Bots may be trumping online polls

Politicians are fond of saying that the only poll that matters is the one on election day.That may be especially true this year, especially when it comes to online polls that, like anything in the digital, connected world, are vulnerable to mischief.The mischief is enabled by bots – hundreds to many thousands of computers under the control of an attacker that are more typically used to send out spam, create Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and commit various kinds of fraud – but in this case are used to skew poll results. They can make it look like public opinion views one candidate as the winner of a debate when the real vote would show the other candidate did.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

11 Object Storage Vendors To Watch

Bots may be trumping online polls

Politicians are fond of saying that the only poll that matters is the one on election day.That may be especially true this year, especially when it comes to online polls that, like anything in the digital, connected world, are vulnerable to mischief.The mischief is enabled by bots – hundreds to many thousands of computers under the control of an attacker that are more typically used to send out spam, create Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and commit various kinds of fraud – but in this case are used to skew poll results. They can make it look like public opinion views one candidate as the winner of a debate when the real vote would show the other candidate did.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Better safe than sorry: 5 apps for encrypting and shredding files

While safeguarding personal and business data has always been important, the necessity for maintaining digital privacy has become even more vital as more of our records are digitized.People are starting to realize that passwords alone aren't enough. Even with password protection, anything on your computer can potentially be viewed by an enterprising hacker. And if your computer is lost or stolen, its hard drive can be removed and connected to a new computer, revealing its secrets. To be safer, encryption is the way to go. These days, the accepted standard for encryption is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm with a 256-bit key.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Better safe than sorry: 5 apps for encrypting and shredding files

While safeguarding personal and business data has always been important, the necessity for maintaining digital privacy has become even more vital as more of our records are digitized.People are starting to realize that passwords alone aren't enough. Even with password protection, anything on your computer can potentially be viewed by an enterprising hacker. And if your computer is lost or stolen, its hard drive can be removed and connected to a new computer, revealing its secrets. To be safer, encryption is the way to go. These days, the accepted standard for encryption is the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm with a 256-bit key.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

10 must-have Android apps for Halloween

Turn your phone into a Spooktacular Halloween companionImage by Derek WalterYou’ve probably decorated your house with cobwebs, spiders, skeletons, and carved some pumpkins.But what about your phone? Yes, that ever-present companion of yours needs some attention as well when it comes to getting ready for All Hallow’s Eve. Your smartphone can keep track of where the kids are, zombify yourself, and keep the party going with some dark and delightful tunes.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

French surveillance law is unconstitutional after all, highest court says

The French Constitutional Council has taken another look at a new security law it waved through in July 2015, and found it wanting.A key clause of last year's Surveillance Law essentially allowed security agencies to monitor and control wireless communications without the usual oversight applied to wiretapping operations.This is unconstitutional as the lack of oversight is likely to result in a disproportionate invasion of privacy, the council ruled Friday. It was responding to a complaint filed by La Quadrature du Net (LQDN), an association campaigning for online rights, the ISP French Data Network (FDN) and the Federation of Non-Profit ISPs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

French surveillance law is unconstitutional after all, highest court says

The French Constitutional Council has taken another look at a new security law it waved through in July 2015, and found it wanting.A key clause of last year's Surveillance Law essentially allowed security agencies to monitor and control wireless communications without the usual oversight applied to wiretapping operations.This is unconstitutional as the lack of oversight is likely to result in a disproportionate invasion of privacy, the council ruled Friday. It was responding to a complaint filed by La Quadrature du Net (LQDN), an association campaigning for online rights, the ISP French Data Network (FDN) and the Federation of Non-Profit ISPs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

What Haunts IT Pros?

When Technology Imitates Life

iOS 10 tips and tricks you need to know

26 cool iOS 10 featuresIt’s now been more than a month since Apple released iOS 10, and adoption of Apple’s latest and greatest mobile OS has already set new records. As it stands now, more than 54 percent of all iOS users already use iOS 10, an impressive feat for any new operating system. All the more so when one looks at how slow adoption of any new Android OS usually is.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Performance analysis: Bursting the myth of MPLS performance

Quick question, MPLS or SD-WANs, which would you say offers better performance? For the same bandwidth, we’d assume MPLS. After all, MPLS services are managed for a reason, right? However, as we learned on one recent project, internet performance has improved so much over the years that its performance can rival, even exceed, private WAN services.The situation The project was with a manufacturing company that wanted to see if modernizing its MPLS WAN made sense. The alternative would be an SD-WAN or hybrid WAN.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Performance analysis: Bursting the myth of MPLS performance

Quick question, MPLS or SD-WANs, which would you say offers better performance? For the same bandwidth, we’d assume MPLS. After all, MPLS services are managed for a reason, right? However, as we learned on one recent project, internet performance has improved so much over the years that its performance can rival, even exceed, private WAN services.The situation The project was with a manufacturing company that wanted to see if modernizing its MPLS WAN made sense. The alternative would be an SD-WAN or hybrid WAN.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Why is Apple letting Macs rot on the tree?

Apple has been selling Macintosh branded computers for 31 years, but with its emphasis shifting to smartphones, watches, music and who knows what else, the company has neglected its Mac line, leaving the Apple faithful wondering if the company is still committed to it.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)

Step-by-step guide to setting up dual boot on your PC or laptop

Are you tired of your operating system dictating what you can and can’t do with your PC or laptop? Need more control over your computing environment? Dual boot might be the answer. I have a dual boot dream machine running both Windows 10 and Linux Mint 18. What I can’t do with one OS, I can do with the other.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)

New products of the week 10.24.16

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.The Back-UPS battery backupKey features: APC by Schneider Electric’s new Back-UPS battery backup solutions are designed to deliver reliable/secure power protection for wireless networks, computers and other home/business electronics to help users stay connected. More info.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

New products of the week 10.24.16

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.The Back-UPS battery backupKey features: APC by Schneider Electric’s new Back-UPS battery backup solutions are designed to deliver reliable/secure power protection for wireless networks, computers and other home/business electronics to help users stay connected. More info.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

WikiLeaks says it doesn’t collaborate with states

WikiLeaks claims to have many thousands of sources but does not collaborate with states in the publication of documents, its editorial board said late Sunday.The statement by the board of the whistleblowing site assumes significance after the  administration of U.S. President Barack Obama charged that it and other sites had released allegedly hacked emails under the direction of Russia. WikiLeaks has leaked mails from the Democratic National Committee that showed that the Democratic Party’s national strategy and fund-raising committee had favored Hillary Clinton over her rival Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic Party nomination. The website has also published mails from the account of John Podesta, chairman of Clinton's campaign for the presidential election, which could prove to be embarrassing to the candidate.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

WikiLeaks says it doesn’t collaborate with states

WikiLeaks claims to have many thousands of sources but does not collaborate with states in the publication of documents, its editorial board said late Sunday.The statement by the board of the whistleblowing site assumes significance after the  administration of U.S. President Barack Obama charged that it and other sites had released allegedly hacked emails under the direction of Russia. WikiLeaks has leaked mails from the Democratic National Committee that showed that the Democratic Party’s national strategy and fund-raising committee had favored Hillary Clinton over her rival Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic Party nomination. The website has also published mails from the account of John Podesta, chairman of Clinton's campaign for the presidential election, which could prove to be embarrassing to the candidate.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The Network Is Reliable and Other Stories

I was cleaning my Blog Post Ideas Evernote notebook and found these gems hidden deep inside its bowels:

I still haven’t found the presentation in which someone (from Facebook?) explained how long DNS information with long-expired TTLs persists in the clients. Relevant links would be highly appreciated.