type, widgets send AJAX queries and receive chunks of data in HTML and JSON. The widget web app type is more suitable for mobile apps. The downsides of the widget app are cybersecurity issues and long development time.

With a single-page web app architecture, a user simply needs to request the page. This web application architecture type relies on server requests in JavaScript or HTML instead of exchanging data in JSON.

Web Server Architecture

As web servers play a key part in the successful operation of web apps, the concept of web server architecture deserves special attention within the web application architecture topic. The servers are chosen by performance indicators like processing power, storage, speed, and app tiers (the number and quality of connections established with various applications, operating systems, and networks).

Now, let’s look at the types of web server architecture.

Types Of Web Application Server Architecture

Java Web Application Architecture

Within Java-based web application architecture, it is possible to achieve the highest level of versatility, meaning its it can be used to create simple and sophisticated pages alike. More so, Java web application architecture allows for building a reliable app for a long-term perspective, which is important for web application architecture of any scale.

The versatility is enabled by a wide array of Java-based tools for web application architecture, so Java web application architecture developers and businesses also get flexibility in how to reach their goals.

Cloud-based Web Application Architecture

The trend of moving operations to the cloud inevitably led to the development of cloud-based web application architecture. A big benefit of this type is data decoupling: a cloud-based app runs and is stored both on a local server and in the cloud. As for security, cloud-based web application architecture enables access and identity management to protect app data.

Node.js Web Application Architecture

Node.js web application architecture relies on model-view patterns, including MVC (model-view-controller), MVVM (model-view-view-model), and MVP (model-view-presenter). The patterns allow for identifying code elements and a proper way to route and configure them. Node.js enables the creation of a proper directory and design patterns.

Node.js web application architecture uses an entity-relationship diagram for data systematization, dividing the code, breaking logic into modules, and processing valuable insights from logs to ensure the application runs smoothly. In addition, Node.js web application architecture allows for building scalable web apps.

.NET Web Application Architecture  

In essence, .NET web application architecture deals with cross-platform support, microservices, Docker containers, and side-by-side versioning. The framework’s Data Access Layer allows using stored data without applying a specific database code. Today, this type of web application architecture includes ASP.NET Core and .NET Core, which significantly enhances the functionality of this language when it comes to optimization and support.

PHP Web Application Architecture

Being one of the most popular web development languages, PHP is also one of the simplest and the most functional ones. Thus, an architecture of PHP web application guarantees rapid development, better security, clear maintenance, dedicated teamwork, and support from a big community.

Azure Web Application Architecture

Microsoft Azure web application architecture allows for designing a solution that would serve as a bridge between traditional tools and the cloud. The Azure cloud platform also adopts the best web application architecture practices.

AngularJS Web Application Architecture

Finally, AngularJS web application architecture serves both as a platform and a framework for HTML and TypeScript. This type of web architecture relies on building blocks called NgModules. Among its key benefits is lazy loading, which improves user experience and reduces code size.

Laravel Web Application Architecture

The Laravel web app architecture is a PHP-based framework with an elegant and expressive syntax. It implements the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture and offers software engineers a simple web development experience.

Laravel web architecture gives engineers various helpful features for seamless development. They include modular packaging, better routing, authentication, and caching and sessions, among others, allowing developers to optimize performance and increase traffic. Laravel also allows for creating numerous routes with route names accessed via unique URLs. On top of that, the architecture also helps software engineers finish their web projects faster.

Python Web Application Architecture

Python is a popular web development language that can be used to create a reliable architecture for a web product. It has a succinct and easy-to-understand code for server-side scripting, making it accessible for developers who only begin coding in Python or work on their first web app project.

In addition to accelerating the development process, Python also supports fairly good tools for maintaining your web application architecture. Since it is dynamic and has shortcodes, this programming language is the best fit for prototyping. Developers can use multiple Python frameworks to create a custom web app, as well as use other programming languages in a single web app project.

Web Application Architecture Diagram

Here is a descriptive example of how a web application architecture looks like.

Source: Easyrec

In brief, here is how a web application works on the user side and under the hood:

• A user generates a request by typing in the web link (URL) in a browser’s address bar
• The browser obtains the user request, determines the site’s location, and requests access
• The server sends the request data to the browser
• The browser translates the information it received and displays it to the user as a website

Trends And Best Practices in Web Application Architecture

An ideal web application architecture should ensure efficient and straightforward web application development and maintenance. Therefore, the best practices for designing web app architecture involve the following important aspects:

• Scalability
• Efficiency
• Seamless problem-solving
• Flexibility
• Reusability
• Swift testability
• Decipherable code

Technological advancements have made it easy for developers to create a solid web app architecture for any digital solution. Here are some web app architecture trends in the design and development of a web application architecture.

Service-Oriented Architecture

Developing a service-oriented web app architecture means creating software that can be sold and used as a service to other companies. A service-oriented architecture has its own HTTP API and may run on multiple servers at once as they work together by sending requests to each other. Creating software-as-a-service (SaaS) products is a long-established trend that stayed essential throughout the years.

Single-Page Applications

Single-page applications are becoming increasingly popular as they exhibit fewer page load interruptions, and are more cost-effective and quick to develop. Such a web app strictly has a single-page design whose objects are stored in tables linked with an SQL database. Each user action loads an object on the site dynamically, without the need for reloading the entire web page. As for the back end, the requests are performed via AJAX web development techniques or the WebSocket computer communications protocol.

Progressive Web Apps

These apps also support most modern web browsers and provide enhanced offline support with better cache management.

Increased smartphone usage has triggered the need for developing progressive web apps. These applications are designed as regular websites but support seamless mobile viewability.

In other words, a progressive web app is a website that resembles a mobile app, available in a browser, not an app store. This app type supports most modern web browsers and provides solid offline support with better cache management.

Most importantly, progressive web apps can reach a very wide audience (for example, users in developing countries who do not have smartphones that support the latest apps).

These apps also support most modern web browsers and provide enhanced offline support with better cache management.

Prioritizing Search Engine Optimization

The latest updates in the Google algorithm also count the web app architecture as a key factor for SEO ranking. The Google crawler supports sites with an easy-to-understand hierarchy.

Moreover, the developers creating progressive web apps should also consider mobile search rankings while developing the architecture.

Blockchain Network

Making blockchain technology part of your web application architecture makes it fail-safe and highly secure due to its inherent capabilities. Blockchain also brings decentralized load balancing, as any blockchain system is distributed across a network of computers.

How To Design Architecture For Web Application

Before starting to design a web application architecture, make sure you decided on the following key aspects:

• The goal of the web project
• How your web solution will scale and possible future features
• Target audience
• Timeframe for creating the web application architecture
• Web solution’s features
• Platforms the solution will work across
• Budget

If you carefully considered all the aforementioned aspects, you can now proceed to design and realize the web app architecture for your solution. Here are the things you need to consider at this step.

Backend Development:

• Language: Choose a language (either static or dynamic) that is relevant to your domain.
• Framework/Server: Choose a server that supports the selected language.
• Serverless/Microservices: You can also choose a serverless web app architecture by using the cloud storage of one of the cloud services providers for your CPU and memory needs. Some organizations use microservices, making their web solution operate on multiple small servers that communicate with each other via Queue or HTTP. This model also supports the use of multiple languages.

Database:

• SQL/NoSQL: SQL and NoSQL databases offer different features. SQL databases have tables and a predefined plan. NoSQL, on the other hand, has objects, key-value structures, etc., and offers more flexibility and scalability which makes them suitable for large-scale projects.
• Replicability: Replicable databases have better load management as the data is copied to clusters.
• Backup: Make sure to have an appropriate backup for your database.

API:

• API Design: A commonly used API design styles methods include REST, POST, and GET, all of which help to manage requests over HTTP. However, Facebook has introduced another innovative method for API design called GraphQL. It allows making lean calls by fetching different parts of various objects from a server in a single call. This is particularly useful for mobile applications with limited internet bandwidth.
• WebSocket: WebSocket is a computer communications protocol that sends messages from servers to update the client about new data. While useful, WebSocket is optional, particularly if the app does not need to keep the client updated regularly.

Front-End Development:

• Type of Architecture: Choose between Model View Controller (MVC), Single Page Application (SPA), or Server-Side Rendering (SSR) for your application.
• Platform: Angular, Vue, React, and Web Components technology suite are some of the most commonly used platforms for front-end development.

Apart from these key aspects, other things to consider in the process of designing your web application architecture are cloud storage, security, app processing power, etc.

Summary

Web application architecture is the backbone of any web-based solution, so its success largely depends on how well it is thought-out. Put the pieces together according to the technical requirements and aim of your web solution, and your product will work properly, appeal to the right audience, and reap the benefits.

The post Web Application Architecture: Components, Types, Best Practices appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

The number of companies that offer software development services is rather big. So, it is hard to make the right decision and choose a reliable insurtech development vendor. But there is a list of criteria that you should consider. First, decide whether you need to create your in-house team of developers or use outsourcing.

Insurtech Companies: Outsourcing or In-House Team?

There are two major hiring options: building your software development department or use outsourcing. The first option is relevant for enterprises that have enough resources to open a new department. It can be time-consuming, but it is worth the effort, especially if you need a team for several projects. Thus, you have to give your HR team all the necessary instructions and start searching for the right employees who have vast experience in insurance software development.

The second option might suit small and middle-size companies. Outsourcing means making a contract with an insurtech software company for a stated period to create or implement existing solutions into your companies system. It is time- and cost-effective, as there is no need to spend time interviewing every team member. You can hire the whole team at once. But it should be a reliable, experienced team that specializes in insurance software development.

Insurtech Software Vendors Have to Suit Certain Criteria

Insurtech development vendor should suit specific criteria, so you know you are selecting a trustworthy partner. Consider the following points:

• Insurtech & Fintech Projects Portfolio: make sure the company has previously worked on the projects for insurance/financial organizations.
• Security & Reliability: insurtech works with highly tentative data, so it is essential that the company you are about to hire works according to the standard protocols and guarantees a high level of security.
• Data Analytics Expertise: new technologies will help you gather more data that can be used for further development and growth. Thus there should be an expert who can work with volumes of information, analyze it, and use it for the benefits of your company.

