Singapore Government To Run Another Bug Bounty
The Singapore government is planning another bug bounty programme to identify potential security holes across nine of its online digital services as well as ICT systems that facilitate high user interaction. Depending on the severity of bug identified, between US$250 and US$10,000 will be paid out for each unique, validated security vulnerability report.
Led by Singapore Government Technology Agency (GovTech) and Cyber Security Agency, the bounty programme was scheduled to run from July to August 2019, according to HackerOne. This is the third bug-hunting exercise the bounty platform will be running for the Singapore government, following to others involving GovTech and the Ministry of Defence (Mindef).
Some 200 international hackers and 100 local hackers would be invited to participate in the latest bug hunt, with participants invited based on their previous performance metrics on HackerOne's platform. Results were slated to be unveiled in September 2019.
GovTech's previous bug bounty programme had involved 400 local and international hackers, who collectively identified 26 vulnerabilities and earned almost US$12,000 for their effort. Mindef's HackerOne programme in early-2018 led to the discovery of 35 vulnerabilities
HackerOne's director of programme management Paul Griffin said: "Tapping the skilled and global hacker community is the most efficient way to approach security testing. The latest bug bounty program continues to signal momentum in the constant battle against malicious actors on the internet."
Singapore's public sector has been the target of cybercriminals in recent years that, amongst others, compromised the personal data of 1.5 million SingHealth patients and 850 national servicemen and employees. Security lapses also affected 14,200 individuals with HIV and 808,201 blood donors, exposing their personal information.
CSA last month released a report that revealed a a drop in the number of common cyber threats last year, but projected more frequent data breaches and disruptive attacks against the cloud in the near future. It noted that there were 605 instances of website defacements last year compared to 2,040 in 2017, with most of the affected websites owned by small and midsize businesses (SMBs).
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Country's defence ministry plans to hire 300 specialists trained in areas such as network monitoring and vulnerability assessment to better safeguard its systems and has opened a school to arm future recruits with cyberdefence skillsets.
Singapore to offer bug bounty, set up Asean cybersecurity centre
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Singapore public sector reports yet another security lapse
Following a spate of data breaches affecting healthcare patients in Singapore, another lapse has occurred. A server containing personal information of 808,201 blood donors was not properly secured by a third-party vendor, potentially exposing data such as blood type and national identification number.
Dropbox uncovers 264 vulnerabilities in HackerOne Singapore bug hunt
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Goodwill Hunting: How Good Intentions Can Go Awry
When Campbell’s announced in 2012 that it was buying Bolthouse Farms for $1.55 billion, the company said it was part of a strategy to grow in dressings and beverages. After some missteps along the way, Campbell’s just sold that operation for $500 million– about a billion dollars less than it paid. The buyer: an investor group including Bolthouse’s former CEO.
What keeps you up at night? Consolidation is a big force in food and beverage these days as many firms expand, often growing rapidly through deals. One big worry for some CEOs, though, may be that a big deal will turn into a big drag on earnings. The Bolthouse deal resulted in a $1 billion hit to the profit and loss statement for Campbell’s, which call ill afford further write downs. This write down is only one of many in food and beverage, as tastes and trends change, and goodwill can go with it.
Goodwill in accounting is created by the amount of money paid for an acquisition in excess of the fair value of the net assets acquired. Customers like your brand. And that has value, even if it’s intangible. But goodwill requires annual re-evaluation from a GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) standpoint. Privately owned companies have an option to amortize goodwill over ten years. If a company does not opt to amortize and instead keeps the value on its balance sheet, that’s when goodwill can get better or go bad, as happened with Bolthouse and some other big food and beverage deals. Kraft Heinz, for instance, took a $15.4 billion write down on brands such as Kraft and Oscar Mayer.
Writing down goodwill hurts stock prices and financial statements. Companies have to be prudent about the value of what they’re paying for and what they do with a brand once they own it. It can come back and hurt them in the future.
While writing down goodwill is not a good thing, it’s not all bad. Goodwill for tax purposes can be written off over 15 years. Under adverse conditions, or if a brand declines in sales, which can occur when popularity or consumer preferences change, goodwill can take a big hit. And lately big changes in tastes have been widespread in food and beverage, making the industry particularly vulnerable to the goodwill bug. Consumer preferences for old, stodgy brands have changed dramatically. If companies don’t respond, they not only lose sales volume, they can be hit by a goodwill impairment. Companies that go into brick and mortar and buy manufacturing plants, which they then may close if they’re not operating efficiently, also are subject to impairment charges.
Other food and beverage giants have taken big goodwill hits lately. Kellogg created a reorganization plan for its North American operations, before selling its cookie and snack business to Italy-based Ferrero Group. Even before the sale, Kellogg took a $35 million hit on its profit and loss statement, related to that business.
Buying a brand can still be a great way to grow, but any acquisitions or sales have to be closely monitored for value, long-term prospects, and the impact they could have on financial statements. Food and beverage’s story now is, in part, about deals and growth, but brand value can expand or diminish. Companies have to make deals work, and when they don’t, the goodwill write downs can be waiting in the wings. And even if goodwill, in theory, is intangible, big changes in tastes and trends can be very real. Good luck, deal hunting
Top 10 Best Fortnite Prop Hunt Maps
Prop Hunt is one of the latest and most entertaining game modes introduced to Fortnite. Tied to Creative Mode, this custom game focuses on one team of players attempting to hide in the environment while others are searching for them. This creates some chaotic and hilarious moments, especially if you have a big group of users. Since Epic Games is only showing off one map for this mode, we decided to highlight some of the best Prop Hunt maps you need to try.
