If this year is anything like last we are in the midst of phishers’ attempts to trick taxpayers, employers and tax preparers into giving up information that will allow attackers to file bogus tax returns and collect IRS refunds, according to PhishLabs’ annual phishing report.The latest Phishing Trends and Intelligence Report, which has data about January 2016, says that the IRS phishing sites spotted in that one month totaled more than the IRS phishing attempts seen during all of the previous year. While the numbers for this January aren’t in yet, PhishLabs researchers expect yet another spike.That’s because last year, 40 businesses that phishers asked for their employees’ W2 forms actually sent them to the scammers, says Crane Hassold, a senior security threat researcher at PhishLabs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Collaboration has come a long way from projectors, cable adapters and that long wait for the presenter to make the slides fit on the screen.Cisco Systems made a splash last month with the Spark Board, a meeting-room screen that acts like a giant iPad running the company’s cloud-based collaboration service. But other vendors are streamlining meetings too, including Google, Microsoft, and a number of startups.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Dozens of iOS apps that are supposed to be encrypting their users' data don't do it properly, according to a security researcher.Will Strafach, CEO of Sudo Security Group, said he found 76 iOS apps that are vulnerable to an attack that can intercept protected data.The developers of the apps have accidentally misconfigured the networking-related code so it will accept an invalid Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificate, Strafach claimed in a Monday blog post. TLS is used to secure an app’s communication over an internet connection. Without it, a hacker can essentially eavesdrop over a network to spy on whatever data the app sends, such as login information. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Designers are really trying to outdo each other in early 2017, pumping out Apple iPhone 8 design concept videos at a rapid pace in advance of an expected iPhone 8 (or iPhone 10 or iPhone X?) release in the fall. The latest to grab attention -- with more than 61K views on Youtube as of this writing -- envisions a transparent smartphone screen.The design for the iPhone 7 follow-on comes courtesy of Georgy Pashkov via ConceptsiPhone. Featured design elements beyond the transparent screen (with optical sensor) include an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and piezeoelectric speaker.As for the likelihood of a transparent screen on the actual iPhone 8? Highly unlikely, say Apple watchers. Though advances in Harry Potter-like invisibility cloaks are for real.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
In a few months, Bluetooth 5 will finally arrive in smartphones and tablets. But you can already test the technology on developer boards being shipped by hardware makers.Bluetooth 5 is a major step ahead for the venerable technology, which was introduced in 1999 to hook up devices wirelessly. It is two times faster than predecessor Bluetooth 4.2, has four times longer range, and boasts cool new connectivity features.It can transfer data at speeds of up to 2Mbps (bits per second) and has a realistic range of 120 meters. The range could be even longer in a clear line of sight, the standards setting organization Bluetooth Special Interest Group said.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Digital disruption has demolished more than 50% of the Fortune 500 since 2000
Technology is creating new online-only companies—i.e., Kickstarter for funding, Sofi for lending and Venmo for payments. The digital disruption and, more important, its pace continues to disrupt long-established business models. Incumbents, not wanting to become another cautionary tale of digital disruption, are making radical changes to their businesses to focus on online and mobile channels.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
So far, I’ve written two blogs about my expectations for the upcoming RSA Security Conference next week. The first blog was about my outlook for endpoint security while the second focused on network security. I am also in the middle of a big research project on security analytics and operations right now and believe that many independent technologies will be integrated into a comprehensive architecture that ESG calls SOAPA (i.e. security operations and analytics platform architecture). Here’s another blog where I define the SOAPA architecture and all the consolidating piece parts.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
So far, I’ve written two blogs about my expectations for the upcoming RSA Security Conference next week. The first blog was about my outlook for endpoint security, while the second focused on network security. I am also in the middle of a big research project on security analytics and operations right now and believe that many independent technologies will be integrated into a comprehensive architecture that ESG calls SOAPA (i.e. security operations and analytics platform architecture).To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
A hacker is proving that sites on the dark web, shrouded in anonymity, can easily be compromised.
On Friday, the unnamed hacker began dumping a sizable database stolen from Freedom Hosting II onto the internet, potentially exposing its users.
The hosting service, Freedom Hosting II, was known for operating thousands of sites that were accessible through the Tor browser; the "dark web" is essentially the encrypted network comprising Tor servers and browsers. But on Friday, the service appeared to be down. Its main landing page was replaced with a message saying that it had been hacked.
