US lawmakers demand to know how many residents are under surveillance

Two powerful U.S. lawmakers are pushing President Donald Trump administration's to tell them how many of the country's residents are under surveillance by the National Security Agency.In a letter sent Friday, Representatives Bob Goodlatte and John Conyers Jr. asked the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to provide an estimate of the number of U.S. residents whose communications are swept up in NSA surveillance of foreign targets. Goodlatte, a Republican, is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Conyers is the committee's senior Democrat.Committee members have been seeking an estimate of the surveillance numbers from the ODNI for a year now. Other lawmakers have been asking for the surveillance numbers since 2011, but ODNI has failed to provide them.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Sunset over the Salt Marsh

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DARPA semantic program seeks to glean truth from obfuscation

In this era where disinformation, alternative facts and other falsehoods are the rule of the day, the researchers at DARPA are looking to build a mechanism that can glean some truth from the obfuscation.DARPA says the program, called Active Interpretation of Disparate Alternatives (AIDA), looks to develop a “semantic engine” that generates alternative interpretations or meaning of real-world events, situations, and trends based on data obtained from an extensive range of channels. The program aims to create technology capable of aggregating and mapping pieces of information automatically derived from multiple media sources into a common representation or storyline, and then generating and exploring multiple theories about the true nature and implications of events, situations, and trends of interest, DARPA says. +More on Network World: DARPA plan would reinvent not-so-clever machine learning systems+  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

DARPA semantic program seeks to glean truth from obfuscation

In this era where disinformation, alternative facts and other falsehoods are the rule of the day, the researchers at DARPA are looking to build a mechanism that can glean some truth from the obfuscation.DARPA says the program, called Active Interpretation of Disparate Alternatives (AIDA), looks to develop a “semantic engine” that generates alternative interpretations or meaning of real-world events, situations, and trends based on data obtained from an extensive range of channels. The program aims to create technology capable of aggregating and mapping pieces of information automatically derived from multiple media sources into a common representation or storyline, and then generating and exploring multiple theories about the true nature and implications of events, situations, and trends of interest, DARPA says. +More on Network World: DARPA plan would reinvent not-so-clever machine learning systems+  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Short Take – The Present Future of the Net

A few random thoughts from ONS and Networking Field Day 15 this week:

• Intel is really, really, really pushing their 5 generation (5G) wireless network. Note this is not Gen5 fibre channel or 5G 802.11 networking. This is the successor to LTE and capable of pushing a ridiculous amount of data to a very small handset. This is one of those “sure thing” technologies that is going to have a huge impact on our networks. Carriers and service providers are already trying to cope with the client rates we have now. What happens when they are two or three times faster?
• PNDA has some huge potential for networking a data analytics. Their presentation had some of the most technical discussion during the event. They’re also the basis for a lot of other projects that are in the pipeline. Make sure you check them out. The project organizers suggest that you get started with the documentation and perhaps even help contribute some writing to get more people on board.
• VMware hosted a dinner for us that had some pretty luminary speakers like Bruce Davie and James Watters. They talked about the journey from traditional networking to a new paradigm filled Continue reading

Privacy settings may be the Creators Update’s biggest change

From the time it launched, Windows 10 has been the source of controversy over its aggressive monitoring of user activity, and I readily admit to fanning those flames at the start. A cottage industry of utilities has sprung up that will turn off all of the offending features in one fell swoop, which has quieted a lot of people, me included.RELATED: 11 hidden tips and tweaks for Windows 10 With the release of the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft has made a major change in the nature of its data collection in the OS and has revealed a great deal of information on the telemetry that it gathers from your system. It is documented in a lengthy blog post by Windows chief Terry Myerson.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

SDxCentral Weekly News Roundup — April 7, 2017

OPNFV announces its fourth platform release; ZTE intros its SD-WAN product.

Q&A with Mike Walsh, Regional Sales Director – Federal Government

CyberX assesses industrial environments for cyber risks, provides continuous monitoring

This column is available in a weekly newsletter called IT Best Practices.  Click here to subscribe.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) received reports of 59 cyber incidents at energy facilities in 2016. This is an increase of nearly a third over 2015. Security specialists believe this number is quite conservative, considering that energy companies aren’t required to report cyberattacks to DHS.But the actual number of incidents isn’t the really concerning part of the story. More worrisome, say federal cybersecurity officials and private security specialists, is that the vast majority of energy industry companies lack the technology and personnel to continuously monitor their operational systems for anomalous activity, which leaves them unable to detect intrusions when they happen. Consequently, they don’t even know about incidents to be able to report them.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

CyberX assesses industrial environments for cyber risks, provides continuous monitoring

This column is available in a weekly newsletter called IT Best Practices.  Click here to subscribe.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) received reports of 59 cyber incidents at energy facilities in 2016. This is an increase of nearly a third over 2015. Security specialists believe this number is quite conservative, considering that energy companies aren’t required to report cyberattacks to DHS.But the actual number of incidents isn’t the really concerning part of the story. More worrisome, say federal cybersecurity officials and private security specialists, is that the vast majority of energy industry companies lack the technology and personnel to continuously monitor their operational systems for anomalous activity, which leaves them unable to detect intrusions when they happen. Consequently, they don’t even know about incidents to be able to report them.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Worth Reading: Ten Buzzwords to Avoid in your Profile

