App stores to generate over $100bn in revenue in five years
When apps first came to smartphones, it completely changed the ways users interacted with their devices. Mobile phones went from being just phones that could make calls and send short messages to devices that resembled miniature computers.
Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store saw a dramatic rise in the number and quality of the apps they offered almost instantly. For many users, apps have become commonplace and they no longer hold our interest or excitement as they once did.
Everything you need to know about SIM swap scams
In today’s mobile-centric world, using mobile phones for Internet banking is standard practice for most people, but do customers know they could be at risk of a new type of scam?
SIM swap fraud, where scammers cancel and re-activate new SIM cards to hack into bank accounts, is reportedly on the rise.
It's too easy to breach a bank
I arrived onsite to suite 102 -- the bank’s corporate headquarters -- around 9:40 am. I was impersonating a local utility worker -- with all the garments like a hardhat, clipboard, obnoxious yellow vest, and some old Timberland work boots. I played the part well.
When I approached the suite I saw a giant glass entrance into the main office of the bank with a secretary minding the entrance and questioning visitors. I also noticed employees were entering and exiting an unmarked door at the end of the hallway -- no cameras to be seen. I proceeded slowly past the main entrance and then ran to catch the secured door as it was closing behind an unsuspecting employee. I was in!
Samsung to plant Trojan horse in Apple's yard
Samsung already has a bunch of its apps on iOS, but this year the company plans to bring the majority of its apps to the App Store. In fact, it's quite possible that all of Samsung's apps will be available for iPhones and iPads soon.
To many, this decision comes across as counterintuitive considering Samsung's rivalry with Apple. However, there’s no reason for Samsung not to make money off of Apple. In fact, it’s a smart decision that will support its position on the market, while Apple will likely take a hit, which may not seem quite that obvious.
Electronic toys maker wants to blame parents for data breaches
Electronic toys maker VTech has recently been a victim of a cyber-attack, which has seen the data of more than 6.3 million children exposed. The hackers got access to chat logs and photos.
Following the breach, VTech has updated its End User License Agreement, saying the company can’t provide a 100 percent guarantee that it won’t be hacked. It also shifts the responsibility back to the parents:
What makes Cryptowall 3.0 the most successful ransomware?
Cryptowall 3.0 is the most successful ransomware of all time, a new report by security firm Imperva says. Ransomware is a type of malware which, once active on a device, encrypts all the data and demands payment from the victim, typically through Bitcoin.
In its report on the dangers of ransomware, and the impotent attitude of the FBI, which usually advises victims to pay the ransom, Imperva says Cryptowall 3.0 has caused $325 million (£225.7m) in damages so far.
Mac tool vulnerability exposes lots of apps to man-in-the-middle attacks
A security specialist has discovered a flaw in Sparkle, a third-party framework that Mac apps use to receive updates, which makes a man in the middle attack possible when unencrypted HTTP connections are used.
If the attacker has the ability to intercept the unencrypted data stream for example on a public Wi-Fi hotspot they could possibly inject malicious code.
More consumers now care about how businesses handle their data
Nearly three million Brits have decided to leave a service provider that got hacked, a new research by security firm Privitar reveals. The report shows that 23 per cent of Brits have been affected by a security breach at some point, and 24 per cent of these reacted by switching providers.
The company says consumers now pay attention to how well a company handles data, when making choices. Even though data handling has become one of the key selling points for many companies, 52 per cent of consumers say it’s difficult to find any information on how companies store and use their personal information.
The problem with current 'smart' access control systems
There’s been an explosion in products that promise to make our facilities, assets, networks and cloud resources "smarter", more secure and safe, but do they?
With control system hacks on the rise and traditional lock/entrance manufacturers like Honeywell, Assa Abloy and Stanley developing more intelligent lock systems, it’s clear that enterprises in hospitality, healthcare and government are looking for a more granular access control that increases security.
Opera Software wants shareholders to accept $1.2bn buyout offer
Opera Software, the company behind the Opera web browser for desktop and mobile devices, has received a $1.2 billion buyout offer from a consortium of Chinese Internet firms.
The company’s board is recommending shareholders to accept the deal, which is higher than Opera Software's valuation at closing time on the Oslo exchange. Rumors of a possible buyout of the company led to its stock being suspended for two days.
Hackers leak contact information of 20,000 FBI employees
Hackers have leaked the contact information of 20,000 FBI employees, which follows the previous day's release of 10,000 Homeland Security employees' data.
The hackers communicating through Twitter, claimed "Well folks, it looks like @TheJusticeDept has finally realized their computer has been breached after one week".
Five reasons why Apple's iPad Pro is ready for the enterprise
In 2010, Apple heralded the iPad as the device to revolutionize the laptop era for consumers. Now, with the iPad Pro, the company is set to address the prosumer in the enterprise and move closer to achieving that goal. Combining power with new input devices and a platform designed for mobile, it is hoped the iPad Pro will enable businesses to be flexible in how and where they work.
But for businesses looking to become more mobile, is the iPad Pro the right option? And what has changed to make it enterprise ready?
Apple open sources Swift's Benchmarking Suite
Following the release of the Swift programming language as open source back in early December 2015, Apple has followed up by releasing the code for its Benchmarking Suite on GitHub.
By releasing the Benchmarking Suite as open source, Apple is trying to assist developers to create faster, more efficient code. It will allow programmers to find areas where their code is running slowly, so that they can find a faster way of coding their applications before they are committed. Specifically, the suite consists of tools, benchmark libraries and utilities.
How can IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) improve information security?
The ITIL change management process is one of the very important processes that helps increase security for IT applications and infrastructure. For example, in healthcare and hospital environments, maintaining an eHealthRecord (eHR) application is an enormous IT task. Cerner, Epic, Allscripts, MEDITECH, Siemens and McKesson are the major vendors and cost many millions to purchase. It often requires millions more in resources to implement and maintain.
The ongoing task of maintaining a hospital eHealthRecord is a giant burden on IT. There are also many possible security issues, given that HIPAA compliance is required for any hospital or healthcare environment. According to industry research, some hospitals have a backlog of over 1000 eHealthRecord Requests for Change (RFC), and many are related to security.
The role of mobile services in the evolution of IoT
Along with Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been one of the most heavily hyped broad technology trends because it will touch just about every sector of society and commerce. As it happens, these two great trends will overlap and reinforce each other, while sharing some of the same constraints and concerns as they develop their full potential over the coming five to ten years.
Analyst group Gartner has identified a clear life cycle for such major technology trends, beginning with a discovery that triggers early innovation, which then generates hype followed by an inevitable period of disillusionment when the initial over-stoked expectations are not met. Some technologies die in this trough, but others emerge at the other side into Gartner’s "slope of enlightenment", where they gain adoption before reaching a plateau of maturity occupied now by the ICT sector as a whole.
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