• Metrics & Standards: check whether the company is certified and works according to the global software development standards (EEE 982, IEEE 1091, ISO/IEC 9126).
• Long-Term Opportunities: you will need a company for a long-term partnership, as there will be a need for further enhancements and optimization of the software.

Guidelines to Choose the Best Insurance Software Company

Insurtech development vendor cannot be chosen randomly, as this company will be your partner for some time or regularly. It should be a company with all the necessary resources, years of experience, and the one you can trust. So, what should you do first?

1. Create Clear Requirements

Engage your board in the process and set up the goals you want to achieve. Your staff will help you not to forget about important issues that need to be fixed or optimized.

2. Set Up the Budget

Take into account all the possible expenses, including further updates and scaling. You have to know how much you can spend on the project.

3. List Vendors

Provide thorough research and create a list of insurance software companies that suit your needs. Use the resources available on the internet and ask your partners/colleagues for references.

4. Evaluate Vendors

Use the list of criteria stated above to evaluate the software providers and choose the ones that perfectly suit your needs.

5. Meet with Partners-to-Be

Once you have the list of top vendors, you can arrange meetings with them to find out more details about every insurtech company. Discuss all the requirements, check how they work, and ask for references to contact their previous customers.

When you have all the necessary information, you can make up your mind and choose the right partner for cooperation. It will be a long-term relationship, so it should be a reliable company that guarantees successful solutions implementation and offers post-project support. Also, make sure the company is capable of operating amidst global lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Top Insurtech Companies 2020

What are the best insurtech companies in 2020? Here is the list of the leaders.

1. Spot
2. Intellectsoft
3. Relay
4. Halos
5. Zego
6. Flock
7. Wrisk
8. Sorcero
9. Attestiv
10. Zesty AI

How to Choose a Reliable Insurtech Software Company

Intellectsoft is a team of professional developers who help businesses in different industries to empower their companies with the latest tech tools and solutions. If you want to survive the competition and enhance your services, our experts are ready to support and guide you.

Contact our team and learn how you can benefit from the available technologies to increase user experience and revenue. 

The post How to Find a Reliable Insurtech Development Vendor with Minimum Risk appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

Different devices and apps are great sources of data that can be properly evaluated and used to benefit companies and their customers in different industries. Insurance is not an exception, and thanks to telematics tools, the organizations can provide better services, offer individual underwriting, save costs for both insurers and the insured.

What Is Telematics Insurance?

So, what is “telematics insurance”? The notion is rather new, and only recently it came into practical application.

Telematics insurance means the usage of additional devices or applications to study behavioral statistics to predict loss. It can also be defined as UBI (Usage-Based Insurance).

Customers can get individual premium programs based on their actions.

How Telematics Helps Health Insurance Companies?

UBI (or telematics insurance) is usually used in car coverage, but it is expected that these programs will find their application in other types of coverage in the future. Telematics devices help underwriters price premiums for their customers, thus reducing the costs for the insured accurately.

In this way, the programs’ affordability is increased, and customers have more control over their premium programs. This helps insurance corporations to estimate accident damages more accurately and reduce fraud. The acquired info can also be used to create new UBI products that are refined and more individual.

Nowadays, at the time of the worldwide pandemic, organizations and their customer are looking for cheaper options. Telematics can help with this issue, so the underwriters can offer unique programs for auto insurance, homeowners, and life insurance.

1. Telematics Auto Insurance

Coverage programs based on the behavior input attained from the devices installed in the car. These devices can track the driver’s performance and calculate possible risks. They take into account every aspect, from speed to the length of the road trips.

2. Telematics for Homeowners Insurance

Telematics devices can be used to create refined programs for homeowners. Additional tracking devices and apps can be installed in the houses to increase the security level and provide better protection.

The organization can come up with individual coverage policies for its customers, thus making them more cost-effective.

3. Telematics Life Insurance

Life coverage programs can also be personalized with the help of wearables and IoT to get more suitable premium offers. Tracking tools can help collect behavior data and help the organization create personalized offers for its customers.

The issues that the companies might experience are connected with the implementation of the devices and data analyses. How can companies overcome these hurdles? Who is there to help them? There should one additional department or third-party involved in the process.

Telematics Insurance Industry: Who Can Help You to Create New Programs?

If an underwriter wants to create new programs for its customers based on telematics data, it should work with the insurance telematics development provider.

This niche is new, so the technologies and solutions will constantly change and develop. The organization should find a reliable partner for cooperation who has vast experience in the underwriting field and will help you build the best solutions.

Healthcare Telematics Challenges Faced by Insurance Companies

Although telematics programs have many advantages for underwriting organizations, there are still some challenges that need the right solutions. UBI programs use highly tentative info that raises privacy issues.

Another challenge concerns the cost spent on the devices that track user habits and resources that examine the statistics. UBI programs need technologies that gather and sensitize the data. As the area is rather new, it is not 100% clear on selecting and interpreting the input. The usage of new technologies means changing the existing programs and their price structure. The businesses should think of new ways to maintain the profit or refine the programs they offer.

Apart from this, it can be challenging to implement new coverage programs as they need to be allowed by the state. Their programs need to be approved by the authorities and suit the regulatory requirements.

What is Telematics Car Insurance?

The telematics in car coverage means using additional devices and tools that can track the driver’s performance on the road.

These devices are also known as “black box”. Underwriting organizations use UBI tools to see how risky the driver is and create individual insurance quotes based on the driving style.

Young and inexperienced drivers can benefit a lot from this type of protection.

Pros and Cons of Telematics Insurance for the Customers

Telematics is gaining popularity among the customers of underwriting corporations. Thanks to the latest technologies, the prices for the underwriting premium programs can be reduced. The customers will get personalized offers from insurance businesses and have more control over the programs.

One of the major drawbacks of telematics programs is the cost. Implementation and maintenance require additional resources. Thus the customers might pay more for the program, but it is a worthy investment in the future.

Intellectsoft is where you can find experienced developers and the latest technologies to help your business grow and prosper. Use innovations and up-to-date solutions to empower your company and create an efficient user experience.

Do you need support to survive the rigorous competition? Get in touch with our team and find out more information. We know how to make technologies work for the good of your company.

The post Telematics Insurance: Advantages, Challenges, and Use Cases appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

Apple Airtags

In short, the new device is going to be a tracking tile, much like a Tile Tracker, but using U1 (ultra-wideband) chip technology to provide ultimate accuracy. In contrast to common Bluetooth trackers, the U1 chip will make it possible to pinpoint the exact location of an AirTag.

The new product will be deeply integrated with Apple devices, making it easy to track lost items on your iPhone or iPad. All you will need to do is to attach the tile tracker to your keys, passport, bag, or even a child’s toy – and you will be able to locate the object accurately.

Possible Design Concept Leaked

The latest concept was revealed by Front Page Tech, describing a product as a tiny, circular white tag. Some say an Apple logo will be on the front, while others believe it will be a blank white front and a silver metal back with a logo. Plus, the new trackers are ‘just a little bit bigger than a bottle cap.’

Despite not having a lot of info about the possible design, we may know two things for sure. One: It is Apple, so the design will probably be minimalistic and extraordinary. Two: Apple does everything to stand out and differentiate themselves from square-shaped Tile trackers.

Conspicuous Features the Tracker May Include

Not only has Apple been working on making tracking as accurate as possible with UWB technology, but it is also believed to be integrating AR features into the new tracking tag. The rumor has it, and AR technology may appear as an air balloon floating above the pinpoint location of an item you attach to a new tag.

How Will Apple Airtags Work?

The new tile tracker will more likely be easily paired with your iPhone by just keeping it close to your device, the way AirPods are connected. They won’t need an Internet connection, while all the location data will be transmitted with UWB technology’s help. In addition to this, as this new tracker device will be completely integrated with iOS, one will enjoy the opportunity to use and control an Airtag with Find My app.

How Will Airtags Work With Tracking Items?

As expected, a new tile tracker will be easily attached to an item you want to track, whether it’s a purse, a wallet, or keys. What is more, since the AirTag is connected to your iPhone device, you will receive alerts when your phone gets too far from a tracker. For example, if you have attached a tracking tile to a wallet and say, left it on the table in a cafe, and start walking away from it (having your phone with you), you’ll get an instant notification on your phone.

What Will Happen if I Lose an Item that Has an Airtags?

In case you lose an item with a tag attached to it, you’ll instantly receive an alert on your Apple device. By accessing a Find My app, you will then be able to click on the button so that a tile tracker will start producing a loud sound. If a lost item isn’t too far away, you’ll be able to locate it by just hearing the sound.

Will Airtags Still Work if My Item Is Far Away?

They surely will. If an item is far away and can’t be pinpointed, you may switch it into Lost Mode. This way, any other iPhone owner walking by your lost item will be able to see your contact info and reach you by texting or calling to inform you about an item they’ve come across.

Will I Be Able to Set Boundaries for AirTags?

Certainly yes, as no one would like to be alerted every single time they go to another room in a house. You can select individual Safe Locations settings so that you’ll get notifications only if a tile tracker isn’t located within the selected safe area.

Will There Be Sounds?

The tag itself will probably have sounds, so it will be useful if a tag isn’t located too far away. What is more, it’s likely that the sounds will be transmitted through Find My app. For instance, when you get closer to the item, you’ll receive a particular encouraging sound, or vice versa, if you drift away from a tile, you’ll get a more depressing alert.

Will There Be a Replaceable Battery?

The new device is expected to have a replaceable coin-shaped battery, the same as Tile Pro has. You will be able to unscrew the back of the tracker and take out the battery to swap it for the new one. Such a battery isn’t rechargeable, so you’ll probably need to change it annually.

