IDG Contributor Network: Blockchain ripe for IoT security and monetization

Both the securing of the Internet of Things, as well as the monetizing of it, are roles for blockchain technology, experts say.In one developing case, the Isle of Man, a self-governing British dependency located just off the U.K. mainland, is testing the use of a blockchain prototype to try to preemptively see-off IoT hacking, according to Financial News, which wrote about the island’s efforts.The island is a financial center and is looking to expand its offerings through fintech. It’s already involved in digital currency.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Pokemon GO ransomware creates Windows backdoor account, spreads to all other drives

If you build it and it’s popular, they will come; it being an app and they being cyber criminals. This time it’s Pokemon GO ransomware which goes the extra mile by adding a hidden backdoor Windows admin account, spreading to other drives and creating network shares.Michael Gillespie discovered Hidden Tear ransomware disguised as a Pokemon Go app on a Windows Phone. But it’s not the standard ransomware. Bleeping Computer explained, “This developer has put in extra time to include features that are not found in many, if any, other ransomware variants.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Pokémon Go ransomware creates Windows backdoor account, spreads to all other drives

If you build it and it’s popular, they will come; it being an app, and they being cyber criminals. This time it’s Pokémon Go ransomware, which goes the extra mile by adding a hidden backdoor Windows admin account, spreading to other drives and creating network shares.Michael Gillespie discovered Hidden Tear ransomware disguised as a Pokémon Go app on a Windows Phone. But it’s not the standard ransomware. Bleeping Computer explained, “This developer has put in extra time to include features that are not found in many, if any, other ransomware variants.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Pokémon Go ransomware creates Windows backdoor account, spreads to all other drives

If you build it and it’s popular, they will come; it being an app, and they being cyber criminals. This time it’s Pokémon Go ransomware, which goes the extra mile by adding a hidden backdoor Windows admin account, spreading to other drives and creating network shares.Michael Gillespie discovered Hidden Tear ransomware disguised as a Pokémon Go app on a Windows Phone. But it’s not the standard ransomware. Bleeping Computer explained, “This developer has put in extra time to include features that are not found in many, if any, other ransomware variants.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Back to school stuff for the discerning techie (or techie-in-training)

Techify and Geekify those school supplies!It’s back-to-school time, and that means getting ready by stocking up on new clothes, school supplies (probably the only time you’ll be shopping for colored pencils and glue sticks) and finding the coolest backpack. But these days, it also means picking up new tech, as schooling relies on tech more than ever. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

South China Sea conflict could be IT’s Black Swan

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

South China Sea conflict could be IT’s Black Swan

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

U.S. intelligence to share supply chain threat reports with industry

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

U.S. intelligence to share supply chain threat reports with industry

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

10 acquisitions driving Oracle’s cloud strategy

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

Respect: Windows 10 security impresses hackers

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

7 bad programming ideas that work

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

Windows 10 Anniversary Update freezing on you? Microsoft’s looking into it

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

Machine learning offers new hope against cyber attacks

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)

Unraveling AT&T’s and Verizon’s Virtualization Vendors

Some vendors do similar work for each service provider.

The Basics Of QoS

15 WiFi Networking Blogs You Should Read

The Limitations Of Certification

25 surprising facts about Facebook

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

IDG Contributor Network: Got skills? Volunteer your IoT expertise to make a difference

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