Sixty years after television audiences first tuned in to see the voyages of the Starship Enterprise, an astronaut on board the International Space Station has paid tribute to Star Trek by flying the badge of the franchise's latest fictional captain.
Expedition 75 flight engineer Sophie Adenot with European Space Agency (ESA) donned the Delta badge originally worn by actor Anson Mount for a video recorded from aboard the space station. Mount portrays Christoper Pike in the Paramount+ streaming series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Paramount and ESA both released the clip on their Instagram feeds.
"For 60 years, Star Trek has brought us stories of friendship and exploration. I'm wearing Captain Pike's badge aboard the ISS in celebration of continuing the real world work of science and exploration," said Adenot. "For me, exploration and science are about curiosity and cooperation daring to go a little farther together, learning from what we discover and build, and turning that knowledge into a better future for everyone."
© ESA
Cardano’s enterprise story has gained another example, with a major retail group deploying blockchain verification infrastructure built around the network’s ecosystem.
For Cardano, that matters because enterprise adoption has always been part of the pitch. The project has often positioned itself as slower, more formal, and more research-led than some rival chains. That can frustrate traders who want fast hype cycles, but it also means real-world verification use cases are especially important when they arrive.
This is not an ADA price story. It is not about a sudden fee surge or a network-wide explosion in activity.
It is about a specific enterprise supply-chain application using Cardano infrastructure for verification.
For more details, visit the official Cardanofoundation platform.
Supply chains are messy.
Products move through factories, warehouses, shipping channels, distributors, shops, and customers. Along the way, companies need to prove authenticity, origin, handling, and sometimes sustainability claims. That is difficult when data sits across different systems and companies.
Blockchain verification can help when it creates a shared record that different parties can check.
That is why supply-chain use cases have been discussed in crypto for years. They are not always easy to implement, but when they work, they can offer something more concrete than speculation.
For Cardano, a verification deployment fits the network’s long-running identity: real-world systems, formal infrastructure, and enterprise use.
This is one of the big tensions in Cardano coverage.
Crypto markets love instant catalysts. Enterprise adoption rarely works like that. Companies do not usually move critical verification systems overnight. They run pilots, test vendors, check legal requirements, train teams, and integrate with existing systems.
That can make enterprise stories feel less exciting at first.
But they can also be more durable if they stick.
A retail verification system is not designed for a one-week trading narrative. It is designed to solve a business problem. That makes it worth covering differently.
The key is to stay specific.
This deployment shows that Cardano infrastructure can be used in an enterprise verification setting. It does not prove that every retailer will adopt Cardano. It does not mean ADA demand automatically rises. It does not mean the network has suddenly become the default chain for supply chains.
It is one example.
But examples matter, especially in enterprise adoption. Each one gives the ecosystem another proof point and another case to show future partners.
Retail brands care about trust.
Counterfeiting, unclear sourcing, supplier risk, and weak product verification can all damage a brand. If customers or partners cannot verify claims, the brand carries more risk.
Blockchain-based verification can help by making certain records easier to check and harder to quietly change.
That does not mean blockchain solves every supply-chain problem. Bad data can still be entered. Physical goods still need real-world checks. But once reliable data is added, the ledger can make later verification cleaner.
Cardano still needs more visible usage across DeFi, payments, applications, and enterprise systems.
That is the challenge for the ecosystem. It has a committed community and a serious technical identity, but market attention often shifts toward chains with louder consumer activity.
Enterprise verification gives Cardano a different lane.
It may not produce the fastest headlines, but it supports the argument that the network can be useful beyond trading.
For Cardano, that may be exactly the point.
This article draws on Cardano Foundation materials relating to enterprise verification.
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
This report is based on information released by Cardanofoundation. at Cardanofoundation
Google adds pay-as-you-go pricing, spending caps and savings plans to help businesses manage Gemini Enterprise agent costs and unpredictable usage.
The post Google Adds Pay-As-You-Go Gemini Enterprise appeared first on TechRepublic.
Google launches Gemini Enterprise for Legal, giving law firms AI agents for contract review, legal research, compliance monitoring and other workflows.
The post Google Brings AI Agents to Big Law With Gemini Enterprise appeared first on TechRepublic.
Google adds pay-as-you-go pricing, spending caps and savings plans to help businesses manage Gemini Enterprise agent costs and unpredictable usage.
The post Google Adds Pay-As-You-Go Gemini Enterprise appeared first on TechRepublic.
Google launches Gemini Enterprise for Legal, giving law firms AI agents for contract review, legal research, compliance monitoring and other workflows.
The post Google Brings AI Agents to Big Law With Gemini Enterprise appeared first on TechRepublic.