AirTags Rumor List

Let’s sum up what we know for sure –  Apple is working on a cutting-edge tile tracker. It’s likely to be awesome as any Apple device. However, as usual, all the info we’ve known so far is just the tip of the iceberg. So, here are the top 5 rumors you should know about.

Rumor: Battery

Japanese website Mac Otakara leaked info that Apple tile trackers may be charged with the magnetic wireless technology similar to Apple Watch. This seems a bit controversial to other rumors saying that the battery won’t be rechargeable, so let’s hope we’ll soon find out the truth.

Rumor: Waterproof

The same Japanese resource Mac Otakara claims that there’s some evidence to say an Apple tile tracker will be waterproof. If it turns out to be real, this is definitely a way to win over Tile Pro.

Rumor: Setup Process

According to the leaked screenshots, and Apple tile tracker will be easily integrated with the new version of Find My app. To ‘Set Up New Tag,’ you’ll just need to bring it close to your iPhone, similar to how you connect AirPods. Then within a second, you’ll be able to ‘Add’ a new item to your Find My app and track its location through the application.

Rumor: Tag Design

Since June 2019, tons of rumors started circulating regarding the possible Apple innovation – a tile tracker. The question that instantly arose was, ‘What will the new device look like?’ Gathering all the rumors we’ve heard so far, we are really likely to see a revolutioning tile tracker that will be circle-shaped rather than square.

Rumor: What The Tag Can Track

So in case a new tile tracker will have a replaceable battery, you will be able to clip them onto several things: from your car keys to your passport, from your kid’s backpack to their favorite toy. As it is going to be integrated with your Apple devices, you will be able to monitor an item’s location via Find My app.

Apple AirTags Price and Release Date

So as we’ve mostly heard everything on the grapevine regarding Apple’s new tile tracker, there’s still no exact release date nor the price. However, the rates of similar products, like Tile Pro, range from $25 to $35. We hope Apple will find a way to make their product a bit more affordable, especially in case a person would like to purchase several tags.

As to the release date, according to the latest info, Apple tile trackers may have been launched by the end of 2020. Probably, they’ll shed some light on AirTags alongside the release of the iPhone 12 in October.

The post Apple’s Latest Innovation: What Are Airtags? appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

Electronic medical records software (EMR) is the element of a digital transformation that is gaining popularity within the industry and professionals.

It brings advantages both for providers and patients. Now when data can be stored online rather than on paper, data storage and exchange have become easier thus facilitating the work of medical personnel.

What Is an Electronic Medical Records Software?

Electronic medical records software (EMR) is a type of program that is designed for medical professionals, hospitals, private clinics, etc. EMR is a digital form of medical data storage. It has a number of features that allow medical professionals to keep all the patient’s medical records, electronic prescriptions, lab results, as well as to schedule appointments, communicate, etc.

EMR is a new way of storing data that makes it easier to find necessary information, as there is no need to go through paper records. Everything is kept in one place and can be accessed at any time needed. EMR system brings a lot of benefits, facilitates the work of medical professionals, and overall enhances the assistance.

Benefits of EMR Software for Medical Professionals and Patients

The usage of electronic medical records software solutions brings a number of benefits to both medical practitioners and patients. If you are looking for software for your business, here are the top benefits you get with an EMR system.

Digital transformation brings new tools and technologies at your disposal, so if you want to grow and prosper in the future, take advantage of the available tools to keep up with the evolving healthcare industry.

Benefits for Medical Professionals:

• Better storage management, there is no need to keep records on paper
• Unified data storage that gives access to the information whenever it is needed
• Data can be easily shared and transferred from one department to another
• Improved management, EMR allows seeing more patients during the day, reduce time on searching for necessary information, send/receive reports instantly, etc.
• Reduction of errors and misfiling
• Easier to track patient details
• An efficient way to store and track clinical documentation
• The improved process of patient billing
• Reduced time on getting lab reports
• Ability to provide treatment remotely with the help of telemedicine
• Better healthcare services

Benefits for Patients:

• Instantly provides necessary information on the patient’s medical history in case of emergencies
• No miscommunication, as medical professionals have all the records
• Better treatment and faster decision making
• Making appointments remotely
• Reduction of errors in personal health records

All the benefits listed above result in better service delivery, increased patients engagement, and decision making in case of emergencies.

Competitive Advantages of Using EMR Software

Taking into account the benefits that electronic medical records software solutions provide for the professionals and patients, we can sum up and eliminate the most prominent competitive advantages of these programs:

1. Optimization of medical records: EMR unifies all the records in one system, provides 24/7 access to the data, medical staff is able to view up-to-date information on the patient and quickly receive lab results, thus time on decision making is gradually reduced that can be helpful in times of emergencies.
2. Collaboration with patients:  medical staff can track patients’ progress and communicate with them 24/7. EMR allows hospitals to have live chats and video appointments, so, in some cases, treatment can be provided remotely.
3. Collaboration with multiple healthcare provides: EMR program enables hospitals and private clinics to build a network of institutions that can be involved in the process of treatment.

Common EMR Features that Must Be Included

Electronic medical records software vendors offer a customized approach to building EMR programs, but there is a number of features that are common across various institutions of the healthcare industry. Make sure you have all the necessary tools to provide high-quality services to your patients.

The list of the most common features includes:

• Patient portal: personal page of every patient treated at your establishment that contains personal data, all the medical records, information on allergies and immunizations, summaries, recent doctor visits, lab results, appointment scheduling, etc.
• Customized templates: EMR should contain templates of reports and charts that allow medical staff to create and store the patient’s medical records and documents
• Appointment scheduling: a program should allow both medical professionals and patients to schedule appointments online and check the available hours. This feature is quite useful as it saves a lot of time
• Reminders/alerts: the system can send out reminders to patients not to miss their appointment or to schedule the ones they need. It can also help medical staff to remember to check the patient’s results, not to forget about personnel meetings, etc.
• E-Prescriptions: allows sending prescriptions to patients and authorizing refills, directly communicating with pharmacies, and keeping a record of all the medications that have been prescribed
• Lab integration: enables doctors to receive laboratory results and make quicker decisions, as it saves a lot of time. Patients also will be able to check their results
• Billing management: system helps to create checks and bills for the patients, take payments, keep the record of payments, etc.

Types of Electronic Medical Records Software

Electronic medical records software vendors offer the following types of EMR software:

1. On-premise: EMR program that is installed on every computer in the public hospital or private clinic or launched from a local server. The updates cannot be installed remotely. The system cannot be integrated with other software, and data is available only within the practice’s office.
2. Cloud-based: the implementation of the system is easier and can be launched from the vendor’s server, it is constantly maintained and updated. Another great feature of cloud-based EMR is that it is scalable and easier to customize. Medical professionals and patients can access information anytime and anywhere with the Internet connection.
3. SaaS (Software-as-a-Service): a program that can be accessed via a web browser. It is stored on the vendor’s server. There is no need to buy a license as you use it on subscription bases. The system is maintained and supported by the vendor.

What’s the Difference Between EHR and EMR?

When investigating this topic, you might come across two terms: EHR (Electronic Health Records) and EMR. These two notions are usually used interchangeably, but they have slightly different meanings. So, what is the difference?

Electronic health records (EHR) software contains information about patients from multiple resources. It is an integration of two or more systems. For instance, hospitals and different lab systems create an EHR network.

Electronic medical records software (EMR) is a medical record of health-related information on the patient that is gathered, managed, and stored by one organization. So, different EMR systems, when integrated with each other, create an EHR network.

Which EMRs Meet Government Healthcare Regulations?

Electronic medical records software vendors and their products should meet certain government regulations established by CMS as this is a type of program that gathers tentative personal information. They should be strong, secure, and able to communicate/integrate with other systems.

So, if electronic medical records software, companies should test their system and get certificates that prove their systems are developed according to the government standards and regulations. They should submit the program to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology – Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) for testing.

Once the system is certified, ONC-ATCB continues to monitor it. When choosing the EMR system for your business, check whether the vendor provides a certified program. Otherwise, penalties can be imposed on you.

How to Find Electronic Medical Records Software Vendors?| The Guide

Before you start research on electronic medical records software vendors, you have to list a number of features you need in the program. It is an important point in the process, so it’s better to discuss it with your board and listen to your staff’s opinion. They might add valuable information and insights, so you choose the system that covers as many functions as possible and facilitates the work of your staff.

Then, you should think about the goals of EMR. They should be specific and make a difference for both professionals working in your organization and patients, measurable, relevant, attainable, and time-bound (set up deadlines so there are no pauses in the process and everything is done on time).

Decide whether you want the system to be installed on-premise, or you would rather use cloud or web-based deployment.

Next, provide research on available vendors who are capable of providing all the necessary features for your program. But you should consider all the reviews about the work of the system and check whether their system is certified and lives up to the government standards.

You can check certified vendors who have proven to be the best ones on the following websites here, here, and here.

In addition to this, check the information with your colleagues, ask about their experience with the EMR program, contact local medical societies for their recommendations, which can evaluate tools and resources.

Design RFI (Request for Information) to ask for the information from vendors about their services and products. You should learn in detail about the vendor, how they implement the system and their training models, how they will support the system after it is installed, as well as know about health information exchange capabilities, MU (Meaningful Use) guarantee, estimated costs, etc.

Compare the data received from RFI and narrow down the list of vendors you would like to test.

The next step is to schedule demonstrations with a number of vendors to test-drive their EMR system and communicate face-to-face with the vendor’s team. Make sure there are all the necessary features for your organization, practice management features, etc.

And finally, ask for the list of providers who have implemented the vendor’s program in order to collect their references. This will help you to make your final decision on the vendor of the EMR program for your business.

