AVG announces 6 new tools to free your data from ransomware

Ransomware has gone mainstream with several high-profile attacks. It essentially locks your data away and demands money to free it – essentially mob protection money. While some tools have been released to aid frantic people in these times, most versions have gone unfixed. Now AVG, the free antivirus company, has come out with six new tools designed to fight this affliction. Each is for a different form of this malware, AVG states "Our new free tools are for the decryption of six current ransomware strains: Apocalypse, BadBlock, Crypt888, Legion, SZFLocker, and TeslaCrypt". That doesn't cover all of the flavors that are… [Continue Reading]

Microsoft sets off fireworks with Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14379 for PC and Mobile

Fourth of July is coming up this Monday, and tomorrow is Friday. This is significant in the business world, as many folks transform a three-day weekend into four by taking off the Friday before a holiday. In other words, it is a great way to get a mini-vacation while only sacrificing a single vacation day. Apparently, Dona Sokar and team are getting an early start on celebrating USA Independence. In anticipation of the extended weekend, she is setting off some fireworks -- figuratively speaking, that is. Today, Microsoft releases Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14379 for PC and Mobile to the… [Continue Reading]

Cisco buys cloud security provider CloudLock

Cisco has announced that it will be acquiring the cloud-based security provider CloudLock for $293 million in cash and equity. CloudLock makes use of application program interface (API) technology to allow enterprises to apply and monitor the security of documents and other content that is accessible via cloud-based applications. The service works with Office 365, Google Drive, Salesforce applications and thousands of other apps and programs. The focus of CloudLock is to protect documents and enforce security policies set by companies regardless of the device a user chooses to access their company’s files on. It even can be configured to… [Continue Reading]

What makes an adversary profile invaluable?

One of the most common questions I am asked when collaborating with customers is "…what makes a useful adversary profile?" The easy answer is any summary that allows your team to make faster and more accurate decisions when push comes to shove, but the deeper answer is more artful than scientific.  Adversary profiles are the intelligence intersection across a team’s defensive efforts and can demonstrate a distinction from teams who have made a conscious decision to transform from 'whack-a-mole' to 'know thy enemy'. So…What makes an invaluable adversary profile? Here are a couple points you should consider when structuring an… [Continue Reading]

Google reveals that Android N will be called... Android Nougat!

The developer previews of Android N have been available for a little while now, giving a tantalizing taste of what’s to come. But one thing has been missing: the name. After months of teasing and misdirection -- there can't be many people who weren't expecting to see Android Nutella -- Google has officially announced that Android 7 (probably) will be known as Android Nougat. We're now past the halfway mark in the alphabet, and it seems that Google may have been struggling to decide on a name all by itself. A few weeks back the company asked for suggestions, and… [Continue Reading]

Let there be light: Why visibility is key to building an effective mobile policy

Consider this: Unrestricted use of Tinder may not pose a problem at a company where the majority of staff is over fifty, but if you work with millennials, you may need to swipe left and reject your current mobile policy. Don’t let your company be the next one to lose precious data and suffer the devastating cost of a data breach simply because you lacked visibility and control over how your investment in mobility is having an impact on the organization. The mobile device is a distinctive technology that delivers tangible benefits in both personal and business settings. According to… [Continue Reading]

Declare independence from Windows 10 by downloading Linux Mint 18 'Sarah' now!

As we approach the Fourth of July weekend, I begin thinking about independence. I am very proud of my forefathers for defeating the British -- our now-ally -- and creating our great nation, the USA. With that said, there are other things from which you can declare independence -- such as Windows 10. Look, I think Microsoft's desktop operating system is pretty good, although I understand that some folks are fearful of spying and forced-upgrade behavior. If you want to be free from Microsoft and Windows, I have good news -- today, Linux Mint 18 is finally available. Will you download it… [Continue Reading]

Anonymous takes the FBI to task for corruption

Hacktivist collective Anonymous targets all sorts of people and organizations. Past and on-going operations have focused on Islamic State, white supremacists, the Church of Scientology, Ku Klux Klan, and Donald Trump. Whatever your view on Anonymous, the group certainly likes to pick fights with high profile foes. The latest organization to have the Anonymous spotlight shone on its affairs is the Federal Bureau of Investigation. There’s no operation this time, however, instead the group has put together a video detailing the top ten FBI corruptions. Anonymous introduces the slick, nearly 19-minute video by saying: Supported large in part by its… [Continue Reading]