Dubai has rapidly established itself as one of the world’s leading digital economies. Government initiatives, smart-city programs, growing technology investments, and the UAE’s broader digital-first agenda are encouraging businesses to modernize the way they operate.
Today, digital transformation in Dubai goes far beyond moving business processes online. Companies are adopting Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, automation, data analytics, enterprise software, IoT, cybersecurity, and modern digital platforms to improve efficiency and create better customer experiences.
From startups and SMEs to large enterprises and government organizations, businesses are increasingly partnering with technology companies to modernize legacy systems, automate workflows, migrate to the cloud, and build connected digital ecosystems.
However, choosing the right transformation partner can be challenging. To help businesses identify suitable providers, we have compiled a list of the top 10 digital transformation companies in Dubai for 2026, considering technology expertise, transformation capabilities, enterprise experience, innovation, scalability, and ability to deliver business-focused solutions.
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: Global Delivery Centers with a strong presence in Dubai and the Middle East
Apptunix UAE has established itself as a leading digital transformation company helping businesses in Dubai modernize operations, adopt emerging technologies, and build future-ready digital platforms. The company brings more than 12 years of experience and 2,500+ successful projects, with expertise spanning AI, cloud, automation, enterprise software, mobile applications, and digital modernization.
Apptunix takes an end-to-end approach to transformation. Instead of focusing on a single technology, its teams help businesses identify operational challenges, develop transformation strategies, modernize legacy systems, automate processes, and implement scalable digital solutions.
Its digital transformation capabilities include AI and data-driven solutions, cloud migration, business process automation, enterprise application development, legacy modernization, cybersecurity, digital experience development, and technology consulting.
The company works across industries including healthcare, fintech, logistics, retail, real estate, travel, entertainment, education, and enterprise services.
Core Services
For Dubai businesses looking for a technology partner capable of combining strategy, software engineering, AI, cloud, and automation, Apptunix is a strong choice for end-to-end digital transformation.
Way2Smile Solutions provides digital transformation, cloud, AI, automation, and enterprise technology services to organizations in the UAE and wider region.
The company focuses on helping businesses modernize technology infrastructure and improve operational efficiency through cloud platforms, intelligent automation, data solutions, and custom enterprise applications.
Febno Technologies is a Dubai-based technology company offering ERP implementation, business automation, software development, and digital transformation services.
Its expertise is particularly relevant for businesses looking to modernize internal operations through enterprise applications, workflow automation, cloud technologies, and integrated business management systems.
Beveron Technologies provides custom software development, cloud solutions, enterprise applications, and digital transformation services.
The company helps organizations replace outdated processes with modern digital systems designed to improve productivity, scalability, and customer engagement. Its combination of software engineering and cloud expertise makes it suitable for businesses undergoing technology modernization.
ParamInfo is a technology and digital transformation company serving businesses across the UAE and other markets. Its services include enterprise software, cloud solutions, AI, data analytics, application modernization, and IT consulting.
The company works with organizations seeking to modernize existing technology environments and implement scalable digital platforms that support long-term business growth.
Techlancers Middle East provides technology consulting, software development, cloud, AI, and digital transformation services for businesses across the GCC.
Its approach focuses on combining technology strategy with implementation, helping organizations adopt modern platforms and improve operational processes without disrupting their existing business environment.
Alfazance Consulting is a Dubai-based digital transformation and business applications consulting company. Its expertise includes business applications, process improvement, enterprise technology, and digital modernization.
The company is particularly relevant for organizations looking to improve internal workflows, implement business applications, and align technology investments with broader operational objectives.
Business Experts MEA is a Dubai-based technology and consulting company focused on Microsoft business solutions and enterprise transformation.
The company helps organizations with ERP and CRM modernization, business automation, analytics, cloud migration, and related technology initiatives. Its Microsoft-focused expertise makes it suitable for businesses looking to modernize their enterprise technology ecosystem.
Zero&One provides cloud consulting, managed services, application modernization, data, and technology solutions from its Dubai presence.
Its focus on AWS and cloud technologies makes the company a relevant option for businesses looking to migrate applications, modernize infrastructure, improve scalability, or develop cloud-based digital platforms.
Finesse Technologies is a Dubai-based software and systems integration company offering enterprise digital transformation and cybersecurity services.
The company works with organizations on technology modernization, enterprise software, security, integration, and transformation initiatives. Its local presence can be valuable for businesses seeking on-the-ground support for complex digital projects.
Digital transformation is a long-term business initiative, so selecting a technology partner requires more than comparing development costs. Businesses should evaluate whether a company can understand their existing infrastructure, business objectives, industry requirements, and future technology needs.
