condom-keyboard

Do we need a condom emoji?

Condoms are a great way to minimize the risk of both pregnancy and some sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, condoms have proven to be a solid defense against the spread of HIV -- the virus that leads to AIDS.

The question, however, is does the world need a condom emoji? According to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the answer is yes. You see, today, the AHF has chosen to launch a campaign to try and convince the The Unicode Consortium to add a proper condom emoji -- not just using the balloon ? emoji in conjunction with an eggplant ? or banana ?. Why launch the campaign today, though? Because February 13 is International Condom Day!

By Brian Fagioli -
mentor

Modern mentorships: Fixing the cybersecurity skills gap

With job vacancies currently outweighing the number of people available to fill them, a career in cybersecurity offers almost limitless opportunities. The 2021 Cybersecurity Workforce Study from (ISC)² estimated that there were 4.19 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide -- an increase of more than 700,000 from the year before.

While this illustrates an industry undergoing major growth, there remains a workforce gap of 2.72 million people which represents a very serious problem for organizations faced with a growing volume and sophistication of security threats.

By Adam Burns -
Internet,,Business,,Technology,And,Network,Concept.,Artificial,Intelligence,(ai),,Machine

Tying Artificial intelligence and web scraping together [Q&A]

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) seem to have piqued the interest of automated data collection providers. While web scraping has been around for some time, AI/ML implementations have appeared in the line of sight of providers only recently.

Aleksandras Šulženko, Product Owner at Oxylabs.io, who has been working with these solutions for several years, shares his insights on the importance of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and web scraping.

By Wayne Williams -
security meter

Bridging the security gap in the software development life cycle

The timeliness of security checks during the software testing process is critical to more rapid and higher quality software development and yielding higher returns. Yet DevOps and security have historically struggled to integrate in the software development life cycle (SDLC). According to a Gartner study, through 2022, 90 percent  of software development projects plan to follow DevSecOps practices, up from 40 percent  in 2019.

With the increased risks of cyberattacks and pressure on DevOps teams to deliver software to faster timelines, the risks and consequences associated with flawed code and faulty infrastructure configurations cannot afford to be missed in the early development stages. So the pros of uniting these teams is clear, but the cons remain costly and their discord could hold organizations back by making software deployment faster but in doing so releasing security vulnerabilities.

By Heather Peyton -
Stealing password from code

Chrome could soon give you greater control over bothersome compromised password warnings

In theory, the fact that Google Chrome can warn you if any of your saved passwords have been involved in breaches is a good thing. In theory. In practice, it can be a different story. There may be a very good reason for no wanting to change a particular saved password, rendering warnings nothing more than irritating.

You could, of course, disable password warnings completely, but this is clearly something of a security risk. But if an experimental setting Google is working on in Chrome makes its way to the release version of the browser, you could soon have finer-grained control over password warnings -- meaning that you could stop Chrome pestering you about passwords you won't want to change or can't change.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Security

Addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities does not have to be a losing battle

Many companies share the opinion that they are fighting a "losing battle" against cyber threats and security vulnerabilities. The threats are endless, and they are only getting more aggressive and difficult to counter.

This sentiment is echoed by the most recent edition of one annual security report (Priority One Report 2022), which describes 2021 as a banner year for cyberattacks. There is a sense of collective pessimism in being able to sustain cyber defenses, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly.

By Peter Davidson -
DevOps

Release management through the eyes of DevOps

To drive cost efficiency, organizations need a process in place designed to manage and schedule the rollout of mission-critical software updates and releases to the production environment -- this is where release management comes into play.

Release management is introduced to solve problems, but it must be approached in the right way to succeed effectively. Many of the challenges that businesses face with their software releases in traditional operating environments stem from a disconnect between the development and IT operations teams. To bring these two differing sides together, many have implemented a DevOps methodology as a way to break down the existing silos and provide more value quicker and with fewer risks by balancing throughput and stability.

