Twitter Is Getting Tough On Apps

August 4th, 2018

Twitter has long had a reputation for being at the mercy of bots that have been used to sway public discourse and opinion.

Often, these bots are controlled via Twitter API apps that allow the authors to automate most of their actions, such as tweets, follows, and likes.

Microsoft Working On Delay Feature For Windows 10 Update Installs

August 3rd, 2018

If you've used Windows 10 for any length of time, you've probably had this happen to you.  You're right in the middle of working on something important, and all of a sudden, your OS decides it would be a great time to install some updates!

In response to user complaints, Microsoft introduced a "snooze" feature that allowed users to delay the installation of upgrades.

E-Mail Is A Big Threat To Your Organization

August 2nd, 2018

Mimecast's 2018 "State of Email Security" report is out, and although it's contents are hardly a surprise, the news it contains is mostly bad.

For starters, it confirms what most IT professionals already know:

Email continues to be a big threat for organizations of all sizes.

Chrome Now Shows Sites Without SSL as Not Secure 

August 1st, 2018

There is a small but significant change from Google, with the release of Chrome 68.  The updated browser will now prominently notify browsers when they surf their way to non-HTTPS websites, displaying them as "Not Secure."

This is Google's latest step in a long campaign to try and make the web a safer and more secure place for internet users around the world.

Bluetooth Vulnerability Allows Hackers To Access Devices 

July 31st, 2018

There's a new Bluetooth security vulnerability to be aware of, tracked as CVE-2018-5383, and it's a nasty one.

It's a cryptographic vulnerability that affects firmware or operating system software drivers from a number of major vendors, including Qualcomm, Broadcom, Intel and Apple.

Girl Scouts Can Now Earn New Badges For High Technical Skills

July 30th, 2018

The girl scouts have officially moved into the 21st century.

The Girl Scouts of America recently announced the creation of a whole raft of new badges that address (in the organization's words) "some of society's most pressing needs."

 

A total of 30 new badges will be available exclusively for girls between the ages of five to eighteen for efforts and advocacy in the following areas:

Computer Science
Cybersecurity
Environment
Robotics
Space Exploration

Badges are awarded on the basis of completing specific tasks.

Hackers May Set Their Sights On Your GPS Next

July 28th, 2018

If you're like most people, you probably rely heavily on the GPS function of your phone.  Type in an address and your phone helpfully guides you, turn by turn, to your destination.  It's one of the most often utilized features of a smartphone, and of course, the hackers are very interested in interfering with it.

New Report Shows 32 Percent Increase In Cyber Attacks

July 27th, 2018

Positive Technologies has just released a new report that paints a grim picture for IT professionals.  If your sense is that the number of cyberattacks are increasing, you're not wrong. In fact, it's probably worse than you realize.

So far this year, we've seen a staggering 32 percent increase in the total number of cyberattacks in the first quarter of 2018, compared to the same period last year.

Survey Shows Businesses Feel Prepared For A Data Breach

July 26th, 2018

A majority of business owners from around the world (68 percent) feel that they're better prepared to ward off a cyberattack and prevent a data breach than their competitors. This is a figure which is up 8 percent over last year's statistic for the same question.

World Cup Avoided Nearly 25 Million Cyber Attacks This Year

July 25th, 2018

According to the Kremlin, Russia prevented almost twenty five million cyber-attacks during the World Cup this year.

 

President Vladimir Putin praised the nation's digital security forces by saying the following:

 

"I expect that your close and constructive interaction will continue and will contribute to ensuring the security of our states and our citizens in the future.