Consider these factors before choosing a partner:
The right partner should create a transformation roadmap based on measurable business outcomes rather than simply recommending the latest technology.
Digital transformation has become an important growth strategy for businesses operating in Dubai. Organizations across retail, healthcare, fintech, logistics, real estate, manufacturing, hospitality, and government are adopting AI, cloud computing, automation, analytics, and modern enterprise platforms to become more efficient and competitive.
The companies featured in this list offer different areas of expertise, from cloud and ERP modernization to AI, automation, enterprise software, and cybersecurity. Businesses should evaluate providers based on their specific transformation objectives, technical requirements, industry experience, and long-term support capabilities.
Among these companies, Apptunix stands out for its broad combination of digital transformation consulting, AI, cloud modernization, automation, enterprise software, legacy modernization, and digital product development. Its ability to bring multiple technologies together under a single transformation strategy makes it a strong technology partner for businesses looking to modernize and scale in Dubai.
Whether you’re modernizing legacy infrastructure, automating business processes, migrating to the cloud, integrating AI, or developing a completely new digital platform, choosing the right transformation partner can determine how effectively your business turns technology investment into measurable growth.
The best digital transformation company in Dubai, UAE is not simply the one offering the most technologies. It is the partner that understands your business, develops a practical roadmap, implements the right solutions, and continues optimizing your digital ecosystem as your organization evolves.
Top 10 Digital Transformation Companies in Dubai, UAE (2026) was originally published in Coinmonks on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Welcome back, aspiring cyberwarriors!
Let’s talk about something most people never think about. When the news reports on a cyberattack against a big retail chain, the story usually sounds the same. A database got leaked or ransomware locked up the company’s files. These are real threats, and they deserve attention. But what happens if a hacker skips all of that and simply walks into a physical store with a laptop tucked in a backpack? No malware sent through email and no phishing link, just being there physically.
In this article, we are going to build a picture, drawn from several real walkthroughs of ordinary retail stores, all pointed toward one goal. We want to see the store the way a pentester sees it.
Imagine someone stepping through the front doors with that mindset. Within a few minutes of walking the floor, a handful of things stand out.
There are the transformer checkout terminals and the self service kiosks, the modern face of retail, and also a possible weak point. There are staff call buttons mounted near the aisles, small radio transmitters that broadcast a fixed code each time someone presses them, a code that could potentially be captured and played back later. There are wireless DECT handsets still in use on some sales floors, the same cordless phone technology many offices have relied on for years. There are data collection terminals, plain Android devices that sometimes carry no password protection at all, with access to the store’s Wi-Fi settings. And running along the floor and behind the counters, there are network cables, which in the wrong circumstances could let anyone plug in and reach the store’s internal network.
Many corporations believe their internal network is sealed off from the outside world, safe behind firewalls and passwords. That sense of safety can end at the first unlabeled cable lying loose on the floor.
Someone can walk up to a transformer checkout terminal, unplug its network cable, plug in a laptop instead (or better yet, one of those devices we showed in previous articles), and type a simple command.
Loginkali > sudo dhclientThat laptop could be handed an IP address from the store’s own internal network. If the network uses a /27 mask, that means an entire segment of the corporate infrastructure could open up right there.
Scanning the network might take only a couple more minutes, and inside, a hacker could find exactly what you would expect from a typical store. There could be the store manager’s workstation, with an open RDP port for remote access. There could be a Wi-Fi router still running its factory default settings. There could be a DECT base station handling internal telephony. There could be surveillance cameras, other registers and terminals, and tucked away in shared folders and configuration files, credentials and passwords saved in plaintext.
From there, someone could try connecting to the manager’s computer. If the RDP client offers a choice of accounts, and one of those accounts, say one named operator, needs no password at all, that should raise a flag. Normally Windows blocks RDP logins for accounts with blank passwords, so a setup like that means someone deliberately switched that protection off, likely to keep an easy access route open for themselves. Sysadmins often do it. But that’s a backdoor. We often see the same issue with VNC. That route could lead to the remote desktop of an employee with access to corporate email, internal messenger conversations, financial documents, work schedules, and delivery data.
And since Chrome is installed on nearly every computer in sight, opening Passwords could show saved logins for internal services, everything from the CRM system to the warehouse management software, sitting there in plain view.
Passwordless accounts feel almost like a relic from an earlier era, yet they still turn up in retail environments from time to time. Alongside them, flat, unsegmented networks are common, where cameras, workstations, and Wi-Fi routers all sit together on the same segment. Add to that the simple physical accessibility of the equipment. Network cables, ports, and switches are often placed exactly where any employee, or any visitor, could reach them without much trouble.
