0

IDG Contributor Network: 7 potential security concerns for wearables

Wearables are rapidly invading the workplace in much the same way that smartphones did. Fitness trackers, smartwatches, head-mounted displays and other new form factors are beginning to capture the public imagination. Sales of wearable electronic devices topped 232 million in 2015, and Gartner forecasts they’ll rise 18.4% this year, when another 274.6 million devices are sold.These wearable devices represent some appealing opportunities for businesses to increase efficiency and gather data, but in the rush to win market share, security concerns are taking a backseat for many manufacturers and app developers. The potential ramifications of unchecked wearable device usage within the enterprise are alarming.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Embedded malware shipped on surveillance system sold via Amazon

There’s nothing particularly new about new products being shipped with malware, but if you are in the market for surveillance cameras and are looking for a good deal, then a security researcher warned that even products sold on Amazon come with embedded malware.Security researcher Mike Olsen found a decent deal on an outdoor surveillance CCTV setup, specifically six Sony HD IP cameras and recording equipment which are being sold on Amazon by a seller with “great ratings.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Embedded malware shipped on surveillance system sold via Amazon

There’s nothing particularly new about new products being shipped with malware, but if you are in the market for surveillance cameras and are looking for a good deal, then a security researcher warned that even products sold on Amazon come with embedded malware.Security researcher Mike Olsen found a decent deal on an outdoor surveillance CCTV setup, specifically six Sony HD IP cameras and recording equipment which are being sold on Amazon by a seller with “great ratings.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Welcome to NANOG 67!

0

IDG Contributor Network: Wi-Fi-based positioning improves access point security

Imagine if your router could detect a user’s location to within a few inches? For one thing, hotspot password protection becomes redundant because geographic authentication takes over—the router can be configured to only allow access from within a location, an apartment, say. In-café users could be allowed access without passwords, yet freeloaders on the street get blocked.Researchers think they’ve worked out how to do it.The system “locates users by calculating the ‘time-of-flight’ that it takes for data to travel from the user to an access point,” says Adam Conner-Simons in a recent MIT News article. And it does it with a single access point. That’s unlike other setups that require four or five access points for triangulation-like measuring. One access point determining a user’s position means costs should be lower, and individuals or small businesses can take advantage of the tech.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

IDG Contributor Network: Wi-Fi-based positioning improves access point security

Imagine if your router could detect a user’s location to within a few inches? For one thing, hotspot password protection becomes redundant because geographic authentication takes over—the router can be configured to only allow access from within a location, an apartment, say. In-café users could be allowed access without passwords, yet freeloaders on the street get blocked.Researchers think they’ve worked out how to do it.The system “locates users by calculating the ‘time-of-flight’ that it takes for data to travel from the user to an access point,” says Adam Conner-Simons in a recent MIT News article. And it does it with a single access point. That’s unlike other setups that require four or five access points for triangulation-like measuring. One access point determining a user’s position means costs should be lower, and individuals or small businesses can take advantage of the tech.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Consumers want more value from home IoT products

U.S. consumers are slow to embrace home-based Internet of Things products, with many wary of their cost and usefulness, according to a new survey.Many consumers are skeptical about the value proposition behind home IoT products, according to the survey from market research firm IDC.Reliability was the top concern among those people who expressed interested in home IoT devices. On a one to 10 rating scale, reliability rated nearly a nine when people were asked what home IoT issues needed to improve before they would purchase a system.Following close behind were concerns about cost, with equipment costs, ongoing costs, installation costs, overall value, all scoring above 8.75. Ease of use and security or privacy concerns were also major concerns.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

IDG Contributor Network: Sysdig and Mesosphere partner to monitor all of those containers

A new partnership being announced today sees Sysdig and Mesosphere getting cozy to enable a more consistent way of developing and delivering applications.These are two interesting vendors in different spaces. Sysdig calls itself a "container visibility company." Essentially what that means is that it offers a container-specific monitoring solution. One can think of it like New Relic and Boundary but with containers as a primary focus. Mesosphere, on the other hand, is the company that commercializes the Mesos open-source project to help scale and automate applications. Mesosphere offers the data center operating system (DCOS), which delivers a simpler administration model for data center operators.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Network Break 82: Brocade Buys Ruckus, Cisco Sells 10 Million Nexus 3000 Ports

Take a Network Break and dive into our tasty selection of tech news, including Brocade's purchase of Ruckus Wireless, Cisco's latest milestone with its Nexus 3000 line, our debate on whether Apple should build its own cloud, and more!

The post Network Break 82: Brocade Buys Ruckus, Cisco Sells 10 Million Nexus 3000 Ports appeared first on Packet Pushers.

0

Network Break 82: Brocade Buys Ruckus, Cisco Sells 10 Million Nexus 3000 Ports

Take a Network Break and dive into our tasty selection of tech news, including Brocade's purchase of Ruckus Wireless, Cisco's latest milestone with its Nexus 3000 line, our debate on whether Apple should build its own cloud, and more!

The post Network Break 82: Brocade Buys Ruckus, Cisco Sells 10 Million Nexus 3000 Ports appeared first on Packet Pushers.

0

Ahead of Google I/O, Google previews new Android N Multi-Window support

Google released more information about Android N (referring to N as Not the real name). The preview of the mobile operating system gives the impression of a more in-depth system and user-level polish that has been Google’s obsession since Android 4.4 Kitkat.Multi-Window Support Multi-Window support stands out as the most important feature for users, consumers and developers. It allows apps to be opened in two separate windows and used on a split-screen display. User interest in Multi-Window has become increasingly important as mobile devices replace PC apps with mobile apps. When work moves to a mobile app, users want many of the same PC features, keyboards, split screens, drag and drop, etc.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Introduction to Network Complexity at NANOG on the Road

I will be speaking at NANOG on the road tomorrow—the topic is “An Introduction to Network Complexity.” If you’re in the Raleigh area, this is well worth taking the time off to come to, as the speaker lineup is fantastic.

