wp-shannan - gettectonic.com

22Aug

Get Ready for Winter 25 Salesforce Release

Salesforce Winter 25 Release notes are here. Salesforce Overall Learn about new features and enhancements that affect your Salesforce experience overall. August 8: Get early access by signing up for a Pre-Release org Admins can sign up for a pre-release Developer Edition environment, which is full of all the Winter ’25 features to explore to your heart’s content. Developer environments are stand-alone environments where you can learn, build, and get comfortable with features and functionality. If you already had a pre-release org for Summer ’24, you can log back into that one. August 14: Review the Release Notes Search the products you use for release updates in the Release Notes section of Salesforce Help. The notes will go live August 14 and we will share the link here. Get help from the community! With each release, there are a number of blogs by community members who break it down. Check out the Release Readiness Trailblazer Community Group where you can continue to get updates, share your favorite features, and ask questions about the upcoming release. August 19: Be Release Ready with Winter ’25 features for Admins Starting on August 19th, we’ll begin publishing blog posts on the Admin Blog to help you Be Release Ready with Winter ’25 features. Get ready to dive into blog posts featuring Winter ’25 user access highlights and more! As blog posts and more release resources become available, we’ll be updating the Be Release Ready page with all the resources and information you need to get started with Winter ’25. August 29 before 5 p.m. PT: Be sure to refresh your Sandbox Once you’ve explored the pre-release org and reviewed the Release Notes for features that are important to you, it’s time to try out features related to your customizations in your sandbox. This is a great time to evaluate how specific features may be useful or impact the way your organization uses Salesforce. During each release, there is a group of sandboxes slated to remain on the non-preview instance (i.e. the current release) while there is another group of sandboxes that will upgrade to the preview instance. Use the Salesforce Sandbox Preview Guide to determine the plan for your sandbox instance(s). Use the tool where you can search by sandbox instance and then specify what you want to do with your sandbox — stay on the non-preview or move to preview. It will then instruct you to refresh your sandbox to get to the desired instance or inform you that there is no action needed because your sandbox is slated for the desired instance. Contact Tectonic today if you need assistance getting Salesforce release ready. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

August 22, 2024in Snowflake

22Aug

Slack AI Exploit Prevented

Slack AI Exploit Prevented. Slack has patched a vulnerability in its Slack AI assistant that could have been for insider phishing attacks, according to an announcement made by the company on Wednesday. This update follows a blog post by PromptArmor, which detailed how an insider attacker—someone within the same Slack workspace as the target—could manipulate Slack AI into sending phishing links to private channels that the attacker does not have access to. The vulnerability is an example of an indirect prompt injection attack. In this type of attack, the attacker embeds malicious instructions within content that the AI processes, such as an external website or an uploaded document. In this case, the attacker could plant these instructions in a public Slack channel. Slack AI, designed to use relevant information from public channels in the workspace to generate responses, could then be tricked into acting on these malicious instructions. While placing such instructions in a public channel poses a risk of detection, PromptArmor pointed out that an attacker could create a rogue public channel with only one member—themselves—potentially avoiding detection unless another user specifically searches for that channel. Salesforce, which owns Slack, did not directly reference PromptArmor in its advisory and did not confirm to SC Media that the issue it patched is the same one described by PromptArmor. However, the advisory does mention a security researcher’s blog post published on August 20, the same day as PromptArmor’s blog. “When we became aware of the report, we launched an investigation into the described scenario where, under very limited and specific circumstances, a malicious actor with an existing account in the same Slack workspace could phish users for certain data. We’ve deployed a patch to address the issue and have no evidence at this time of unauthorized access to customer data,” a Salesforce spokesperson told SC Media. How the Slack AI Exploit Could Have Extracted Secrets from Private Channels PromptArmor demonstrated two proof-of-concept exploits that would require the attacker to have access to the same workspace as the victim, such as a coworker. The attacker would create a public channel and lure the victim into clicking a link delivered by the AI. In the first exploit, the attacker aimed to extract an API key stored in a private channel that the victim is part of. The attacker could post a carefully crafted prompt in the public channel that indirectly instructs Slack AI to respond to a request for the API key with a fake error message and a URL controlled by the attacker. The AI would unknowingly insert the API key from the victim’s private channel into the URL as an HTTP parameter. If the victim clicks on the URL, the API key would be sent to the attacker’s domain. “This vulnerability shows how a flaw in the system could let unauthorized people see data they shouldn’t see. This really makes me question how safe our AI tools are,” said Akhil Mittal, Senior Manager of Cybersecurity Strategy and Solutions at Synopsys Software Integrity Group, in an email to SC Media. “It’s not just about fixing problems but making sure these tools manage our data properly. As AI becomes more common, it’s important for organizations to keep both security and ethics in mind to protect our information and keep trust.” In a second exploit, PromptArmor demonstrated how similar crafted instructions could be used to deliver a phishing link to a private channel. The attacker would tailor the instructions to the victim’s workflow, such as asking the AI to summarize messages from their manager, and include a malicious link. PromptArmor reported the issue to Slack on August 14, with Slack acknowledging the disclosure the following day. Despite some initial skepticism from Slack about the severity of the vulnerability, the company patched the issue on August 21. “Slack’s security team had prompt responses and showcased a commitment to security and attempted to understand the issue. Given how new prompt injection is and how misunderstood it has been across the industry, this is something that will take the industry time to wrap our heads around collectively,” PromptArmor wrote in their blog. New Slack AI Feature Could Pose Further Prompt Injection Risk PromptArmor concluded its testing of Slack AI before August 14, the same day Slack announced that its AI assistant could now reference files uploaded to Slack when generating search answers. PromptArmor noted that this new feature could create additional opportunities for indirect prompt injection attacks, such as hiding malicious instructions in a PDF file by setting the font color to white. However, the researchers have not yet tested this scenario and noted that workspace admins can restrict Slack AI’s ability to read files. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