Segment the network properly, giving separate VLANs to registers, service equipment, and employee workstations, so a breach in one area does not open a door to everything else. Restrict which devices are even allowed to connect through RDP in the first place. Turn on MAC address whitelisting along with Port Security, so an unknown device cannot simply be plugged into an open port and join the network. Require real passwords on every local account, without exception. Disable browser based password storage for anything tied to internal systems.
And finally, ask security staff to keep a closer eye on the registers themselves.
Consider a small, easy to overlook detail, a staff call button tucked into a corner near an aisle. Pressed once, it sends a chime ringing across the store, and a salesperson comes over a moment later. Simple enough, on the surface.
Except with a HackRF One someone could intercept and record the exact signal the button sends the moment it is pressed. If that button broadcasts the same static signal every time, with no protection against replay, then anyone who plays that recorded signal back over the air could trigger the same chime, without ever touching the actual button. This is what we call a replay attack, and it remains a real possibility even now.
Once that chime lives on someone’s laptop, a single click could ring it out across the entire store. Employees might rush toward the sound, leaving a register briefly unattended, while someone else nearby has a short window to act.
The same HackRF One, paired with an open source tool called gr dect2, could also be used to listen to the surrounding airwaves. If a store still relies on wireless DECT handsets for internal communication, a call placed from one handset to another could, in principle, be intercepted and decrypted in real time as it travels through the air. From that point, anyone listening could pick up delivery schedules, work rosters, and conversations about register problems, all carried over employees’ DECT handsets.
Older pentest reports sometimes describe this kind of attack as only medium risk, mostly because of the cost of the equipment and the technical skill it supposedly requires. It’s different now. An original HackRF One costs somewhere around three hundred dollars, and less expensive clones can be found on online marketplaces for a fraction of that price. And gr dect2 makes the whole process more accessible, since it is an openly documented, freely available project.
The fixes here lean more organizational than technical. It makes sense to retire primitive call buttons in favor of systems that use dynamic, constantly changing codes instead of a single static signal. Alongside that, replacing outdated DECT telephony with modern VoIP or straightforward wired communication removes much of this risk entirely.
What about the Wi-Fi? On paper, it can look genuinely solid, not a simple router with a shared password, but full WPA-Enterprise authentication requiring a proper login and password from each user. That sounds like a real obstacle, and in many ways it is. But it does not fully close the door. Someone could set up a rogue access point using the exact same network name as the legitimate one. If an employee’s device, whether a work tablet or a personal smartphone, tries to reconnect automatically, it might see two access points broadcasting the identical name and simply pick whichever one offers the stronger signal and the faster response. A rogue access point built for this purpose could easily be tuned to answer faster than the real one. Once a device connects to that convincing twin, it attempts to authenticate as usual, and in doing so, it sends its credentials straight into someone else’s logs.
Setting up EAP TLS with proper certificate validation on every client device helps ensure a fake network cannot simply mimic its way into a successful login. Monitoring the surrounding radio spectrum regularly is also worthwhile. Even simple, freely available tools can detect unauthorized access points broadcasting names that match or closely resemble the real corporate network. And training staff matters. If a Wi-Fi password is unexpectedly requested a second time, or a connection seems to take suspiciously long, employees should feel comfortable reporting it to security or the IT security team right away.
A transformer register is really a combined hardware and software unit, built around a metal cash drawer, both stationary and handheld barcode scanners, and a receipt printer. Along its bottom panel often sits a row of unprotected USB ports. Plugging in an ordinary keyboard there opens the door to some experimentation.
Pressing Ctrl Alt and one of the function keys from F1 through F5 can switch the screen to a text console, prompting for a login and password. Full system access could sit right there within reach. Even if the Alt F2 shortcut for quickly launching commands has been disabled, the multi user Linux console underneath may remain fully accessible regardless.
Power cycling the device and pressing Delete could open the BIOS. Without a boot password protecting it, the machine could be booted from an outside USB drive, handing over full control of the system, along with the ability to change settings or install unwanted software.
The most interesting risk, though, waits underneath the register itself. The metal cash drawer typically has a mechanical emergency release button on its underside. If the drawer has not been locked with a physical key, which happens more often than store staff would like to admit, then any customer could simply lean down, press that button, and slide the cash right out.
No discussion of registers is complete without mentioning their close relatives, the self checkout kiosks. These are essentially the same transformer registers, just packaged in a form factor that happens to be even more exposed. USB ports, network ports, and power ports often sit within easy reach. The real difference is that a transformer register might occasionally be watched by a nearby salesperson, while a self checkout kiosk usually sits alone in a corner, without much oversight at all.
