How can the US prepare for these 2020 predictions?
Predicting everything that will happen in 2020 is an impossible task, however, the foundation has been laid for two security events to occur. First, all signs point towards the enactment of a federal data privacy law. The fact that the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is slated to be enacted on January 1, 2020; shows that the US is starting to take a more steadfast approach to consumer privacy. However, if every state were to enact their own laws, then organizations that operate within the US would have to navigate through 50 different mandates. One unified, federal regulation would make it far more seamless for businesses to continue operations, all while remaining compliant.
Second, it is likely that we will see foreign meddling occur in the 2020 US presidential election. This occurred in 2016, and there have already been reports of foreign entities attempting to interfere with US government agencies. In fact, the state of Ohio recently thwarted an attack from a Russian-backed organization on its voting systems. Let’s dive more into these predictions below.
The phishing tricks that break through standard email filters
Some phishing emails are easy to spot: the spelling is bad, the spoofed email is clearly a fake, and the images are too warped to have possibly been sent by a reputable brand. If you receive one of these low-quality phishing emails, you’re lucky. Today’s phishing emails are extremely sophisticated, and if you’re not well trained to spot one, you probably won’t.
Email filters have long relied on fingerprint and reputation-based threat detection to block phishing emails. A fingerprint is essentially all the evidence a phisher leaves behind -- a signature that, once identified, will be recognized on future phishing attempts and the phishing email or webpage blocked. Examples of a fingerprint include the header, subject line, and HTML.
New account fraud up 28 percent in 2019
New account fraud -- attempts by an individual to create a new online account by manipulating a government-issued ID -- is up 28 percent this year according to a new report.
Data from trusted identity provider Jumio shows this type of fraud has increased over 100 percent on 2014 levels.
Logitech Personal Collaboration Kits are premium webcam and headset combos
Remote work is all the rage these days. After all, some jobs can be done from home -- why waste gas and time commuting to a shared office just to sit alone in a cubicle all day? Of course, for remote working to be successful, you must have useful communication tools -- both software and hardware. For instance, Microsoft Teams and Slack are great ways to stay in touch, but what about when you need to make audio or visual calls for collaboration? For that, high-quality hardware can make all the difference.
Apparently, Logitech sees great value in combining audio and visual communication in one package. The company has launched two new hardware packages which it calls "Personal Collaboration Kits." What exactly are these kits? Quite simply, a combo consisting of a high-end headset and webcam. There are two options from which to choose, with one being given the "Pro" designation. The truth is, however, both kits would be good for either professional or home use.
Enterprises increase their investment in machine learning
Machine learning development is still in its early stages in many enterprises but investment in the technology is on the increase according to a new report.
The report from Algorithmia shows 22 percent of respondents say their companies have been in production with machine learning for a year. However, 50 percent say they spend between eight and 90 days deploying a single machine learning model.
Logitech launches 4K Pro Magnetic Webcam for Apple Pro Display XDR
Apple's newest Mac Pro computer, configured with the top specifications, costs over $50,000 (yes, really). The starting price for the Apple Pro Display XDR with the official Pro Stand is $5,998. And yet, despite these outrageous prices, you don't even get a webcam! Seriously, folks, Apple's latest and greatest premium display doesn't even have an integrated camera! Sigh.
Thankfully, Logitech is here to save the day with its all new 4K Pro Magnetic Webcam. As the name implies, it features a resolution of up to 4K, and it connects to the top of the Apple Pro Display XDR with a magnet. While this new webcam it is a bit expensive, it isn't obscenely so like Apple's new hardware. And while it is only designed for the Apple Pro Display XDR and macOS, I wouldn't be surprised to see it rest comfortably atop other monitors or maybe even work with Windows 10 too.
Vulnerability used in Equifax breach is top network attack in Q3 of 2019
Network security and intelligence company WatchGuard Technologies has released its internet security report for the third quarter of 2019 showing the most popular network attacks.