August 22, 2024in Salesforce Slack

21Aug

Salesforce and the Connected Car

The concept of the Connected Car has been a topic of discussion for years, often accompanied by ambitious predictions from consultants about its market potential. For example, McKinsey in 2021 projected that by 2030, Connected Cars would constitute 95% of all vehicles on the road. Central to the success of these vehicles is data, with each one generating approximately 25 GB of data per hour. That’s a lot of data. Like a whole truckload of data! Salesforce and the Connected Car is uniquely a perfect fit. However, this raises two critical questions. First, do consumers actually understand what a Connected Car is? Second, if they do, are they comfortable sharing their personal data with automakers to enhance their driving experience? In January, Salesforce conducted a study of 2,188 car owners in the U.S., revealing some unsettling insights. A significant portion of drivers—over two-thirds (65%)—are unfamiliar with the concept of a Connected Car. Even more telling, over a third (37%) had never heard the term before. As of now, two-thirds of respondents either don’t have connected features in their cars or are not using them if they do. This includes features like Apple CarPlay and others. Personally, while shopping for a car I look for all those connected bells and whistles. On the flip side, this presents a considerable opportunity for automakers. According to Salesforce’s data, drivers expressed a willingness to pay a premium for advanced features, such as driver assistance, touchscreens, and smartphone integration. When it comes to sharing personal data, however, there’s still work to be done. While over half of respondents (54%) are comfortable with cars collecting data on vehicle diagnostics or seatbelt usage (35%), fewer are okay with data collection on driving speed (34%) or route history (31%). The discomfort grows when it comes to more sensitive data like voice recordings (17%), biometrics (13%), or text messages (12%). There are incentives that could encourage data sharing. For example, over two-thirds of respondents (67%) would be willing to exchange personal data for better insurance rates. Other incentives include advanced driver personalization (43%), such as customized seat and mirror settings, and enhanced personal safety features like real-time health monitoring (36%). Introducing Salesforce Connected Vehicle Salesforce for the Automotive IndustryIn response to these trends, Salesforce has introduced Connected Vehicle, a new application within the Automotive Cloud, alongside new partnerships with Qualcomm and AWS. These innovations aim to help automakers create the cars of the future. According to Salesforce: With a single console and a ready-to-use set of industry-specific, low-code/no-code development tools, Connected Vehicle helps automakers roll out new services and features to drivers faster. It enables bidirectional, over-the-air (OTA) capabilities for data sharing and software updates between the cloud and the vehicle via wireless or cellular networks. Key features for automakers include: Connected Vehicle is available today, with additional features like Connected Vehicle Summary, Interaction Summary, Warranty Summary, and Sales Agreement expected to be generally available in the fall. Why Now? The Connected Car has been around in some form since 2005, but according to Achyut Jajoo, SVP & GM of Automotive at Salesforce, connectivity is just the beginning. He explains: “One big challenge for automakers was that once a car left the factory, it was difficult to update its software or add new capabilities. The car was limited to the features it shipped with, unless you took it back to the dealership. But today, the fundamental architecture of these vehicles is changing. I often describe it as a phone on wheels. With standardized chips and modules, data can now be pushed to the cloud, allowing for real-time control and updates.” This shift means that once a vehicle leaves the factory, its performance and features can evolve over time. This “software-defined vehicle” revolution allows for continuous enhancements and the deployment of new capabilities that weren’t possible before. While connectivity is an essential piece, this software-driven approach is the real game changer. As for Salesforce’s role and its partnerships with AWS and Qualcomm, Jajoo says: “We are known for taking data and creating customer experiences. When we looked at the automotive market, we saw how complicated it is. We heard horror stories and realized that by partnering with other tech powerhouses, we could provide an end-to-end solution. This approach was shaped by our discussions with customers who said they struggled with these challenges and would love for us to collaborate.” Final Thought We may not be close to McKinsey’s 95% prediction quite yet, but the trajectory is clear. With data being central to success—and consumer trust in how that data is used—Salesforce’s collaboration with AWS and Qualcomm seems like a smart move. Apparently I am the ideal customer as I want my vehicle connected! By Tectonic’s Senior Consultant, Shannan Hearne Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

August 21, 2024in Salesforce Automotive Cloud, Salesforce Development Services, Salesforce Manufacturing Automotive Energy, Salesforce Optimization

