Breaches decline as security culture improves
The latest Security Maturity Report, published today by ClubCISO, shows 76 percent of CISOs reported no material breaches over the past year, up from 68 percent in 2022.
Despite the difficult economic climate, heightened global tensions and the onset of new technology making cybercrime easier, 60 percent of those surveyed say that no material cyber security incident had occurred in their organization over the past 12 months.
Amidst an energy crisis, energy companies can't risk a cyberattack further damaging their reputations
It’s no secret that rapidly rising prices, spurred by Russia’s war in Ukraine, have inflicted damage on the reputations of energy companies. While the companies themselves may not have caused those rising prices, it’s their logos that consumers see on top of their energy bills every month.
It should hardly be surprising then that a survey by Populous found that just 16 percent of Britons view the energy sector positively. These are people, remember, who’ve found themselves in the midst of one of the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. Millions of them have also, at some point in the past few months had to choose between heating their homes and eating.
6 key takeaways from the 2023 Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit
The annual Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit is always fertile ground for discovering the latest trends in cyber security, with this year being no exception. The 2023 event was held in early June, and central themes of this year's summit were the increasing complexity of managing cybersecurity adversaries, the increase in data breaches, and the heightened risk identity poses in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
One of the most significant takeaways from this year's summit is the role of Privileged Access Management (PAM) within the Cybersecurity Mesh. The Cybersecurity Mesh distributed architectural approach to scalable, flexible, and reliable cybersecurity control. The Cybersecurity Mesh allows the security perimeter to be defined around the identity of a person or thing, highlighting the critical role PAM plays in modern cybersecurity strategies. The shift to remote work, accelerated by the global pandemic, and the subsequent rise in cloud-based infrastructures, have further emphasized the importance of the shift from infrastructure-based perimeters to identity perimeters.
Get 'Learn Java 17 Programming -- Second Edition' (worth $31.99) for FREE
Java is one of the most preferred languages among developers. It is used in everything right from smartphones and game consoles to even supercomputers, and its new features simply add to the richness of the language.
This book on Java programming begins by helping you learn how to install the Java Development Kit. You’ll then focus on understanding object-oriented programming (OOP), with exclusive insights into concepts such as abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism, which will help you when programming for real-world apps.
How to access the hidden Emergency Restart option in Microsoft Windows
There are a lot of hidden or lesser-known features tucked away inside Windows 10 and Windows 11.
One of these undocumented functions is the Emergency Restart option which can really help if you run into problems with your PC and the Start button isn't working, or your system locks up while being used remotely.
Where do tech workers go after layoffs?
Companies have laid off thousands of workers in the first few months of 2023, many of whom signed non-competes or have few local prospects. Such a significant shift in the labor market means many people need jobs. Where do tech workers go after layoffs?
Although the rounds of layoffs in 2023 have affected many, the industry is relatively unchanged. There were around 6.5 million people in the tech sector as of December 2022, with a 1.8 percent unemployment rate. Even though tech firms primarily based in the United States let go over 147,000 employees during layoffs as of June 2023, the number is relatively small in comparison.
Cost of living crisis raises cyber risk from unhappy staff
A new survey of UK small and medium enterprises shows that 47 percent believe they are at greater risk of a cyberattack since the cost-of-living crisis.
The study from CyberSmart reveals that 38 percent believe this is due to increased malicious insider threats such as disgruntled employees making decisions that are not in the best interest of the company. While 35 percent believe it is due to negligent insider threats such as overworked or distracted employees making mistakes.
