Reluctance to automate leads to problems for enterprise network firewalls
Enterprises are slow to abandon manual processes, despite being short of staff, and a lack of automation, increasing network complexity and limited visibility are contributing to costly misconfigurations and increased risk.
This is among the findings of the 2019 State of the Firewall Report released today by security automation specialist FireMon, the report is based on responsed from almost 600 people.
Microsoft will honor Californian privacy laws across the entire US
Microsoft has announced that it plans to honor the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) across the whole of the United States, not just in California.
In Europe, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) has done a lot to protect people's privacy, and some companies have opted to voluntarily apply similar policies in the US. Microsoft, however, is the first major US company to say it will expand CCPA outside of its home state, bringing greater privacy protection to people across America.
Windows 10 20H1 Build 19013 arrives on the Slow ring with extra ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Microsoft releases new Windows 10 20H1 builds -- from the May 2020 Update -- to the Fast ring on a weekly basis, but it seems like something of an event when new builds arrive on the Slow ring these days.
Today the software giant pushes Build 19013.1122 out to Slow ring Insiders with a fix for the issue where the Settings app would hang or crash when accessing the System or Ease of Access sections. This build also comes with more kaomoji and a welcome update to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2.
Google Stadia only has a dozen launch games
The Nintendo 64 is one of the greatest game consoles of all time. I remember getting one at launch as a kid after trying (and being blown away by) Super Mario 64 at Toys R Us. Believe it or not, despite ultimately becoming a successful game system, it launched with just two games in the USA. No, that is not a typo -- it literally had a pair of games at launch. There was the aforementioned Mario game, plus Pilotwings 64. Over time, there were many classic games released for the N64, but the sparse launch library was rather shocking.
That's why today's announcement by Google that its Stadia streaming game service will "only" have a dozen games at launch (less than previously promised) doesn't disappoint me. Quite frankly, 12 launch titles is actually quite respectable. Not to mention, these are high-quality games too -- there is seemingly no filler to pad the list. With that said, three of the titles are from the Tomb Raider franchise.
macOS 11 Ventura is the operating system Apple should be making
The latest version of macOS -- 10.15 Catalina -- was released just a month ago, and introduced some big changes, including the break-up of iTunes, and dropping support for 32-bit apps, which unfortunately meant some popular third-party software stopped working.
It might not happen any time soon, but if Apple does eventually make the jump to macOS 11, it’s fair to say the operating system will get a fairly major overhaul at that point. If you’d like to see how it should look, we’ve got this stunning video to wow you.
Digital Transformation is the Industrial Revolution of our age
Around the globe, across all industries, every organization intent on surviving the next decade of economic disruption is shifting from analog to digital. Any company serious about advancing its brand, capturing its best customers and expanding its future is in the process of integrating digital technologies that will help them reimagine every aspect of their business.
And most of them are failing. According to a recent McKinsey global survey on Digital Transformation, more than 80 percent of organizations have undertaken such steps in the past five years, but only 16 percent of respondents say their efforts have successfully improved performance, while also equipping them to sustain long-term change. Reported success rates in more traditional industries -- like Automotive and Pharmaceuticals -- are even more dismal (4-11 percent).
An apology letter to IT
Dear IT, we owe you an apology.
To IT teams everywhere, we’re sorry. We’re sorry for the endless To Do list that never seems to go away. In fact, it seems to only get longer, and we know it feels even more impossible to get your head above water every single day. The overwhelming number of security threats. The never-ending Windows updates. Helpdesk requests and self-inflicted errors caused by rogue software that users install without permission. The ridiculous number of mobile devices we’ve introduced into the landscape, which we expect you to protect and maintain. You’re swimming faster and faster, but still drowning in tasks. And, we know that you’re getting tired.
Men are being given much larger credit limits for Apple Card than their wives
New York's Department of Financial Services is starting an investigation into Goldman Sachs because of concerns of gender discrimination when assigning credit limits to Apple Card users.
Goldman Sachs is the financial body behind Apple's credit card, and concerns have been voiced that the company is offering men higher credit limits than their wives -- even the women in question have a higher credit rating. Among those surprised at the discrepancy is Steve Wozniak who reported that he was offered ten times the limit of his wife.
Samsung Galaxy S11 details leak: three screen sizes across five models, including a huge 6.9-inch version
Time for more smartphone leaks. This time around it is the turn of Samsung; specifically the Galaxy S11 range of handsets.
Thanks to reliable leakster Evan Blass, we now know that we can expect to see three the phone in three screen sizes: a 6.2 or 6.4-inch model, a 6.7-inch one, and a massive 6.9-inch version. In all, no fewer than five variants are due to go on sale, with mid- to late-February currently pegged as a launch date.
Apple is fixing a macOS flaw that exposes snippets of 'encrypted' emails
Apple is working to fix an issue that makes it possible to read portions of encrypted email in macOS after an IT specialist discovered a flaw in the way Mail's messages are handled by Siri. The problem affects macOS versions from Sierra to Catalina.
It is important to note that there are a number of criteria that have to be met for the issue to rear its head, but the fact that it is possible at all is still a concern. For a company that has just been shouting about its privacy policies, the timing is less than ideal -- particularly as Apple has been aware of the problem since July.
Microsoft listens to feedback and removes Downloads folder from Disk Cleanup
Microsoft has decided to remove the Downloads folder from the Disk Cleanup tool that is built into Windows 10. The move comes after users expressed fears that important files could be inadvertently deleted when using the utility.
While the ever-spiralling size of hard drive means that we now have to worry far less about running out of space, Disk Cleanup still has its uses from time to time. Microsoft says that the decision to make the change comes in response to feedback from users.
YouTube has a new interface -- here's how to disable it if you hate the new look
Google has updated YouTube with a new-look interface on tablets and the desktop. Thumbnails are bigger and easier to see, some superfluous links have been removed, and there are changes to the way the video queue works.
But, of course, not everyone likes change. If you're not a fan of the new interface, there are steps you can take to stick with the old look.
You can now control Roku with Apple Watch
Apple Watch is extremely popular with iPhone users, so you might think that they all also own Apple TV for their streaming needs. Well, while I am sure many do, not all iPhone users are heavily invested in Apple's ecosystem -- it can be quite the expensive affair. For instance, Mac computers are much more expensive than Windows machines with similar specifications. Also, the Apple TV media box is much costlier than Amazon Fire TV or Roku. In other words, there are iPhone users that also own Apple Watch, but use non-Apple devices in their lives too.
If you are an Apple Watch user that also owns a Roku device, I have great news. Starting today, you can control your media box using the wearable on your wrist. Yes, the Apple Watch can effectively be turned into a remote control for interacting with Roku.
Your Amazon Ring doorbell may have leaked your Wi-Fi username and password
If you've ever expressed concern about the security implications of Amazon Ring connected doorbells; if you've ever voiced privacy concerns about letting Amazon have such a portal into your life... your fears have been justified.
It has just been revealed that a security flaw in the camera-toting devices made it possible for hackers to access customers' Wi-Fi usernames and passwords. With these credentials, it would then be possible to launch a wider privacy-invading attack on households, accessing all manner of data and devices on home networks.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Three-hundred-and-sixty in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store in the past seven days.
The latest AdDuplex stats show that Windows 10 version 1903 is installed on about half the devices running Windows 10. With Windows 10 version 1909 coming out this month it appears that fragmentation is still an issue.
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