20Aug

Winter 25 Release Notes

The Winter ’25 release is available through the pre-release program. On August 30, 2024, Sandboxes will be upgraded, providing your organization with the Winter ’25 release experience. Set Up Your Pay Now Store Quickly and Easily Use the streamlined automated setup to get your Pay Now store up and running effortlessly. The guided process walks you through each step needed to configure your store. This feature is available in Salesforce Payments for Enterprise, Unlimited, and Developer editions. How to Set Up: Gain Insight into How User Permissions Are Granted Simplify user management with visibility into the profiles, permission sets, and permission set groups that grant permissions to a user. The User Access Summary now provides detailed information about a user’s assigned object, field, user, and custom permissions. Previously, identifying the source of a user’s permissions required multiple steps, but now you can access this information with just a few clicks. This change applies to Lightning Experience in all editions. How to Use: See How Object Access Is Granted in Object Manager Quickly view the permission sets, permission set groups, and profiles that grant access to an object, along with the level of access provided. The read-only Object Access Summary in Object Manager allows for quick checks during troubleshooting, reviews, or when deciding how to grant user access. This update is available in Lightning Experience across all editions. How to Access: Improve Performance for List Views on Custom and Standard Objects To enhance performance and meet the latest accessibility standards, list views for both custom and standard objects now render using Lightning Web Components (LWC) instead of Aura. LWC, Salesforce’s latest framework, delivers data faster and enables new features for list views. Previously, only custom object list views in sandboxes used LWC. This update applies to Lightning Experience in all editions. How to Use: Configure Record Highlights in Lightning App Builder Enhance your Lightning pages with the new Dynamic Highlights Panel, which lets you configure important fields directly within the Lightning App Builder. Previously, this was only possible through compact layouts in Setup. The Dynamic Highlights Panel can hold up to 12 fields and adjusts responsively to browser size. This feature is available in Group, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions. How to Implement: Make Record Fields Stand Out with Conditional Formatting Highlight key information on record pages using conditional formatting in Lightning App Builder. On Dynamic Forms-enabled pages, you can assign custom icons and colors to fields based on defined criteria, such as field values or other conditions on the page. This feature is available on a rolling basis starting in early September 2024 for Group, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions. How to Use: Save Time with New Messaging Components for Enhanced Bots (Generally Available) Empower customers and save service agents’ time with the new messaging components for enhanced bots. These include authentication, custom, form, and payment messaging components, which can handle more complex use cases on enhanced Apple Messages for Business channels. The form component is also available for Messaging for In-App and Web. These updates apply to Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions, with bot setup available only in Lightning Experience. How to Implement: Enhance Your LWR Site Experience by Curating Data Providers on a Page (Beta) Enhance LWR site pages by adding and configuring data providers in Experience Builder. This feature allows you to access data from different sources, such as Apex or Record data providers, directly within your site page and its components. This change is available in Professional, Enterprise, Unlimited, and Developer editions for LWR sites accessed through Lightning Experience. A community license is required to use this feature. How to Use: To configure data providers on an LWR Site page in Experience Builder: Enabling or Disabling Modernized Record Experience in Aura Sites You can now use upgraded record components based on Lightning web component technology to see stylistic changes in your Aura sites. These updates, previously limited to sandbox environments, are now available in production environments for the Create Record Form, Record Banner, and Record Detail components. This update is applicable to Aura sites accessed through Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions. When you enable the Use Lightning web components on your record pages in Aura sites setting, the Create Record Form, Record Banner, and Record Detail components display minor style changes. Some key updates include: Daily Summary of Service Appointments Requiring Immediate Attention Boost dispatcher productivity by using Einstein Copilot Field Service actions to get a daily summary of service appointments needing immediate attention, such as those with rule violations, overlaps, SLA risks, or emergencies. Each category in the summary is converted into a filter in the appointment list for quick resolution. Customize the summary to include additional categories. This feature is available in Lightning Experience in the Einstein 1 Field Service Edition with the Field Service Managed Package installed. To use this feature: Assigning Opportunity Splits to Territories Sales teams can now assign opportunity splits and opportunity product splits to territories, enabling them to report on how territories contribute to overall sales. Previously, splits could only be associated with the parent opportunity’s territory. Now, teams can also forecast based on split amounts across territories. This update applies to Lightning Experience in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions. To enable this feature: Strategic Planning with Account Plan Enhance your strategic planning with Account Plans by nurturing existing relationships and growing key accounts. Use Account Plans to research and analyze accounts, set objectives with actionable metrics, and monitor growth and development from a single repository within Salesforce. This feature applies to Lightning Experience in Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited editions and in Einstein 1 Sales Edition. This feature will be rolled out to production environments after the Winter ’25 release and will be available to all customers by October 29, 2024. It is accessible in sandboxes only after its production release. To use Account Plans: Forecast Submissions Forecast submissions