Allegedly, Freedom Hosting II had been hosting child pornography sites, though its anonymous operator claimed to have a zero-tolerance policy toward such content, according to the hacker behind the breach.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
While Google has spent the past year trying to woo enterprises to its G Suite productivity apps, it’s still the underdog compared to Microsoft Office, at least among large businesses. So what’s keeping it from broader appeal?One of the biggest hurdles for Google achieving broader enterprise adoption is just the fact that the company’s products aren't identical to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft Office apps, Gartner Senior Research Analyst Joe Mariano said."Enterprises have been ingrained in the Microsoft stack for essentially the beginning of time, it feels like," Mariano said. "[Enterprises] have problems shifting away from that, because they have a lot of investments, either in customizations or how they're using the tools."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Microsoft's mysterious Windows Cloud is supposedly a stripped-down version of Microsoft’s operating system that runs only Windows Store apps. Microsoft's not commenting, but an early build that leaked over the weekend appears to be authentic and gives further tantalizing hints of what the company may have in mind. Windows Cloud intrigues Microsoft watchers because of its uncanny resemblance to Windows RT, Microsoft’s failed ARM-based platform. It, too, could only run Windows Store apps, plus desktop versions of Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office. There are numerous reasons why RT never succeeded, but the gist is there weren’t enough apps and nobody wanted to run a hobbled PC.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
It's no secret that the tablet market is in something of a freefall. It is being squeezed on the top end by high-end laptops that have detachable touch screens and on the bottom by large phones. Plus, the chief advocate for tablets was Steve Jobs, who is no longer with us, and no one has stepped forward to champion the tablet. NPD Group reports that tablet sales have dropped 15 percent from 2015 to 2016. It would have been worse if not for Amazon practically giving away the low-cost Amazon Fire Tablet. There is also some success to be had with the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro 4. + Also on Network World: iPhone 8 likely to feature 'wraparound' display design +
But the real damage is being done by large phones, sometimes called phablets (a portmanteau for "phone-tablet"). In the fourth quarter of 2016, Apple sold just 13 million iPads, a 19 percent drop from the same period in 2015. However, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners says the iPhone Plus, with its 6.23-in. diagonal screen, made up 35 percent of the iPhone installed base as of the end of last year, up from 25 percent in Continue reading
In the wake of the Note7 debacle, South Korea is introducing new tests and regulations to ensure battery and smartphone safety, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said.The new measures will include requiring manufacturers to certify the safety of lithium-ion batteries based on new technologies in the process of production.The announcement Monday by MOTIE also agrees with the analysis by Samsung Electronics and some experts on the cause of the overheating and even explosions of some Galaxy Note7 smartphones.Samsung, backed by experts from Exponent, TUV Rheinland and UL, said in January that the overheating of some Note7 phones was likely caused by the faulty design and manufacturing of batteries by two suppliers, rather than by the design of the smartphone itself.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Lenovo is ditching the hard keyboard for a cool new touch one on its new Yoga A12 2-in-1, which can be an Android tablet or a laptop.
But for those seeking the latest and greatest hardware, there's a disappointment. It runs on an old chip from Intel, which has rolled back its development of Android, raising questions on the frequency of OS updates.
The highlight of Yoga A12 is the versatile touch panel that can be a smartphone-like virtual keyboard. It's a feature adapted from the Yoga Book, which was introduced last year.
The Yoga A12 has a 12.2-inch touchscreen, and a back-lit input touch panel replaces the hard keyboard. Lenovo said the virtual keyboard provides a user experience similar to on-screen ones on smartphones and tablets.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Later this afternoon, the New England Patriots will face off against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51. Per usual, the eyes of the world be fixated on what is typically the most watched Television event of the year. What's more, the Super Bowl has historically been where we can check out some of the more creative and jaw-dropping commercial spots. As a quick point of interest, the average cost of a Super Bowl ad this year checks in at a whopping $5 million.If you happen to be travelling or will be on the go for Super Bowl Sunday, that's no reason for you to miss the big game. Indeed, you can actually watch all of the Football action straight from your iPhone or iPad.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
If your printer printed a “YOUR PRINTER HAS BEEN PWND’D” message from “stackoverflowin,” then it’s just one of more than 150,000 printers that have been pwned. Although the message likely referenced your printer being part of a botnet or “flaming botnet,” the hacker responsible says it’s not and that he is trying to raise awareness about the pitiful state of printer security.One of the messages the hacker caused to print was:
stackoverflowin the hacker god has returned, your printer is part of a flaming botnet, operating on putin’s forehead utilising BTI’s (break the internet) complete infrastructure.
Another stated:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Amazon has discounted various models of Kindle and Fire Tablets, some up to 25% off their regular list price. Use the links below to learn more and explore buying options.
25% off Kindle -- small, light, and perfect for reading.
17% off Kindle Paperwhite -- Amazon's best-selling Kindle.
20% off Fire Tablet, 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB
20% off Fire Kids Edition Tablet, 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
“You’re going to put that in your office, aren’t you?” So quoth my beloved when I assembled and fired up the Nanoleaf Aurora lighting system in our living room. I understood her point. As lighting solutions go, the Nanoleaf Aurora isn’t exactly subtle in design and in operation as colors flow and change across the various panels it can be a little, well, dominating. That said, speaking as a card-carrying nerd, I love it! Check it out:
As you can see, the Nanoleaf Aurora could be part of the set of “Lost in Space”, so unless your house looks like something from the Jetsons, you may find you have a stylistic conflict (and possibly significant other conflict) to deal with. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Maintaining HIPAA compliance Image by ThinkstockMany people are loosely familiar with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and usually associate it with hospitals, clinics and health insurance companies. However, it can be less clear how HIPAA compliance standards apply to countless other software vendors, SaaS providers that work with healthcare-related businesses or handle protected health information (PHI). In recent months, the Office for Civil Rights has been coming down hard on HIPAA violators, doling out some of the large fines – upwards of $5 million. So in order to ensure your business is protected and to maintain your brand reputation, it is vital to know the ins and outs of HIPAA compliance. With this in mind, Dizzion provides suggestions for ways vendors can maintain HIPAA compliance while still focusing on their primary business objectives.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Apple plans to start assembling the iPhone in Bangalore by end April under a contract manufacturing arrangement with Taiwan's Wistron.The move by the company comes even as it awaits approval from the federal government for some of its proposals for lowering the import duties on components and for creating an ecosystem of local manufacturers who can supply components for the smartphones, according to sources close to the situation.The Karnataka state, of which Bangalore is the capital, has announced Apple’s intentions to make the iPhone in the city.Priyank Kharge, state minister for information technology, confirmed on telephone that the company had been cleared to make the phones in Bangalore and said it was a validation of the state's industry-friendly policies. Having a leading tech company making its products in the state could also have spin-off benefits in terms of app development and work in the area of artificial intelligence by the state's highly-skilled manpower, he added.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here