Kill the password! Yahoo Account Key rolls out to more apps
There have been a lot of attempts to kill the password and replace it with something more secure and easier to use. Biometric measures such as fingerprint and iris readers are increasingly common, but Yahoo is on a mission of its own with Yahoo Account Key.
Recognizing that "passwords suck", Yahoo launched the product back in October and since then there have been a few changes and additions. It's a simple system that uses your mobile as your access key and it's now available in more apps than ever.
Amazon unveils Wi-Fi-enabled Brita Infinity Smart Water Pitcher with Dash Replenishment
For many people, walking around with a water bottle all day is a way of life. Not only is it reassuring that your thirst can always be quenched, but it is very healthy too. Once you get away from all of the sugar-filled drinks, and even worse, the artificially sweetened beverages, you may feel much healthier.
Unfortunately, water bottles can be very bad for the environment. While some can be recycled, a good amount of them can end up in landfills. Not to mention, the process of making the plastic can have a large carbon footprint. A good solution is opting for an in-home water filter and carrying reusable bottles. Today, Amazon announces a very high-tech filtration pitcher -- the Wi-Fi-enabled Brita Infinity. Yes, it connects to the Internet. Why? To re-order filters through Amazon Dash, of course!
Most consumers don't like to be tracked, but few are doing something about it
Most users know their online activity is being tracked. They’re not OK with it, yet most of them do nothing about it. Those are the general conclusions of a new quiz entitled Are you cyber savvy?, made by Kaspersky Lab.
The security firm says consumers don’t know how to protect their privacy online.
Microsoft announces HoloLens Development Edition, available for pre-order now
HoloLens is unquestionably one of the most exciting pieces of hardware being developed by Microsoft at the moment. The augmented reality system, or "untethered holographic computer" as the software giant refers to it, was first announced a year ago, but since then there’s been no word on when we can actually expect to see it.
Today, however, Microsoft announces a Development Edition which is now open for pre-orders, with shipping starting on March 30. This is the first step towards a consumer version.
Developers earn more on Windows Phone than Android or iOS
Windows Phone is nowhere near as popular as Android or iOS, having a market share of just over one percent, but it appears to be far more lucrative for developers than either of the two major platforms. In fact, developers who publish apps in Windows Store can expect to earn twice as much compared to those who create Android titles.
On average, a Windows Phone developer earns $11,400 per month, which equates to $136,800 per year. In contrast, an iOS developer has to make do with $8,100 per month, or $97,200 per year, while an Android developer makes $4,900 per month, or $58,800 per year.
How to activate Windows Defender Offline in Windows 10
Windows Defender, Windows 10’s built in antivirus tool, will keep your PC safe from numerous threats, but it’s not on a par with dedicated third-party anti-malware solutions.
Microsoft is working to make it more useful however, including adding offline capabilities that will allow you to run a system scan at bootup, and without an internet connection. That will make the tool much better at detecting and removing malicious software. Windows Defender Offline is not available to all at the moment, but you can still try it out.
IT security executives tell boards what they want to hear
A new report reveals that just four out of 10 IT and security executives feel the information they provide to the board of directors is actionable and that they often tell them what they want to hear.
The report from threat intelligence company Bay Dynamics also shows that only 39 percent believe they are getting the help they need from the board to address cyber security threats.
Documents reveal details of EU-US Privacy Shield data sharing deal
Details of the data sharing arrangements agreed between the US and EU earlier in the month have been revealed in newly published documents. The EU-US Privacy Shield transatlantic data transfer agreement is set to replace the Safe Harbor that had previously been in place.
The European Commission has released the full legal texts that will form the backbone of the data transfer framework. One of the aims is to "restore trust in transatlantic data flows since the 2013 surveillance revelations", and while privacy groups still take issue with the mechanism that will be in place, the agreement is widely expecting to be ratified by members of the EU.
Malware spreading through cloud apps
There’s a good chance the cloud apps you use at work are laced with malware. Those are the findings of the latest report by cloud access security broker Netskope. In its February 2016 Netskope Cloud Report, the company says the usage of cloud apps in enterprises has never been this high -- ever.
In Q4 of 2015, employees used on average 769 different cloud apps, representing a 26.5 percent increase from the previous report. But (there’s always a but) -- 4.1 percent of enterprises have sanctioned malware-infected cloud apps.
82 percent of company boards are concerned about cyber security
According to a new study, data security is now on the agenda in most boardrooms. Yet only 14 percent of information security chiefs report to the CEO.
The report by the Information Systems audit and Control Association (ISACA) and the RSA Conference also reveals that 74 percent of security professionals expect a cyberattack in 2016 and 30 percent experience phishing attacks every day.
Microsoft is wrong to pester insiders for Windows 10 feedback
Windows 10 has enjoyed the largest beta testing program of any version of Windows. In opening up the Windows Insider program to anyone who wants to sign up for it, Microsoft has been able to gather valuable feedback from more people than ever. But not enough people it seems.
Users of Windows 10 preview builds have been asked to provide feedback using either the feedback app, or by responding to occasional popup notifications that appear. Up until now these notifications have been optional but in the latest Redstone build there is no way to disable them. Of course the first argument to be put forward is that gaining feedback is the very point of running the insider program. But is it that simple? Could mandated feedback actually be counterproductive?
New service helps organizations visualize and prioritize security threats
Active vulnerabilities can present a serious threat to organizations, which is why many are turning to intelligence solutions to spot and manage security issues.
Cloud-based security and compliance specialist Qualys is announcing a new service as part of its Cloud Platform. Called Qualys ThreatPROTECT, it provides customers with an interactive dashboard to help them understand security threats at-a-glance.
From battling Scientology to taking down Islamic State, hacker group Anonymous celebrates its top ten accomplishments
Recently Anonymous has mostly been in the news for targeting Islamic State on the web, playing its part in helping to shut down thousands of ISIS-supporting accounts on Facebook and Twitter.
But the hacktivist collective, which has been active since 2003, has initiated a lot of campaigns over the years, targeting a variety of people and organizations, some more successfully than others. The group’s list of achievements is quite impressive -- ranging from getting an internet predator arrested, to taking on the Church of Scientology.
Snapchat gets compromised, but user data should be safe
There's no small amount of controversy that swirls around Snapchat, as people swear it's used for all sorts of bad things. In truth, it probably isn't, people just send messages and images, most of which aren't the least controversial. But now the company has another problem, though this one doesn't involve anything lurid.
Instead it's actually the company's employees who were compromised and the service is attempting to apologize for this breach.
How reliable is your firewall? Atelier Web Firewall Tester finds out
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