August 20, 2024in Generative AI, Snowflake, Unified Knowledge

15Aug

Benefits of Salesforce Flow Automation

Salesforce Flow Automation offers robust tools to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and improve accuracy. Whether you’re new to Salesforce or refining existing workflows, here are five top tips for maximizing the benefits of Salesforce Flow Automation. 1. Define Clear Objectives Before creating any flows, clearly define your automation goals, whether it’s reducing manual data entry, accelerating approval processes, or ensuring consistent customer follow-ups. Having specific objectives will keep your flow design focused and help you measure the impact of your automation. 2. Leverage Pre-Built Flow Templates Salesforce provides a range of pre-built flow templates tailored to common business needs, saving time and effort. Start with these templates and customize them to suit your unique requirements, allowing you to implement efficient solutions without building from scratch. 3. Optimize Decision Elements Decision elements in Salesforce Flow enable branching logic based on set conditions. Use them to direct the flow according to specific criteria, such as routing different approval paths based on deal value or service type. This targeted approach ensures each scenario is handled effectively. 4. Thoroughly Test Before Deployment Testing is a critical part of the automation process. Before launching a new flow, test it in a sandbox environment to catch any issues. Cover a range of scenarios and edge cases to confirm that the flow works as expected, helping avoid disruptions and ensuring a smooth transition into live use. 5. Monitor and Continuously Improve Automation is an evolving process. After deploying flows, monitor their performance to ensure they’re achieving desired outcomes. Use Salesforce’s reporting tools to track metrics like completion rates and processing times. With this data, you can fine-tune your flows to boost efficiency and adapt to changing business needs. By following these tips, you can unlock the full potential of Salesforce Flow Automation, leading to streamlined processes and better business outcomes. Embrace automation to reduce manual work and keep focus on driving core business growth. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

August 15, 2024in Data, Salesforce, Salesforce Implementation Services, Salesforce Optimization

13Aug

The Role of Data to Harness AI

Harnessing AI for Enhanced Sales and Service: The Role of Data Organizations are racing to leverage AI to enhance their sales and service experiences. The Role of Data to Harness AI cannot be underestimated. However, great AI solutions rely on quality data. Traditionally, companies have managed structured data—neatly organized into rows and columns, such as customer engagement data from CRM systems. But businesses also hold a wealth of unstructured data in formats like documents, images, audio, and video recordings. This unstructured data can be highly valuable, offering deeper AI insights that are more accurate and comprehensive, grounded in real customer interactions. Yet, many organizations struggle to effectively access, integrate, and utilize their unstructured data to gain a holistic customer view. With advancements in large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, organizations can now bridge this gap. To succeed in the AI era, companies need to develop integrated, federated, intelligent, and actionable solutions across all customer touchpoints while managing complexity. Leveraging Unstructured Data for Superior AI Performance For instance, when a customer seeks help with a recent purchase, they typically start with a company’s chatbot. To ensure a relevant and positive experience, the chatbot must be informed by comprehensive customer data, including recent purchases, warranty details, and past interactions. Additionally, the chatbot should draw on broader company data, such as insights from other customers and internal knowledge base articles. This data can be spread across structured databases and unstructured files, like warranty contracts or knowledge articles. Accessing and utilizing both types of data is crucial for a satisfying interaction. The key to accurate AI responses is augmenting LLMs with both real-time structured and unstructured data from within a company’s systems. An effective approach is Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), which combines proprietary data with generative AI to enhance contextuality, timeliness, and relevance. Ensuring Relevance Across Scenarios A unified view of customer data—both structured and unstructured—provides the most relevant information for any situation. For example, financial institutions can leverage this comprehensive data to offer real-time market insights tailored to individual banking needs, providing actionable advice based on current information. Companies are increasingly exploring RAG technology to improve internal processes and deliver precise, up-to-date information to employees. This approach enhances contextual assistance, personalized support, and decision-making efficiency across the organization. The Role of Data to Harness AI Preparing Data for AI: Key Steps By addressing these areas, organizations can harness the full potential of AI, transforming customer interactions and enhancing service efficiency. Talk to Tectonic today if your data is ina disarray. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

August 13, 2024in Generative AI

11Aug

Rubrick and Salesforce

According to Gartner®, by 2028, 75% of enterprises will view the backup of SaaS applications as a critical necessity, up from just 15% in 2024. Salesforce, a key CRM tool for many of the world’s largest organizations, plays a pivotal role in driving business operations and accelerating revenue growth. Given its central role as the single source of truth for many financial applications, Salesforce users must safeguard against costly downtime caused by accidental errors or cyber events, which can have a cascading impact on interconnected systems. To support these organizations, Rubrik is launching Salesforce Data Protection. Rubrik’s Data Protection Capabilities The new Salesforce Data Protection solution by Rubrik leverages robust security features from Rubrik Security Cloud—a unified platform that integrates data protection across SaaS, cloud, and on-premises environments. This advanced offering builds on Rubrik’s existing data protection solutions for SaaS tools like M365 and Jira. Key Features of Rubrik’s Salesforce Data Protection: Rubrik’s Salesforce Data Protection is now available on the AppExchange and will be showcased at Dreamforce 2024, scheduled for September 17-19 in San Francisco. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