The List of Questions to Ask EMR Vendors Before the Start

• In order to miss anything important, consider the following questions to ask vendors before you make a deal.
• How long does the implementation process take?
• How do you train the medical staff?
• Is it possible to add customized features? At what costs?
• Does the software work on both desktop and mobile devices?
• Does the EMR software integrate with other systems?
• How often is the system updated? Will it influence the work of the software when 24/7 access is needed?
• How will data be migrated from the previous system? Does it cost additional fees?
• How do you keep the system secure?

How Can an EMR System Benefit Your Medical Business?

Implementation of the EMR system brings numerous advantages for businesses in the medical industry. EMR can speed up physician diagnoses and administrative task management (that make up around 30% of healthcare costs). Thus it saves time and costs spent on different operations.

Besides, this system improves patient appointment scheduling and makes it possible to see more patients during the day. It is easier to pull out the necessary information and make decisions faster, especially in emergency cases.

In general, EMR programs enhance assistance, organizes the workflow, and simplifies daily tasks. Thus, medical staff can do more in less time.

How Does an EMR Improve the Quality of Care for Patients?

Medical businesses and professionals are not the only ones that benefit from EMR systems. Patients also can enjoy numerous perks, thanks to this type of program.

EMR software brings customer satisfaction with the services to a higher level as it improves customer engagement and provides transparency.

Patients are in control of the situation, have all the necessary information in their personal accounts, can schedule appointments online whenever they need to see a doctor. The system makes sure all the patients receive their lab results as it is constantly updated.

Another important advantage that improves the quality of healthcare aid is that medical professionals can give online consultations, and there are support services that can provide necessary information 24/7.

Thanks to the implemented solutions, the EMR system improves the quality of help for the patients.

How Much Does Electronic Medical Records Software Cost Today?

The cost of EMR program implementation and maintenance varies from vendor to vendor. It is important to check all the information about the costs beforehand in order to be charged additional fees and make estimations for your budget.

Electronic medical records companies take the upfront cost for the program installation that can be between $25000 and $35000. This will depend on the type of system you choose (on-premise or cloud-based).

Once the system is set up, you will need it to be updated and supported, so there will be some recurring costs to keep on the run. These costs can vary from $4000 to $8000 per month. Apart from this, there can be some hidden costs for program integration with other systems, customization, storage, etc.

Additionally, you should think about the license for the system, whether you want to buy it one-time (the costs can be from $1200 to $500000 and up) or pay for it on a subscription basis (from $200 to $35000) and pay for it every month.

Electronic Medical Records Software Solutions Make It Easier

Choosing the right EMR program for your organization and its implementation is not an easy process, but it should have suitable solutions to facilitate and enhance your services. Vendors should offer such solutions as:

• Patient accounts: the account should contain all the necessary information, including personal data, lab results, allergies, immunizations, medical history, recent appointments, etc.
• Administrative management: every medical professional should be able to perform certain operations within the system (creating personal files, filing reports, sharing data, etc.). It should have appointment scheduling and reminders both for medical staff and patients.
• ePrescriptions: generate digital prescriptions, send them to pharmacies and patients.
• Billing: track all evaluation and management codes, created electronic invoices.
• Lab results: create digital requests for lab work, medical tests, consultations, etc.

All these solutions should be provided by the vendor, so the medical organization of any type is capable of covering the essential needs and delivering high-quality services to its patients.

Psychiatry Electronic Medical Records Software

Electronic medical records software solutions can be designed specifically for certain types of hospitals. Here is the list of the best EMR applications for the Psychiatry field:

1. AdvancedMD
2. Kareo Clinical
3. DrChrono
4. CounSol.com
5. TheraNest

The List of Mental Health Electronic Medical Records Software

1. 10to8
2. Mend
3. Power Diary
4. EpicCare
5. MyClientsPlus

Top Hospital Electronic Medical Records Software

1. Deputy
2. 10to8
3. BestoSys
4. 75health
5. Clearwave

The Best Behavioral Health Electronic Medical Records Software

1. NueMD
2. Speedy Claims
3. AntWorks Healthcare
4. Sevocity
5. RXNT

What to Expect in 2021?

Digital transformation has just begun, and we will experience a lot of changes in the upcoming future as technologies and solutions continuously evolve. We already have quite a standardized image of the EMR program, but many of its solutions need to be refined to make healthcare help even better.

Here are some of the trends in the EMR system development that might go through the most remarkable changes:

• Accessibility: it can be easier to access stored data from any available devices, thanks to IoT.
• Integration and Data Migration: there will be more solutions for integrating different systems and data migration from previous systems to the new ones, as it is quite an issue. Hospitals store large amounts of data, and it is impossible to transfer it manually without any mistakes.
• Enhancement of Search Engines: thanks to such tech solutions as ML and AI, it will be easier to find the necessary information in a data-heavy environment.
• Scalability/Adaptability: the developers will pay much attention to creating scalable and adaptable systems that can be easily updated in the future as technologies continue to develop.

Intellectsoft offers high-quality assistance in the design and development of various kinds of healthcare IT solutions. By referring to us, you can be sure the solution provided will serve you long, integrate into your digital ecosystem successfully, and manage the data accurately.EMR

We empower companies and their workforce with cutting-edge transformative solutions and data-driven insights. Are you and your organization ready to shift the mindsets and get the most out of innovations?

Talk to our experts and find out more about the topic and how your business or project can start benefiting from it today!

The post Electronic Medical Records Software Solutions Bring the Future to Healthcare Industry appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

That is why we’ll provide you with a fresh perspective on legacy software modernization, so that you agency will no longer feel constrained by the old technology dragging behind. Feel free to check the modern insurance software solutions to boost your company’s efficiency, profitability, and safety through innovative digital transformation technologies.

What Is Legacy Software?

You may often hear a term ‘old’ or ‘outdated, when dealing with the definition of ‘legacy software’.

However, we’d prefer to paraphrase Gartner’s IT Dictionary and define it as a software that is no longer compatible with the new technology and tools you’re using.

As a result, such software is blocking a company, or a business from reaching its best potential by putting a spoke in their wheel. Whether the existing systems are difficult to maintain, support, integrate with other tools, or make the user experience worse – it means one thing only. Such legacy software needs to be updated.

Why Insurance Agencies Really Need a System Update? 

Old systems for billing, policy administration, claims and underwriting –  are just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to keeping your firm on point.

Nowadays, IT has long become a vital factor influencing the internal and external success of your company. The insurance industry isn’t an exception becoming strongly dependable on technologies.

Still, surprisingly lots of firms are stuck with antiquated tools that both increases the costs and lowers customers’ satisfaction.

That is why, here are the three main reasons why your firm needs an update:

1. To Boost User Experience. It’s just obvious. If the majority of your users prefer mobile devices, and your company hasn’t got a user-friendly mobile version of a website. It’s truly bad news. Not to mention, the need for ultimate personalization of the content.
2. To Secure Clients’ Data. Working with insurance claims, one needs to have all the data securely protected. So in case your old-fashioned system is easy to be hacked, your clients won’t appreciate the leakage.
3. To Meet Business Needs. To have your business thriving you need to meet the market demand that  is having scalable and cutting-edge software.

An insurance agency may choose among three options of legacy software modernization that will best suit its requirements:

• Migrate to a modern packaged application

Updating can be quite pricey, so some firms just can’t handle it. However, there’s a solution to replace the existing old system with a three- or four-tier packaged software. So you receive a modern tool for your core operations and save a buck.

• Add new functionality to the old system

If you can’t replace the outdated application altogether, you can modernize it by adding new features (sales tracking, analytics, access and share data, etc.) that are critical to meet the modern needs.

• Migrate to a modern language and runtime environment

This is the most time-consuming and pricey option, though if a mainframe can’t be replaced, and it’s not enough to just add some new capabilities, this is the only solution.

A Three-Step Guide to Legacy Software Modernization in Insurance

1. Identify Systems Weak Spots First 

Before getting down to modernization itself, one needs to scrupulously examine their system for weaknesses. It will involve architecture audit, code review, and performance testing. Only by identifying the problems, you can outline a strategic plan for the update.

2. Proceed With Core Modernization Steps 

Generally, there are some essential procedures needed for almost any outdated system. They include refactoring, cloud-based integration, and reverse-engineering. Refactoring is about making the existing system simpler and more systematized.

Cloud-based integration is indispensable these days to keep all the data structured and analyzed. Finally, reverse-engineering involves looking for undocumented features of a software. It sheds the light on the structures and systems in a need of an update.

3. Unlocking Endless Opportunities 

Each step of modernization will open the doors to the next one by offering endless IT opportunities for your insurance agency.

COBOL Modernization

COBOL is a legacy code language that makes the antiquated systems increasingly costly to support. Companies have difficulty finding relevant IT specialists with experience in COBOL technology. This is because such professionals are in short supply, and they begin to retire.

The COBOL is an old language making it a rare technology. Thus the COBOL skilled workers receive higher salaries for legacy system transformation and database administration. That’s why the cost to support the outdated applications are higher than for modern technologies.

Moreover, with the old technologies, the business can experience difficulty accessing and interpreting data. Without adequate system and data documentation or the proper experience identifying required data, companies’ IT staff will struggle to migrate the data required in a timely fashion, delaying the rollout of new applications.

In a Nutshell

We, at Intellectsoft, empower companies and their workforce with cutting-edge transformative solutions and data-driven insights. Are you and your organization ready to shift the mindsets and get the most out of innovations?

Talk to our experts and find out more about the topic and how your business or project can start benefiting from it today!

The post Why Insurance Industry in Dire Need of Effective Legacy Software Modernization appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

According to Deloitte, the overall spending on healthcare is expected to grow by the year 2023. And after the lockdown experience, the demand for healthcare software development solutions has also increased.

In the new reality, the majority of medical organizations lack experience in working with healthcare software solutions. For this reason, we’ve collected everything you need to know about healthcare software development and provided recommendations to help your company or organization benefit from the new rules.

