Happy 15th Birthday, Google Maps!
When Google Maps was first released, it changed everything. It transformed the way people navigate the world, ultimately becoming an indispensable tool for those needing directions. It has become so ubiquitous in modern times, that there are likely many young people that never even tried using an old-school paper map (which can be impossible to fold). Stopping at a gas station to ask a clerk for directions? A relic of yesteryear -- your smartphone can get you anywhere.
Today, Google Maps celebrates a 15th birthday (where does the time go?), and believe it or not, it is still the best such service. While Apple Maps has gotten considerably better over the years, Google's offering is still better. Quite frankly, I don't see that changing anytime soon -- if ever. To celebrate this monumental birthday, Google Maps is not only gaining some new features, but getting a nice redesign too -- don't worry, it is nothing too dramatic.
Enterprises struggle to implement data sanitization policies
Despite recent legislation placing greater emphasis on privacy and data protection, a new study of data sanitization policies reveals that in many cases there’s a gap between policy and execution.
The study of more than 1,800 senior business leaders by Blancco Technology Group reveals that although 96 percent have a sanitization policy in place, 31 percent have yet to communicate it across the business and 20 percent don't believe their organization's policies are finished being defined.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Build 19559
The last few Insider builds of Windows 10 haven’t been too exciting, with the focus primarily on fixing problems and making minor changes.
Build 19559.1000 for Windows Insiders in the Fast ring is no different, but it does address a number of stability issues.
Does your car smell bad? Check out SCOSCHE MagicMount Fresché smartphone mounts
Have you ever known someone with a smelly car? Of course you have. We have all experienced a terrible aroma coming from a friend or family member's vehicle at some point in time. I have gotten into many a stank NYC taxi cab in my lifetime. Hell, maybe it is your car that stinks! These terrible odors can come from many places too. For instance, the driver could have forgotten to apply deodorant to his/her armpits, there may be 20 empty White Castle burger boxes in the back seat, or worst of all, the car's owner may be a cigarette smoker -- yuck!
What is to be done about a car that smells so horrific? Well, many people buy air fresheners for their vehicle, such as those iconic cardboard trees that hang from the rear view mirror. For the most part, they work -- by masking odors, at least. Let's be honest though, those things just look tacky and trashy. They also signal to the world that you may have an odor problem.
New solution delivers automated end-to-end security
Many organizations lack the resources to effectively implement 24x7 security operations on their own, and while automation solutions can help, they typically require extensive expertise to implement and manage.
Security automation specialist LogicHub is launching a new automation driven Managed Detection and Response solution called MDR+ to help address this issue.
Search is down for Windows 10 users [Updated]
If you’ve tried to search for something in Windows 10 this morning you’ll likely have been greeted by an empty search window.
Type something in, and you’ll get no results. Microsoft has yet to acknowledge the issue, but the problem seems to be caused by Bing’s new integration.
New strain of ransomware spreads via SYSVOL shares
Researchers at Varonis have uncovered a new ransomware variant that spreads and tracks its progress via SYSVOL share on Active Directory Domain Controllers.
The ransomware encrypts files and appends them with the extension, '.SaveTheQueen' and creates a file called 'hourly' on the SYSVOL share folder.
Popular attack methods decrease as hackers shift tactics for a new year
Researchers at managed security services provider Nuspire have released their latest quarterly threat report which looks at the top botnet, malware and exploit activity throughout 2019, focusing in on the fourth quarter.
Among the findings are that malicious cyber-activity declined towards the end of the year, partly as a result of hectic holiday schedules and vacations with fewer employees around to interact with malicious activity.
How many lightbulbs does it take to put a network at risk?
If it's a Philips Hue bulb the answer to the question in the headline above is just one according to new research from Check Point which has uncovered vulnerabilities that could enable a hacker to deliver ransomware or other malware to business and home networks by taking over the smart lightbulbs and their controller.
Researchers focused on the market-leading Philips Hue smart bulbs and bridge, and found vulnerabilities that enabled them to infiltrate networks using a remote exploit in the ZigBee low-power wireless protocol that is used to control a wide range of IoT devices.
Microsoft products continue to be most targeted by cybercriminals
2019 was the third year in a row that Microsoft technology was most affected by vulnerabilities, with eight of the top 10 vulnerabilities identified targeting its products.
This is a key finding of the Recorded Future annual vulnerability report which also shows that for the first time six of the vulnerabilities, all impacting Microsoft, were repeats from the prior year.
Get 'Excel 2019 For Dummies' ($29.99 value) FREE for a limited time
Excel 2019 For Dummies has been updated to reflect the major changes and features made to Excel and covers everything you need to know to perform any spreadsheet task at hand.
It includes information on creating and editing worksheets, formatting cells, entering formulas, creating and editing charts, inserting graphs, designing database forms, adding database records, using seek-and-find options, printing, adding hyperlinks to worksheets, saving worksheets as web pages, adding existing worksheet data to an existing webpage, pivot tables, pivot charts, formulas and functions, Excel data analysis, sending worksheets via e-mail, and so much more.
Windows 7 and EOL systems and their impact on the IT workload
As of January 14, 2020, Microsoft has discontinued Windows 7 support as planned for the operating system's End of Life (EOL). To some organizations, this operating system (OS) might seem like a distant memory. However, nearly 30 percent of the world’s computers -- or more than 400 million -- still run Windows 7 and are only now contemplating migration to Windows 10. Millions of users will be depending on an unsupported OS for some time after its retirement and IT teams will still be responsible for maintaining these systems.
While Microsoft will not be globally pushing out any more security patches for Windows 7 after Jan 14th, customers can pay for a security update service which will deliver patches until 2023. Failure to sign-up for and implement these patches will mean operating an OS that is vulnerable to malicious actors. IT teams will need to continue updating and patching Windows 7 as long as their company is using it -- even if they are in the process of migrating to Windows 10.
Businesses want zero trust capability despite lack of confidence deploying it
To combat growing cyber risks, 72 percent of businesses plan to implement zero trust technology this year, yet 47 percent of security professionals lack confidence in their ability to apply it.
A new report from Cybersecurity Insiders and Pulse Secure, based on a survey of more than 400 cyber security decision makers, finds a striking confidence divide among cybersecurity professionals in applying zero trust principles.
7 types of attacks SDP protects against
Software-defined perimeters (SDP) use a combination of strong authentication, granular authorization and network segmentation to enable access from anywhere, creating a new kind of defense against a variety of cyberattacks. SDP is more secure than a firewall or a VPN and is more granular than a NAC. Compared to these alternative approaches, SDP offers improved security and operational simplicity for users and IT admins alike.
SDP employs multiple techniques in order to provide secure access. First, it leverages identity and access management (IAM) to authenticate every user that attempts to access a resource or application on the network. It then employs granular authorization to restrict the services that each user can access once logged in. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the approach is its ability to provide "resource cloaking", ensuring that no DNS information or "visible" IP ports of protected resources are exposed to the Internet, which significantly reduces a network’s attack surface. This has the effect of creating a resilient defense against common attacks that hackers employ, such as the following:
Mobile malware incidents increase by 142 percent
According to a new study, 36.5 percent of all organizations have experienced a malware incident on a mobile device in the past year, which represents a 142 percent increase from 2018.
Research from mobile security specialist Wandera finds 57 percent of organizations have experienced a mobile phishing incident, with 60 percent of mobile phishing attacks occurring over HTTPS.
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