Microsoft Store introduces replacement components for Surface devices
In an era of disposable technology, where planned obsolescence seems to be the norm, Microsoft is charting a different course with some of its Surface computers. You see, starting today, the Microsoft Store is making replacement components for Surface devices readily available. With the introduction of these replacement components, Microsoft is making significant strides towards empowering customers to extend the lifespan of their Surface devices in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
To assist customers in their repair journeys, Microsoft has created a dedicated section on their website (found here). This resource hub provides comprehensive troubleshooting information and self-repair guides tailored to Surface devices. It also offers a convenient list of available replacement components, categorized by device. For those seeking the right tools for the job, Microsoft has partnered with iFixit, a reputable provider of repair resources and tools.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 23481 with Folder Options changes in File Explorer and Windows Ink improvements
Wednesdays are a pretty big deal for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel as that's when Microsoft typically releases new builds for Windows 11.
Today, the software giant rolls out Build 23481, and highlights in this new flight include improvements for Windows Ink and Folder Options changes in File Explorer. There's also a new widget rolling out.
VisionTek launches VT2600 USB-C docking station for Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks
Today, VisionTek launches its latest USB-C docking station. Called "VT2600," it is designed with professionals in mind. This dock is set to transform connectivity and productivity with its multi-display support, high-speed data transfer, and 100W power delivery. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Chromebook devices.
Key features of the VisionTek VT2600 USB-C DP 1.4 docking station include compatibility with USB-C systems via DP Alt Mode, two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI ports, three USB-A and three USB-C ports with 10Gbps data transfer speeds, audio and Ethernet connectivity, microSD and SD card reader slots, a Kensington Security Lock Slot, and 100W power delivery from the included power supply.
Get 'Security Awareness For Dummies' (worth $18) for FREE
Every organization needs a strong security program. One recent study estimated that a hacker attack occurs somewhere every 37 seconds. Since security programs are only as effective as a team’s willingness to follow their rules and protocols, it’s increasingly necessary to have not just a widely accessible gold standard of security, but also a practical plan for rolling it out and getting others on board with following it.
Security Awareness For Dummies gives you the blueprint for implementing this sort of holistic and hyper-secure program in your organization.
Rows gives you your own personal spreadsheet analyst
Earlier in the year, German spreadsheet company Rows launched its latest product with ChatGPT capabilities built in.
Its now introducing a new feature in the form of AI Analyst which summarizes the main takeaways from any dataset, runs in-depth analysis, and answers any questions you might have about your data.
The US apes the UK, but stands in opposition to EU, by blocking Microsoft-Activision deal... for now
A US judge has blocked Microsoft from buying Activision Blizzard following a request from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The move is a temporary block while a complaint by the FTC that the deal could "substantially lessen competition" in the gaming sector is fully investigated. It puts the US in agreement with the UK, which blocked the deal earlier in the year, but is standing against the European Union which has given it the green light.
SaaS adoption multiplies the security risks of shadow IT
Shadow IT has long posed ongoing security threats for IT teams and network administrators, such as the good old days when employees brought in unapproved external software on USB sticks. Back then, IT teams would use policies to lock down endpoints across a dedicated network perimeter.
Today, the problem of shadow IT is more fluid, with employees directly accessing software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications to do their jobs without first getting approval from the IT department. With more SaaS applications being delivered via the browser to a remote workforce, IT teams now struggle to get clear visibility into their levels of risk.
ChatGPT as a development tool? Yes, if used judiciously
Despite the concerns of many programmers about ChatGPT and other generative AI making our profession irrelevant, the software industry will always need skilled human developers to solve hard problems. I’m certainly not ignoring ChatGPT’s ability to generate solid code. It definitely can. But, it’s not anywhere near ready to produce code without human supervision. Its developers are working to improve its accuracy, but ChatGPT currently has a hallucination problem, where it creates content -- including code -- that may look good at a cursory glance but isn’t actually correct.
That said, in the hands of an experienced programmer, ChatGPT can be a powerful development tool that significantly reduces the amount of time it takes to develop a solution. Note, "experienced" is not a throwaway adjective here. For code generation, ChatGPT is a tool that novice developers should employ carefully. You need good instincts for discerning what’s well-formed code and what isn’t, and those skills grow with years of development experience.
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.