Thousands of Seagate NAS boxes host cryptocurrency mining malware

Thousands of publicly accessible FTP servers, including many from Seagate network-attached storage devices, are being used by criminals to host cryptocurrency mining malware.Researchers from security vendor Sophos made the discovery when they investigated a malicious program dubbed Mal/Miner-C, which infects Windows computers and hijacks their CPUs and GPUs to generate Monero, a bitcoin-inspired cryptocurrency.With most cryptocurrencies, users can generate new units by devoting their computing resources to solving complex math problems needed to validate transactions in the network. This process, known as "mining," provides an incentive for attackers to hijack other people's computers and use them for their own gain.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

SDN & IoT: Securing the Internet of Things

SDN is hardly an elixir for IoT security, but it is a helping hand.

IDG Contributor Network: Smartphones to get best encryption possible

In somewhat of a kick in the teeth for law enforcement and spy agencies, a science institute says smartphones will soon be able to take advantage of some of the most spectacular encryption ever known.The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) says random number generators (RNGs) will soon be able to function without ever repeating the random number and that the quantum-based chips will soon be small enough to fit in a smartphone’s form factor. It would create the fastest and smallest encryption functionality ever.+ Also on Network World: Why smartphone encryption has law enforcement feathers ruffled +To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Smartphones to get best encryption possible

In somewhat of a kick in the teeth for law enforcement and spy agencies, a science institute says smartphones will soon be able to take advantage of some of the most spectacular encryption ever known.The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) says random number generators (RNGs) will soon be able to function without ever repeating the random number and that the quantum-based chips will soon be small enough to fit in a smartphone’s form factor. It would create the fastest and smallest encryption functionality ever.+ Also on Network World: Why smartphone encryption has law enforcement feathers ruffled +To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Apple iPhone 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Troubled smartphone shootout

As you no doubt have already heard, two recent high-profile smartphone introductions have been plagued by controversy. Apple’s iPhone 7 has famously inspired rage and disbelief among observers by omitting a headphone jack. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7, meanwhile, infamously has a problem with its battery spontaneously exploding—or at least catching on fire.Two awesome new smartphones, two very different issues garnering piles of press for the wrong reasons. So, which issue is worse? Let’s take a systematic look and see if we can come to a decision. (Have your own “favorite?” Feel free to share it in the comments.) To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Inside NFV Business Transformation

The key to success of NFV will come soon as operators evaluate the benefits of the NFV business transformation in early rollouts including vCPE.

Inocybe Technologies’ OpenDaylight Focus Helps Accelerate SDN & NFV Deployments

Inocybe Technologies' COO, Andy Salo, discusses pure-play OpenDaylight, turnkey OpenDaylight software-as-a-service provider, and Inocybe’s open networking platform.

Hiding in plain sight: Apple is still an innovator

Despite lasting two hours, Apple's hardware event this week felt a bit light. The company announced just a handful of new products: the updated Apple Watch lines, the pretty-much-as-expected iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and new wireless AirPods.There was no mention of the iPad line. There were no updates for the Mac. New MacBook Pro laptops remain to be unveiled. The Apple TV didn't rate a mention, though Apple did appear to quietly retire the 3rd generation model. iOS 10 did some brief attention, but largely to highlight the Sept. 13 release date. (macOS Sierra didn't make the cut at all, though Apple did announce its release date -- Sept. 20 -- as well.)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How to start a new business in your spare time

Tech skills are in high demand. But maybe leaving your full-time IT gig in pursuit of a hot new career as a mobile developer or data scientist isn’t the best bet. Or perhaps your employer doesn’t offer enough growth opportunity and you want to expand your skills and experience without giving up all your benefits and starting from scratch.There’s another, more flexible way to cash in on today’s high demand for tech: Start a part-time business in your spare time. According to "Freelancing in America: A National Survey of the New Workforce," 14 million Americans engage in a part-time business (also known as moonlighting, freelancing, or running a side hustle). And in tech there is no shortage of part-time projects and contracts on offer, some of which will be in your wheelhouse, while others will provide an opportunity to learn new skills.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Emerging technologies are poking holes in security

Accelerated change challenges change management, security DevOps and emerging technologies that enable business innovation and opportunities demand fast, frequent change from the enterprise. The speed and regularity as well as the kinds of change challenge change management and ultimately security.To secure the enterprise in environments of unwieldy change, the business needs to know how each new technology affects change management and the organization’s security defenses.Organizations can then begin to evolve change management and security to close those gaps and avoid impacts on security.Emerging technologies such as DevOps, IoT, automation/intelligent software, information technology service partnering, cloud computing and BYOD all straighten out the curves in the race to make changes that propel the enterprise forward.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