August 11, 2024in Salesforce

05Aug

AIs Role in Scams

How Generative AI is Supporting the Creation of Lures & Scams A Guide for Value Added Resellers Copyright © 2024 Gen Digital Inc. All rights reserved. Avast is part of Gen™. A long, long time ago, I worked for an antivirus company who has since been acquired by Avast. Knowing many of the people involved in this area of artificial intelligence, I pay attention when they publish a white paper. AI in scams is something we all should be concerned about. I am excited to share it in our Tectonic Insights. Executive Summary The capabilities and global usage of both large language models (LLMs) and generative AI are rapidly increasing. While these tools offer significant benefits to the general public and businesses, they also pose potential risks for misuse by malicious actors, including the misuse of tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other GPTs. This document explores how the ChatGPT brand is exploited for lures, scams, and other social engineering threats. Generative AI is expected to play a crucial role in the cyber threat world challenges, particularly in creating highly believable, multilingual texts for phishing and scams. These advancements provide more opportunities for sophisticated social engineering by even less sophisticated scammers than ever before. Conversely, we believe generative AI will not drastically change the landscape of malware generation in the near term. Despite numerous proofs of concept, the complexity of generative AI methods still makes traditional, simpler methods more practical for malware creation. In short, the good may not outweigh the bad – just yet. Recognizing the value of generative AI for legitimate purposes is important. AI-based security and assistant tools with various levels of maturity and specialization are already emerging in the market. As these tools evolve and become more widely available, substantial improvements in their capabilities are anticipated. AI-Generated Lures and Scams AI-generated lures and scams are increasingly prevalent. Cybercriminals use AI to create lures and conduct phishing attempts and scams through various texts—emails, social media content, e-shop reviews, SMS scams, and more. AI improves the credibility of social scams by producing trustworthy, authentic texts, eliminating traditional phishing red flags like broken language and awkward addressing. These advanced threats have exploited societal issues and initiatives, including cryptocurrencies, Covid-19, and the war in Ukraine. The popularity of ChatGPT among hackers stems more from its widespread recognition than its AI capabilities, making it a prime target for investigation by attackers. How is Generative AI Supporting the Creation of Lures and Scams? Generative AI, particularly ChatGPT, enhances the language used in scams, enabling cybercriminals to create more advanced texts than they could otherwise. AI can correct grammatical errors, provide multilingual content, and generate multiple text variations to improve believability. For sophisticated phishing attacks, attackers must integrate the AI-generated text into credible templates. They can purchase functional, well-designed phishing kits or use web archiving tools to replicate legitimate websites, altering URLs to phish victims. Currently, attackers need to manually build some aspects of their attempts. ChatGPT is not yet an “out-of-the-box” solution for advanced malware creation. However, the emergence of multi-type models, combining outputs like images, audio, and video, will enhance the capabilities of generative AI for creating believable phishing and scam campaigns. Malvertising Malvertising, or “malicious advertising,” involves disseminating malware through online ads. Cybercriminals exploit the widespread reach and interactive nature of digital ads to distribute harmful content. Instances have been observed where ChatGPT’s name is used in malicious vectors on platforms like Facebook, leading users to fraudulent investment portals. Users who provide personal information become vulnerable to identity theft, financial fraud, account takeovers, and further scams. The collected data is often sold on the dark web, contributing to the broader cybercrime ecosystem. Recognizing and mitigating these deceptive tactics is crucial. YouTube Scams YouTube, one of the world’s most popular platforms, is not immune to cybercrime. Fake videos featuring prominent figures are used to trick users into harmful actions. This strategy, known as the “Appeal to Authority,” exploits trust and credibility to phish personal details or coerce victims into sending money. For example, videos featuring Elon Musk discussing OpenAI have been modified to scam victims. A QR code displayed in the video redirects users to a scam page, often a cryptocurrency scam or phishing attempt. As AI models like Midjourney and DALL-E mature, the use of fake images, videos, and audio is expected to increase, enhancing the credibility of these scams. Typosquatting Typosquatting involves minor changes in URLs to redirect users to different websites, potentially leading to phishing attacks or the installation of malicious applications. An example is an Android app named “Open Chat GBT: AI Chat Bot,” where a subtle URL alteration can deceive users into downloading harmful software. Browser Extensions The popularity of ChatGPT has led to the emergence of numerous browser extensions. While many are legitimate, others are malicious, designed to lure victims. Attackers create extensions with names resembling ChatGPT to deceive users into downloading harmful software, such as adware or spyware. These extensions can also subscribe users to services that periodically charge fees, known as fleeceware. For instance, a malicious extension mimicking “ChatGPT for Google” was reported by Guardio. This extension stole Facebook sessions and cookies but was removed from the Chrome Web Store after being reported. Installers and Cracks Malicious installers often mimic legitimate tools, tricking users into installing malware. These installers promise to install ChatGPT but instead deploy malware like NodeStealer, which steals passwords and browser cookies. Cracked or unofficial software versions pose similar risks, hiding malware that can steal personal information or take control of computers. This particular method of installing malware has been around for decades. However the usage of ChatGPT and other free to download tools has given it a resurrection. Fake Updates Fake updates are a common tactic where users are prompted to update their browser to access content. Campaigns like SocGholish use ChatGPT-related articles to lure users into downloading remote access trojans (RATs), giving attackers control over infected devices. These pages are often hosted on vulnerable WordPress sites or sites with

