Attackers aren't as clever as you think when it comes to finding passwords
Although we've been told for years that their days are numbered, passwords are still a major part of our security defenses.
New research from Rapid7 looks at two of the most popular protocols used for remote administration, SSH and RDP, to get a sense of how attackers are taking advantage of weaker password management to gain access to systems.
Canonical releases Ubuntu Linux 22.10 'Kinetic Kudu'
Today, Canonical releases Ubuntu 22.10. Are you excited? Well, you probably shouldn't be. Don't get me wrong, the newest version of the operating system -- which is codenamed "Kinetic Kudu" -- seems fine, but there is nothing truly exciting to be found in it. Yeah, it is just another cookie-cutter Ubuntu release.
With all of that said, there are some notable improvements, such as the new GNOME 43 desktop environment and inclusion of the latest Mesa in the Steam snap. For the most part, however, desktop users will likely find this version very underwhelming.
Ransomware attacks are down in the third quarter
The period from July to September this year has seen 27 ransomware variants used to conduct 455 attacks according to cybercrime intelligence company Intel 471's Spot Reports and Breach Alerts.
This represents a decrease of 38 attacks from the second quarter of 2022 and 134 from the first quarter of 2022.
If your name is Michael Smith and you're from Houston you could be a fake
New research from identity verification company Socure looks at patterns surrounding how fraudsters construct synthetic identities to identify factors that may assist in identifying and thwarting this kind of crime.
The study shows that criminals employing synthetic identities do their best to blend them with the overall population. So in the majority of cases, synthetic identities fell into the most common demographics and consumer traits.
Microsoft is annoyed with security firm that discovered misconfigured server exposing sensitive customer data
Microsoft has admitted that the sensitive data of thousands of customers was exposed last month because of a "misconfigured Microsoft endpoint". The data includes names, email addresses, the content of emails and attachments related to business between a customer and Microsoft or an authorized Microsoft partner.
Security researchers from SOCRadar notified Microsoft about the server misconfiguration back on September 24. The data exposure is part of a series of leaks from public data buckets which the security firm has dubbed BlueBleed. It is described as "one of the largest B2B leaks in recent years" and affects thousands of individuals and companies across over 100 countries. Microsoft has addressed the misconfiguration, but the company is not happy with SOCRadar.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 25227, makes update restarts less annoying
Yesterday was a huge day for Microsoft as it not only released the first 'moment' for Windows 11 which introduced extra features to the operating system (including a tabbed version of File Explorer) but it also released the Windows 10 2022 (22H2) Update for its older OS.
Today it’s business as usual for Insiders in the Dev Channel who receive a fresh new Windows 11 test build to play around with.
The pitfalls of tunnel vision in the tech industry
The tech industry job market is more volatile than ever before. IT skills shortages and the pandemic have increased demands on the sector’s workers, leaving many employees on the brink of burnout.
In fact, recent research states that just 24 percent of tech workers plan to stay in their current role. Some will move laterally, but others will pursue jobs that are entirely new, and may be deemed one-dimensional by prospective employers if their only experience is in an area such as programming. Similarly, decision-makers in the higher echelons of the business are doomed to fail if they focus on too narrow an area of the organization.
Diversifying our spaces for stronger communities
Innovation cannot exist without diversity. As cities and urban areas look to build stronger, more sustainable communities, appropriate preparation must be undertaken to ensure that plans are suitable for every citizen. This means dedicating time into the planning stage, where local authorities and partners consider what citizens need from their environment. In other words, to build smart cities and communities, they must be designed and executed with inclusivity in mind, thinking of the potential barriers that could be faced by individuals.
For smart cities, there is an element of informed prediction. Looking back at buildings made at the start of the last century, it’s clear they were built with the intention to last. When we look at transforming our cities now, we must adopt the same long-term view. However, the choices we make today must be clear in what they want to achieve in the decades to come and must be ready and capable of adapting and evolving, as humans do.
Federal cybersecurity leaders are struggling to protect information
A new survey of 150 federal cybersecurity leaders finds that 73 percent of respondents feel a lack of foundational data protection efforts puts their agency at risk.
In addition the research, from data protection provider Zettaset, shows 77 percent say that siloed systems that lack visibility make it difficult to properly protect critical assets. It's not surprising then that 57 percent report experiencing multiple data breaches over the past two years.
New open source tool helps security analysts gather data following incidents
Incident investigations in today's environments such as the cloud, containers and serverless environments can be a challenge. In particular collecting volatile data quickly following an incident to help security teams identify root causes and respond faster.
Cado Security is launching a new new volatile artifact collector tool that allows security analysts to collect a snapshot of volatile data, adding critical context to incident investigations.
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10 -- which is fastest? We have an answer
Microsoft is currently supporting both Windows 10 and Windows 11, even though it would prefer you to switch to the latter. Windows 10 is the most popular desktop operating system by some margin, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best one.
One thing that people are definitely swayed by is speed and gaming performance, and if you’re wondering which of the two operating system is fastest, we have the answer.
Get 'Teach Yourself VISUALLY: Word 2019' ($18 value) FREE for a limited time
Teach Yourself VISUALLY: Word 2019 provides readers with a thorough and visual exploration of the 2019 edition of Microsoft Word.
Written by the celebrated author of over 100 books on computing, Guy Hart-Davis, Teach Yourself VISUALLY: Word 2019 allows you to quickly get up to speed with one of the most popular word processors on the planet.
Geopolitical tensions make security precautions critical for UK business
Geopolitical tensions are on the rise around the world and global economic structures continue to evolve as a result. Political disruption and unrest can have a far-reaching impact on the rest of the globe. This impact can be seen most clearly in the ripple effects that the current ongoing Ukraine-Russia war has had on the rest of the world in terms of economic volatility, food insecurity, and dramatic price increases.
Businesses are, of course, hyper-focused on ensuring their resilience to geopolitical risk, fragmentation, and uncertainty, which according to McKinsey’s latest Economic Conditions Outlook is at the top of the agenda for CEOs. But, if businesses want to safeguard their resilience during this disruptive time, organizations will need to prioritize their security.
Harnessing the power of AI to combat fake reviews [Q&A]
There's a lot of talk about how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world. And it's true -- AI has already started transforming the healthcare, finance, and manufacturing industries. But there's one area where AI is causing some severe problems: fake reviews.
We spoke with Truely CEO JP Bisson about AI technology and how companies can use it to protect their interests.
Privacy-focused DuckDuckGo arrives on macOS in beta
After what has felt like a very long wait, DuckDuckGo for Mac is now available to anyone who would like to try out the private web browser. Previously only available as a closed beta, the macOS version of DuckDuckGo beta is now open to all.
In addition to protecting privacy in general web browsing, DuckDuckGo for Mac also includes Duck Player, a built-in YouTube player that blocks targeted advertising and stops profiling.
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