IBM today announced that Workday, the popular SaaS-based enterprise application company, will use the SoftLayer cloud as its primary development platform for new applications as part of a multi-year deal worth an undisclosed amount.The move is significant because it comes on the heels of another major SaaS vendor – Salesforce.com – announcing it chose Amazon Web Services as its development partner earlier this year. SaaS vendors are buddying up with IaaS providers to help build out their future applications.+MORE AT NETWORK WORLD: Why Salesforce linking up with Amazon is a big deal in the cloud +To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
If a graphic calculator is somewhere on your list, consider this 12% discount on the Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus graphing calculator. Building on the hugely popular TI-83 Plus, which is perhaps the best-selling calculator of all time, the TI-84 Plus is completely compatible with its predecessor. From that well-established platform, this new model adds more speed (a processor that's 2.5 times faster), more memory (24 KB RAM and 480 KB of Flash ROM), an enhanced high-contrast display (eight lines by 16 characters), and more Apps. Newly added "USB on the go" feature lets you share with other calculators, or connect to a PC or presentation tool. Ideal for middle school through college. The TI-84 Plus currently averages 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon from over 2,900 customers (read reviews). Save 12% off the regular $100 list price on Amazon, and buy it now for $88. Oh, and it might not hurt to drop this in your cart while you're there: Ti-84 Plus Graphing Calculator For Dummies. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Cisco’s security intelligence and research group Talos, said that it had reported a serious vulnerability in Rockwell Automation’s industrial control system – the MicroLogix 1400 programmable logic controller (PLC).The Simple Network Management Protocol exploit could let an attacker take complete remote control of the MicroLogix system and modify the device firmware, letting an invader run his own malicious code on the device. Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation’s MicroLogix systemTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
The vast majority of the world’s electronics -- its servers, PCs, mobile phones -- are now manufactured in China. This means any inadvertent escalation over the on-going South China Sea territorial dispute could do more than raise geopolitical tensions.It could easily disrupt electronics manufacturing for the world.About 84% of the world’s electronics are made in Asia, and about 85% of those goods are made in China, said Michael Palma, an analyst at IDC. “All that product flows through the South China Sea,” said Palma.China is claiming much of the South China Sea as its own territory after building artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago -- and it's ignoring a recent international tribunal ruling against its territorial claims, further stirring regional tensions.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
The U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center will soon provide classified supply chain threat reports to critical U.S. telecommunications, energy and financial businesses.The effort is designed to reduce threats against a vast private supply chain of equipment and services that could result in the theft of vital data or disrupt operations in critical systems. Supply chain threats are not well understood by security professionals, yet the supply chain is relatively easy to manipulate by foreign governments like Russia and China, as well as criminal gangs, hackers and even disgruntled workers, according to NCSC officials.The Office of the Director of National Intelligence described the threats to private sector supply chains in a press release on Thursday and released a video on supply chain risk management.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Oracle craves cloud companiesImage by ThinkstockSince 2010, Oracle has been steadily acquiring cloud software companies, particularly SaaS providers that can help the business software maker grow its market share for software rented over the internet. The deals, including last month’s $9.3 billion blockbuster bid for NetSuite, are crucial for the company’s ability to keep pace with challengers such as SAP, Salesforce.com and Microsoft, all of which are forging their own aggressive strategies in the cloud.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
So long as Windows remain a popular attack target, researchers and hackers will keep pounding the platform to uncover advanced strategies to subvert Microsoft's defenses.The bar for security is much higher than it used to be, as Microsoft has added multiple advanced mitigations in Windows 10 that take out entire classes of attacks. While hackers at this year’s Black Hat conference came armed with sophisticated exploitation techniques, there was tacit recognition that developing a successful technique is now much harder with Windows 10. Breaking into Windows through an OS vulnerability is harder than it was even a few years ago.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Anyone who has listened to a teenager, sports commentator, or corporate management knows the connection between words and meaning can be fluid. A new dance craze can be both “cool” and “hot” at the same time. A star player’s “sick moves” don’t necessarily require any medical attention. And if a company is going to “reorganize,” it’s not good for anyone, except perhaps the shareholders -- even then it’s not always clear.The computer world has always offered respite from this madness. No one stores “one” in a bit when they mean “zero.” No one types if x = 0 when they really want to say if x != 0. Logic is a bedrock that offers stability in a world filled with chaos and doublespeak.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Have you encountered problems with your computer freezing upon logging in since you installed the Windows 10 Anniversary Update? If so, you’re not alone. And while there’s no proper fix for the issue yet, Microsoft is aware of the problem and is addressing it.According to a thread started by a Microsoft rep and posted on the company’s discussion forums, the freezing issue occurs on machines “with the operating system stored on a solid-state drive (SSD) and apps and data stored on a separate drive.” The issue does not present itself when you boot your PC into Safe Mode.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Based on the disturbing number of successful data breaches over the past few years, it’s pretty evident that organizations are being overwhelmed by the growing number of threats.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
25 things you probably don’t know about FacebookImage by ThinkstockFacebook may have started out as a small website available only to Harvard students, but the site has enjoyed what is arguably an unparalleled level of growth over the past 12 years. Whereas some social networks of years past have tended to cater to one particular demographic, Facebook is unique insofar that it is used and enjoyed by both teens and adults alike, not to mention the many businesses and organizations use it to engage with customers and patrons. Indeed, for many people across the globe, Facebook is the one site that they tend to spend the most time on a day-to-day basis.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Sometimes a little help is all it takes, especially when you have technical skills to offer.You may have exactly the skills a non-profit needs to expand its social impact. Or perhaps you could help a motivated youth get his or her first technical job. Your technical expertise becomes even more meaningful when volunteered for the greater good. How do you start?Answer these questions to find the volunteering opportunities that could make the most of your skills.