Healthcare Software Development Definition

In essence, healthcare software development covers the huge amount of activities directed on solving the problems within organizations in the healthcare sector and the relations between caregivers and patients. The industry involves clinical services, hospitals, medical equipment providers, financing for medicine, and research centers.

Software development for healthcare systems establishes an entire ecosystem where healthcare services gain higher quality and accuracy.

This technological innovation comes in the form of machine learning, Big Data, and e-health and creates an opportunity to enhance patient experience and equipment involved.

The Typology of Healthcare Software Development

1. Medical Practice Management Software. This technology is requested for maintaining clinical workflow and optimizing everyday operations. It assists in keeping medical records, setting appointments, managing finances, and accounting activities.
2. Electronic Health Record Software. The design allows the maintenance and management of patient data in electronic records. The reports stored include information about allergies, laboratory conclusions, medical history of a patient, and demographic statistics.
3. E-Prescribing Software. It’s the technology that allows sending medical prescriptions directly to drug stores and pharmacies. It strengthens the connections within the healthcare industry and serves the patient comfort, among all.
4. Urgent Care. This healthcare software category unites numerous apps that help patients get emergency aid without attending the doctor’s office.
5. Hospital Management Software. This set of technologies optimizes hospital management. These solutions assist in billing, assigning insurance, managing patient information, and administrative work.
6. Healthcare CRM. This software type works with customer management. The main task is to maintain better relations with clients — meaning better care quality, contact management, and accurate performance reports.

What Do Healthcare Software Development Companies Do

The greater demand for technological solutions in the medical sphere caused the appearance of narrow-specialized healthcare software development companies.

They offer assistance to non-governmental organizations, hospitals, and medical schools through a wide set of optimization services. At the same time, the requested enhancement range calls for finding a truly reliable software development partner.

From the standpoint of medical institutions, the reason to introduce IT solutions is mostly cost-oriented. Among all, a hired software development company should solve the task of greater financial efficiency through cost optimization.

And here, the technologies can provide data to control financial KPIs, emergency analytics, and client behavior. With these parameters, the spending on healthcare software development company becomes justified.

3 types of service that healthcare software development companies offer:

1. Healthcare software — all the technologies aimed at assisting data management and improving the care quality,
2. Healthcare apps — the mobile solutions for tracking and communication on health state,
3. Custom solutions — task-oriented software or a mobile solution designed specifically on the customer request.

Healthcare software development companies mainly focus on task-oriented solutions — to provide the most accurate result and ensure client satisfaction. Nevertheless, the highest aim of any technological introduction is to establish an all-in-one healthcare ecosystem. And so, a high-end software development company always offers a comprehensive set of services for healthcare organizations — involving IT consulting, mobile/web development, cloud technologies, and IT outsourcing.

While there is still a lot of uncertainty and challenges around the digital transformation in the Healthcare Industry, our expertise allows us to consider a variety of technologies, use cases, and solutions for a software consultancy.

Intellectsoft has strong domain expertise for advising the right solutions to solve particular business challenges and avoid pitfalls while delivering and deploying them. Find these and other answers to your questions by getting in touch with our healthcare experts.

What Is a Custom Healthcare Software Development

Healthcare institutions are different and offer various solutions. That’s why custom healthcare software development appeared as a customized solution to the needs of a client. Among various advantages, it can help medical entities establish a unified platform for storing medical information. As a result, each applicant can get results of higher inclusiveness, performance, and scalability.

In general, clients request custom healthcare software development when they need a specific solution to one of these problems:

• Optimizing the work with patient records
• Facilitating communication between caregivers and patients
• Ensuring the smooth formation and interchange of individual health plans and strategies
• Providing a better accuracy of diagnoses
• Cutting extra expenses

If you have any of these requests, you can request a custom solution.

Nearshore Software Development for Healthcare

When it comes to the specifics of the software development healthcare industry, it’s better to work under a cost-effective nearshore model.

Among all, this approach allows reaching the top developers and disregard the distance limits to a certain extent. Moreover, each country has different economic conditions, enabling healthcare clients to choose among various pricing models. Moreover, the nearshore solution accelerates the requested technological change.

While choosing the exact nearshore partner for your healthcare software, ensure this provider has these abilities:

• To protect intellectual property
• To ensure the safety of your app
• To give you real value-for-money
• To overcome the cultural differences caused by a distant business environment

The Specifics of Healthcare Software Application Development

In the sphere of healthcare, software developers dedicate significant attention to creating user-friendly and attractive apps. In the contemporary smartphone-obsessed world, the development focus on mobile apps had nothing but show up.

With this solution, the list of exact areas for improvement may include an appointment system, a platform for laboratory control, and a mobile nutrition app. However, the exact appearance and number of features depending on the sophistication of the design and the concrete needs of the client.

Reaching smartphone functions enriches the quality of medical service an app can provide. In particular, mobile healthcare apps’ features can include GPS navigation to the hospital, push notifications about the upcoming medical examination, and file sharing through electronic libraries.

The classification for medical apps includes such groups of solutions:

• For doctors — automation of medicine prescriptions, patient visits, and personnel communication
• For patients — options to make online appointments, get laboratory results, and get push notifications
• For clinics — control over finances and equipment, service quality, and data flow
• For self-care — fitness and nutrition tracking apps to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle
• For health control — the set of mobile health applications that assist in tracking the main body parameters and treatment progress

What Are the Advantages of Healthcare Apps

Among the benefits top healthcare apps offer, medical organizations become able to guarantee the improved quality of service and boost client satisfaction. In particular, software solutions include electronic recording, enterprise content management (ECM), various kinds of CRM, and patient portals.

All these tools provide the digital playgrounds for communicating complaints and suggestions, suggestions, resulting in greater transparency and instant responses to problems that occur. Here is the list of concrete advantages custom healthcare software development has:

1. Better synchronization and awareness of health system for building individual patient plans
2. Wellness-centered approach
3. Meeting the growing demand for virtual health service
4. Improving the accuracy of treatment
5. Ability to address the problems of population health
6. Increasing consumer engagement
7. Improving security and control management of essential data
8. Getting access to the advanced technologies and alternative revenue sources they promise

Software Development Life Cycle for Healthcare

The specifics of the healthcare calls for adjusting software development practices for its needs. Here are the common steps for leading medical software development process:

1. Requirements setting: collecting all the information around the healthcare organization to determine the needs to address
2. Prototype development: conducting assessments and gathering details to propose a raw solution
3. Design and programming: establishing a technological solution
4. Software testing: verifying the absence of errors, bugs, and other problems
5. Final adjustments: validating the software solution and delivering it to a healthcare institution

If your task is to create a custom healthcare software, the action plan slightly changes:

1. Select the target audience — identify the tastes, preferences, and typical behavior of clients
2. Sketch the software architecture — establish the detailed idea of healthcare IT solutions that meets the needs and demands of your target audience
3. Elaborate UI/UX design — the customized solution requires closer attention to usability and intuitiveness of an app
4. Protect the technology — involve encryption for data protection
5. Integrate the software — the customized solution is always a part of the IT infrastructure of an institution

What’s the Future of Software Development in Healthcare

According to Deloitte, the future of the healthcare sector is in working towards prevention and early treatment, not in dealing with symptoms of diseases. In this dimension, healthcare custom software development deepens this progress by creating space for open communication between patients and doctors. In the near future, we will witness the greater trust and effectiveness of the medical service provided.

This direction especially strengthens the human-centered approach in healthcare, meaning dedicating the huge effort to create value. In this case, patient portals are very promising. They link numerous advantages of solutions in the area, including optimization of treatment plans, easy tracking of health progress, and availability of online professional consultations.

Moreover, these benefits lead to a value-based healthcare system. From the standpoint of business, this approach results in greater brand management, reputation increase, and better service delivery.

The key trends of software development in healthcare are:

1. Focus on self-care and online communication (via a patient portal, especially). People become more interested in maintaining healthy without medical involvement and staying in touch with their doctors remotely,
2. Involvement of blockchain innovation. This technology contributes to democratization in the sector significantly. Specifically, blockchain safely discloses internal operations, making the exchange more transparent, trustworthy, and collaborative.
3. Expanded EMR software. In the new reality, each medical record will become digital and link all the specialties separated currently.
4. Telemedicine. This innovation creates close remote connections between physicians and patients, eliminating all the traditional barriers between them.
5. AI. The technology increases the accuracy of diagnoses and treatment plans.

Even though the perspectives of healthcare IT solutions seem bright, there are still some shortcomings that may arise. Among all, the introduced software should dynamically meet safety concerns, since this challenge is one of the most common for contemporary digital solutions. Moreover, Big Data causes problems with its management — which is, again, a serious challenge for software maintenance.

How Can Intellectsoft Help You Overcome the Greatest Challenge in a Software Development Project in Healthcare

Intellectsoft offers high-quality assistance in the design and development of various kinds of healthcare software. By referring to us, you can be sure the solution provided will serve you long, integrate into your digital ecosystem successfully, and manage the data accurately.

We empower companies and their workforce with cutting-edge transformative solutions and data-driven insights. Are you and your organization ready to shift the mindsets and get the most out of innovations?

Talk to our experts and find out more about the topic and how your business or project can start benefiting from it today!

The post Healthcare Software Development: Ways Technology Is Changing Medical Sphere appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

Apple

iOS 14 Release Date

On June 22, 2020, iOS 14 was announced at WWDC 2020, but Apple representatives didn’t mention when it would officially launch, saying only that it would be this fall.

While we can’t predict the date for sure, we’re witnessing that iOS 14 reimagines the most iconic parts of the experience to be even more helpful and personal. This means you will be able to do more with your iPhones than ever before.

Here’s our comprehensive overview of upcoming enhancements and key features of iOS 14.

iOS 14 Features: App Clips

As creators describe the app experience themselves — an App Clip “is associated with a particular product or business, and loads within seconds to complete a specific task.”