August 5, 2024in Generative AI

02Aug

AI and Productivity

AI and Productivity. Agencies and brands often find themselves tangled in tasks that don’t add much value. Enter AI—a tool that might just bring some much-needed order to this chaos. AI won’t eliminate the intensity of agency life, but it can transform that intensity into something valuable.. Grace Meldrum from Salesforce has some ideas on how AI can streamline operations. Imagine working at or with an agency. For many marketers, it’s a rollercoaster ride. On a good day, it’s all about creativity and pushing boundaries. On a bad day, it’s chaotic and stressful. Stephen Quinn, CEO of Atomic, recently likened it to “air traffic control”—only with more turbulence. Campaigns are constantly taking off, changing direction, and landing in unexpected places. With marketing budgets slashed by 15% over the past year, making the most of these moments is crucial for agencies—it can mean the difference between landing new clients or losing key accounts. Fortunately, progress is on the horizon. Emerging AI tools are set to make life easier for agencies and their brand partners. Communication platforms have already improved global team connectivity, and integration with other apps has facilitated smooth cross-functional work. Now, AI is ready to take things to the next level. Powered by AI – AI and Productivity In a world where time is always running short—whether it’s a looming deadline, a product launch, or a quarter-end—AI can help reclaim those precious hours. Many of us find ourselves bogged down with repetitive tasks that don’t really add value. Here’s where AI steps in. Take recent experience coordinating a world tour event. The event was a complex puzzle of moving parts. While oversight was crucial, keeping track of every detail manually would have been impossible. Enter AI. Using Slack’s AI-driven recap and thread summary tools, we received daily updates highlighting key insights and decisions. It was a game-changer. We didn’t have to dig through endless emails or ask agencies to provide recaps. AI saved us a whopping 373 minutes of reading time—over six hours that we could reinvest into delivering an exceptional event. Multiply those savings across teams, and the impact of AI becomes even more apparent. Keeping It Human While AI can boost efficiency, it’s not here to replace creativity. Sam Pepper, group creative director at Wasserman, aptly describes AI as “the enemy of the mundane.” AI excels at handling repetitive tasks, but creativity remains a human domain. Creativity thrives on human elements—brainstorming, collaborating, and sometimes making mistakes. AI should complement these processes, not replace them. By offloading mundane tasks to AI, we can focus more on the messy, iterative process of crafting standout campaigns. Jumping into the AI Era Marketers are no strangers to change, from the advent of TV to the rise of social media. When it comes to AI, the best approach is to dive in. Start small—experiment with a few use cases. Many AI tools, like the recap feature in Slack, require minimal setup. AI and Productivity. Moreover, centralizing your data can maximize AI’s effectiveness. Tools like Slack bring together your resources and team, providing AI with the insights it needs to deliver real value. AI won’t eliminate the intensity of agency life, but it can transform that intensity into something valuable. By reducing administrative drudgery and freeing up time, AI can shift the focus from stressful days to moments of creative brilliance. Ready to elevate your marketing game? Explore the possibilities with Slack today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

August 2, 2024in Salesforce

22Jul

UncannyAutomator Salesforce Integration

Integrating WordPress with Salesforce With the Uncanny Automator Elite Integrations addon, connecting your WordPress site to Salesforce is a breeze. Steps to Connect Uncanny Automator to Your Salesforce Account 1. Install the Elite Integrations Addon First, ensure you have the Elite Integrations addon for Uncanny Automator installed on your WordPress site. 2. Connect Uncanny Automator to Salesforce To establish the connection, follow these steps: You will be prompted to log into Salesforce. After logging in, you will need to allow Uncanny Automator to manage your Salesforce data by clicking Allow. You will then return to the app connection screen on your WordPress site. Using Salesforce Actions in Recipes Once connected to Salesforce, you can use Uncanny Automator to create and update contacts and leads based on user actions on your WordPress site. Here’s how: Final Steps That’s it! Your recipe will now automatically run whenever users complete the selected trigger(s), sending the desired updates directly to your Salesforce account. Installing Uncanny Automator Install the free version The free version of Uncanny Automator is hosted in the WordPress.org repository, so installing it on your WordPress site couldn’t be easier. Sign into your website as an administrator, and in /wp-admin/, navigate to Plugins > Add New. In the search field, enter “Uncanny Automator”. See the image below for more context. In the Search Results, click the Install Now button for Automator. Once it finishes installing, click Activate. That’s it! Uncanny Automator is installed and ready for use. Please note that you must have the free version installed first to use Uncanny Automator Pro. The setup wizard After activation, you will be redirected to the Uncanny Automator dashboard. From here, you can connect an account, watch tutorials or read articles in our Knowledge Base. Connecting a free account is an optional step allows you to try out some of the App non-WordPress Automator integrations (like Slack, Google Sheets and Facebook) but it is not required to use anything else in the free version. Install Uncanny Automator Pro Uncanny Automator Pro is a separate plugin from our free version, and to use Pro features, you must have both Uncanny Automator AND Uncanny Automator Pro installed and active. If you don’t yet have a copy of Automator Pro, you can purchase one from https://automatorplugin.com/pricing/. Once purchased, you can download the latest version of Uncanny Automator Pro inside your account on our website at https://automatorplugin.com/my-account/downloads/. To install the Pro version after downloading the zip file, navigate to Plugins > Add New in /wp-admin/. At the top of the page, click the Upload Plugin button. Click Choose File to select the Pro zip file, the Install Now and Activate the plugin. Once activated, be sure to visit Automator > Settings in /wp-admin/ to enter your license key. This unlocks access to automatic updates and unlimited use of non-WordPress integrations in your recipes. UncannyAutomator special triggers can be found here. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

