Want secure code? Give devs the right tools

The Internet has serious security problems that need to be fixed. Despite many calls to action over the years for the industry to band together and work on solutions, progress has been mild. What’s needed isn’t necessarily more security technology. What’s needed are better tools for developers so that they can improve the security of their code.In his keynote at Black Hat in Las Vegas, Dan Kaminsky, chief scientist and co-founder of White Ops, advocated for environments and coding frameworks that make it easier for developers to implement security without compromising usability or stifling creativity. His keynote, “The Hidden Architecture of Our Time: Why This Internet Worked, How We Could Lose It, and the Role Hackers Play,” called on the security industry to think about how new programming environments could have basic functionality and security features built in and turned on by default.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Want secure code? Give devs the right tools

The Internet has serious security problems that need to be fixed. Despite many calls to action over the years for the industry to band together and work on solutions, progress has been mild. What’s needed isn’t necessarily more security technology. What’s needed are better tools for developers so that they can improve the security of their code.In his keynote at Black Hat in Las Vegas, Dan Kaminsky, chief scientist and co-founder of White Ops, advocated for environments and coding frameworks that make it easier for developers to implement security without compromising usability or stifling creativity. His keynote, “The Hidden Architecture of Our Time: Why This Internet Worked, How We Could Lose It, and the Role Hackers Play,” called on the security industry to think about how new programming environments could have basic functionality and security features built in and turned on by default.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Tech sector employment sees gain in July

In industries such as finance, retail, healthcare and others, IT employment broadly declined in July by 88,000 jobs, or 1.9%, according to tech industry trade group CompTIA.The cuts last month reduced occupational IT employment by 46,000 jobs so far this year, to about 4.43 million.That sounds alarming, right? Perhaps not -- if you widen the picture a bit.INSIDER: 15 ways to screw up a job interview In June, IT occupational employment showed a net gain of 74,000 jobs, and this month-to-month volatility is normal because of the way the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the data, according the industry group. The government data includes part-time workers, such as someone doing Web design on the side.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

6 shocking gaps in your data security strategy

Crumbling wallsImage by Steve TraynorDespite billions of dollars invested in cybersecurity, businesses lose critical data daily. We’ve secured our organizations like fortresses, building layers of walls around networks, applications, storage containers, identity, and devices. But when an unhappy employee moves high-value designs onto a USB drive or sends important email attachment outside the “secure” network, those walls crumble the moment we need them the most.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

6 shocking gaps in your data security strategy

Crumbling wallsImage by Steve TraynorDespite billions of dollars invested in cybersecurity, businesses lose critical data daily. We’ve secured our organizations like fortresses, building layers of walls around networks, applications, storage containers, identity, and devices. But when an unhappy employee moves high-value designs onto a USB drive or sends important email attachment outside the “secure” network, those walls crumble the moment we need them the most.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

10 must-have Android apps to make your Chromebook more useful

The right apps make your Chromebook indespensibleImage by Ryan WhitwamEver since Google introduced Chrome OS on the CR-48 prototype laptop back in 2011, Chromebooks have relied on web apps and simple Chrome extensions to get things done. Now, Chromebooks are getting access to the Play Store with heaps of Android apps. Not all of them work well on Chromebooks, and others don't really add to the experience, but some of them can give your Chromebook a big boost. We tested dozens of popular apps on an Acer R11 to see which are which—here are the ones you should install on your Chromebook.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Samsung both denies and admits mobile payment vulnerability

Security researcher Salvador Mendoza demonstrated a flaw in Samsung Pay at Black Hat last week, in which the tokens used to secure transactions could be predicted, and used to authorize fraudulent payments. Samsung responded with a statement calling the report "simply not true." "Samsung Pay is safe, secure and consumers can be assured that there is no known risk associated to using our payment service," the company said. But then, in a separate, more detailed document, Samsung admitted that it is possible to capture a token, but said that it was extremely difficult to do so.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Samsung both denies and admits mobile payment vulnerability

Security researcher Salvador Mendoza demonstrated a flaw in Samsung Pay at Black Hat last week, in which the tokens used to secure transactions could be predicted, and used to authorize fraudulent payments. Samsung responded with a statement calling the report "simply not true." "Samsung Pay is safe, secure and consumers can be assured that there is no known risk associated to using our payment service," the company said. But then, in a separate, more detailed document, Samsung admitted that it is possible to capture a token, but said that it was extremely difficult to do so.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Mixed emotions on Apple’s enterprise evolution