The tasks range from buying a coffee to renting a car. To activate the App Clips customers is suggested to use one of the following ways:

1. By scanning a new
2. Through NFC tags and QR codes
3. Through shared in Messages or from Safari

Messenger: Quicker, Easier Conversations

Besides new Memoji in Messenger, there are a few more essential features to look at in upcoming updates:

• Pin important conversations to the top of the list to make sure you’re always staying connected with essential people

Apple

• Easily keep up with lively group threads through mentions and inline replies
• Conversation customization through adding a group image or emoji

Maps: New Environmentally Friendly Ways to Go

Maps present upgraded and easy ways to explore new places in your area. It becomes easier than ever to navigate and explore with new:

• Cycling directions
• Electric vehicle routing
• Curated Guides

Cycling directions count the route elevations, street traffic, and even stairs in your way. Electric vehicle routing maps charging stops and even types. Guides provide a list of interesting places to visit in your city.

Apple

Guides are a great way to discover hot new restaurants, find popular attractions, and explore new recommendations from respected brands, including AllTrails, Complex, The Infatuation, Time Out Group, and The Washington Post, among others.

Privacy: More Transparency and Control

All apps will now be required to obtain user permission before tracking.

Later this year, App Store product pages will feature summaries of developers’ self-reported privacy practices, displayed in a simple, easy-to-understand format.

Apple

Apple’s Exposure Notification System

In iOS 13.5, Apple has introduced an exposure notification API, which lets apps from public health authorities and governments worldwide help people figure out if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19. Moreover, it includes guides on how to minimize exposure.

Exposure notification has a self-explanatory name, and in a nutshell, the feature is designed to send you a notification if you’ve been in proximity to a person who is diagnosed with COVID-19.

Exposure Notification works on devices running both iOS 13 and iOS 14.

To access a list of all features, go here.

iOS 14 Supported Devices

iOS 14 is compatible with these devices:

• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone X
• iPhone 8
• iPhone 8 Plus
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone 6s
• iPhone 6s Plus
• iPhone SE (1st generation)
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• iPod touch (7th generation)

What’s Next?

The developer preview of iOS 14 is available to Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com starting today, and a public beta will be available to iOS users next month at beta.apple.com.

New software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 6s and later. Note that features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages.

We, at Intellectsoft, empower companies and their workforce with cutting-edge transformative solutions and data-driven insights. Are you and your organization ready to shift the mindsets and get the most out of innovations?

Talk to our experts and find out more about the topic and how your business or project can start benefiting from it today!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

F.A.Q.

When Is iOS 14 Coming Out?

While no one knows the exact date of the iOS 14 official launch, some predict it to be this autumn. iOS 14 was introduced at WWDC 2020 on June 22, 2020.

Will iPhone 6s Get iOS 14?

Yes, it will. iPhone 6s is in a list of devices iOS 14 is compatible with.

The post iOS 14 Preview: Key Features, Supported Devices, Release Date appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

One of the ways to enhance the efficiency of a company is the employment of an ERP software system. What is ERP? What are its key features, advantages, and are there any disadvantages?

What Is ERP? | A Detailed Guide to Enterprise Software

ERP stands for enterprise resource planning. It is a unified system of administrative and operational processes of the company.

This is a type of software that brings together multiple modules and departments of the company in one place. It facilitates the management system and cooperation between departments as they have access to the data they need whenever they need it.

ERP consists of multiple modules that automate the collection, storage, and usage of the information for the benefit of an enterprise. Usually, this type of software brings together the sales department, human resources, finance, manufacturing, etc.

Understanding of Enterprise Resource Planning

 Companies consist of several departments and business units that constantly communicate, interact, and share data while dealing with daily operations. Imagine that all the departments of the enterprise function as separate units, and the information is stored locally, so other departments have no access to it. This is a type of decentralized organization of workflow that adds some hurdles to the process management. For instance, the finance team needs some data about one of the employees.

First, they should contact the HR team and request this information. The HR team might ask a finance department employee to provide approval from the manager. Once the approval is obtained, the HR team has to duplicate the data stored in their database and share it with the finance team. Quite a time-consuming process, isn’t it?

Now, imagine that a company uses ERP. All the departments have access to the modules they might need to conduct their daily tasks. The finance employee enters the HR database and finds the required information. This is an easy example that will help us understand the core essence of the ERP system and its practical application. It facilitates work, saves time and money. So, this suite of software tools is used for task management related to:

• human resources
• bills
• expense management
• purchase orders
• project management
• invoicing
• stock management
• quotes
• asset management
• API access
• payment gateways
• dashboards
• detailed reports
• employee training information, etc.

Taking into account the provided statements and examples, how would you define ERP?

Concise Definition of Enterprise Resource Planning

Enterprise resource planning is a modular software solution that centralizes and stores the organization’s data, optimizes connectivity, and data sharing between departments of the enterprise.

It helps to create an end-to-end connection of all the business operations that run in the company, as well as associated with the third parties, such as vendors, outsources, and customers.

What Are the Types of ERP Systems?

Over the years of deployment, the ERP systems have developed and grown in their number. Nowadays, ERP software can be classified according to:

• a number of functions
• industry
• implementation process

Enterprise resource planning can be of generic type and specialized one. What does it mean?

The generic package of ERP software could be customized according to the needs of the business. For instance, you want a third party company to provide you with the ERP system. Their ERP already has a basic set of applications that can be used by any company, but you can add additional modules and expend the system for your personal business needs.

As for the specialized type of ERP, it is designed to serve in one particular industry and provide specific solutions. It can be a set of tools created to serve and enhance the operations for one industry.

Types of ERP by Industry: Who Needs It?

ERP software systems are useful in every industry. Thanks to a number of technologies that are available today, digitalization, impeccable connectivity between different organizations, the ERP systems become of great demand in particular industries, including:

• Construction
• Manufacturing and Distribution
• Healthcare
• Professional Services
• Hospitality
• Agriculture and Farming
• Retail
• Technology and Electronics
• Food and Beverage
• Education
• Nonprofit Organizations

ERP can be modified according to the needs of every industry, and various tools and applications can be added to it. The more modules the system has, the more operations it covers and automates them.

Types of ERP by Implementation

ERP software can also be categorized according to the type of implementation. Nowadays, there are three types of ERP according to implementation:

1. on-premise
2. cloud-based
3. hybrid

An on-premise type of software is installed in an in-house data center and is maintained by your IT team. In other words, the program is manually installed on the organization’s computers.

There is no need for an internet connection to get access to the information. Servers are owned by the company, so it has total control over the system. In this case, you will need to employ an IT team, who will take care of the software and constantly update it, as technologies change on a daily basis. Large corporations can consider this type of ERP implementation, as having a license for the program means having control over every module and aspect of the program.

Cloud-based ERP is one of the most popular types these days. Companies can purchase ERP software from third-party vendors on a monthly or annual basis.

There is no need to employ IT specialists, as the system will be maintained by the vendor. It also means that you will have limited control over the system, and you have to find a reliable vendor.

Cloud-based ERP gives a chance to access the data anytime and anywhere, you just need an internet connection.

Also, this type of implementation is considered to be cheaper in comparison with on-premise one. It can suit the needs of small businesses.

Hybrid ERP is a combination of on-premise one and cloud-based. It perfectly suits the needs of companies that occupy a specialized niche.

The cost of hybrid ERP maintenance depends on various factors. For instance, you already have an on-premise software system, but as your business grows and develops, you need to integrate new cloud-based modules. So, some of your data will be stored on-premise and another part on-cloud.

ERP providers offer different types of software for the companies depending on their size and number of operations they run.

Small Business ERP: What to Choose?

Small businesses usually specialize in one particular field, so the number of daily operations is rather low compared to other types of companies. There is no need to purchase an ERP full-package suit. The best option is to choose a specialized system that will have basic modules to suit your business requirements.

Also, small businesses should consider cloud-based ERP with a basic set of tools as it is cheaper to maintain, and there is no need to hire an in-house IT team. Cloud-based ones give you a chance to grow and expand in the future, and you don’t have to pay for unnecessary applications.

There are several ERP software systems available today to small businesses: Acumatica, Sage, Oracle NetSuite, etc.

Mid-Market ERP

 Mid-size companies have to automate a bigger number of operations in order to enhance the level of service efficiency. While the need for customization is minimal, the cloud-based software is worth considering.

The companies choose the functions they need, and a server provider helps with implementation and maintenance processes. Mid-size businesses can consider Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle NetSuite, or Oracle JD Edwards to centralize their data and set connectivity between multiple departments.

Enterprise ERP Examples

As for large enterprises, the best options might be on-premise or hybrid ERP systems. In addition to this, ERP should be generic and have a wide range of modules. The combination of two gives a chance to connect not only in-company departments but also to share information with remote branches.

For instance, a large IT company will be able to conduct its business overseas and send their specialists to the customer’s site. Thus, the employee works remotely and has access to the employer’s database and tools as well as customer’s modules. Enterprises might consider Oracle ERP Cloud, Oracle JD Edwards, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.

What Is the ERP Implementation Process?

The ERP implementation process means installing new software to run in your company or integrate it with the current one. The implementation process also means moving all the existing data to new software, configuring processes, and training your users on the software.

Other important aspects of the process are finding the right partner, choosing the best solution for your business needs to suit its requirements, and automating the majority of the operations.

What Is an ERP Disadvantage?

The usage and implementation of ERP system into the workflow of your company can have a number of drawbacks among which are:

• Prices: ERP consultants, server providers, in-house IT specialists, and software implementation costs a lot, and you have to be prepared for this. Companies should have a separate budget to launch and maintain ERP.
• Maintenance: as technologies develop, the system should be constantly updated and enhanced in order to maintain the level of compatibility of the company.
• Training and Education: it is important to train your employees and show them how to use the system (as it might be difficult). Always remember to notify your departments about new tools and functions added to the system, so there is no disruption in the daily operations.

