Symantec unveils its roadmap for Advanced Threat Protection
With targeted attacks on the rise and cybercriminals becoming more ruthless, traditional security solutions are struggling to cope with the number of incidents and false positives, leaving organizations vulnerable.
In a bid to provide improved security Symantec has announced a roadmap of solutions aimed at providing what it calls Advanced Threat Protection.
Do Not Track: Stop using Yahoo if you're concerned about privacy
It has been mentioned here and there, but to be honest I am very surprised that more of a stink has not been kicked up about Yahoo's announcement last week. Quietly slipped into a blog post by the slightly ironically named Yahoo Privacy Team, the web firm announced that "Do Not Track settings will no longer be enabled on Yahoo". Yep, sod privacy, Yahoo is more concerned with delivering "A Personalized Experience" -- Yahoo's capitalization, not mine.
Do Not Track has been around for a few years now -- interestingly, Yahoo was one of the first companies to start using it -- and it makes it possible for users to prevent websites from monitoring their online activities. It's a feature that is supported by a number of browsers, either as a built in option, or one that can be added through the use of an extension, and it is something that has been welcomed by privacy groups all over the world.
Keeping organizations secure in a post-Heartbleed world [Q&A]
The recent Heartbleed bug, in addition to a general rise in cybercrime activity, has led to companies scrambling to re-evaluate their online security. But how can organizations ensure that have a consistent and reliable approach to protecting themselves?
We spoke to Tanya Bragin the principal product manager at ExtraHop Networks, a global leader in real-time wire data analytics for IT operational intelligence, to find out.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium 2 [Review]
Install a good antivirus tool and it’ll keep you safe from most online threats. But there are no 100 percent guarantees, of course, and it’s possible that some malware will avoid detection and sneak through the cracks.
One way to reduce the risk of infection is to install a "second opinion" scanner, which runs alongside your main antivirus engine and -- hopefully -- detects any threats it might miss.
A tale of two bugs
Recently we were greeted by Heartbleed, a bug in software used by websites to encrypt data. Now there’s a flaw in Internet Explorer (IE) that allows a malicious website to run any program it desires on your computer. One can debate which is the more serious, but both can be devastating. In light of the risks from the IE bug, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recommended that people not use that browser until it is patched. However, there is a serious problem with that advice: Windows XP is susceptible to the IE vulnerability, and Microsoft discontinued support for that OS version earlier this month.
Because the Heartbleed code was in an Open Source component (that is, a piece of software whose source code is openly available), a fair amount of discussion has focused on whether distributing security-related code as Open Source increases or decreases the risk of such bugs. That's indeed an interesting debate. I happen to come down on the side of it decreasing the risk, but the DHS recommendation reveals a completely different security problem in using programs that are not Open Source.
Hey Microsoft: Stop caving in to the XP holdouts
Microsoft shocked the IT world this past week by making the cardinal mistake: releasing another XP patch after support officially ended. While I think Redmond makes a lot of mistakes, from licensing nightmares to marketing blunders, this particular move really irks me.
That's because it not only sets the wrong precedent, but it's a direct slap in the face to those fighting the good fight in helping eradicate XP. Specifically, IT pros like myself. As a consultant for my clients, I've been knee-deep in the conversations that Microsoft can't have directly with its customers. You know, the ones actually in the trenches -- not those just sitting in the comfort of their Redmond offices?
The most popular stories on BetaNews this past week: April 27 -- May 3
Security news a-go-go once again this week, starting off with a massive security flaw that was discovered in Internet Explorer. The problem affects everything from Internet Explorer 6 to 11, but it was Windows XP users who were particularly at risk due to the fact that Microsoft has ended support for the operating system and is releasing no more security patches. At least that was the case before this problem came to light, causing the company to change its mind and give users one more hit of update goodness.
While Microsoft's latest security whoopsie did leave Microsoft licking its wounds a little, there was cause for celebration for OneDrive for Business users as storage was boosted to 1TB -- and the cloud is becoming ever more important with predictions suggesting 50 billion online devices by 2020. Microsoft was also able celebrate finally having a launch date for the Xbox One in China. In other security news, AOL email service was hacked leading to the leaking of customer data and a new report suggested that just about every website dealing in pirated material is also home to scams and/or malware.