The post Introduction to Network Complexity at NANOG on the Road appeared first on 'net work.

0

Serial numbers how I love thee…

0

5 things you should know about the blockchain

Talk of blockchain technology is everywhere, it seems -- but what is it, and what does it do?1. Don't call it "the" blockchainThe first thing to know about the blockchain is, there isn't one: there are many. Blockchains are distributed, tamper-proof public ledgers of transactions. The most well-known is the record of bitcoin transactions, but in addition to tracking cryptocurrencies, blockchains are being used to record loans, stock transfers, contracts, healthcare data and even votes.2. Security, transparency: the network's run by usThere's no central authority in a blockchain system: Participating computers exchange transactions for inclusion in the ledger they share over a peer-to-peer network. Each node in the chain keeps a copy of the ledger, and can trust others’ copies of it because of the way they are signed. Periodically, they wrap up the latest transactions in a new block of data to be added to the chain. Alongside the transaction data, each block contains a computational "hash" of itself and of the previous block in the chain.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

5 things you should know about the blockchain

Talk of blockchain technology is everywhere, it seems -- but what is it, and what does it do?1. Don't call it "the" blockchainThe first thing to know about the blockchain is, there isn't one: there are many. Blockchains are distributed, tamper-proof public ledgers of transactions. The most well-known is the record of bitcoin transactions, but in addition to tracking cryptocurrencies, blockchains are being used to record loans, stock transfers, contracts, healthcare data and even votes.2. Security, transparency: the network's run by usThere's no central authority in a blockchain system: Participating computers exchange transactions for inclusion in the ledger they share over a peer-to-peer network. Each node in the chain keeps a copy of the ledger, and can trust others’ copies of it because of the way they are signed. Periodically, they wrap up the latest transactions in a new block of data to be added to the chain. Alongside the transaction data, each block contains a computational "hash" of itself and of the previous block in the chain.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Learning about SDP via Google BeyondCorp

I’ve been following Google’s BeyondCorp project for a while.  In fact, I was recently quoted in a Wall Street Journal blog on this topic. If you are not familiar with BeyondCorp, it is Google’s spin on what’s become known as a software-defined perimeter (SDP).  SDP, also called a “black cloud” originated at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and is now being driven by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA).  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

Minimizing cost of visibility

Visibility allows orchestration systems (OpenDaylight, ONOS, OpenStack Heat, Kubernetes, Docker Storm, Apache Mesos, etc.) to adapt to changing demand by targeting resources where they are needed to increase efficiency, improve performance, and reduce costs. However, the overhead of monitoring must be low in order to realize the benefits.

An analogous observation that readers may be familiar with is the importance of minimizing costs when investing in order to maximize returns - see Vanguard Principle 3: Minimize cost

Suppose that a 100 server pool is being monitored and visibility will allow the orchestration system to realize a 10% improvement by better workload scheduling and placement - increasing the pool's capacity by 10% without the need to add an additional 10 servers and saving the associated CAPEX/OPEX costs.

The chart shows the impact that measurement overhead has in realizing the potential gains in this example. If the measurement overhead is 0%, then the 10% performance gain is fully realized. However, even a relatively modest 2% measurement overhead reduces the potential improvement to just under 8% (over a 20% drop in the potential gains). A 9% measurement overhead wipes out the potential efficiency gain and measurement overheads greater than 9% result in Continue reading

0

63% Discount on Garmin fenix 2 GPS Watch – Deal Alert

The $399.99 list price on the Garmin's fenix 2 GPS Watch is currently discounted by a staggering $200. At 63% off, you can pick this one up on Amazon for $149.99. The fenix 2 currently averages 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon by over 410 people (see reviews).The watch features high-sensitivity GPS positioning, and a 3-axis compass with altimeter and barometer, and is designed for a multi-sport athlete. Take it with you running, climbing, hiking, riding, swimming, skiing -- the fenix 2 quickly switches between feature sets. It delivers real-time performance data such as time, distance, pace, calories, speed, lap data, and heart rate (when paired with a monitor: see here).  When paired with HRM-Run monitor2, fenix 2 provides feedback on Running form by measuring cadence (number of steps per minute), vertical oscillation (bounce in your Running motion), and ground contact time. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

22 insults no developer wants to hear

The technology world is a bit different than the pretty, coiffed world of suits and salesdroids where everyone is polite, even when they hate your guts and think you’re an idiot. Suit-clad managers may smile and hide their real message by the way they say you’re doing “great, real great pal,” but programmers often speak their minds, and when that mind has something unpleasant to say, look out, feelings.Parsing, unpacking, and sorting the insults that developers sling takes a thick skin. No one likes being told their ideas and code are anything less than insanely great, but some slights are better than others, cutting to the core of your coding faults. In fact, a good insult can contain a road map for moving your project forward. If your rival is willing to explain what you need to do to make your code worth using, well, that’s worth putting up with someone calling you or your code “heavy,” “crufty,” or “full of anti-patterns.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

0

How to recover from disaster

Evacuation planImage by REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah Just like an evacuation plan at your home when a fire strikes, you need a disaster recovery blueprint set aside so that everyone in the company knows what to do and where to go when disaster strikes the network. Here’s a list of 10 tips that will help keep things calm.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here