IT pros predict a long term future for the mainframe
In spite of trends towards decentralization and the cloud, the mainframe remains a relevant and growing data center hub for many businesses according to a new report.
In the 12th annual Mainframe Research Report from IT solutions company BMC 91 percent of respondents predict mainframe workloads will continue to grow, and 51 percent say more than half of their data resides on a mainframe.
LastPass reveals the threats posed by passwords in the workplace
Passwords are fundamental to modern life, both at home and at work. In the workplace, the security of passwords is paramount, and ensuring that employees are taking matters seriously is an important part of safeguarding any business.
A new report by LastPass -- The Password Exposé -- reveals the threats posed, and the opportunities presented, by employee passwords. The report starts by pointing out that while nearly everyone (91 percent) knows that it is dangerous to reuse passwords -- with 81 percent of data breaches attributable to "weak, reused, or stolen passwords", more than half (61 percent) do reuse passwords. But the real purpose of the report is to "reveal the true gap between what IT thinks, and what's really happening."
Misuse of spreadsheets costs European businesses €55 billion a year
Spreadsheets like Excel were never designed to handle complex analytics and big data tasks, but a growing demand for data insights is leading many businesses to waste effort manually handling data in spreadsheets.
A study commissioned by self-service analytics company Alteryx and carried out by IDC reveals that advanced spreadsheet users spend on average nine hours a week on repeat effort manually manipulating data, wasting €10,000 per year. Across Europe this represents, on average, two billion hours of duplicate work, costing an eye-watering €55bn per year (around $64bn).
Bitcoin breaks $6,600
Just moments ago I was reading about Bitcoin setting a new price record above $6,400. The main cryptocurrency has been incredibly strong, and resilient during crashes, so this latest development does not surprise me one iota.
What also does not surprise me is that Bitcoin kept going after reaching the $6,400 mark, settling above $6,600 at the time of writing this article, based on an average from major exchanges like Bithumb (where it's actually gone past $6,700), Kraken, GDAX and Poloniex.
Why the cloud doesn't work for all businesses [Q&A]
As more and more applications move to the cloud there's an increasing assumption that it's the right approach for everyone. Indeed we've seen recently that many cloud investments are being made out of fear of missing out. But this one size fits all approach isn't necessarily the right one, and can put companies in a difficult position.
We spoke to Michael Hiskey, Chief Strategy Officer from intelligent data management company Semarchy, to find out what businesses should consider before moving to the cloud and how they can avoid being forced down that route.
Apple releases macOS 10.13.1 and iOS 11.1 to add new emoji and patch KRACK... for some
Apple has pushed out the latest updates to macOS High Sierra and iOS. macOS 10.13.1 and iOS 11.1 include a range of bug fixes, and also herald the arrival of a new batch of emoji.
The two relatively minor updates also address the recently-discovered KRACK security vulnerability. But while the WPA2 patch will be welcomed by many people, it is not available for all iPhones and iPads, meaning that large numbers of people will be left exposed.
Google announces Fast Pair to speed up Bluetooth pairing for Android
Google has announced Fast Pair, an update to Bluetooth connectivity that speeds up the process of connecting a Bluetooth device -- such as headphones -- to an Android phone or tablet. It's an idea that's not entirely dissimilar to the technology used by Apple to connect AirPods to iPhones.
Using a combination of BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) for advertising and discovery, and traditional Bluetooth for pairing, the focus is on speed and security. It's compatible with devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and above, and it's part of Google Play services 11.7+.
A $20 Wi-Fi camera? Yup! WyzeCam makes affordable home security a reality
I am a strong believer in home Wi-Fi security cameras. Being able to monitor my house while away is a godsend. Yeah, it is great for security purposes, but you know where else these products shine? Pets! Yeah, with one of these cameras, you can keep tabs on your dog, cat, bird, lizard -- whatever. If you are at work and want to check in on your pup or kitty, just launch an app and there they are.
Unfortunately, these cameras can be expensive and difficult to set up. But, what if they weren't? What if there was a Wi-Fi camera that was easy to set up and cost, I don't know, say, $20? Surely you cannot get such a Wi-Fi security camera for an "Andrew Jackson," right? Actually, you can! The WyzeCam is that inexpensive and even promises an easy app-based setup process. Quite frankly, the boxy design is quite adorable too. Shockingly, it even streams at 1080p.
The new Skype for Desktop 8 is here (whether you like it or not)
Keeping in touch with other users is essential for your business. We use Skype to keep in touch with contacts all over the world, from freelancers writers, through to key contacts.
With this in mind, all we want is a relatively simple tool that enables us to perform our business without distractions.
Security worries delay migration to the cloud
Nearly a third of enterprises plan to increase their public cloud usage in the next 12 to 18 months, but the majority harbor significant concerns about cyber attacks and breaches in their hybrid environments.
An international survey of 450 senior security and network professionals by security vendor AlgoSec reveals the greatest concerns about applications in the cloud are cyber attacks (cited by 58 percent) and unauthorized access (53 percent), followed by application outages and mis-configured cloud security controls.
Illicit code signing certificates worth more than passports on the dark web
Code signing certificates are used to verify the authenticity and integrity of software and are a vital element of internet and enterprise security. By taking advantage of compromised code signing certificates, cybercriminals can install malware on enterprise networks and consumer devices.
A study for machine identity protection company Venafi by the Cyber Security Research Institute shows that digital code signing certificates are changing hands on the dark web for up to $1,200, making them worth more than credit cards, counterfeit US passports and even handguns.
Process mining and robotic automation combine to drive digital transformation
Enterprises face many challenges when automating their processes, not least in identifying which have the most potential to benefit from the process.
A new collaboration between robotic process automation (RPA) platform company, UiPath and leader in process mining, Celonis, lets customers automatically visualize and screen their processes for areas with highest automation potential, and subsequently, build, test, and deploy RPA in an accelerated and structured fashion.
Microsoft will release Surface Pro with LTE Advanced in December
We've known for a while that a 4G LTE model is going be introduced in the Surface Pro range, and today, at the Future Decoded event in London, Microsoft officially announces when it will be available.
Microsoft says that Surface Pro with LTE Advanced, as the new version is formally known as, will start shipping to business customers in December. It comes with global connectivity and fast transfer speeds, thanks to a Cat 9 4G LTE modem.
Analysis uncovers more than 3,200 unique phishing kits
The people behind phishing attacks are always looking for ways to improve their profitability. They quite often re-use material by bundling site resources into a phishing kit, uploading that kit to a server and sending a new batch of emails.
Sometimes though they get careless and leave the kits behind allowing them to be analyzed. Trusted access specialist Duo Security carried out a month-long experiment to track down these abandoned kits.
We've reached the cloud computing tipping point
Between technology waves there is always a tipping point. It’s not that moment when the new tech becomes dominant but the moment when that dominance becomes clearly inevitable. For cloud computing I think the tipping point arrived a month ago. That future is now.
This is a big deal. My count of technical waves in computing may not agree with yours but I see (1) batch computing giving way to (2) timesharing which gave way to (3) personal computers which gained (4) graphical user interfaces, then became (5) networked Internet computers and (6) mobile computers embodied in smartphones and tablets, and now we have (7) the cloud. This seventh generation of computing will, within 3-5 years, absorb the vast majority of the approximately $1 trillion we spend in the USA each year on IT.
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