Bridging the IT skills gap: How to start today
By the numbers, the IT skills gap seems easy to understand. According to Gartner, two-thirds of organizations aren’t addressing the IT skills gap how they should be. It is estimated that by 2019, IT tech specialists will fall by more than 5 percent, and by 2021, 40 percent of IT employees will be more involved with a business role than purely IT. These are major numbers.
But it’s not just about a lack of people. Companies and individual employees alike are being constantly bombarded by the ever-increasing pace of technological development, making the task of playing catch-up a constant challenge for IT professionals at any level. In a 2017 survey by CompTIA, there was near consensus among respondents about the IT skills gap, with two top concerns: 1) Too many workers lack advanced skills, and 2) segments of workers are falling behind.
That's classified: Government can continue its data protection leadership
We are living in the data age. Organizations are grappling with a seemingly unending barrage of data and are challenged by how best to use it, store it and secure it. Yet data breaches and leaks continue to happen, despite security regulations becoming stricter in an attempt to help control it.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see why data protection remains a top concern for all organizations. This is especially true for government agencies, which handle some of the most sensitive information in the country. Take the Census Bureau, for example -- public concerns about the security of census data is one of the Bureau’s top issues as it prepares for the 2020 census. Lawmakers have warned that if there were a breach of census data, it could permanently damage public trust and affect the capability of this country to gather essential data in the future.
Microsoft and Amazon most impersonated in email attacks
Nearly two-thirds of all advanced email attacks used emails impersonating Microsoft or Amazon, according to new research by Agari, the email protection specialist.
Microsoft was impersonated in 36 percent of all display name impersonation attacks in the third quarter. Amazon was the second most commonly impersonated company, used in 27 percent of these attacks.
TuneIn brings music to your commute using Waze
Regardless of whether you’re completely lost or getting your kicks on Route 66, music has always been a staple of driving. Thanks to more modern technologies, like GPS, getting lost is harder to do than it was in the days of our parents.
Also, in this current generation, music has become easier than turning a dial and trying to tune in whatever radio station happens to be in the area you're passing through. Now we have our phones, SiriusXM and other options.
System76 Thelio computer is open source, Linux-powered, and made in the USA
I love when products are made in the USA. Don't get me wrong, I am not against things made in other countries. Hell, it is virtually impossible to live in America and not buy foreign goods. If you look at the tags on your clothes, you will almost never see "Made in the USA." But still, I take pride when a product is made here. For instance, so far in my life, I have only ever owned Ford vehicles. With that said, Ford is moving more and more of its labor to Mexico, but I digress.
Computers made in America are virtually non-existent, but a little company in Denver had a dream to do just that. System76 has long been looking to make a Linux-powered computer in the USA using open source ideology. A lofty goal, which many folks didn't think would ever be achieved. Well, against all odds, today, System76 proves the haters wrong as it finally unveils its much-anticipated Thelio desktop computer. And boy, oh boy, it is beautiful.
New monitoring tool checks the dark web for stolen credentials
Stolen login details are highly prized by cybercriminals, whether they are used to penetrate corporate networks or to make extortion emails look more convincing.
But often breached companies are slow to let users know their credentials have been stolen. This has begun to change in Europe thanks to GDPR, but in the US there is, as yet, no federal law regulating what companies must do if their users' information is stolen or compromised.
Flickr drops Yahoo requirement and gives Flickr Pro users unlimited storage
Flickr has announced a number of changes to both its free and pro accounts, including ditching the need to have a Yahoo account.
The biggest change for Flickr users with free accounts is a drop to the amount of free storage it offers -- it is now possible to display 1,000 photos and videos of any size, but the free terabyte of storage is now a thing of the past. Anyone paying for a Pro account has much more to get excited about, including ad-free browsing and 5K support.
Cyberattacks on energy and utility companies increase
Attacks on infrastructure and energy companies are increasing, but they are occurring inside enterprise IT networks, not directly in the critical infrastructure, according to a new report.
AI powered attack detection specialist Vectra finds attackers typically gain a foothold in energy and utilities networks by staging malware and spear-phishing to steal administrative credentials.
Machine learning solution helps protect critical data
One of the problems that businesses can have protecting sensitive data is the task of actually locating it in the first place.
Data protection specialist TITUS is launching a new Intelligent Protection solution that offers businesses a model based on their specific data protection needs while using machine learning to provide additional consistency and accuracy to data protection initiatives.
Windows 10 set to finally overtake Windows 7
StatCounter claims that Windows 10 overtook Windows 7 back in February, and its latest figures have the new operating system well ahead now. Rival monitoring service NetMarketShare disagrees however, and last month even had Windows 7 gaining share and Windows 10 falling back.
October’s figures show the new operating system back on track though, this despite the negativity surrounding the botched October 2018 Update.
WhatsApp is getting ads in the Status section
It had to happen eventually. Ads are coming to WhatsApp.
The monetization of the messaging app through advertising has been talked about for years, and the acquisition by Facebook served only to make it more likely. Now the company's vice president Chris Daniels has confirmed that ads are arriving in WhatsApp's Status section.
Google is working with iRobot to map the inside of your home and share data with smart devices
Google is all about data, and there have long been concerns about how the data it collects is used and the associated privacy issues. As such, the company's latest collaboration is likely to raise a few hackles. Google and iRobot are joining forces to use data collected by smart vacuum cleaners like the Roomba i7+ to create maps of the inside of people's homes -- and then share that data with other smart devices.
The partnership is described by iRobot as "a collaboration with Google to integrate robotic and smart home technologies that will advance the next-generation smart home". What this means in practice is that devices other than your vacuum cleaner will not only know the layout of your house, but will know what you mean when you refer to specific rooms -- and devices will be better able to interact with each other.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18272 with improved sign-in options
Things might have gone badly wrong for Microsoft with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, but the company is working hard on the next big feature release out next spring.
Build 18272 (19H1) pushed out to Insiders on the Fast ring today (and also available in ISO form) includes some input improvements and new sign-in options for Windows Hello.
Four steps to make your business intelligence teams more relevant
The world of analytics is changing. Self-Service Analytical tools like Tableau, Qlik, and Power BI are enabling business users to perform reporting and analytics on their own with little to no support from the IT organization. This trend has evolved due to several factors including:
1) Organizations are flooded with data and IT organizations are not able to keep up
2) Easier to use Business Intelligence tools make it more efficient for business users to directly create their reports rather than go through IT for a project
3) IT organizations analytical projects can take several months when a business needs this information in weeks
AOC launches C32V1Q 32-inch curved monitor
AOC monitors are a favorite of mine. While they may not be the top of the line, these reliable displays offer a lot of "bang for your buck." In other words, they are budget-friendly, allowing you to save money. If you are a system builder, you know that money saved on a display can be used towards PC components, such as RAM, storage, etc.
If you want one of those fancy new curved monitors, today, AOC launches a new model. The C32V1Q, as it is called, features a 32-inch screen. While a big display is appreciated, please know, the resolution is just 1080p. While that should be OK for gaming, you might experience blurry text during general use. Personally, I don't like to exceed 24-inch with 1080p, but ultimately, the consumer needs to make that decision.
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