Microsoft data leaks and the importance of open-source intelligence
Interconnected digital technology advances at a rapid pace, and so do the tactics and strategies employed by malicious individuals, criminal groups, and even nation-states. The World Economic Forum predicts global cybercrime will reach $10.5 trillion by 2025, forcing businesses and governments to look for next-generation solutions against emerging digital threats.
Unfortunately, deliberate criminal activity is only part of the challenge in this data-driven era. Costly leaks of sensitive data might happen due to simple human errors -- in September, Microsoft’s data was leaked two times, not only disclosing the company’s plans for the next-gen Xbox but also exposing private employee data. As we already know, at least one of these events happened due to an accidentally misconfigured URL link.
Mastering cloud cost optimization: Strategies for efficiency and resiliency
In an era driven by digital transformation, cloud computing has emerged as a game-changer for businesses of all sizes. However, as cloud adoption continues to soar, so does the need to manage cloud costs effectively. Balancing cost reduction with maintaining and increasing resiliency has become a top priority for businesses seeking to maximize the benefits of the cloud.
The need to optimize is evident, but achieving this goal can be complicated. Without appropriate cost containment and governance strategies, organizations risk falling into a continuous climb spend pattern. Often, businesses address cost optimization as a sporadic, reactive exercise -- like making annual bulk purchases of reserved instances. To break free from this cycle and achieve sustained cost efficiency, a shift towards a collaborative, ongoing and iterative approach to cost optimization and management is a key priority.
Number of ransomware victims reaches record high
A new report from GuidePoint Security's Research and Intelligence Team (GRIT) shows a total of 3,385 publicly posted ransomware victims in the first three quarters of this year, claimed by 57 different threat groups, representing an 83 percent year-on-year increase.
Attacks directed against US-based organizations decreased, but there has been a marked increase in attacks impacting other nations. Other countries consistently affected, like the UK, saw an approximate 41 percent increase in attacks in Q3.
Google has a quintet of improvements to supercharge Chrome's address bar
Google has announced a number of upcoming changes to the address bar in Chrome. The company says that the five improvements will help people to browse even faster.
Some of the enhancements are long-overdue, such as updating URL autocomplete so that characters you type do not have to be the first part of the address. Others are sensible ease-of use and security-related improvements, such as automatic typo correction for typed URLs.
WhatsApp will let you sign into two accounts at once... but there's a catch
Life is about to get a little easier for WhatsApp users with more than one account. Many people have a work phone and a personal device, each associated with a different WhatsApp account. There are also plenty of users with two phone numbers for other reasons.
Simplifying living with more than one account, WhatsApp is introducing the ability to log into two accounts simultaneously. This eliminates the need to keep logging in and out, or having to carry two phones around to stay connected. So what's the catch?
Netflix is increasing prices by as much as 20 percent for many US customers
As Netflix revealed its quarterly earnings, the company also announced a couple of subscription price hikes for its customers in the US, UK and France. The price increases come despite Netflix's recent password-sharing crackdown which it says has resulted in millions of new revenue-bringing subscribers.
Both the Premium plan and the Basic plans will increase in price, but the Standard and ad-supported plans will remain as they are. Although Netflix's Basic plan is no longer available to new customers, users who have been grandfathered on this tier face the largest price jump.
SanDisk launches new storage solutions including 1.5TB microSD card
Western Digital is back at it, unveiling a new range of storage gadgets under its SanDisk brand. In a time where digital memories are stacking up, the demand for extra storage is a no-brainer. Whether it's about saving baby's first steps, a weekend wildlife expedition, or just backing up a hefty music collection, SanDisk is pitching its latest gear as the go-to fix.
Susan Park, the Vice President of Consumer Solutions at Western Digital, explains, “We get it. People need more room for their digital stuff, be it personal or work-related. That's what keeps us on our toes to come up with something that folks can count on, now and later. We're hoping the new gear we're launching will get people excited to create more.”
Microsoft releases experimental Windows 11 Build 25977
Windows 11 Insiders in the Dev Channel today get a new build with multi-monitor support for Copilot AI. For those testers who prefer to live on the bleeding edge, there’s also a new Canary Channel build with numerous new features.
Additions in Windows 11 Canary Build 25977 include improved support for hearing aids equipped with Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio, new controls to manage which apps have access to the list of local Wi-Fi networks, and additional access control options for clients in SMB over QUIC.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 23570 with multi-monitor support for Copilot AI
Development continues apace on Windows 11, and today Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel get a new flight which introduces improvements to Copilot, Microsoft’s AI component.
With Build 23570, Copilot can now be used across multiple monitors and Microsoft has made this addition very easy to configure and use.
Kodi 21 'Omega' reaches an important developer milestone -- download it now
Kodi 21 -- codenamed 'Omega' -- is the next version of the hugely popular home theater software. The Kodi Foundation has been alpha testing its program over the past few months, giving users who don’t mind living dangerously the chance to try out new features, fixes, and cleanups.
Today, a brand new build arrives, which will be more appealing to those users seeking greater stability from the software.
X lets new users prove they're not a bot -- for a small fee
X -- the platform formerly known as Twitter -- is testing out a new 'Not A Bot' program that will allow users to pay a small annual fee to verify that they are in fact a real person.
Initially available only in New Zealand and the Philippines, it will require new and unverified users to verify their phone number and pay a nominal $1 per year in order to be able to post and interact with other posts.
Enterprises need to start planning now for post-quantum security
The power that quantum computing makes available offers benefits in many areas, but it also means cracking encryption becomes much easier, which poses an enormous threat to data and user security.
At its annual Trust Summit conference, DigiCert has released the results of a global study exploring how organizations are addressing the post-quantum computing threat and preparing for a safe post-quantum computing future.
Over half of cybersecurity pros say they want to switch jobs
A new survey of 900 full-time security decision-makers and practitioners around the world finds that 55 percent of respondents say they're likely to switch jobs in the next year.
The Voice of the SOC report, from secure workflow specialist Tines, shows that 63 percent of the security decision-makers and practitioners surveyed are experiencing burnout amid relentless cyberattacks, internal pressures, and limited resources.
Younger consumers more likely to take action on data privacy
A new study reveals that 42 percent of consumers aged 18-24 have inquired about the personal data organizations have about them, seven times more than consumers aged 75 or older (six percent).
The Cisco 2023 Consumer Privacy Survey also shows people are concerned about their privacy in regard to AI. 60 percent of consumers say they've lost trust in organizations due to their AI use.
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