Why did Google give $6,006.13 to MBA candidate Sanmay Ved?
Google's security bounty programs can be quite lucrative for those who discover problems, and the company has just published a report looking back at the security landscape in 2015. Entitled Google Security Rewards - 2015 Year in Review, the report reveals the financial rewards that have been paid out in the last 12 months.
In all, Google has paid out more than $2 million to more than 300 people, but Sanmay Ved is probably one of the more interesting reward recipients. He's the guy who -- very briefly -- managed to buy Google.com before having it taken off his hands. Google offered him a $6,006.13 reward, but there's a little more to the story.
'Alexa, turn on kitchen lights': Setting up Cree bulbs with Amazon Echo and Wink hub
"Alexa, turn on the lights". This is a phrase echoed, apparently, by more people than I thought. Amazon's Echo is taking hold and seems especially popular with those interested in the home automation side of technology. Voice control can be both good and bad, though. It's great when it works, but embarrassing and frustrating when it doesn't.
Let's start with the bad, though really it's just the amusing. My Amazon Echo is in my living room, as is the TV. Words emitting from my surround sound system can sometimes have hilarious results -- music suddenly beginning to play, Alexa telling me she doesn't understand the question, and if an ad for Echo comes on then things go nuts.
Act now! You only have this weekend to save your free OneDrive storage before Microsoft takes it away for good
Free online storage space is something many of us really appreciate. Quotas are usually so generous that’s there’s rarely a need to spend money on a paid subscription.
However, Microsoft recently announced plans to cut back on the amount of free storage offered to OneDrive users. As a recap, the base storage will drop from 15GB to 5GB, the 15 GB camera roll storage bonus is being discontinued, Office 365 Home, Personal, or University users will no longer get unlimited storage, and some paid tiers are going away also.
Facebook bans private gun sales -- no, that doesn't violate your 2nd Amendment rights
While many people view Second Amendment defenders as gun nuts, the truth is, that isn't always the case. A good example? Me. While I am a life member of the NRA, firearms don't really thrill me. No, I get my jollies from computers and technology. My interest in Second Amendment protection is mostly constitutional -- I don't want to see any of my fellow Americans' rights get trampled.
Today, Facebook announces that it is banning private gun sales on its site (and Instagram). Of course, some folks will see this as an attack on the Second Amendment, and maybe even the First Amendment. The truth of the matter is, neither your freedom of speech nor your right to bear arms are impacted by Facebook's decision. Why? Because the social network is not a public or government place. Facebook has the right to determine its own policies.
Why your business should consider outsourcing
Technology tethered with innovation drives business, it determines how successful your business can be and ensures that you maintain your standing in the market. It plays a huge role in your businesses growth, it demands that you constantly improve upon yourself and it enables your business to reach its potential.
In more ways than can be explained, a synergistic effect of technology coupled with innovation will assure your survival. If you lag behind you risk losing your market share and thus a slow and steady path towards decline takes over.
Satechi announces Aluminum Monitor Stand for MacBook, iMac, and more
For as long as I've used computers, I've always owned desktops. Sure, I've also leveraged laptops when on the go, but I had the reliable tower at home waiting for me too. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of owning two computers. Some folks must leverage a laptop as a desktop.
There are many ways to create a solid desktop experience using a laptop, such as a monitor with a docking station. Of course, a secondary display and dock costs money. The most cost-effective option is a simple monitor stand that can raise your laptop, making its display more appropriate for on-desk viewing. Today, Satechi announces its unimaginatively named Aluminum Monitor Stand, which is absolutely perfect for Apple's MacBook, but iMac owners should take a look too.
How your servers might support a DDoS attack
The largest scale of internet attacks enlist thousands or tens of thousands of previously hacked computers to simultaneously attack and overwhelm the websites and e-commerce services of selected victims.
Whilst there is often media coverage of the victim organizations affected, and sometimes discussion about the motivation of the attackers, there is rarely any awareness by those computer owners that are participating in attacks and facilitating online crime.
Facebook irks devs by shutting Parse mobile development platform
Facebook is closing down Parse, its mobile development platform, just three years after acquiring it for $85 million. The shutdown comes as something of a surprise as it is not long since Facebook was talking about using Parse to make giant steps into the Internet of Things.
But it seems that Facebook's IoT future is going to be one that is Parse-free. The shutdown will take place over the course of the next year, but starts with immediate effect. As of right now Parse is in wind-down mode, and will be fully shuttered by January 28, 2017. Believed to power tens of thousands of mobile apps, the killing of Parse will see Facebook diverting funds to other ventures.
Sorry 'pundits', but Windows Phone was never alive
After Microsoft revealed that Windows phone revenue fell 49 percent and Lumia sales dropped to 4.5 million units last quarter, disingenuous headlines like "Windows Phone is dead" started to show up. Believe it or not, some pundits actually believe that Q4 was the quarter when the platform met its end, like it did not "die" a long, long time ago.
Objectively speaking, Windows Phone was never relevant enough in the modern smartphone market to be truly alive. Lumia sales, which have typically accounted for the vast majority of Windows Phone sales each quarter, were never strong enough to pose a threat to the iPhone line or let alone the Android crop. Windows Phone was a feeble player from the start, which lost any real chance of mattering years ago, outside of the Microsoft crowd that is.
Threat of cyber crime drives higher salaries for security professionals
Employers are offering salaries up by 14 percent on average for IT security specialists in the light of the growing threat posed by cyber crime.
A Global Salary Survey by UK specialist recruitment company Robert Walters also sees salaries for developers increasing as major employers look to overhaul their online presence.
Ultra Virus Killer gains VirusTotal support
Carifred has updated its malware hunter Ultra Virus Killer with integrated VirusTotal support.
No need to manually launch checks on individual files any more: just open the Process, Autorun, Service or Modules lists and a new column displays the VirusTotal score for every file.
HSBC online banking hit by DDoS attack
As workers eagerly awaited the arrival of their first payday of 2016, and others rushed to file their tax returns ahead of Sunday's deadline, HSBC's online banking services were knocked offline today.
The banking giant was hit by a DDoS, but it is not yet clear who is responsible. The attack meant that customers were unable to access their online accounts, and it is just the latest in a strong of high-profile security issues to affect well-known sites.
Bull's Bullion S server sets performance record
Bullion, high-end servers from Atos' technology brand Bull, has set a new global record in performance, the company has announced.
The record was set in accordance with the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation.
Best Windows apps this week
One-hundred and sixty-five in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows 8.x and Windows 10 in the past seven days.
There have not been that many app releases or updates this week, at least when it comes to notable ones.
Apple releases surprise update for no-longer-supported OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
When it comes to supporting older operating systems (or not), it is usually Microsoft that we are talking about. But this week Apple took its users by surprise by releasing an update to Snow Leopard -- the lengthily-named Mac App Store Update for OS X Snow Leopard.
If you are wondering why an OS update should come as a surprise, it is because support for Snow Leopard came to an end in the latter half of 2013. It is an update that is ostensibly about ensuring continued access to the Mac App Store, but it also helps to give Snow Leopard users an easier path to upgrade to El Capitan.
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