10 tips to get the most from your Samsung Galaxy Note 7

It's got everything but the kitchen sinkImage by Ryan WhitwamThe Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is jam packed with just about every feature it's possible to fit in a smartphone, but it comes with a high price. The last thing you want to do is drop all that cash on a Note 7 and not take full advantage of all the cool stuff it can do. Here are 10 tips to get you on your way to mastering all the this phone has to offer.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

HP offers $1 billion for Samsung’s printer business

HP has a plan to offset its declining printer revenue: Buy the printing business of Samsung Electronics.It hopes the deal, valued at US$1.05 billion, will help it enlarge its position in the market for photocopiers, which it values at $55 billion annually.The key to this, HP says, is Samsung's portfolio of multi-function laser printers, capable of handling A3 paper.Along with the printers, HP will also acquire a portfolio of 6,500 printing patents and a staff of 6,000, including 1,300 researchers and engineers.In buying Samsung's laser printing expertise, HP could be seeking to reduce its reliance on Canon, which today supplies all HP's laser printer mechanisms and cartridges. Canon and HP said their existing partnership will continue, however.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

10 Best Places To Find IT Training

The Great Wall Of Networking

Thousands of Seagate NAS boxes host cryptocurrency mining malware

Thousands of publicly accessible FTP servers, including many from Seagate network-attached storage devices, are being used by criminals to host cryptocurrency mining malware.Researchers from security vendor Sophos made the discovery when they investigated a malicious program dubbed Mal/Miner-C, which infects Windows computers and hijacks their CPUs and GPUs to generate Monero, a bitcoin-inspired cryptocurrency.With most cryptocurrencies, users can generate new units by devoting their computing resources to solving complex math problems needed to validate transactions in the network. This process, known as "mining," provides an incentive for attackers to hijack other people's computers and use them for their own gain.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

5 open source alternatives for routing/firewall

Economical and flexibleOpen source software offers an economical and flexible option for deploying basic home, SMB or even enterprise networking. These open source products deliver simple routing and networking features, plus they are combined with security functionality, starting with a basic firewall and possibly including antivirus, antispam and Web filtering. These products can be downloaded and deployed on your own hardware, on a virtual platform, or in the cloud. Many of them sell pre-configured appliances as well. We reviewed five products: ClearOS, DD-WRT, pfSense, Untangle and ZeroShell. We found that ClearOS, pfSense, and Untangle could be appropriate for home use all the way up to the enterprise environment.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Review: 5 open source alternatives for routers/firewalls

Open source software offers an economical and flexible option for deploying basic home, SMB or even enterprise networking. These open source products deliver simple routing and networking features, like DHCP and DNS. Plus, they are combined with security functionality, starting with a basic firewall and possibly including antivirus, antispam and Web filtering.These products can be downloaded and deployed on your own hardware, on a virtual platform, or in the cloud. Many of them sell pre-configured appliances as well if you like their feature-set or support, but don’t want to build your own machine.We reviewed five products: ClearOS, DD-WRT, pfSense, Untangle and ZeroShell. We found that ClearOS, pfSense, and Untangle could be appropriate for home use all the way up to the enterprise environment.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)

Open source routers deliver low cost, flexibility

Economical and flexibleOpen source software offers an economical and flexible option for deploying basic home, SMB or even enterprise networking. These open source products deliver simple routing and networking features, plus they are combined with security functionality, starting with a basic firewall and possibly including antivirus, antispam and Web filtering. These products can be downloaded and deployed on your own hardware, on a virtual platform, or in the cloud. Many of them sell pre-configured appliances as well. We reviewed five products: ClearOS, DD-WRT, pfSense, Untangle and ZeroShell. We found that ClearOS, pfSense, and Untangle could be appropriate for home use all the way up to the enterprise environment.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Open source routers deliver low cost, flexibility

Economical and flexibleOpen source software offers an economical and flexible option for deploying basic home, SMB or even enterprise networking. These open source products deliver simple routing and networking features, plus they are combined with security functionality, starting with a basic firewall and possibly including antivirus, antispam and Web filtering. These products can be downloaded and deployed on your own hardware, on a virtual platform, or in the cloud. Many of them sell pre-configured appliances as well. We reviewed five products: ClearOS, DD-WRT, pfSense, Untangle and ZeroShell. We found that ClearOS, pfSense, and Untangle could be appropriate for home use all the way up to the enterprise environment.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Review: 5 open source alternatives for routers/firewalls

Open source software offers an economical and flexible option for deploying basic home, SMB or even enterprise networking. These open source products deliver simple routing and networking features, like DHCP and DNS. Plus, they are combined with security functionality, starting with a basic firewall and possibly including antivirus, antispam and Web filtering.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)