Remember, to activate these maps you will need to load up Creative. Now go to any portal, access the rift’s menu, and then input any of the codes below. This will swap the maps out, allowing you try a different prop hunt level. Now just enter the rift and you will be warped to your map of choice!
Here are the top 10 best Fortnite Prop Hunt maps you need to try:
(This list is in no particular order.)
1. Swimming Pool
Creator: FortniteartCode: 3487-1374-0131
One of my personal favorites, Fortniteart’s Swimming Pool is a condensed, but intricately designed map. Boasting a nice little main street, basketball court, loading dock, gym, and a tiny park, you can easily find new places to hid each map. Items have enough variation to make it difficult to spot something out of place. Yet, the level is small enough to still give the Hunters a decent chance at discovering users hiding in plain sight. If you’re going to play any alternate map, we suggest starting with Fortniteart’s Swimming Pool.
2. Warlock’s Graveyard 
Creator: ShinoharaCode: 6180-5637-0525
Looking for something a bit spookier? Warlock’s Graveyard is a Prop Hunt map broken across multiple floating islands. This adds a second layer of danger to the game since you can fall to your death. Every island is full of objects you can disguise yourself as and the time of day makes hunting quite challenging. Hunters have limited ammo, so they will have to be a bit more careful when tracking down props. Remember to use those bounce pads so you can jump from island to island!
3. Asteroid Arcade
Creator: Shaverman46Code: 1534-1221-2242
Perhaps one of the hardest Prop Hunt maps for hunters, Asteroid Arcade is a dark, neon colored maze filled with games and prizes. There are a ton of items you can disguise yourself as, making it difficult to hunt the props by yourself. However, the open rooms and confined space limits the props ability to move without being seen. Featuring a shooting gallery, prize room, and multiple arcade cabinets, this map ooze’s 1980s. Consider hiding in the shooting gallery as a target if you want to taunt your opponent!
4. Western World
Creator: ZacknabootCode: 3541-6722-7262
Perfect for big groups, Western World is a desert level that has some entertaining, unique areas to hide. Despite being pretty big, there is a nice balance of props that rewards smart positioning and use of the environment. There are a lot of places to hide, so it may take a few rounds before the hunters really know what to look for. But, any level that lets you disguise yourself as a dinosaur and not make it obvious is a win in our book. Just make sure to check the rocks around the small pond, since it’s a superb hiding spot.
5. The Villa V2
Creator: Expa_aztoxCode: 3060-9697-9579
Another favorite, The Villa V2 is a sprawling estate boasting multiple rooms, themes, and items to transform into. The centerpiece is a large mansion that has everything from a beautiful inner garden, arcade, and even it’s own store! Behind the building are the pool and archery range which offers some clever items to transform into. Even though the 13-minute timer may seem high, it’s needed given how sprawling this level is. Expa_aztox’s map is perfect for replaying more than once since the level’s size constantly offers new places to hide.
6. Modern Museum
Creator: mseymour7Code: 1646-1866-1963
Great for smaller groups, the Modern Museum is a large building filled with ropes off artifacts and rare treasures. A fantastic mix of big open rooms with limited items to turn into and small stores with tons of potential, Modern Museum is perfect for those who want to put their hiding skills to the test.
Being able to naturally blend in with the rest of the exhibits can make or break a successful round, so take your time when deciding on what to be. Another unique aspect is you get to use Grapple Guns, allowing for some flashy and stylish maneuvers through the two-story building.
7. Office
Creator: TollmoliaCode: 8378-7952-8626
Prop Hunt veterans may recognize this map as a recreation of the Garry’s Mod map of the same name. A claustrophobic level, Office is a multi-floor building complete with a parking garage and multiple rooms. While you sadly cannot enter every area in the structure, Office is superb for people sick of bigger, more open maps. This is a very challenging and intense level that will put your hiding skills to the test. Don’t expect to move much after you find your initial hiding spot.
8. Mega Movie Theater
Creator: HfdgamerCode: 0532-8821-6842
One of the best on our list, Mega Movie Theater is more than just a single building with a few movie screens. Hfdgamer’s medium sized level is a small shopping square with multiple stores and places to hide. Coins are fairly placed, forcing props to go out of their way, without making it to obvious. Mega Mall certainly encourages constantly swapping disguises, which makes more kinetic gameplay moments. This is a map that shouldn’t fly under your radar.
9. Toy Story Prop Hunt
Just in time for the new film, Toy Story Prop Hunt shrinks the player down to the size of a bug. Consisting of a single room filled with toys, oversized furniture, and a dol house, players must quickly hide among the scattered objects. Despite being set in a single roo, Toy Story Prop Hunt has a remarkable amount of variation.
There are also some fun nods to the film, such as a massive Mr. Potato Head figure that looms over the room. If you’ve been feeling nostalgic, hop into this room and live the life of Woody or Buzz Lightyear.
10. Props on a Plane
Creator: PuzzlerCode: 8601-7555-4745
One of the cleverest maps we’ve come across, Props on a Plane is set on a small, two-floor passenger plane. While the limited running room makes for less than exciting chases, the level’s intricate design offers a wealth of hiding possibilities. Props on a Plane is a challenging map, but it’s more than possible to seamlessly blend in. The dark lighting makes it tricky to see everything, giving the props a slight advantage if they do need to relocate. Knowing where the hunter is will be an important aspect for claiming victory.