What social cause inspires you? Education? Environmental issues? Helping the disadvantaged? Disaster relief?
What skills do you have to share? Programming? Systems design? Training?
How much time can you allocate to volunteering?
Could you volunteer onsite or only online?
Your answers will help narrow the search of non-profits to research. The Idealist directory lists thousands of non-profit organizations. Here are three I’ve volunteered with that look for technical experts. Perhaps one might be right for you, too?To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
New products of the weekOur roundup of intriguing new products. Read how to submit an entry to Network World's products of the week slideshow.24-Port Dual GigE Console ServerKey features: A 24-port, out-of-band console access solution. Includes dual 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet ports to allow connection to both a primary production network and a secondary maintenance network. Also features dual power inlets. More info.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
With Apple expected to announce the iPhone 7 on Sept. 7, time is running short to squeeze in fresh rumors about the next magical smartphone, which is expected to boast a more powerful processor, more storage, better camera technology and improved water resistance. But have no fear, as such speculation is indeed swirling.Holes in this iPhone 7 story
On Friday, bloggers hopped on a report from France’s Nowhereelse website, which shared a schematic supposedly from an Apple partner in China that shows an iPhone 7 possibly outfitted with a microphone rather than the 3.5mm headphone jack that is rumored to be disappearing. AppleInsider posted the headline: “Alleged ‘iPhone 7’ schematics hint at mic instead of second speaker.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
HEI Hotels & Resorts has reported a possible compromise of payment card information at its point-of-sale terminals, the latest in a string of attacks on such systems at hotels, hospitals and retailers.The company, which manages close to 60 Starwood, Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt and InterContinental properties, said it appears that malicious software was installed on the payment processing systems at certain properties, with the aim of harvesting the card data as it was routed through the systems.The compromise may have possibly affected the personal information of some hotel customers who made payment card purchases at point-of-sale terminals, such as food and beverage outlets, at certain HEI managed properties.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
The hacker who claims to have breached the Democratic National Committee’s computers is now taking credit for hacking confidential files from a related campaign group.Guccifer 2.0 alleged on Friday that he also attacked the servers of the Democractic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). He posted some of the purported files on his blog, and is promising journalists "exclusive materials" if they contact him directly.Although Guccifer 2.0 claims to be a lone hacktivist, some security experts believe he's actually a persona created by Russian government hackers who want to influence the U.S. presidential election.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
HP may have tried, but it couldn't hold the secrets of Intel's unreleased Kaby Lake and Apollo Lake CPU chips close to its chest.Some details on the new chips were unintentionally shared by HP in the maintenance documents of an unannounced PC, the Pavilion x360 m1.PCs with Kaby Lake -- called 7th Generation Core chips -- are expected to ship this quarter. It is a highly anticipated successor to Intel's Skylake chips, with performance and multimedia improvements.Asus announced the Transformer 3 tablet PC with Kaby Lake in June but didn't share specific chip details. Lenovo and Acer will announce new Kaby Lake PCs at the IFA trade show starting at the end of the month.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitter’s approach.
Analysts estimate that 10% to 20% of telecom charges are billed in error, and the financial impact can range from a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars a month.
On any given monthly statement the items being over-billed run the gamut of services delivered by the provider, and can include charges for invalid circuits, billing disputes, contractual issues, fraudulent charges, set-up fees and improper rates. These charges can appear on the invoice or can be buried within the bundled services comprising monthly recurring charges. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Although vendor-written, this contributed piece does not promote a product or service and has been edited and approved by Network World editors.Finding a cloud provider you can trust has become a major responsibility. Cloud providers come in all shapes and sizes—from global organizations delivering a range of services to small shops specializing in a limited number of capabilities. To normalize the differences you need to ask consistent questions about key issues.Security should be at or near the very top of your list, with their answers providing the transparency which will help build trust. An essential first step is to avoid making assumptions on what security is and isn’t with respect to a provider. Every provider is different, with different rules, service-level agreements (SLAs), and terms and conditions. Make sure you thoroughly understand what each service provider commits to you, the customer.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitter’s approach.A private cloud enables enterprises to secure and control applications and data while providing the ability for development teams to deliver business value faster and in a frictionless manner. But while building a private cloud can transform IT, it can also be an expensive science experiment without careful planning and preparation. Here are ten considerations that will help ensure success.1. Involve the stakeholders. Private clouds are not purely an IT project. The various business units that will be the actual users should be involved in figuring out the specifications and deliverables. A cloud changes the transactional relationship between IT and business. Both sides have to be engaged in figuring out and accepting how that relationship changes with a private cloud.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here