By Bob Davis -
Laptop security

CISA says to urgently patch actively exploited SeriousSAM/HiveNightmare flaw affecting Windows 11

The CISA (US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) has published a list of 15 actively exploited software vulnerabilities, encouraging users of Windows and macOS to install the available patches.

Included in the list is the SeriousSAM vulnerability that is also known as HiveNightmare affects Windows 10 and 11. Tracked as CVE-2021-36934, this is a local privilege escalation vulnerability that makes it possible for an attacker to grab password hashes from the registry and gain admin privileges.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Windows 11 magnifying glass

Users complain of overheating Windows 11 systems and broken printing after installing KB5010414

Following the release of Windows 11 Build 22000.526, also known as the KB5010414 update, users are complaining of various problems with their computers.

The update was released to the Beta and Release Preview channels just a few days ago, and it introduced various changes and improvements to the Windows 11 taskbar. But it also seems that the update introduced problems with printing, and high CPU loads leading to overheating.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Microsoft PowerToys

Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.55.2 to kill .NET-related installer bug

There have been some great new utilities added to Microsoft's PowerToys collection recently, and now Microsoft has released another update to its much-loved software.

While PowerToys v0.55.2 is not quite an exciting as previous releases, it is no less important. Having identified a bug affecting the installer, Microsoft has fixed the issue and is rolling out this important patch.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Windows 10 logo on a beach

Microsoft warns users to upgrade from Windows 10 20H2 before support ends

Microsoft has issued a warning -- or reminder, depending on your perspective -- about the impending end of support for Windows 10 20H2.

Also known as Windows 10 October 2020 update, this is not the first time Microsoft has urged people to upgrade their operating system to a version that will be supported for longer. The deadline is just three months away, so what are your options?

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Risk dial

Managing AI risk: What are you waiting for?

Recent headlines have brought much-needed attention to questions surrounding algorithmic fairness. Regulators are taking notice. To date, EU officials put forth proposed language for aggressive new AI oversight. The Federal Trade Commission has published governance principles on the responsible use of AI, holding that existing law already empowers U.S. regulators to take corrective action. Additionally, a panel of AI experts testified before Congress about the potential inequities of algorithmic decision systems.

Many argue that increased regulation could stifle innovation, putting some nations at a disadvantage in the global arms race for AI dominance. But if the alternative is to do nothing, we could be creating even bigger risks, threatening our fundamental principles of fairness and equality.

By Anthony Habayeb -
Infosec-Strategies

Get 'Infosec Strategies and Best Practices' ($27.99 value) FREE for a limited time

Information security and risk management best practices enable professionals to plan, implement, measure, and test their organization's systems and ensure that they're adequately protected against threats.

This book starts by helping you to understand the core principles of information security, why risk management is important, and how you can drive information security governance. You'll then explore methods for implementing security controls to achieve the organization's information security goals.

By Wayne Williams -
Wireless internet of things

The challenge of managing and securing IoT devices in the enterprise [Q&A]

Internet of Things devices are making their way into more and more areas of our lives. But while they offer many benefits they also present businesses with a problem when it comes to managing and securing them.

An ever widening range of devices now have connectivity that may be off the radar of company IT and cybersecurity teams. We spoke to Roy Dagan, CEO of SecuriThings, to discuss the issue and how enterprises can tackle it.

By Ian Barker -
Microsoft building logo

Microsoft is tempting G Suite legacy free edition users to Microsoft 365 with a special deal

When Google announced the death of G Suite legacy free edition in the hope of getting users to pay for Google Workspace, there was understandable annoyance. The company later launched the fee-free Workspace Essentials Starter Edition to appease disgruntled G Suite users but for many the damage was already done.

Microsoft is taking full advantage of the irritated Google userbase. The company has revealed a special offer that it hopes will entice small businesses that have been using Google legacy G Suite into using Microsoft 365. The incentive? A hefty 60 percent discount.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
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