Enterprise Resource Planning Process of Successful Implementation

In order to succeed in ERP implementation, you have to keep in mind the following tips:

1. Define your desired results: it is important to understand your business, what your processes are, and what you want to achieve in the future.
2. Do not automatically reuse old workflows: make sure you are not changing a like to like system.
3. Map all your business processes: create a clear business case.
4. Select the right solution and partner: make sure the solution suits your business needs, and your partner is capable of running the implementation process from end to end.
5. Make sure you have a long-term plan for your solution: think of the ways how to drive your business forward with the help of ERP.
6. Ensure you have executive-level support: it is important for every department to be involved in the process and create a perfect architecture for your business.
7. Assemble the right project team: choose the key players of the team to handle the implementation process.
8. Standardize the process and minimize developments: first, it is important to create and launch the basic functional suit. And once implemented successfully, think of the further enhancements.
9. Training: make sure you educate the employees and make it a priority.
10. Focus on getting the right data into the system: choose the right people to run the data and manage the migration process.

Enterprise Resource Planning Diagram

The following diagram demonstrates how ERP modules are connected:

What Is an Advantage of ERP?

Over the years, ERP software has proven to be an excellent tool for process automation and task management. It is widely used by companies that come from various industries as it has a number of advantages.

1. Unified system for all processes and business operations: the software allows you to automate business processes and stores all the data and records in one place that is available across all departments of the company.
2. Reduces costs: thus saves the money as it reduces administrative and operational costs, pro-actively manages operations because of automation.
3. Streamlines company operations and business processes.
4. Improves customer satisfaction: as the processes are automated, they run smoothly and allow timely delivery.
5. Flexibility: today, there are mobile ERP systems that suit digital transformation processes and can help you adjust to future trends.
6. Provides profound data analysis: analytical data reports will help your business respond to market trends and conditions faster.
7. Increases competitiveness: ERP is a powerful tool in terms of compliance, agility, and ability to expand, thus helps you to occupy the top positions in the industry.

What Is the Biggest Challenge of ERP Systems?

When taking a direction into the ERP system implementation, there can be several challenges that should be considered beforehand in order to run the process successfully:

• Finding the right solution
• Choosing a professional, experienced, and reliable partner
• Making sure that new software can be integrated with the current one
• Creating a clear and detailed plan

The good news is that all the challenges can be omitted or resolved if you work with your executives together and have one vision of your company’s future.

Core Business Value of ERP

 ERP is a multifunctional software tool that adds value to a business in a number of ways. The most prominent ones include:

• Cost savings and improved efficiency: increases productivity and efficiency due to the automation of the processes.
• Enhances collaboration: various departments, suppliers, vendors, outsourcers are all interconnected through the ERP system and have a shared database.
• Optimizes customer and partner management: stores and analyzes gathered insights, thus improves customer and partner management.

ERP is used to help businesses of different sizes in order to overcome operational challenges, provide better efficiency of the services, and correspond to the needs of the modern market.

Brief History of ERP

 The ERP system traces its roots from the manufacturing industry, where it was used for over 100 years. In the past, it was a paper-based system for production scheduling, and it was known as EOQ (economic order quality). The system was coined by Ford Whitman Harris at the beginning of the XXth century. Later, in 1964, the system was changed into MRP (material requirements planning) that united EOQ basic concepts and a mainframe computer.

The term “ERP” was introduced by the Gartner Group in the 1990s. It was coined in order to differentiate from MRP systems, as the business operations grew in numbers, and there was a need in the system that would unite multiple departments of the companies. First ERP systems were only on-premise as there was limited access to the internet and lack of technologies that help maintain ERP software nowadays. It was a costly investment, apart from license purchasing, companies had to adjust the software to their specific requirements.

At the beginning of the XXIst century, a cloud-based type of implementation was introduced and facilitated the deployment procedure. Today, software architecture is placed on the cloud server. A server provider takes care of the system updates and manages it. So, modern businesses do not need an inner-company IT team to maintain ERP.

ERP System Components

ERP systems have a set of common modules that suit companies in all fields. These components include:

• Human Resources: handles employee management tasks such as enrolment, offboarding, timesheets, and benefits administration. This module can automate payments calculation, thus reducing human error and time spent on monotonous tasks.
• Customer Relationships Management (CRM): stores and stacks generated customer and lead data, including customer buying habits. It will help you lead successful ads and store customer payment information, etc.
• Business Intelligence: this module is helpful with the issues related to data collection, analysis, and reports delivery.
• Supply Chain Management: the module that optimizes distribution and manufacturing operations and creates a flawless supply chain.
• Inventory Management System: keeps track of all the inventory of the company and automatically updates your website for the customers to know whether some products are out of stock. It is especially useful for organizations in the manufacturing field and the ones with distribution centers.
• Financial Management: analyzes and keeps track of the financial data of the company. It helps to control the enterprise’s budget, spent costs and received payments.

Some of the additional components are as follows:

• Marketing Resource Management
• Event Management
• Advanced Planning System
• Sales-Order Management
• Risk Management

Any other components can be added to the system per your requirements. The main issue here is to have a team of employees who are capable of creating and integrating new functions.

What Are Enterprise Resource Planning Systems?

Overall, ERP is a type of corporate software that helps companies create a centralized database. It consists of a number of modules that are related to different departments of the organization and can have sub-modules that are directed to complete one or a number of operations.

The data is stored in one place, and every department has open access to the records they need in order to complete their daily tasks. Depending on the type of ERP, it allows access to the data with or without an internet connection.

How Does an ERP System Work?

ERP software combines a number of modules and sub-modules that are interconnected with each other. Each module of the system is designed to serve one particular area of the business. It can have a number of sub-modules or tools to manage different tasks and projects.

Combined together, modules cover all the operations that run within the organization or are related to customers, vendors, or outsourcers. Usually, if there is a task created on ERP, employees from different departments can be added to this task to manage it and complete the request on time.

For instance, the customer contacts you to buy your product. A new order is added to the system, and all the departments involved in this process are notified, so everyone starts to work on their part of the request. Meanwhile, all the updates added to the request are saved, so employees have up-to-date information.

Usually, ERP consists of such modules as Human Resources, Sales, Finance, Logistics, Inventory. Other modules can be added to the system if your organization has specific needs and wants to automate certain operations.

How to Choose an ERP System for Your Company?

When choosing the right ERP software, you should take into consideration a number of aspects. Here is a list of useful tips for you to follow in order to successfully deploy ERP:

• Work with upper-management on this issue: it is important to take into account the processes that run in every department of the organization.
• List the requirements: before you start searching for the right vendor, create a list of clear and specified requirements together with your team, so you will not miss on the important parts and will have a full vision of what kind of software you need.
• Plan your budget: ERP is a big investment, so your company should be prepared for this and have a budget plan for every step.
• Choose flexible ERP: the system should be flexible as you might need to add new functions to it. Also, it should be adaptable to new technologies and compatible with your current software.
• Get a reliable provider: before choosing the one server provider, check the vendor history, cases of ERP implementation, ask for references as the whole procedure is costly, and requires professionals to succeed in this long-term cooperation.

Key Features of ERP Systems

ERP software can be characterized as:

• Centralized database: it comprises the data flow from all the departments of the company and stores it in one place.
• Modular: the system consists of a number of modules that are interconnected with each other.
• Flexible: the system can be upgraded according to the company needs by adding new modules, as well as some functions or tools, that can be removed in case they are not needed anymore.
• Automated: the main purpose of ERP is to automate manual processes and omit duplication of the information.
• Time and cost-effective: as the system automates operations, it saves time spent on a product or facility delivery as well as reduces costs.

Whether your organization belongs to the small-business group or it is already a huge enterprise, you should consider ERP as a helpful tool that might facilitate your operational processes, human resource and project management, etc.

The ERP software is very flexible, so it can always be tailored to your company needs and expanded as required. ERP is a long-term investment that pays off immediately. Efficiency is directly connected to time and money. ERP is a tool that helps companies reduce the time spent on daily operations, increase revenue, and enhance relationships with customers and vendors.

We, at Intellectsoft, empower companies and their workforce with cutting-edge transformative solutions and data-driven insights. Are you and your organization ready to shift the mindsets and get the most out of innovations?

Talk to our experts in enterprise development and find out more about the topic and how your business or project can start benefiting from it today!

The post What Is ERP & How Do Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Work: Benefits and Types of ERP appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.

With such a prognosis, the technology is predicted to step far ahead than anyone can possibly imagine. But with the rise in popularity of IoT devices, there will be a rise in IoT app development as well as security challenges and issues.

Source: Statista

In October 2016, a hacker found a vulnerability to a specific model of security cameras. Nearly 300,000 Internet of Things (IoT) video recorders started to attack multiple social network websites and brought down Twitter and other high-profile platforms for almost two hours. This attack is just an example of what can happen to IoT devices with poor security.

On October 2016, a hacker found a vulnerability on a specific model of security cameras. Nearly 300,000 Internet of Things (IoT) video recorders started to attack multiple social network websites and brought down Twitter and other high-profile platforms, for almost two hours.

This attack is just an example of what can happen to IoT devices with poor security.

It is not only video cameras, but anything with an internet connection, from a refrigerator, smart locks, thermostats, lightbulbs, vehicles, and even smart toys.

Using them always poses IoT security challenges and risks to overcome.

IoT Security Challenges

Now, it is not only us with our computers, but there are also “things” that interact with the Internet without our intervention. These “things” are continually communicating with the Internet, a fridge sending an update of the food inside or our vehicle transmitting messages to the mechanic to inform its oil levels.

IoT is wonderful in many ways. But unfortunately, technology has not matured yet, and it is not entirely safe. The entire IoT environment, from manufacturers to users, still have many security challenges of IoT to overcome, such as:

• Manufacturing standards
• Update management
• Physical hardening
• Users knowledge and awareness

Top IoT Security Risks

Returning to what happened in 2016, the lack of compliance on the part of IoT manufacturers led to weak and unprotected passwords in some IoT video cameras, which, in turn, led to one of the most damaging botnet attacks, the Mirai malware. There are many IoT security threats, but we will be highlighting the most important.

