Complaints about two-factor authentication are on the rise
Of companies that use two-factor authentication, 74 percent admit that they receive complaints about it from their users -- and nearly 10 percent of them just ‘hate it.’
This rather surprising information comes from a studty by access control company SecureAuth, carried out in conjunction with Amplitude Research, which surveyed 300 IT decision makers and cybersecurity professionals on industry perspectives and concerns over 2FA.
What won't be reported in 2017 -- Even though it's likely to happen
Last year, more than a few stories didn’t make headlines that I thought should have. Whether they weren’t sexy or sensational enough for mainstream news channels, I don’t know.
My inner Nostradamus is telling me that the trend will continue and, therefore, I’m predicting seven storylines that should be covered in 2017, but that most likely will never cross your daily news feeds.
Public cloud has the greatest security implications say execs
A new survey reveals that 65 percent of senior IT and security executives think that the biggest security risks for business come from public clouds.
The study from IT solutions company BMC in conjunction with Forbes Insights also shows that 69 percent of respondents say digital transformation is forcing fundamental changes to existing cybersecurity strategies.
Cyberattacks against IoT devices tripled in 2016
It only takes one successful cyber-attack to seriously hurt a company, so it’s shocking to see that UK businesses suffered, on average, almost 230,000 cyber-attacks in 2016.
This is according to Beaming. The ISP says a third of attacks was targeting company databases, but two thirds were, in fact, attacking connected devices, such as security cameras or building control systems. Such devices can be controlled remotely, through the internet.
Bob's big picture technology predictions for 2017
I couldn’t put it off any longer so here are my technology predictions for 2017. I’ve been reading over my predictions from past years and see a fundamental change in structure over that time, going from an emphasis on products to an emphasis on companies. This goes along, I’d say, with the greater business orientation of this column. That makes sense with a maturing market and mature industries and also with the fact that a fair number of readers are here mainly as investors, something that didn’t used to be so much the case.
Of course we begin with a look at my predictions from a year ago to see how I did. Almost nobody in my line of work does this, pointing out their own mistakes, but then I always have been kind of stupid about my career. So here we go.
Hulu Profiles quietly arrives on the streaming service
If you have used a streaming service like Netflix then you know the value of profiles. In a household of two or more people, profiles keep things sane. Especially when two people watch the same show, but not always on the same schedule -- you can each have it in your profile to keep track of which episode you're both on.
It may seem like simple technology, but it's something Hulu has lacked since its inception. While the service has grown in both terms of popularity and shows available, separating things has never been possible.
Soon you could be able to download full seasons from BBC iPlayer before they broadcast on TV
The BBC's iPlayer proved popular very quickly, and its position as a well-loved catch-up streaming service is undeniable. But the broadcaster wants to take on the likes of Netflix, and this could mean viewers are not only able to download entire seasons to watch offline, but may be able to do so before shows air on television.
BBC director general Lord Hall is today due to speak with staff, setting out his plans to make iPlayer the UK's biggest online TV service by 2020. His tone makes it clear that the BBC realizes it is operating in an increasingly crowded and competitive market.
Modeling and analytics and their role in business [Q&A]
Businesses are collecting more data about their operations and their customers than ever before. But data in itself is only part of the story. For it to be useful it's necessary to spot patterns and gain insights.
At this point most businesses turn to analytics, but this can only tell you what's happened in the past. To predict future trends means using algorithms to build models of what may be complex systems.
With 93 percent of Samsung Galaxy Note7s returned, FAA says airline warnings are no longer needed
After apologies and updates to kill batteries, it would appear that Samsung has managed to convince most customers to part with their faulty Galaxy Note 7s -- in the US, at least. As a result of this, the Department of Transport has announced that airlines no longer need to warn passengers that taking the phone on planes is prohibited.
Airline passengers were banned from taking their Note7s on flights back in October; the ban remains in place, but the Federal Aviation Authority now believes that the issue gained so much publicity that it no longer needs to be advertised.
