New Android ransomware pretends to be FBI porn warning
The large number of devices out there means that Android is becoming an increasingly popular target for malware writers. Ransomware which has previously been a mainly Windows problem is becoming an issue too.
The latest piece of malware discovered by mobile security specialist Lookout attempts to extort money with a scary message claiming to be from the FBI. It claims the user has broken the law by visiting pornography and child abuse websites.
Controlling how employees use the web in a changing world [Q&A]
As businesses face new challenges from employees use of public cloud services along with demands to allow BYOD use, they're increasingly looking for ways to monitor and control the activity of staff on the web.
We spoke to Brian Azzopardi, founder and CEO of web filtering specialist Rawstream about how enterprises can meet these new demands and why existing products aren’t always up to the task.
SoftWatch helps enterprises evaluate and implement XP alternatives
When Microsoft discontinued support for XP it left a large number of businesses, around 25 percent, needing to make a transformation of their IT environment.
As well as switching to a new desktop OS many are also moving applications to the cloud, changing hardware and introducing BYOD. In order to help IT decision makers with these choices, Israel-based software analytics specialist SoftWatch has introduced a new SaaS product.
Choose bad passwords and reuse them often says Microsoft
Conventional security wisdom says that you should use complicated passwords which are impossible to remember and have a different one for each and every website that you visit.
However, a new paper published this month by Microsoft Research says we should go back to having a bad, easily remembered, password and using it on lots of sites. Okay, that's a bit of a simplification, but what the researchers are saying is that in order to be able to remember the difficult passwords for your bank, etc it's better to reuse simpler passwords on low-risk sites.
Tronsmart T1000 -- Media streaming on a budget [Review]
If you want to send images, videos or music to your TV from another device the obvious choice might seem to be Google's Chromecast. However it's not the only game in town, the Tronsmart may not be a name you've heard of but at $24.09 it's around $10 cheaper than Google's alternative, so is it worth considering?
First impressions are good, it's made of a nice smooth matt plastic and the design is tidy if unexciting. The unit plugs directly into the HDMI port of your TV or projector and it offers 1080P resolution, though can be switched to 720P for older TVs. The T1000 will work with Android (including Kindle Fire HDX), iOS or Windows devices, you just need to download the right software.
Tellwise improves customer engagement with smart messages
Effective sales campaigns are all about personalizing the message so that it's relevant to the customer. But generating this content can be time consuming.
Sales communication specialist Tellwise is launching a new Smart Message feature that helps sales professionals to more effectively communicate in a multi-channel and multi-device world.
GraphLab unleashes the power of machine learning
The increased demand for solutions based on big data has led to something of a shortage of data scientists, which means in many cases companies are struggling to unlock the information they already have.
A new tool from data specialist GraphLab provides enterprise-grade machine learning to simplify and automate the handling of big data. By bringing together ease of use and computing scale the software makes it possible for one data scientist to do the job of many.
The new technologies IT departments need to embrace
In the past IT departments have always been about crunching numbers and processing data. But emerging technologies are beginning to take IT into unfamiliar areas that in turn have an impact on the wider operation of the business.
Research specialist Gartner has identified six areas that it sees as potentially being adopted by business and which CIOs need to consider.
DocuLynx aims to simplify cloud storage decisions
There are a number of reasons why businesses might move data to the cloud. To reduce storage costs, improve accessibility or simply reduce the need for on-site equipment. But how can you be sure that moving data to the cloud is the correct decision?
We looked at how businesses can approach this earlier today. Now archiving specialist DocuLynx is using the Microsoft Worldwide Partnership Conference in Washington to launch a new product aimed at making cloud storage decisions easier.
Gmail app vulnerability leaves iOS users at risk
Mobile security specialist Lacoon has released details of a new vulnerability in the Gmail app for iOS that may allow hackers to view or modify encrypted communications.
It allows attackers to use a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) technique to impersonate a legitimate server using a spoofed SSL certificate.
Law enforcement and industry combine to prevent Shylock taking its pound of flesh
An international operation involving law enforcement and private sector organizations has been set up to combat the Shylock banking trojan. Shylock, which gets its name because the code contains lines from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, is thought to have infected at least 30,000 Windows computers worldwide.
To date Shylock has targeted the UK more than any other nation so the country's National Crime Agency (NCA) is coordinating the international effort. This also includes the FBI, Europol, BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, GCHQ, Dell SecureWorks, Kaspersky Lab and the German Federal Police.
New private cloud allows invite only sharing
Cloud storage is an increasingly popular way of storing and sharing data, but when using public services there's always a concern about how safe your information is.
But now a new startup aims to provide controlled sharing of data via an intelligent private cloud network. Sher.ly integrates your existing hard drives into a private, tightly controlled cloud network. Rather than have to send out open links to files or share copies across a public cloud, organizations and individuals can have the security of invite-only, limited-access file-sharing that keeps data on the devices that produced it.
95 percent of employers are concerned about security risks from BYOD
Allowing employees to use their own devices is an increasingly popular trend, but BYOD opens up security threats that can leave company data vulnerable. A new survey commissioned by security specialists Webroot looks at the reality of mobile security.
In particular it focuses on the difference in perception between companies and employees when it comes to securing mobile devices. Whilst there are some areas of agreement there are also signs that some employees don't take adequate steps to protect company data.
Ransomware is still a major concern for IT professionals
Ransomware has proved to be a successful business model for cybercrooks and a recent study shows that IT professionals still see it as a major and growing area of concern.
In a study by security awareness training specialist KnowBe4 88 percent of the 300 professionals surveyed said they expected ransomware to grow over the rest of this year. Attacks are also shifting from desktops to mobile devices, leading to problems for BYOD users.
Android SMS bot sets new infection record
Earlier this week we covered the debate on whether Android users need malware protection. If further fuel for the argument was needed it comes in the form of Russian security firm Dr.Web's monitoring of Android threats.
Until recently embedded advertising modules have topped Dr.Web's malicious program rankings, but statistics for recent months indicate that an Android SMS bot Trojan has been spreading at an alarming rate.