The following security issues with IoT can be classified as a cause or effect.

1) Lack of Compliance on the Part of IoT Manufacturers

New IoT devices come out almost daily, all with undiscovered vulnerabilities.

The primary source of most IoT security issues is that manufacturers do not spend enough time and resources on security.

For example, most fitness trackers with Bluetooth remain visible after the first pairing, a smart refrigerator can expose Gmail login credentials, and a smart fingerprint padlock can be accessed with a Bluetooth key that has the same MAC address as the padlock device.

This is precisely one of the biggest security issues with IoT. While there is a lack of universal IoT security standards, manufacturers will continue creating devices with poor security. Manufacturers that started to add Internet connection to their devices do not always have the “security” concept as the crucial element in their product design process.

The following are some security risks in IoT devices from manufacturers:

1. Weak, guessable, or hard-coded passwords
2. Hardware issues
3. Lack of a secure update mechanism
4. Old and unpatched embedded operating systems and software
5. Insecure data transfer and storage

A smart thermostat

2) Lack of User Knowledge & Awareness

Over the years, Internet users have learned how to avoid spam or phishing emails, perform virus scans on their PCs, and secure their WiFi networks with strong passwords.

But IoT is a new technology, and people still do not know much about it. While most of the risks of IoT security issues are still on the manufacturing side, users and business processes can create bigger threats. One of the biggest IoT security risks and challenges is the user’s ignorance and lack of awareness of the IoT functionality. As a result, everybody is put at risk.

Tricking a human is, most of the time, the easiest way to gain access to a network. A type of IoT security risk that is often overlooked is social engineering attacks. Instead of targeting devices, a hacker targets a human, using the IoT.

Social engineering was used in the 2010 Stuxnet attack against a nuclear facility in Iran. The attack was directed to industrial programmable logic controllers (PLCs), which also fall into an IoT device category. The attack corrupted 1,000 centrifuges and made the plant explode. It is believed that the internal network was isolated from the public network to avoid attacks, but all it took was a worker to plug a USB flash drive into one of the internal computers.

3) IoT Security Problems in Device Update Management

Another source of IoT security risks is insecure software or firmware. Although a manufacturer can sell a device with the latest software update, it is almost inevitable that new vulnerabilities will come out.

Updates are critical for maintaining security on IoT devices. They should be updated right after new vulnerabilities are discovered. Still, as compared with smartphones or computers that get automatic updates, some IoT devices continue being used without the necessary updates.

Another risk is that during an update, a device will send its backup out to the cloud and will suffer a short downtime. If the connection is unencrypted and the update files are unprotected, a hacker could steal sensitive information.

4) Lack of Physical Hardening

The lack of physical hardening can also cause IoT security issues. Although some IoT devices should be able to operate autonomously without any intervention from a user, they need to be physically secured from outer threats. Sometimes, these devices can be located in remote locations for long stretches of time, and they could be physically tampered with, for example, using a USB flash drive with Malware.

Ensuring the physical security of an IoT device begins from the manufacturer. But building secure sensors and transmitters in the already low-cost devices is a challenging task for manufacturers nonetheless.

Users are also responsible for keeping IoT devices physically secured. A smart motion sensor or a video camera that sits outside a house could be tampered with if not adequately protected.

5) Botnet Attacks

A single IoT device infected with malware does not pose any real threat; it is a collection of them that can bring down anything. To perform a botnet attack, a hacker creates an army of bots by infecting them with malware and directs them to send thousands of requests per second to bring down the target.

Much of the uproar about IoT security began after the Mirai bot attack in 2016. Multiple DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks using hundreds of thousands of IP cameras, NAS, and home routers were infected and directed to bring down the DNS that provided services to platforms like GitHub, Twitter, Reddit, Netflix, and Airbnb.

The problem is that IoT devices are highly vulnerable to Malware attacks. They do not have the regular software security updates that a computer has. So they are quickly turned into infected zombies and used as weapons to send incredibly vast amounts of traffic.

What is more, a botnet can pose a security threat for electrical grids, manufacturing plants, transportation systems, and water treatment facilities, which can threaten big groups of people. For example, a hacker could trigger a cooling and heating system at the same time, creating spikes on the power grid; in case of a big-scale attack, hackers can create a nation-wide power outage.

6) Industrial Espionage & Eavesdropping

If hackers take over surveillance in at location by infecting IoT devices, spying might not be the only option. They can also perform such attacks to demand ransom money.

Thus, invading privacy is another prominent IoT security issue. Spying and intruding through IoT devices is a real problem, as a lot of different sensitive data may be compromised and used against its owner.

On a basic level, a hacker might want to take over a camera and use it for spying. Still, one should not forget that many IoT devices record user information, whether it is health equipment, smart toys, wearables, etc. On an industrial level, a company’s big data that can be collected by hackers to expose sensitive business information.

Some countries are starting to ban specific IoT devices with security problems. For example, the interactive IoT doll with a Bluetooth pin, which gave access to the toy’s microphone and speaker to anyone within the 25-30 meter radius. The doll was labeled as an espionage device and was banned in Germany.

7) Highjacking Your IoT Devices

Ransomware has been named as one of the nastiest malware types ever existed. Ransomware does not destroy your sensitive files — it blocks access to them by way of encryption. Then, the hacker who infected the device will demand a ransom fee for the decryption key unlocking the files.

Here is how a ransomware notice looks like:

Ransomware is evolving, and IoT devices with poor security can become targets as well.

Just before the Trump inauguration speech, about 70% of the Washington DC surveillance cameras were infected with ransomware, leaving the police without the ability to record for several days.

The cases of IoT devices being infected with ransomware are rare, but the concept is quickly becoming a trend in the black hat hacker world. Still, wearables, healthcare gadgets, smart homes, and other smart devices and ecosystems might be at risk in the future.

Here, there is good news, and there is bad news. While this malware might not have valuable data to lock down because most IoT information is stored in the cloud, it can lock down the entire device’s functionality. Imagine that your vehicle will not start unless you pay a ransom fee — or your house is locked down, with the thermostat set to the maximum.

8) Data Integrity Risks of IoT Security in Healthcare

With IoT, data is always on the move. It is being transmitted, stored, and processed.

Most IoT devices extract and collect information from the external environment.

It can be a smart thermostat, HVAC, TVs, medical devices. But sometimes these devices send the collected data to the cloud without any encryption.

As a result, a hacker can gain access to a medical IoT device, gaining control over it and being able to alter the data it collects. A controlled medical IoT device can be used to send false signals, which in turn can make health practitioners take actions that may damage the health of their patients.

For example, a hacked medical IoT device can report a fully charged battery to the maintenance station while, in reality, the battery is about to die. Worse, there are risks of IoT security in healthcare devices like pacemakers or the ones making the insulin shots. The vulnerabilities found on St. Jude Medical’s implantable cardiac gave access to hackers, enabling them to alter the pacing or shocks, or even worse, deplete the battery.

9) Rogue IoT Devices

We might already know about the rapid growth of the number of IoT devices, which is predicted to reach 18 billion by 2022, according to Ericsson. The problem with this number of devices arises not only in the BYOD (Bring-Your-On-Devices) approach in enterprises but also in home networks.

One of the most significant IoT security risks and challenges is being able to manage all our devices and close the perimeter.

But rogue devices or counterfeit malicious IoT devices are beginning to be installed in secured networks without authorization. A rogue device replaces an original one or integrates as a member of a group to collect or alter sensitive information. These devices break the network perimeter.

Raspberry Pi board

Example of rouge IoT devices can take the form of the Raspberry Pi, or WiFi Pineapple. These can be turned into a rogue AP (Access Point), thermostat, video camera, or MITM (Man in the Middle) and intercept incoming data communications unbeknownst to users. Other variations of rogue devices may also emerge in the future.

Interestingly, the horror movie “Child’s Play” was inspired by the concept and can serve as a curious example. In the movie, controlling other devices in a smart home system, Chucky is a rouge IoT device that has become a high-level threat to people’s lives.

10) Cryptomining with IoT Bots

Mining cryptocurrency demands colossal CPU and GPU resources, and another IoT security issue has emerged due to this precondition — crypto mining with IoT bots. This type of attack involves infected botnets aimed at IoT devices, with the goal not to create damage, but mine cryptocurrency.

The open-source cryptocurrency Monero is one of the first ones to be mined using infected IoT devices, such as video cameras. Although a video camera does not have powerful resources to mine cryptocurrency, an army of them does.

IoT botnet miners pose a great threat to the crypto market, as they have the potential to flood and disrupt the entire market in a single attack.

Summary

After the Mirai attack, people realized that any device connected to the Internet is a potential ally for an army of bots. But that was only the beginning.

For now, IoT and security are still not found in the same place. There are still many risks and security challenges of IoT now — and more will inevitably emerge in the coming years.

The more variations of IoT devices we see out there, the more complex IoT security problems will become. International organizations and governments will need to create universal IoT standards to control the security in cities, homes, locations like nuclear plants, the manufacturing process, and other areas and locations.

We have seen the emergence of IoT as a trend in the last few years. There are smart devices coming out that we never thought needed an Internet connection: smart toothbrushes, beauty mirrors, tables, pillows, beds, and the list continues to grow. The world is turning into a network of objects collecting our personal, sensitive information.

We can only imagine the amount of important data hackers could steal from those IoT devices if they do not have proper security. So, the top IoT security threats listed above are just the beginning. If we want our devices smart, we need them to be secure as well.

We, at Intellectsoft, empower companies and their workforce with cutting-edge transformative solutions and data-driven insights. Are you and your organization ready to shift the mindsets and get the most out of innovations?

Talk to our experts and find out more about the topic and how your business or project can start benefiting from it today!

The post Top 10 Biggest IoT Security Issues appeared first on Intellectsoft Blog.