E-Business
Data Scientists Reveal Roadblocks to Digital Transformation

Digital transformation has accelerated significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the extra demands on data scientists have revealed significant barriers to effective working and high levels of job dissatisfaction in some areas.
For example, around four in 10 are dissatisfied with their company’s use of analytics and model deployment, while more than 20 barriers to effective working emerged, according to a survey of data scientists commissioned by analytics leader SAS.
However, the work of data scientists has grown in importance with many organisations accelerating digital transformation projects by using technology to improve business operations.
More than 90% of respondents indicated the importance of their work was the same or greater compared to before the pandemic.
To delve deeper into the state of data science, the report assesses the impact of the pandemic, challenges faced, overall satisfaction with the analytics environment and more.
The research showed the pandemic upended standard business practices, shifting the assumptions and variables in models and predictive algorithms and causing a ripple effect of adaptations in processes, practices and operating parameters.
More than two-thirds of respondents were satisfied with the outcomes from analytical projects.
However, 42% of data scientists were dissatisfied with their company’s use of analytics and model deployment, suggesting a problem with how analytical insights are used by organisations to inform decision making.
This was backed up by 42% saying data science results were not used by business decision makers, making it one of the main barriers faced.
The survey also highlighted some specific skills gaps. Less than a third of the respondents reported having advanced or expert proficiency in program-heavy skills, such as cloud management and database administration.
This is an issue given that use of cloud services is up significantly, with 94% saying they experienced the same or greater use of cloud since COVID-19 struck.
“There have clearly been more demands placed on data scientists as the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation projects that many organisations were planning anyway,” said Dr. Iain Brown, head of Data Science at SAS UK and Ireland.
“A major source of frustration is finding a way for organisations to implement the insights from analytics projects and use them in their decision making, which means giving data scientists a seat at the boardroom table might be a way forward.”
“Linked to this, we found concerns around support for data science teams and a lack of talent, which has been an issue for some time with demand outstripping supply. Organisations must realise that investing in a team of data scientists with complementary skills could reap huge value for the business, so the cost of hiring needs to consider the return on that investment as we move to significantly more digital and AI-driven business processes,” continued Brown.
The research also identified gaps in consistent organisational emphasis on AI ethics, with 43% of respondents indicating that their organisation does not conduct specific reviews of its analytical processes with respect to bias and discrimination and only 26% of respondents reporting that unfair bias is used as a measure of model success in their organisation.
When it comes to the challenges identified to ensure fair and unbiased decision making, Dr. Sally Eaves, an industry expert, said, “Data scientists can lend their expertise to craft working guidelines for data access, usage security, and broader issues, such as sustainability and data ethics and bias.”
“Rather than sometimes hoping they are given appropriate, clean data and relying too much on the technology to drive fair outcomes, they can play an active role to put in place the right guidelines and checks at each stage of the analytical process to try and eliminate bias. Having a transparent and explainable flow from data to decision is obviously key to this,” said Eaves.
The research revealed positive outcomes from the global disruption of the pandemic. Nearly three-quarters (73%) said they are just as productive or more productive since the pandemic, while a similar proportion (77%) revealed they had the same or greater collaboration with colleagues. This suggests many of the challenges highlighted were in existence, possibly to a greater degree, before the pandemic.
Other challenges experienced were the amount of time spent on data preparation versus model creation. Respondents are spending more of their time (58%) than they would prefer gathering, exploring, managing and cleaning data.
“Overall, the data scientist has ample reason to feel empowered and optimistic about how the pandemic has shone a spotlight on the importance of their role within their organisation and how it might evolve over time,” said Brown. “This holds especially true if data scientists can leverage the whole spectrum of available tools to manage the analytics lifecycle, pursue data science training and skill development opportunities, and embrace data prep as the first step in modelling.”
Additional findings and discussion points, including strategies for data scientists to improve processes and outcomes, are available in the full report: Accelerating Digital Transformation.
E-Business
Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

A widespread cyberattack targeting Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) server software used by thousands of government agencies and businesses for internal document sharing was likely orchestrated by a single actor, a cybersecurity researcher said on Monday.
Microsoft issued an alert on Saturday warning of “active attacks” on on-premise SharePoint servers.
The company clarified that SharePoint Online, part of the Microsoft 365 cloud suite, was not affected by the exploit, which is considered a “zero-day” vulnerability due to its previously undiscovered nature.
“Based on the consistency of the tradecraft seen across observed attacks, the campaign launched on Friday appears to be a single actor. However, it’s possible that this will quickly change,” Rafe Pilling, director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos, a British cybersecurity firm.
That tradecraft included the sending of the same digital payload to multiple targets, Pilling added.
Microsoft said it had “provided security updates and encourages customers to install them,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
It was not clear who was behind the ongoing hack. The FBI said on Sunday it was aware of the attacks and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.
Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Washington Post said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.
According to data from Shodan, a search engine that helps to identify internet-linked equipment, over 8,000 servers online could theoretically have already been compromised by hackers.
Those servers include major industrial firms, banks, auditors, healthcare companies, and several U.S. state-level and international government entities.
“The SharePoint incident appears to have created a broad level of compromise across a range of servers globally,” said Daniel Card of British cybersecurity consultancy, PwnDefend.
“Taking an assumed breach approach is wise, and it’s also important to understand that just applying the patch isn’t all that is required here.”
E-Business
Flaw in Microsoft SharePoint Sparks Global Cybersecurity Concern

