93% of UK mobile users have their location tracked every day
Awareness of the privacy issues involved in using various devices and software has grown dramatically in recent years -- there can be few readers who do not know about the telemetry and privacy concerns surround Windows 10, for instance. But a new campaign by privacy-focused advocacy group Krowdthink aims to raise aware of the privacy implication of owning a mobile phone in the UK.
The 'Opt me out of Location' campaign aims to highlight the fact that nearly every single mobile phone owner in the UK (93 percent) has unwittingly signed up for a contract that permits their location to be tracked. More than this, the data collected allows providers to build up highly detailed customer profiles which Krowdthink warns leaves millions of users just one serious data breach away from having private data exposed to and abused by criminals.
Biometric Authentication: Making mobile devices and apps safer
According to comScore, from September 2010 to September 2014, smartphone usage increased by 394 percent, while tablet usage rose by an astronomical 1,721 percent in the United States. So it’s certainly no surprise that mobile payments are predicted to skyrocket over the next five years. mobilThis shows that the global mobile payment volume in 2015 was 450 billion U.S. dollars, and projects that number to surpass 1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2019.
With the growing interest in and use of mobile devices and payments, users are rightfully concerned with cybersecurity threats. To combat these threats, there has been a surge in using biometric technologies for user authentication.
How to stay safe using public Wi-Fi hotspots
One of the most convenient things about connecting to the Internet through your computer, tablet, or smartphone is being able to tap into public Wi-Fi from pretty much anywhere. These days, there are hotspots available all across the country, so you’re practically never without Internet access. However, it’s a smart move to be cautious when it comes to connecting to public Wi-Fi.
When you’re tapping in to an unfamiliar hotspot, you could potentially be putting your personal data -- and the security of things like your bank accounts, your passwords, and your identity -- at risk. Even if a public WiFi hotspot looks secure, you might still miss the small red flags that signal trouble. Let’s take a look at how public WiFi works to connect you to the Internet, some risks that come with it, and how to ensure you’re keeping your data safe while you’re on a hotspot.
Consumers would trust PIN authentication for online transactions
Nine in ten (90 percent) of frequent online shoppers are confident that PIN is a good authentication method for mobile commerce transactions. Those are the results of a recent survey by myPINpad, provider of multi-factor authentication technology for touchscreen devices.
Following the survey, the company has released a new report, entitled PIN: From Brick to Click, which takes a closer look at the PIN, and if consumers are ready to use it on their smart devices the same way they use it, for example, at ATM machines.
How UK tech companies could comply with Snoopers Charter
It would be hugely ironic if the UK government’s plans to help it seize back control of the digital age actually pushed technology firms even further down the path of encryption.
The second version of the Investigatory Powers Bill -- or Snoopers Charter, as it has been colloquially dubbed -- was published by the Home Office on March 1. This came in light of criticism of the first version -- published in December -- from three parliamentary joint committees: the Science and Technology Committee, the Intelligence and Security Committee, and the Joint Committee for the bill itself -- which made some 86 recommendations alone.
The right PC can improve job satisfaction
Do you want satisfied workers? Give them a well-designed PC, a good and secure mobile device, and let them work when they want to, where they want to. Those are, in a nutshell, the results of a new research by Redshift Research, which had polled 1,016 people, across France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
For 90 percent of IT decision makers, device security is a current concern, because in the last 12 months, a quarter of Europe’s businesses have been breached. That has resulted in less than a third (32 percent) being completely confident in the level of security offered by their current devices.
LookingGlass releases new threat intelligence platform
Using threat intelligence helps enterprises to improve decision making when it comes to managing security incidents and enforcing policy.
Threat defense specialist LookingGlass Cyber Solutions is looking to improve the way analysts and security operators interpret threats targeting their organizations with the launch of its new ScoutPrime threat intelligence management platform.
Mozilla brings better security to Firefox for iOS
Security has been in the news since Edward Snowden; before actually, just not as prominently. Now, in recent weeks, the headlines have focused on Apple over its iPhone dispute with the FBI, a saga that seems to have come to an end recently.
That is not, however, the only security that needs to be part of our daily lives. Web browsers represent yet another problem and most are working to add layers of protection for customers.
FBI issues warning over MSIL/Samas ransomware
The FBI has began seeking the assistance of companies in the US to streamline its investigation on an increasing ransomware threat in the country.
The FBI is looking into a strain of ransomware called MSIL/Samas, which has been encrypting data across entire networks rather than single computers, Reuters reports. The ransomware infects machines before encrypting data and asking for money in return of the access.
New program ensures enterprises are prepared for cyber attacks
If a data breach happens customers expect a fast and reassuring reaction from the company affected. It's therefore crucial for businesses to have an incident response plan, but often those plans are only tested when a breach occurs.
According to an upcoming survey from customer security company AllClear ID the two most common challenges during a breach response are people related, with 66 percent citing internal politics and 60 percent "too many cooks in the kitchen".
The changing role of the firewall in network security
The firewall is still at the center of most network security strategies, but it needs to evolve as cloud technology, software defined networks and next generation firewalls take hold.
This is among the conclusions of the latest State of the Firewall Report from network security specialist FireMon, which finds that 91 percent of IT security professionals believe firewalls are still as critical or more critical than ever to their security architecture.
How to mitigate ransomware risks
Ransomware has already caused businesses real trouble this year and recently, security firms have warned about a sudden surge in junk mail messages containing this kind of malware. It seems that organized criminals are now increasingly targeting businesses, which can offer them bigger returns than going after individuals.
The first wave of ransomware started in 2005 and was called Trojan.Gpcoder. Now the security industry (and many unfortunate users) are discovering new variants almost every day. For example, a strain called Locky, discovered only two weeks ago is now the second most prevalent form. Currently, it asks for three Bitcoins (about £885) as payment for the decryption key.
The implications of remote working for GDPR compliance
Every day across the UK, around 1.5 million professionals work from home; and are more productive, happier in their role, and measurably less stressed, perhaps. At the same time, however, they may be increasing the risk to your sensitive business data.
Since the government has recently given all employees the right to request flexible working, the number of home-workers, and the associated information risk, looks set to increase -- just when the stricter EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) are set to come into force.
New service addresses security concerns in Microsoft SCCM environments
Potential security vulnerabilities in Microsoft SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) environments are a concern for 70 percent of IT professionals, according to a new survey, with 65 percent planning to conduct an SCCM security review in the next year.
The results of the study of more than 150 professionals by security company Adaptiva have been released to coincide with its launch, along with Windows Management Experts, of a new security auditing service for SCCM users.
A closer look at Bitdefender's new free ransomware security tool
Bitdefender Labs has released BDAntiRansomware, a free tool which keeps your PC safe from some of the most common ransomware threats.
The program "protects against known and possible future versions of the CTB-Locker, Locky and TeslaCrypt crypto ransomware families", the company explains.
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