Home alarms let users keep default credentials

German investigative journalists from the c’t magazine said many home security systems come with a huge vulnerability which can put every home using the system at risk. The vulnerability, however, is nothing fancy in hacking terms -- it’s pretty obvious and straightforward, but frequently overlooked. You see, similar to Internet routers, these home security systems are configured through a browser, and many come with easily crackable passwords like "1234" or "admin1234". These passwords are easily changed when setting up the system, but because the setup doesn’t require a password change by default, many users simply don’t do it. "When registering… [Continue Reading]

At long, long last, Google Maps on Android and iOS has multiple destination support

Google Maps has long been helping walkers, drivers and cyclists get from A to B. But for far too long, the desktop version of the navigation tool has been more powerful than the mobile version -- which is silly, really, as the mobile app is the one you're going to use while, you know, traveling. Today, Google is rolling out an important new feature to the mobile app -- the ability to configure a route with multiple stop-off points along the way. Getting from A to B is great, but sometimes you need to go via X and Y. Now… [Continue Reading]

Euro 2016 app leaking private user data

I’ve been trying not to think about Euro 2016 after England’s whimpering exit on Monday night, but new research from mobile security and management firm Wandera has grabbed my attention. According to analysis of data traffic patterns from enterprise mobile devices, the official UEFA Euro 2016 Fan Guide App is leaking user’s personal information -- including usernames, passwords, addresses and phone numbers -- over unsecure internet connections. This means the app, which has been downloaded over 100,000 times, could provide an access point for hackers to access, and potentially steal, valuable user data. And, with modern employees frequently using the same devices for work… [Continue Reading]

New cloud platform gives companies insight into channel sales

Companies selling IT solutions via channel partners can easily find that they spend all their time dealing with resellers and distributors, and consequently lose touch with their end users. Channel management company Zyme is launching a new cloud platform that helps global B2B and B2C enterprises monitor and optimize the performance of their distribution channels through timely, actionable intelligence. The zyme cloud platform 3.0 takes raw partner data and transforms it into intelligence using proprietary technologies and rich content libraries. This is then made available through analytics dashboards and seamless integration with customers’ business systems. "The zyme cloud platform 3.0… [Continue Reading]

Windows 10 subscriptions are coming in the Anniversary Update -- but don’t panic just yet

When Microsoft first announced that Windows 10 would be free, it rather mangled the message by adding "for the first year" to the end of the statement. That immediately suggested that the operating system would be headed for a subscription model, just like Office 365. The software giant eventually clarified the situation, but the fear that one day Microsoft would start charging a yearly fee for its OS never quite went away in some people’s minds. And now it looks as if those fears are set to be reignited, as a file found in the latest Windows Insider preview, Build… [Continue Reading]

Samsung launches unlocked Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge in US

Samsung introduced unlocked versions of its Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge flagships right from the start in major markets across the globe. That's because there are large contingents of potential buyers in markets like Europe who prefer to buy their smartphone off-contract, and use it with whatever carrier and plan they choose. In US, however, consumers have only been officially treated to carrier-branded models. However, that finally changes today, as Samsung is now introducing unlocked versions of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge in US. The company says that they will work "on most US GSM and CDMA networks",… [Continue Reading]

New startup aims to help solve the shortage of data scientists

Whilst the use of big data is gaining traction around the world, one of the things that’s likely to hold back development is a shortage of qualified data scientists. By 2018, the demand for data scientists is predicted to exceed supply by about 50 to 60 percent according to a recent McKinsey study. Austrian startup company Knoyd is aiming to disrupt the process of training and hiring data scientists by launching BaseCamp, a data science bootcamp. It will allow prospective data scientists to learn and train on real companies' problems and will prepare them for an exciting data science career. During… [Continue Reading]

Microsoft bringing 1TB Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book to more markets

Microsoft is expanding the availability of the top-tier Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book models, as today it introduces the 1TB versions of its hybrid devices in eight more markets. The software giant introduced Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book last year, in October, but did not bring all the storage configurations outside of US and Canada. The new 10 markets where the 1TB Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book are now available are Australia, Austria, China, France, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Microsoft says that interested buyers will be able to purchase these models from… [Continue Reading]

At least one mobile device in every large enterprise has a malware infection

A new report focusing on on malware in the enterprise, finds that large organizations (those with more than 200 iOS or Android mobile devices) are almost guaranteed to have at least one malware-infected device. The report, by mobile threat defense specialist Skycure finds that four percent of all mobile devices have malware installed, regardless of whether they are managed by an enterprise or an individual. Among the detailed findings are that three percent of all enterprise iOS devices have malware installed, and nearly twice as many (5.7 percent) of all enterprise Android devices are infected. Android devices have a greater… [Continue Reading]