One in three companies plans to embrace DevOps by 2019
Almost half of large organizations (47 percent) have a DevOps approach to at least some, if not all, of their projects. This is according to a new report by Redgate Software, entitled State of Database DevOps.
The company says it has polled 1,000 SQL Server professionals all over the globe, with more than half working at companies with 500 employees or more.
Goodbye, Barack! Watch President Obama's farewell address speech online live stream here
Regardless of your opinion of Barack Obama and his presidency, you can't deny that he and his legacy are cemented into American history. He is the first-ever African-American leader of the USA, giving hope to many young folks. Under his leadership, the USA brought Osama bin Laden to justice and provided affordable healthcare to millions of people.
Tonight, President Obama is saying goodbye to the American people, as he prepares to hand over his leadership position to former reality TV star, Donald Trump. On January 20th, Barack will become a private citizen once again. If you want to watch Barack Obama's farewell speech on your computer, smartphone, or tablet, you can do so here. We have embedded the live steam below. Just click play!
Fans of System76 Ubuntu Linux computers can win a trip to the company's Denver headquarters
If you like macOS, you buy an Apple computer. Fans of Windows 10 can choose a Surface, HP, Toshiba or something else. If you are an Ubuntu user, and you want a machine pre-loaded with the operating system, however, what do you do? For those in the know, there is a company that caters to Linux users' needs -- System76. The company sells desktops, laptops, and servers running Canonical's Linux-based OS.
Not only are System76 computers both affordable and powerful, but they come with excellent support too. It is because of these things that the company has built a solid reputation and gained many fans. In 2015, System76 held a special "Superfan" event at its Denver headquarters. To pick attendees, it held a contest where fans could win a trip there. Because of the event's popularity, the company is hosting another. Dubbed "Superfan II", System76 is once again holding a contest, with up to eight trips to Denver (hotel and airfare) as the prize.
Microsoft makes big privacy changes to Windows 10 in a bid to win back user trust
Windows 10 has a reputation for spying on its users. So much so, that a number of privacy-based third-party programs (such as Ashampoo AntiSpy and Spybot Anti-Beacon) have sprung up to disable Windows 10’s numerous tracking features.
In September 2015, Microsoft's Terry Myerson defended how the company has handled privacy in Windows 10, saying in a blog post that "Trust is a core pillar of our More Personal Computing vision, and we know we have to earn it". Today, in a new blog post, he says much the same thing, but announces two new ways for users to take back control of their privacy. Does it go far enough?
The biggest security threats in 2017
It’s that time of the year again: when the great and good of the cybersecurity industry reach for their crystal balls to anticipate what the threat landscape might look like in the next 12 months. We all know cybercriminals by and large don’t operate to annual deadlines.
But December still represents a good opportunity for us to point out what might be coming down the road. It’s what Trend Micro’s 1,200-strong global threat research team does all year round to ensure we’re prepared for anything the black hats can throw at us. The good news for the UK’s CISOs is that much of what we’ll see is a steady evolution from threats that will already be familiar to many. The bad news: that won’t make them any less dangerous.
Apple discovers Safari bug from Consumer Reports' flawed MacBook Pro battery test
When Consumer Reports failed to recommend the MacBook Pro (2016) for poor battery life, many people raised an eyebrow. When the company suggested using Chrome instead of Safari for more consistent battery life, people's heads nearly exploded. Google's web browser has long been considered a battery hog, making many people -- including me -- doubt the findings by Consumer Reports. After all, my own MacBook Pro (2016) offers wonderfully consistent battery life.
Today we learn that Consumer Reports used flawed testing, which lead to the inconsistent and poor battery life on the computer. It used a hidden Safari developer setting which isn't normally used by consumers. With that obscure setting properly disabled, battery life is as it should be. So Apple is in the clear, right? Not so fast. As a byproduct of the flawed testing, Apple was able to discover a rare bug in Safari.
Most Commented Stories
BetaNews, your source for breaking tech news, reviews, and in-depth reporting since 1998.
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.