Inadequate processes for managing accounts and access create major security risks

Admin login

Poor management of user accounts is leaving organizations open to security and compliance risks according to a new report.

Identity and access management specialist One Identity surveyed over 900 IT security professionals, in conjunction with Dimensional Research, and finds that what should be security best practices -- such as swift removal of access to corporate data and applications, dormant account identification, and role administration -- continue to be a challenge for many enterprises.

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Attackers impersonate bank emails to cash in on post-Equifax fears

password theft

In the wake of the recent breach at credit agency Equifax it's only natural that people are keeping a close eye on their bank statements and credit reports.

Of course the bad guys know this too and a new report by Barracuda Networks looks at an email attack that is impersonating a 'secure message' from financial institutions.

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Internet Explorer users beware: the address bar is leaking everything you type

A bug has been uncovered in Internet Explorer which makes it possible for websites to view anything that is typed in to the address bar. This means that web addresses and search terms could be accessed by a hacker or malicious website.

The vulnerability was discovered in the very latest version of Internet Explorer, and Microsoft is yet to release a patch for it. Discovered by security researcher Manuel Caballero, the attack can be made completely invisible to a victim.

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New DevOps toolkit automates database changes to remove bottlenecks

DevOps

DevOps is a popular choice with companies looking to streamline software delivery, but it often encounters a road block when changes to databases are needed.

In businesses databases are often historically developed and need to be managed differently due to their complexity and their sometimes sensitive nature. Systems management and security company Quest Software is launching a new toolkit to help organizations automate database changes within their existing DevOps processes.

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Apple launches new privacy page and reveals all about Face ID

Apple has launched a revamped privacy page proclaiming that its products are "designed to protect your privacy." Describing privacy as "a fundamental human right," the page explains the privacy functions of apps, Siri, Apple Pay and Touch ID.

The company describes not only how it protects personal data with encryption, but also how it responds to government and legal requests for data. Apple has additionally published a paper which goes into some detail about how the Face ID feature of the iPhone X works -- and reveals its limitations.

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Nokia 3310 with 3G coming mid-October

When HMD announced a revamp of the famous Nokia 3310 early this year, one of the first things that stood out was the limited cellular support. The new Nokia 3310 only works on 2G networks.

While that may be fine in some parts of the globe, there are many markets which no longer support anything below 3G. And that means the new 3310 is useless there. HMD has addressed this in a new version of the device.

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Firefox 56 unveils improved preferences, paves the way for Firefox Quantum

Mozilla has released Firefox 56, with Firefox for Android 56.0 due imminently. Firefox 56’s chief highlight is the rollout of Firefox Screenshots to all users. The built-in tool for capturing, saving and sharing screenshots from the browser was made available to a subset of users with the previous release.

The announcement comes with news of Firefox 57, which has been billed by Mozilla as "our biggest release of the year." It will unveil portions of a new next-generation browser engine as well as a major design refresh to fit in better with modern operating systems.

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IT maturity improves in small and medium sized businesses

business maturity

A new study by IT management specialist Kaseya looks at IT department practices and for the second year in a row finds a growing level of maturity in SMBs and mid-market companies.

Kaseya uses an IT Management Maturity Model that divides companies into five levels, from the lowest 'Reactive' through 'Efficient', 'Proactive' and 'Aligned' up to the highest 'Strategic'.

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Mark Zuckerberg denies Facebook is anti-Trump

Yesterday, Donald Trump used his favorite medium of Twitter to complain that -- as well as some media outlets -- Facebook was opposed to him. Mark Zuckerberg has now responded, speaking out to deny the claim.

He said: "Trump says Facebook is against him. Liberals say we helped Trump. Both sides are upset about ideas and content they don't like. That's what running a platform for all ideas looks like." The Facebook founder also backtracked on his earlier dismissal of the social network's influence on the election as "crazy."

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Microsoft releases Windows 10 Redstone 4 (Skip Ahead) Build 17004

With new preview builds for the Fall Creators Update focusing purely on fixing stability and performance issues as Microsoft rushes towards its release, it’s the Redstone 4 branch (aka Skip Ahead) where you’ll find new additions beginning to appear.

The latest release for this branch introduces a sizeable number of improvements, as well as a big leap forward in build numbers, jumping from 16362 to 17004.

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Equifax CEO to retire after massive data breach

Beach sunset

Equifax chairman and chief executive Richard Smith has stepped down from his leadership role at the credit rating agency following the data breach that affected 143 million US consumers and 400,000 in the UK earlier this month.

Equifax has released a statement in which it said that Smith will vacate the company after working there for more than ten years and that its Asia-Pacific president, Paulino de Rego Barros will now serve as its new chief executive.

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China's ICO ban will not derail the cryptocurrency movement

There is a boom in initial coin offerings (ICOs) in 2017, where firms are mainly offering in-app tokens for investors. These arrangements only work in a given ecosystem and represent companies that are trying hard to not offer "securities" due to the SEC, regulations, etc.

Many firms have taken in funds through ICOs that are far more than their true value and with such a supply of offerings, the quality of the typical ICO event has dropped precipitously. ICOs work as a crowdfunding tool where a percentage of the newly issued currency is provided to new investors in exchange for traditional money or a different cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. In response to this unregulated and seemingly out of control market, the Chinese authorities recently banned ICOs to slow down the market while regulations can be enacted.

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Amazon unveils all-new Fire TV with 4K and HDR

I recently bought the Apple TV 4K, and I absolutely love it. What I don't love, however, is the price. The 64GB model that I purchased cost $200. While that was more than its competitor's 4K offerings, such as Amazon Fire TV, I was willing to open my wallet a bit wider for the compatibility with the Apple ecosystem, such as easily accessing my photos and videos in iCloud.

Today, Amazon unveils a new streaming TV box that features both 4K and HDR, but it is insanely affordable. This all-new Fire TV costs just $69.99! To make things even sweeter, for a limited time, Amazon will sell you an Echo Dot for $10 when you purchase the new Fire TV. Yes, you are reading that correctly -- for $79.99 you get a high-end 4K media box and a standalone Echo device.

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Amazon unveils $99 next generation Echo, making Apple HomePod dead on arrival

Amazon's Echo and associated Alexa assistant have taken the world by storm. Despite being a big company, Amazon's success in this market was very unlikely. Companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple should be leading, but no, an online bookseller has been the true trailblazer in voice assistant technology.

Today, Amazon unveils the next generation Echo, and oh my, it looks amazing. Not only is it much shorter than its predecessor (still taller than Echo Dot), but it is wrapped in fabric, creating a more inviting experience in a home. It even has improved audio quality. Best of all? It is even less expensive at a mere $99. Unfortunately for Apple, this will essentially make its upcoming $349 Siri-powered HomePod dead on arrival.

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Your analytics needs an adrenaline injection, but it can't come only from IT

Sales graph

Remember when you used to have to call a cab and wait fifteen minutes to get a ride? Or ask a librarian to find a copy of your favorite book, then meander around as they hunt down the tome?

In the last twenty years, the internet has completely changed the way we as consumers find information, obtain products, and interact with our favorite brands.

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