July 22, 2024in Salesforce

Refund the Police

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has called for San Francisco to “refund the police,” stating this on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday. As the largest private employer in San Francisco, Salesforce’s stance carries significant weight. In his detailed tweet, Benioff emphasized the need for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to be fully staffed and funded. “San Francisco must REFUND the Police not continue to DEFUND the Police. Our Police need to be empowered now — not this new terrible decision to end pretext stops. Our SFPD and Sheriffs are the absolute key to a safe and clean San Francisco every day,” he wrote. The Defund The Police movement, which gained traction in 2020, led San Francisco Mayor London Breed to reallocate $120 million from law enforcement to support the city’s Black community. However, Breed’s current budget plan includes funding to add 200 new officers to the SFPD by the end of the year. Benioff argued that the SFPD should have more than 2,000 officers, noting that the number had fallen below 1,400. According to the SFPD’s website, there are currently 1,862 sworn officers. Benioff outlined several other goals for the city, emphasizing the following points: Mayor Breed responded Thursday night, expressing agreement with Benioff’s statements and highlighting measures her office has implemented, including increasing the police budget and raising starting pay for SFPD officers. Benioff has previously voiced concerns about public safety in San Francisco, even threatening to move the 2023 Dreamforce conference out of the city if attendee safety could not be guaranteed. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

July 22, 2024in Salesforce

21Jul

Back to the Office

Salesforce, San Francisco’s largest private employer, is reportedly requiring many of its employees to return to the office. Salesforce says Back to the Office. According to the San Francisco Standard, employees received a memo this week announcing a shift from remote work to hybrid and in-person arrangements starting this fall. Salesforce’s headquarters is downtown on Mission Street in the Salesforce Tower. Back to the Office When questioned about the memo, a Salesforce spokesperson told local news KRON4 on Thursday, “Salesforce is a place where connection and relationships drive success. We believe being together in person deepens relationships, sparks innovation, fosters learning, and strengthens culture — ultimately, resulting in better business outcomes.” Salesforce will implement three hybrid work designations for different departments: The spokesperson added, “We have always had a hybrid approach, which provides flexibility to meet the evolving needs of the business and helps attract and retain world-class, diverse talent. Our hybrid work guidelines focus on in-person connection while recognizing the value of work away from the office.” This new in-person expectation coincides with Salesforce announcing another round of layoffs affecting hundreds of employees. The spokesperson commented, “We continuously assess whether we have the right structure in place to best serve our customers and fuel growth areas. In some cases, that leads to roles being eliminated.” Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

July 21, 2024in Salesforce

21Jul

Salesforce and Inforge

Salesforce’s Influence and the Emergence of Inforge in MiamiTech Salesforce is a cornerstone of customer relationship management (CRM) for over 150,000 businesses globally, generating billions in annual revenue and playing a vital role in streamlining operations and enhancing customer satisfaction. The Challenge with Salesforce Despite its powerful capabilities, Salesforce can be complex, and finding skilled talent to manage this robust CRM system is often challenging. However, Miami startups now have a solution thanks to Inforge, a firm founded by three prominent figures in the #MiamiTech community. Inforge’s Founding and Mission Inforge, established by Javier Ramirez in September 2020, bridges the gap by connecting Salesforce talent from Latin America with businesses in the United States. Ramirez, who began as a freelance Salesforce developer on Upwork, quickly made a name for himself by exceeding client expectations. Seeing the increasing demand for Salesforce expertise, he built a team of skilled developers from LatAm, focusing on delivering innovative solutions across various industries. Leadership and Vision Joining Ramirez are Felipe Sommer and Alan Bebchik, each bringing substantial experience and expertise. Sommer, co-founder of the Miami EdTech giant Nearpod and an investor or advisor for numerous startups, expressed his excitement for Inforge’s mission. Bebchik, with a background at tech giants like Google and Uber, highlighted Miami’s thriving tech ecosystem as a significant advantage for Inforge’s growth and access to the American market. Nurturing Talent with “La Masia” Inforge not only focuses on strategic location and client satisfaction but also on nurturing talent through its “La Masia” program, inspired by FC Barcelona’s renowned training academy. This initiative grooms young, talented individuals from LatAm into Salesforce consultants, offering them career opportunities while providing American businesses with top-tier services at competitive costs. Operational Approach and Clientele Inforge’s projects typically start with a discovery phase, followed by detailed solution design, incremental development, and rigorous testing before final deployment and training. The firm’s goal is to automate cumbersome manual processes, ensure data integrity, and streamline operations. Their diverse clientele includes tech companies, educational institutions, non-profits, and manufacturing firms. Future Prospects Looking ahead, Inforge’s leadership is enthusiastic about the firm’s growth and potential. Bebchik pointed out the extensive opportunities within the Salesforce ecosystem, emphasizing the company’s commitment to expansion while maintaining a strong sense of camaraderie and passion for innovation. Ramirez is particularly focused on providing his team with challenging projects to foster professional growth. Sommer, reflecting on his 20 years in Miami’s tech scene, envisions a bright future for Inforge. He believes the company will evolve into product development, identifying key market needs and creating impactful solutions. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