It’s 2017: this could be the year to start something big. If you’ve thought about pursuing a new career direction or a challenge, you’re not alone — this week marks the busiest week of the year (so far) to update your LinkedIn profile and we want to help you start the year off right. The first place to start is a stand-out LinkedIn profile. But to help you make it truly shine, we took our annual look at the most overused words in profiles around the world and found the top 10 words you should avoid this year… —LinkedIn

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The ‘new’ McAfee

I’ve worked with McAfee for a long time—from its independent days, during the Network Associates timeframe, through financial issues, back to McAfee and the go-go Dave DeWalt era, and finally as Intel Security. To be honest, Intel’s acquisition of McAfee was always a head-scratcher for me. The 20-somethings on Wall Street crowed about Intel cramming McAfee security in its chip set, but this made no sense to me—Intel had long added security (and other) functionality into its processors with lukewarm market reception. The two cultures were a mismatch, as well. Ultimately, it seems Intel came to a similar conclusion and recently spun out McAfee in a private equity stew. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The ‘new’ McAfee

I’ve worked with McAfee for a long time—from its independent days, during the Network Associates timeframe, through financial issues, back to McAfee and the go-go Dave DeWalt era, and finally as Intel Security. To be honest, Intel’s acquisition of McAfee was always a head-scratcher for me. The 20-somethings on Wall Street crowed about Intel cramming McAfee security in its chip set, but this made no sense to me—Intel had long added security (and other) functionality into its processors with lukewarm market reception. The two cultures were a mismatch, as well. Ultimately, it seems Intel came to a similar conclusion and recently spun out McAfee in a private equity stew. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Current developments in Wi-Fi spectrum

The allocation of radio spectrum is a fiercely contested matter. Government regulators—the FCC in the U.S., OFCOM in the U.K., and others—manage spectrum as a national resource. They seek to balance the needs of various groups, including cellular operators, government users, scientific and amateur radio groups. And, of course, they represent the public both directly and via their political masters.Industries that depend on access to spectrum must work hard to ensure continuing access, and they must head off proposals for new services that might cause interference. As established users of the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, here are some of the areas where the Wi-Fi industry is active today, working with regulators.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Navigating the IoT Hype: The Elements of Profitable IoT Service Delivery

Virtualized networks are being embraced by operators as the foundation for IoT services.

2017 NFV Report Series Part 1: Foundations of NFV: NFV Infrastructure and VIM Report Available Now

Download now to learn the latest on the NFV Infrastructure and VIM market.

McAfee: Trend indicates 2017 will be bumper year for new malware

A cycle of increasing new malware is well underway and could last the rest of this year if a trend established over the past two years continues.Defenders enjoyed a nine-month dip in malware innovation last year, but that’s over with, according to a cycle identified by McAfee Labs.Its latest McAfee Labs Threats Report says that starting at the beginning of 2015, the volume of new threats has fluctuated in a regular pattern, with two to three quarters of growth followed by three quarters of decline. The last three quarters of 2016 showed decline, so the next uptick should have started last quarter.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

McAfee: Trend indicates 2017 will be bumper year for new malware

A cycle of increasing new malware is well underway and could last the rest of this year if a trend established over the past two years continues.Defenders enjoyed a nine-month dip in malware innovation last year, but that’s over with, according to a cycle identified by McAfee Labs.Its latest McAfee Labs Threats Report says that starting at the beginning of 2015, the volume of new threats has fluctuated in a regular pattern, with two to three quarters of growth followed by three quarters of decline. The last three quarters of 2016 showed decline, so the next uptick should have started last quarter.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Mist simplifies mobile asset visibility with virtual BLE beacons

For decades, the enterprise Wi-Fi network served one purpose: to connect users devices to the company network. However, the rise of digital transformation has caused many organizations to leverage Wi-Fi to create new experiences.A good example of an early adopter of this concept is the Orlando Airport, which went fully wireless a couple years ago. However, as I pointed out in the article, creating a differentiated indoor mobile experience is difficult with Wi-Fi only because Wi-Fi triangulation is accurate to roughly 5 to 15 meters. That may be sufficient for a handful of use cases, but most indoor services need to be more accurate than this. Consider a nurse trying to locate a critical piece of medical equipment. An accuracy range of 10 meters could pose quite a challenge. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Response: Employee Burnout Is a Problem with the Company, Not the Person

This is so obvious.

The psychological and physical problems of burned-out employees, which cost an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion a year in healthcare spending in the U.S., are just the most obvious impacts. The true cost to business can be far greater, thanks to low productivity across organizations, high turnover, and the loss of the most capable talent. Executives need to own up to their role in creating the workplace stress that leads to burnout—heavy workloads, job insecurity, and frustrating work routines that include too many meetings and far too little time for creative work. Once executives confront the problem at an organizational level, they can use organizational measures to address it.

But its also your repsonsibility to balance your career plans & mental hygiene. Once you start over-working, thats becomes the level of expectation. I’ve learned that overachievement is not rewarded. You are the only person who suffers.

Your employer will take everything you have to give so that they get the money. Don’t do that.

Employee Burnout Is a Problem with the Company, Not the Person : https://hbr.org/2017/04/employee-burnout-is-a-problem-with-the-company-not-the-person

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