Standing casually near a kiosk for just a few minutes could be enough to observe an employee entering their access code. From there, that access could open up the kiosk’s full functionality, including the ability to ring up items, process returns, and open that same metal cash drawer hiding underneath.
The solution here is fairly clear once the problem is understood. Restricting physical access to the register hardware itself, through USB port blockers, closed enclosures, and sealed covers, prevents outside devices from being connected in the first place. A BIOS password combined with disabling boot from removable media protects against attempts to seize control of the system through a flash drive.
Employee authorization deserves attention too. Since the register already comes equipped with a barcode scanner, a smart approach is issuing personal ID badges with the employee’s password encoded directly into the barcode. The employee scans their badge, the system authenticates them instantly, and the actual password stays hidden from anyone watching nearby. Leaving the alphanumeric combination off the badge entirely prevents it from being typed in manually as a way to bypass the scanner.
And of course, the lock on the cash drawer matters. If it is even possible to leave that drawer unlocked, sooner or later it probably will be. Drawers that lock automatically, without relying on a person remembering to do it, offer a much more reliable solution.
Consider someone playing the role of an ordinary, everyday customer. They buy a small item in the store, pay with a card, and walk away with a receipt like anyone else. Once a self checkout kiosk sits idle for a moment, tapping the top left corner of the screen could open a hidden staff menu.
The system would ask for authorization. If someone types in a password they had observed a cashier enter earlier, often a simple employee ID number, that alone could be enough to land inside the cashier menu.
From there, selecting a refund by sales receipt option could display a list of recent transactions, including the very purchase just made. A further step worth testing is whether the refund could be redirected, not back to the same card used to pay, but to a completely different one, belonging to someone else entirely. You might expect the terminal to block an operation like that, or at least demand confirmation from a senior employee before proceeding. In some systems, neither of those things happens, and an ordinary cashier’s password turns out to be enough to redirect the funds elsewhere.
To its credit, a system like this may honestly display a warning that the money will be sent to a different card than the one used for payment. But it can carry out the operation anyway, without further checks.
The item would stay with the customer, the original purchase would turn into a refund on paper, and the store’s money would end up in someone else’s account. One more detail worth checking is whether the refund function has any built in time limits. Many places only allow refunds within a set window, say fourteen days, in line with consumer protection law. But in some systems, attempting to process a refund for a purchase made several months earlier goes through without any resistance at all.
This points to a deeper gap in business logic and access control. The authorization threshold can sit far too low, since a rank and file salesperson’s password may be enough to trigger a real financial operation, and that password is often easy to observe over someone’s shoulder. There may be no check to confirm the refund card actually matches the original payment card. A refund landing on a different card is not automatically suspicious on its own, since many banks and retail chains support this for customer convenience. But operations like that should require sign off from the store manager, a financially liable employee, or someone else holding proper authority. And finally, there may be no meaningful time or amount limits at all, meaning refunds could remain possible over an unlimited stretch of time, and theoretically for an unlimited amount, up to whatever balance the register happens to hold.
Two tier authorization is genuinely useful here, paired with a strict time window governing refunds. Automatic refunds could be limited to the last fourteen days, with anything older switching over to manual processing, complete with multi level review and documented sign off.
Tying the refund card to the original payment card by default, as a standing rule, closes much of this gap. Cash refunds, or refunds sent to a different card, should remain the exception rather than the norm, strictly regulated and logged separately from everything else.
A dedicated audit log for every refund operation, tied clearly to the cashier’s ID, the receipt number, and the recipient card, makes it possible to review the whole trail later if something looks off.
Nothing here requires exotic tools or rare expertise. The overall picture is worth taking seriously, because a store is never just a building full of shelves and registers. It functions as a branch of the corporate infrastructure itself, a set of trusted interfaces placed out into public space, right in front of every customer who walks through the door.
But these small, easy to overlook pieces can chain together. Network access can lead to credentials, credentials can lead to internal systems, internal systems can lead to operational data, and operational data can eventually lead to real financial consequences. A useful security assessment in an environment like this does not simply end with a recommendation to close a port and set a stronger password. It ends with a more useful question worth asking. Who decided, at some point along the way, that all of these things should sit within the customer’s reach in the first place?
If you enjoy hacking and would like to get started in cybersecurity, we have created the Cybersecurity Starter Bundle II to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to begin your journey. If you want to advance your skills even further, our Cyberwarrior Path is made to help you delve deeply into the technology and show you how to break it
The post Pentesting: Hacking the Supermarket first appeared on Hackers Arise.