Apache Struts vulnerabilities -- including one used in the devastating Equifax data breach which tops the list -- appeared for the first time on WatchGuard's list. The report also highlights a major rise in zero day malware detections, increasing use of Microsoft Office exploits and legitimate penetration testing tools, and more.
Beware fake recruiters bearing gifts!
When corporate recruiter Kirsten Lambert came into work this week, the last thing she probably expected to see was a LinkedIn message from yours truly asking about the new position she had just offered me earlier in the day. That’s because she had made no such offer. It was a scam. Someone impersonating her had spent the better part of three hours "interviewing" me via Google Hangouts for a position that was never mine in the first place.
Fortunately, I’ve been around the industry long enough to know how the recruitment process is supposed to work. And in this case, I was suspicious from the outset. For starters, this "fake" Kirsten wasn’t the first person from the firm I’d interacted with. An equally fictitious "Helen Meek" had contacted me over the weekend to tell me that she’d seen my profile on ZipRecruiter and that she was "impressed by my qualifications" -- that I’d be a "great fit for her Software Engineer position at Belcan, LLC, in Windsor, CT" (one of my four homes is located in a nearby town, so…easy commute!).
Cloud migration and cyberattacks are top IT challenges for 2020
New data published by INAP at Gartner's IT Infrastructure, Operations and Cloud Strategies Conference in Las Vegas this week reveals the top challenges IT professionals expect to face in 2020.
Migrating applications to the cloud tops the list for 37 percent (up from 34 percent last year) while protecting against cyber attacks is in second place chosen by 31 percent (down from 36 percent).
O&O FileBackup 1.0 is small, portable and surprisingly effective at keeping your key files backed up
They say small is beautiful, and with O&O Software’s latest offering it’s hard to disagree. The German software developer has managed to pack a powerful file backup tool into a tiny 4MB portable application with the release of O&O FileBackup 1.0.
Despite its small size, the app doesn’t just do basic backups of single folders -- there’s a slick user interface, with options for automatically selecting files based on filetype, the ability to update and restore backups with just a few clicks and a built-in scheduling tool for keeping backups updated.
Smart lock design flaw opens the door for attackers
An exploitable design flaw with a smart lock means attackers can easily overcome it and the lock's inability to receive updates means it can't easily be fixed.
Researchers at F-Secure found they were able to exploit poorly designed protocols in the KeyWe Smart Lock to intercept the secret passphrase that controls the lock as it's exchanged between the physical device and the mobile app.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 (2004) Build 19041.1 to the Fast and Slow rings
Microsoft is putting the finishing touches to the next big feature update for Windows 10, with the focus now firmly on identifying and fixing problems.
Build 19041.1 is rolling out to Insiders on the Fast and Slow rings and includes a number of changes and improvements.
Windows 10's new Quick Searches feature now available globally
Last Month, Microsoft introduced a new feature to Windows 10 that makes it quicker and easier to get answers and results from the web.
The Quick Searches feature, which is found in Search Home, was originally only available to EN-US users, but has now been expanded to a number of other territories and languages.
Privacy legislation and the impact of GDPR and CCPA [Q&A]
With the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) coming into force in January and GDPR in Europe having been active for nearly two years, data privacy is something that's being taken more seriously than ever.
But what impact does legislation have on businesses and consumers? And how has GDPR influenced the drafting of CCPA? To find out we spoke to Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon, senior privacy counsel and legal engineer and Dan Wu, privacy counsel and legal engineer, from data governance specialist Immuta.
Microsoft is about to start aggressively advertising Windows 10 to Windows 7 stragglers
Windows 7 may be an aging operating system, but there are still plenty of individuals and organizations using it. With the end of support date of January 14 fast-approaching, Microsoft is getting twitchy and is eager for everyone to upgrade to Windows 10.
Having already started to notify Windows 7 hangers on that support is due to come to an end, the company is now ready to get a little more aggressive. If you haven't moved on from Windows 7, soon you will see full-screen notifications warning you that "your Windows 7 PC is out of support".
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