July 21, 2024in Salesforce

19Jul

Lead Generation 101

Lead Generation 101 In today’s world, where people are bombarded with countless messages and offers daily, marketers need to find effective ways to capture attention and generate genuine interest in their products and services. According to the State of the Connected Customer report, customer preferences and expectations are the top influences on digital strategy for Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs). The ultimate goal of lead generation is to build interest over time that leads to successful sales. Here’s a comprehensive guide to understanding lead generation, the role of artificial intelligence (AI), and the steps you need to take to effectively find and nurture leads. What is Lead Generation? Lead generation is the process of creating interest in a product or service and converting that interest into a sale. By focusing on the most promising prospects, lead generation enhances the efficiency of the sales cycle, leading to better customer acquisition and higher conversion rates. Leads are typically categorized into three types: The lead generation process starts with creating awareness and interest. This can be achieved by publishing educational blog posts, engaging users on social media, and capturing leads through sign-ups for email newsletters or “gated” content such as webinars, virtual events, live chats, whitepapers, or ebooks. Once you have leads, you can use their contact information to engage them with personalized communication and targeted promotions. Effective Lead Generation Strategies To successfully move prospects from interest to buyers, focus on the following strategies: How Lead Qualification and Nurturing Work To effectively evaluate and nurture leads, consider the following: Methods for Nurturing Leads Once you’ve established your lead scoring and grading, consider these nurturing methods: Current Trends in Lead Generation AI is increasingly influencing lead generation by offering advanced tools and strategies: Measuring Success in Lead Generation To evaluate the effectiveness of your lead generation efforts, track the following key metrics: Best Practices for Lead Generation To optimize lead generation efforts and build strong customer relationships, follow these best practices: Effective lead generation is essential for building trust and fostering meaningful customer relationships. By implementing these strategies and best practices, you can enhance your lead generation efforts and drive better business results. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

July 19, 2024in Marketing Automation

17Jul

Enthusiasm for AI Powered Future

Trust in AI to handle certain tasks independently is growing, although the preference for AI-human collaboration remains strong. Enthusiasm for AI Powered Future. Workers are increasingly relying on AI, with a recent study showing that they trust AI to handle about 43 percent of their work tasks. This shift towards delegating tasks to AI is notable. Leaders show even more confidence, trusting AI with 51 percent of their work compared to 40 percent among rank-and-file employees. Looking ahead, 77 percent of global workers anticipate they will eventually trust AI to operate autonomously. Currently, only 10 percent of workers have this level of trust, but within the next three years, 26 percent believe they will trust AI to function independently. This trust is expected to rise to 41 percent in three or more years. Despite this, the preference for AI-human collaboration remains strong, with 54 percent of global workers favoring a collaborative approach for most tasks. However, some workers are already comfortable with AI handling specific responsibilities alone. For example, 15 percent trust AI to write code, 13 percent to uncover data insights, and 12 percent each to develop communications and act as personal assistants autonomously. There are still tasks where human involvement is deemed crucial. A significant number of workers trust only humans to ensure inclusivity (47 percent), onboard and train employees (46 percent), and keep data secure (40 percent). Building trust in AI involves greater human participation. Sixty-three percent of workers believe that increased human involvement would enhance their trust in AI. A major hurdle is the lack of understanding, as 54 percent of workers admit they do not know how AI is implemented or governed in their workplaces. Those knowledgeable about AI implementation are five times more likely to trust AI to operate autonomously within the next two years compared to those who lack this knowledge. A notable gender gap exists in AI knowledge, with males being 94 percent more likely than females to understand how AI is implemented and governed at work. Additionally, 62 percent of workers feel that more skill-building and training opportunities would foster greater trust in AI. Linda Saunders, Salesforce Director of Solutions Engineering Africa, highlighted the enthusiasm for an AI-powered future, emphasizing that human engagement is key to building trust and driving AI adoption. “By empowering humans at the helm of today’s AI systems, we can build trust and drive adoption – enabling workers to unlock all that AI has to offer,” Saunders stated. The study was conducted by Salesforce in collaboration with YouGov from March 20 to April 3, 2024. It involved nearly 6,000 full-time knowledge workers from diverse companies across nine countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, France, Germany, India, Singapore, and Switzerland. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

July 17, 2024in Salesforce

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