Saving the Internet of Things (IoT)
This is my promised column on data security and the Internet of Things (IoT). The recent Dyn DDoS attack showed the IoT is going to be a huge problem as networked devices like webcams are turned into zombie hoards. Fortunately I think I may have a solution to the problem. Really.
I’m an idiot today, but back in the early 1990’s I ran a startup that built one of the Internet’s earliest Content Distribution Networks (CDN), only we didn’t call it that because the term had not yet been invented. Unlike the CDNs of today, ours wasn’t about video, it was about the daily electronic delivery of PDF editions of newspapers and magazines. Canon told us that if the New York Times, say, would make a PDF version of its daily paper, the Japanese company would give an ink jet printer to every electronic subscriber, making their money solely on replacement ink cartridge sales. Communication would be between the CDN and printer with no PC involved. It was effectively an Internet of Things, circa 1994. Obviously, we failed, but learned a lot along the way.
Apple launches battery replacement program for iPhone 6s handsets with shutdown problems
Apple has launched its second repair program in quick succession, this time focusing on iPhone 6s handsets that suffer unexpected shutdowns. The program will see batteries replaced in a number of affected phones.
The battery replacement program comes hot on the heels of a repair program for iPhone 6Plus handsets afflicted with 'touch disease'. Apple stresses that the battery problems are not a safety issue such as seen with the Samsung Galaxy Note7, and advises customers with problematic handsets how to get a repair.
What you need to know about supply chain management
Supply chain management (SCM) is a vitally important business feature for many industries, having an impact on every aspect of the supply chain, from supplier to customer. Every detail of this process must be managed carefully, as even the smallest mistake could lead to delays, customer frustration and lost revenue.
What’s more, supply chain management does not only refer to the movement of physical products through the supply chain. Any data associated with these products, including invoices, schedules and delivery information, also needs to be managed appropriately to ensure that businesses have visibility and clarity across the length of the supply chain. When employed effectively, SCM can help reduce stock levels, boost transaction volume and increase revenue, which is why many businesses are now looking at software solutions in order to gain a competitive edge.
Samsung says batteries in the Galaxy S7 family are safe
Following on from the Note7 battery farce, Samsung is understandably keen to reassure customers -- and would be customers -- that its other phones are safe. Having lost untold billions of dollars because of exploding Note7s, the Korean company has taken the strange move of advising people that the Galaxy S7 family is safe.
In a weirdly proactive post in the Samsung Newsroom, the company points out that there have been no instances of internal battery failure in these devices. It does concede, however, that there have been instances of battery failure following external damage.
How will Facebook fight the fake news phenomenon? Poorly... and stupid, lazy users don't help
Facebook has many problems, but the most recent and prominent of them has been the issue of fake news. So serious is the problem, that some have blamed fake news stories on Facebook as being the reason Donald Trump is now president elect.
Mark Zuckerberg has made it fairly clear he doesn't subscribe to this particular idea, but he is certainly aware that fake news is a problem. Under pressure to do something about it -- bearing in mind that for a worrying percentage of people, Facebook is their only source of news -- Zuckerberg wants to not only make it clear that "we take misinformation seriously", but also that there are plans to tackle the problem. But they're not very good.
Sysinternals ships Sysmon 5.0, Process Explorer 16.20
Microsoft Sysinternals has released updates for some of its best tools, including Sysmon 5.0 and Process Explorer 16.20.
Sysmon gets a major update, with new support for recording file creations, Registry create and delete options, value sets and key and value renames.
Zorin OS 12 Ubuntu-based Linux distribution now available -- a Windows 10 alternative
Windows 10 is a really great desktop operating system, but it is not for everyone. For those that care deeply about security and privacy, an open source Linux-based operating system is a wise alternative. The problem? Learning a new user interface can be hard for some. If you have always used a Windows OS in the past, moving to a desktop environment like GNOME or Unity can be confusing and scary.
Luckily, for those that have difficulty with change, there are some Linux-based operating systems that are designed for Windows-switchers. One fairly popular such offering, Zorin OS, has now reached version 12. It is designed to be familiar to former users of Microsoft's OS. While the company does charge for an "Ultimate" version, the "Core" edition of Zorin OS 12 is entirely free.
Prevent forced system shutdowns and restarts with shutdownblocker
Shutdownblocker is a simple tool which intercepts and blocks shutdown, restart, logoff and related commands.
The program offers some protection from user mistakes or poorly designed software which forces a restart, as well as preventing forced Windows 10 Update restarts.
UPDATE: Scale of Three customer data breach massively downsized, but identity theft remains a risk
Late yesterday, Three admitted to a breach of its customer databases which potentially put 6 million people at risk. Today the company has spoken out, indicating that far fewer customers were affected than first thought.
In fact, data from just over 130,000 accounts was accessed, with varying levels of access meaning different customer information was exposed. Three says the primary goal of the database breach was to intercept handsets rather than for other purposes, and it stresses that no financial information was stolen.
Plextor EX1 SSD targets Apple MacBook Pro (2016) with USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C interface
Apple's all-new MacBook Pro looks to be a very well-designed machine. It features Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C ports only -- something I think is a wise choice. True, those that want to leverage USB Type-A and other ports will need to use dongles, but in a couple years, consumers will be glad to have nothing but the latest-and-greatest connector on their machine. For comparison, look at FireWire, floppy disk, and optical drives -- Apple was panned for their removal too.
If you need to expand storage on your new Touch Bar MacBook Pro, you unfortunately cannot upgrade the internal SSD. Instead, you will need to leverage an external drive using the aforementioned Type-C ports. Plextor has an elegant new product that should meet those external storage needs. Called simply "EX1", it is a USB 3.1 Gen 2 SSD with Type-C connector.
Google Cloud Platform will offer GPU options next year
Google has announced that early next year it will be adding graphics processing units (GPUs) as a service to its Cloud Platform in order to better compete with its rivals.
GPU as a service is already available on Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and IBM's Bluemix, but Google's Cloud Platform will seek to differentiate itself by offering a variety of GPUs for customers to choose from. The company will allow users the option to use two AMD FirePro S9300s or either a Nvidia Tesla P100 or K80.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Two-hundred-and-five in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on Windows Store in the past seven days.
Microsoft released a new Windows Insider build this week. You can check out what is new here.
Facebook fake news guru Paul Horner credits himself with getting Donald Trump elected
Fake news stories are on the rise, spreading across the internet via social media. They spread at a quickening rate thanks, in large part, to well-known people sharing them. Now some services are cracking down on these stories, but is it too late?
Just recently we learned that both Google and Facebook are clamping down on the spread of fake news stories, with Google withholding ads that appear on sites it deems to contain misleading content.
IBM launches new services to help enterprises with cloud migration
Businesses are turning to the cloud as a way of coping with ever larger amounts of data. But moving to the cloud at the same time retaining control of where data resides and how it’s accessed is a challenge.
To help enterprises migrate and more easily generate business insights, IBM is announcing a range of new services on its Bluemix cloud platform.
Amazon finds another way for you to spend money
Black Friday is still a week away, but that hasn't stopped stores from beginning the sales rush. The deals have been announced and some are already available.
Now Amazon has a unique idea to make shopping simple, but it does have one requirement -- you have to be an Alexa customer to benefit.
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