Apple's interest in the enterprise hasn't always been obvious. And though the company changed its ways to some extent during the past few years, it still prefers to let its devices and services act as its entryway into enterprise. Many IT leaders would like to see Apple focus more on the business market, but they also understand the company may never act like a traditional enterprise vendor. Apple's business partnerships with Cisco, IBM and SAP are well-publicized, but those deals are the exception and not the norm, according to a set of CIOs and IT leaders who spoke with CIO.com. Why Apple's awkward approach to enterprise works Many turning points have helped change the IT industry's perception of Apple. However, CIOs often disagree on the relevance of specific events to enterprise, based on the special interests and IT requirements of their organizations. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

PQ Show 89: Implementing EVPN for Enterprise DCI

This week, the Priority Queue gets into the weeds on EVPN with the specific use-case of DCI. Join Ethan Banks as he interviews double JNCIE Clay Haynes on setting up BGP adjacencies, creating EVPN address families, interpreting BGP output containing EVPN NLRIs, handling VTEPs, walking a packet through end to end, and useful commands to know. The post PQ Show 89: Implementing EVPN for Enterprise DCI appeared first on Packet Pushers.

IoT is now growing faster than smartphones

If there were any doubt that IoT is for real, one fact ought to dispel it: For the first time, U.S. mobile operators are adding IoT connections to their networks faster than they’re adding phones.In fact, cars alone are getting connected to cellular networks faster than anything else, according to statistics compiled by Chetan Sharma Consulting for the second quarter of this year. Counting all U.S. carriers, about 1.4 million cars got connected to cellular networks in the quarter, compared with 1.2 million phones and less than 900,000 tablets.The second quarter, between April and June, isn’t a high point for new phone sales like the fourth quarter, when holiday shopping hits and new iPhone models roll out. But IoT growth has been a long-term trend.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Rant: American broadband, what’s wrong with you?

During a typical week, I attend five to 10 video calls, typically using Google Hangouts or Skype. Frequently, these calls are international. Video collaboration is preferable because the other participants’ expression and attentiveness can be observed and data or code can be shared. Except in the United States, where often the group of video callers turns off the video stream due to bandwidth limitations.The high quality of international video calls compared to choppy domestic video calls has me wavering between anger and the verge of total despair. I admit that my story and data are personal and anecdotal, but I don’t think I’m alone because I’ve had many people turn down offers to connect with a video call in favor of plain old telephone service (POTS) calls.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

In terms of spam, Donald Trump is beating Hillary Clinton hands down

As the U.S. presidential election nears, Donald Trump is emerging as the clear winner -- at least when it comes to having his name used in spam messages.Spammers and cyber attackers are using Trump's name far more than Hillary Clinton's in emails pushing get rick quick schemes or phishing for personal information, according to an analysis from Proofpoint.The security firm scanned the subject line of emails received by its customers in June and July looking for occurrences of "trump" or "clinton," and found that the Republican nominee appeared in 169 times as many emails as his Democratic opponent.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

In terms of spam, Donald Trump is beating Hillary Clinton hands down

As the U.S. presidential election nears, Donald Trump is emerging as the clear winner -- at least when it comes to having his name used in spam messages.Spammers and cyber attackers are using Trump's name far more than Hillary Clinton's in emails pushing get rick quick schemes or phishing for personal information, according to an analysis from Proofpoint.The security firm scanned the subject line of emails received by its customers in June and July looking for occurrences of "trump" or "clinton," and found that the Republican nominee appeared in 169 times as many emails as his Democratic opponent.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Use the internet? This Linux flaw could open you up to attack

A flaw in the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) used by Linux since late 2012 poses a serious threat to internet users, whether or not they use Linux directly.That's the key finding of a research study that's scheduled to be presented Wednesday at the USENIX Security Symposium in Austin, Texas.The TCP weakness, identified by researchers from the University of California at Riverside, enables attackers to hijack users’ internet communications completely remotely. It could be used to launch targeted attacks that track users’ online activity, forcibly terminate a communication, hijack a conversation between hosts or degrade the privacy guarantee of anonymity networks such as Tor, the researchers said.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Use the internet? This Linux flaw could open you up to attack

A flaw in the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) used by Linux since late 2012 poses a serious threat to internet users, whether or not they use Linux directly.That's the key finding of a research study that's scheduled to be presented Wednesday at the USENIX Security Symposium in Austin, Texas.The TCP weakness, identified by researchers from the University of California at Riverside, enables attackers to hijack users’ internet communications completely remotely. It could be used to launch targeted attacks that track users’ online activity, forcibly terminate a communication, hijack a conversation between hosts or degrade the privacy guarantee of anonymity networks such as Tor, the researchers said.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here