Degrees of protection -- 360° Case for Nexus 7 and the iPad family
Tablets are über cheap these days. It seems as though just about every electronics company has them flying off the production lines. But even if you manage to pick up a cheap tablet, you still want to keep it protected -- no one wants to end up with a screen that is scratched to the point of being unusable, or a body that's smashed to smithereens. The need to protect is even greater if you have handed over a few hundred dollars / pounds for something from the Apple family, and there are all manner of cases to whet the appetite of those keen to keep things safe.
One such offering is the 360° Case from Everything Tablet (operating in the US and Canada as well as the UK) which features a folio-style wrap-around design. I took a look at the Nexus 7 model and my previously svelte 7 incher was transformed into something resembling a leather-bound personal organizer from the 80s. Such is the price one pays for protection, I guess.
Microsoft is the boy who cried wolf -- will issue IE update for Windows XP
Are you familiar with the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf? Basically, a shepherd boy watching over some sheep thought it would be funny to lie and shout "Wolf!", as a joke. Ultimately, when a wolf really does come, no one believes him and all of the sheep are slaughtered.
Apparently, Microsoft is not aware of this story. The company has been proclaiming Windows XP to be dead and no longer supported over and over again, in an attempt to get users to upgrade. Windows 8.1 has even seen an increase in usage lately, possibly as a result. Today, the company announces that it will issue an Internet Explorer security update for Windows XP. If Microsoft is crying wolf, are XP users the slaughtered sheep?
PC users struggle to keep all their software patched
The average private user PC in the UK has 76 different programs from 26 different vendors, which leaves users struggling to keep everything up to date.
Vulnerability management specialist Secunia has published a report on the state of security among PC users in the UK based on scans from Secunia Personal Software Inspector between January and March 2014.
Security at risk as organizations struggle to monitor complex networks
As networks become larger, faster and more complex, they become harder to monitor. This presents a security risk as it's more difficult to capture behavior for incident analysis and to spot suspicious behavior.
Network specialist Emulex has released the results of a survey which looks at the impact of growing networks on visibility and monitoring, network and application performance, security, and compliance.
Surprise, surprise -- almost every piracy website features cyber scams
Many people think nothing of grabbing the latest episode of Game of Thrones, Blacklist -- or whatever the current show du jour may be -- via one of a seemingly endless number of sites that provide access to pirated material. If you've ever visited such a site, you'll be aware that there is always something of a payload. You'll find advertisements -- usually of a pornographic nature -- fake chat windows, misleading links and all manner of other nasties. For the web-savvy, this is nothing new, but for every tech-minded torrent aficionado who is able to traverse through the online ghettos with an element of safety, there are countless others who are less well informed. And the world of pirate material is a dangerous one for the novice.
While this may not be news in itself, the figures involved are really quite surprising. A report published by The Industry Trust reveals that virtually every one of the most popular sites used to download or stream pirated films and TV shows are riddled with malware or credit card scams -- a staggering 97 percent. The report goes on to suggest that 75 percent of people who have made use of such a site have then experienced problems with their computers. The study was limited to 30 of the most frequently used pirate sites, and monitored them over a two week period. Just one site was found to be free from malware or credit card scams.
Cybersecurity skills crisis contributes to security breaches
Recent high profile stories like the Heartbleed bug have turned the spotlight on IT security. A new report by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) highlights how a skills crisis is putting more pressure on security teams.
ISACA surveyed enterprises to understand the level of attacks and their security preparedness. Key findings include that one in every five enterprises has suffered an advanced persistent threat attack, but that one in three of those don't know where it came from.
AOL hacked -- 'significant number of user accounts' compromised
The latest big name company to fall victim to a security breach is AOL. In a post on the company blog, the AOL security team reveals that it is currently working with "best-in-class external forensic experts and federal authorities" to investigate unauthorized access to the network. Suspicion was raised by a marked increase in the number of spam emails sent via spoofed AOL Mail addresses, and an investigation was immediately launched.
AOL says that a "significant number of user accounts" are affected and that the breach involves accessing information associated with these accounts. It seems that those responsible for the security breach have been able to gain access to email addresses, postal addresses, and address book contact information, as well as encrypted versions of passwords and answers to security questions.
New HP security service helps businesses assess risk
It's easy to underestimate the impact that security incidents have on businesses and even harder to assess potential risks before a problem occurs.
HP is launching a new service to help companies make timely and informed decisions about management information-security risks across their organizations.
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