A Microsoft SharePoint server software flaw is causing widespread concern across the global cybersecurity landscape, exposing thousands of organisations to hackers exploiting a new vulnerability.
This critical vulnerability exposes government agencies, universities, and energy firms who are at risk of cyberattacks. The flaw, now being actively exploited by unidentified hackers, allows attackers to gain deep, remote access to on-premise SharePoint servers.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has confirmed that the vulnerability can enable malicious actors to access internal files, change configurations, and even execute remote code, effectively giving them high-level control over compromised systems.
Microsoft has also acknowledged the breach and released a security patch aimed at stopping the ongoing attacks. The firm urged users to apply the patch immediately, saying it is working to roll out additional protections, according to a statement reported by Bloomberg.
Despite these efforts, cybersecurity researchers warn that systems may remain vulnerable if attackers have already infiltrated networks, stolen authentication keys, or implanted persistent backdoors before patches were applied.
The United States hosts the highest number of these vulnerable systems, followed by the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
The Washington Post reported that the breach has already impacted a range of institutions, including U.S. federal and state agencies, academic institutions, energy companies, and a telecommunications firm in Asia.
This latest incident adds to a growing list of cybersecurity challenges facing Microsoft. In March, the company revealed that Chinese state-backed hackers had targeted its cloud-based services to infiltrate both U.S. and international organisations.
Last year, the U.S. Cyber Safety Review Board sharply criticised Microsoft’s internal security culture as ‘inadequate’ after a separate breach compromised its Exchange Online mail systems and exposed communications of high-level officials.
E-Business
NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that it has reduced incidents of extortion and unofficial charges in the identity enrolment process by over 40 per cent.

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC,
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, who disclosed this at an event in Lagos at the weekend, attributed the drop to improved transparency in fee structure at the commission.
The CEO was represented by Lanre Yusuf, director, Information Technology and Identity Database, NINC.
The workshop, organised by the identity regulator in partnership with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, focused on repositioning Nigeria’s digital identity landscape and combating misinformation.
According to Coker-Odusote, the sharp reduction in illicit charges is a direct result of reforms introduced by NIMC to curb racketeering and unauthorised payments, which have for years plagued the national identity registration process..
“Enrolment for the National Identification Number remains free. We have standardised modification and authentication fees, and these are publicly disclosed. Our enforcement of a transparent fee structure has resulted in a 40 per cent drop in extortion and unofficial charges,” the regulator said.
She explained that prior to her assumption of office, complaints about exploitative fees at enrolment centres were widespread, fuelling public distrust in the system.
However, she noted that the commission had since prioritised transparency and stakeholder accountability, ensuring that Nigerians no longer have to pay above the legally mandated fees. “We are addressing deep-rooted issues that once undermined public confidence in the enrolment process,” she said.
The NIMC chief added that the commission had introduced digital tools to reduce human interference in the registration process.
These include the NINAuth mobile app, the Self-Service NIN Enrolment and Modification app, and Contactless Biometric Solutions, all designed to make the system more efficient, secure, and user-friendly.
Coker-Odusote also reiterated the commission’s commitment to inclusion, stressing that no Nigerian should be left behind in the country’s digital identity transformation.
According to her, over 7,167 front-end enrolment agents and partners have been revalidated and retrained to serve the public professionally, with strict monitoring mechanisms now in place.
In addition, NIMC has deployed grievance redress officers across all 36 states to handle complaints from Nigerians about enrolment centres and agents, with a 24/7 toll-free line available to report any misconduct.
The reforms are part of broader efforts by the Commission to build a unified, secure, and people-centred digital identity system that facilitates access to government services, financial inclusion, social protection, and national planning.
Coker-Odusote called on media partners to support the Commission in disseminating accurate information, countering misinformation, and raising awareness about the benefits of digital identity.
“We are asking our partners in the media to help us combat fake news and promote transparency in the identity ecosystem. We need to ensure every Nigerian understands their rights and knows that their identity is key to accessing opportunities and services,” she said.
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