Windows Defender can help keep Windows 10 safe from threats, and run as a second line of defense alongside any existing security software you have installed.

Microsoft has added various new elements to the program in the Anniversary Update, including Limited Periodic Scanning and Block at First Sight protection. There’s now a new Windows Defender Hub available to download in the Windows Store.

Mobile payments have actually been around for a few years now, but have only recently made the kind of impact that makes consumers and businesses take note. Unsurprisingly, mobile payments refer to financial transactions that are performed using a mobile device, most commonly a smartphone. As an alternative method of payment to debit cards or cash, mobile payments have gained in popularity all over the world, with businesses ranging from tech giants to independent startup all vying for market share in this fledgling industry.

As with any other new technological phenomenon, mobile payments are sure to create as many disruptions as opportunities, so it’s vital that businesses carefully manage the introduction of new payment platforms.

Security researchers have discovered a new distributed denial of service (DDoS) method that requires less effort to launch large-scale attacks that can bring down servers or firewalls from a single laptop.

The new method of launching DDoS attacks called BlackNurse was discovered by researchers at the Security Operations Center of the Danish telecom operator TDC (TDC SOC). It operates by using attacks based on low volume Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) to overload firewalls to the point where they shut down.

In the run up to the holiday season many of us will be buying internet connected devices. But new research from Intel Security shows that technology bargains and gifts could be putting consumers' data at risk.

The survey among UK consumers shows smartphones and tablets come top of many seasonal shopping lists, with 42 percent planning to upgrade gadgets to the latest models. Yet 60 percent say they have no plans to ensure security software is installed.

Edward Snowden. A liberal darling, and simultaneously a figure of hate. His surveillance leaks are now legendary, and while the NSA whistle-blower hides away in Russia, there are calls for President Obama to issue a pardon before President Trump becomes a reality.

But Obama is having none of it. In an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel, the out-going president was asked bluntly about pardoning the former NSA contractor. His response was: "I can't pardon somebody who hasn't gone before a court and presented themselves". Obama, of course, could pardon Snowden if he wanted, regardless of whether he has faced trial, but he's not going to say that.

With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the holiday season on the horizon, many people are going to be shopping online. But how much do you trust the sites you’re dealing with?

Password management company LastPass has released a report looking at each site's password requirements, how much information they store, and how much effort they put into helping customers follow good password security practices.

Late yesterday, Three admitted to a breach of its customer databases which potentially put 6 million people at risk. Today the company has spoken out, indicating that far fewer customers were affected than first thought.

In fact, data from just over 130,000 accounts was accessed, with varying levels of access meaning different customer information was exposed. Three says the primary goal of the database breach was to intercept handsets rather than for other purposes, and it stresses that no financial information was stolen.

A new survey of over 500 businesses in the US, UK, France and Germany shows that in the last 12 months, 48 percent have fallen victim to a ransomware campaign, with 81 percent having suffered three or more attacks.

The study from endpoint security company SentinelOne reveals employee information (42 percent), financial data (41 percent) and customer information (40 percent) are the types of data most often affected by these attacks.

Hackers have gained access to a database containing the personal details of up to six million customers of mobile carrier Three. A report in the Telegraph cites 'sources familiar with the incident', but while Three has confirmed a security breach took place, the company is yet to provide precise details.

What we do know is that the incident took place when hackers used employee login credentials to access the customer upgrade database. It is thought that the hackers gained accessed to customer names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth, but financial details were not exposed.

iCloud is hardly the finest example of secure cloud storage, as numerous hacked celebrities will attest. So it is perhaps a little concerning to learn that Apple is -- according to a Russian security firm -- storing months of call logs to iCloud without many users being aware of what’s going on.

Elcomsoft, which specializes in cracking software, discovered that if you are an iPhone owner with an active iCloud account, four months' worth of your phone calls have been stored online. Many people will see this as a privacy concern but, worryingly, Apple does not provide a way to disable call log syncing.

According to an online survey of over 2,000 adults, 39 percent of Americans would sacrifice sex for one year if it meant they never had to worry about being hacked, having their identity stolen, or their accounts breached.

Women are more likely than men to be willing sacrifice a year of sex in exchange for online peace of mind (44 percent vs 34 percent), and sex isn't the only thing people would give up to remove cybersecurity headaches. Four in 10 (41 percent) would rather give up their favorite food for a month than go through the password reset process for all their online accounts.

Connecting to a virtual private network can shield your IP, maintain your privacy on insecure wireless hotspots and perhaps help you access websites you couldn’t reach normally.

VPN’s usually require paying a chunky subscription fee, but Betternet promises an unlimited service for absolutely nothing at all.

Chief executive officers in the UK are still far from being considered responsible for keeping their organizations safe from cyberattacks, according to a new report by NCC Group. The report, which the risk mitigation and cybersecurity company just released, is based on a poll of 200 UK board of directors, where they were questioned on cybersecurity. Just 13 percent say the managing director was responsible for cyber risks in their company.

Also, just nine percent named the financial director. The biggest burden is still on the shoulders of CTOs and CIOs -- 52 percent. "Boards continue to pass the cyber buck by delegating accountability to technical leads likes CIOs and CTOs. Cyber security is the responsibility of the CEO and the main board as it is the most significant issue facing businesses today", comments Rob Cotton, CEO at NCC Group.

In an increasingly interconnected world, all organizations are at risk from cyber attacks and manufacturing businesses are no exception.

A new study conducted by Deloitte and the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) reveals that 40 percent of manufacturing companies were affected by cyber incidents in the past 12 months, and 38 percent of those impacted suffered damages in excess of $1 million.

O&O Software has released the latest version of its commercial secure-deleting privacy protector, SafeErase Professional 11.

The interface has been revamped for ease of use, while the core engine is even faster at wiping every trace of your confidential files.