Moving to the cloud? Don't forget the mainframe
Over the past decade, cloud technology has become the IT infrastructure of choice for many organizations. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to send workers home, cloud adoption accelerated, ensuring teams stayed connected and productive while working remotely. But in the rush to capitalize on the agile capabilities offered by cloud, larger enterprises should be wary of neglecting a critical piece of technology: the mainframe.
A majority of the world’s top banks, airlines, and retailers are estimated to rely on mainframes -- trusting them as a reliable and secure part of their IT infrastructure. Market appetite for future growth of the technology is strong: IBM recently reported 49 percent YOY growth in its mainframe division for Q1 2021.
Ransomware: Even backups may not save you
When the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack became public in the first half of 2021, many were surprised that the company paid a $4.4 million ransom to recover its business systems. After all, it’s unthinkable that a company so large wouldn’t have backups in place. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, however, Colonial’s CEO "authorized the ransom payment of $4.4 million because executives were unsure how badly the cyberattack had breached its systems, and consequently, how long it would take to bring the pipeline back."
Colonial didn’t say much more than this about why they decided to pay the ransom, but, assuming the company had backups systems in place, there are two possible scenarios. The first is that the backups, themselves were hit by the ransomware malware. This seems unlikely, as a large organization like Colonial likely follows the 3-2-1 maxim for backup: three copies of data on two different forms of storage media with one offsite. Certainly, it’s possible that there was still a logical connection between all backups and the production network, which would have allowed the attack to access backups. But typically, offsite backups are well protected against this kind of attack and are often stored in a read-only format that cannot be encrypted or overwritten by malware.
Microsoft rolls out a new Windows 11 look to Office
While there are new features in Windows 11, much what's of the appeal of the latest version of the operating system is the updated look. Microsoft is not limiting itself to using the new look in Widows 11 alone; a similar aesthetic is making its way to other products and Microsoft Office has now been updated.
With the visual update, Microsoft Office gets a Windows 11 makeover, although the same look is also available to Windows 10 users running Office. Microsoft describes it as providing a "simple and more coherent experience"; here's what you need to know, including how to enable or disable it.
Microsoft releases yet another version of PowerToys to improve FancyZones and more
It is mere days since Microsoft released PowerToys v0.51.0 complete with the new Mouse Highlighter utility. Now the company has another update available which offers improvements to the FancyZones and PowerToys Run tools.
PowerToys v0.51.1 is by no means a big release, especially when you look at the huge list of improvements and additions in the previous update, but it remains an important one. The changes introduced in this latest version come, Microsoft says, in response to user feedback, and will be of particular interest to Windows 11 users.
Arch-based EndeavourOS 21.4 'Atlantis' operating system is here with Linux 5.15
Happy Friday, fellow Lixux distro-hoppers! The weekend is almost here, and once again, we have a new version of a Linux-based operating system to play with. This time, it is an exciting rolling-release distro called "EndeavourOS."
Today, version 21.4 of that operating system becomes available for download. Code-named "Atlantis," this Arch-based distribution has many new features and updates, most notably of which is the use of the bleeding-edge Linux kernel 5.15.
Enterprise security leaders think traditional methods aren't meeting modern threats
A new study of 200 IT security decision makers working at organisations with more than 1,000 employees in the UK reveals that 89 percent think traditional approaches don't protect against modern threats.
The report from threat detection and response company Vectra also finds that 76 percent say they have bought tools that failed to live up to their promise, the top three reasons being poor integration, failure to detect modern attacks, and lack of visibility.
No time like the present for running an ethical and effective phishing simulation
No organization in any industry is immune to a phishing attack. As organizations reduce their office footprints and the world of work has evolved into the now normal hybrid and remote models of working, organizations are wide open to cybersecurity attacks. This hybrid model of more flexible working is likely to be on the increase, and according to CIPD, 85 percent of employees want to split their hours between the office and home, while 40 percent of employers cite hybrid working as their new operational model.
Workplaces are reeling back in their employees as the pandemic eases up and over two-thirds of organizations are expected to adopt a hybrid working model, Amid the excitement of back to work, cyber vigilance may experience a lapse among users. The threat actors target chinks in an organization's security armor as new apps, devices and user touchpoints are added into the tech ecosystem, providing more surface points for attacks. This means, if you haven’t already started planning your security prevention, there is no better time to refresh security training.
Best Windows apps this week
Four-hundred-sixty-seven in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft released a new build to the Windows 11 Insider channel with new layout options for the operating system's Start menu. Another feature that is being tested currently makes it easier to set a default browser on the system.
How smart technology is changing the supply chain [Q&A]
Suppliers, distributors and customers alike are faced with rising supply chain costs, partly as a result of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The idea of smart contracts, using blockchain and the IoT to automate contract execution, has been around for a while. But is now the time for them to start coming into their own, and how can they benefit enterprises?
Microsoft making it easier to reject Edge and set a different default browser in Windows 11
Despite recently taking away the option to open internal links in other browsers, and stepping up its campaign to convince would-be Chrome users to stay with Edge, it seems Microsoft has made a surprise change in Windows 11 that will make it easier for users to set a different browser as the default.
At least, that is, if a change that crops up in the latest Insider build makes it into a future stable release.
Why it's essential to find a cloud hosting partner who serves you and your clients' needs
With so many competing providers advertising themselves as the best, it's essential to know how to find a cloud hosting partner who effectively serves you and your clients' needs. It can be enough of a headache managing your cloud services, let alone managing those of your customers, especially if you're in the UK.
Many businesses look for the infrastructure and the resources to avoid going over budget, but the options can be limited, leaving many companies struggling to host alone.
Software developers at biggest risk of cybersecurity breaches
Software development companies are among the most at risk from breaches, according to new research from cybersecurity firm Foxtech.
The research used cyber risk scores, calculated using publicly available information and an analysis of a wide range of cyber security indicators, as an indicator of how high or low the risk of a potential cybersecurity breach is for a company.
New report identifies malicious activity 'hotspots'
Threats like phishing and spam are often linked to specific domains, understanding how to spot these can help to strengthen threat intelligence.
Domain name and DNS-based predictive threat intelligence company DomainTools has used its database of more than 380 million currently-registered domains to identify which are likely to constitute threats.
Women still face challenges in pursuing tech careers
While female employees have gained hard-fought ground in the workplace, in the tech sector a large gap still exists when it comes to opportunities for professional development and career advancement according to a new report.
The study from digital learning company Skillsoft identifies a misalignment between the workplace benefits women in tech are seeking and those currently being provided.
Vivaldi 5.0 debuts shareable themes, new tablet-friendly design
The world’s most customizable browser just got a major update. Vivaldi 5.0 arrives on desktop and Android with a host of new features.
Desktop users get a brand-new Themes editor, with the ability to share custom themes with others easily, while two-level tab stacks have been added to the Android build.
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