ComputerWorld – Page 140 – Computer Security Articles

Credit to Author: Preston Gralla| Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2017 04:20:00 -0700

Windows has long been the world’s biggest malware draw, exploited for decades by attackers. It continues today: The Carbon Black security firm analyzed 1,000 ransomware samples over the last six months and found that nearly 99% of them targeted Windows.

That’s not news for IT administrators, of course. But this might be: Linux and other open-source software are emerging as serious malware targets. Several recent highly publicized attacks exploit holes in open-source software that many enterprise admins once considered solidly safe.

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ComputerWorld Independent

October 5, 2017 admin

Machine learning-based threat detection is coming to your smartphone

Credit to Author: Lucas Mearian| Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2017 07:33:00 -0700

Part of a growing trend, MobileIron announced today that it is adding machine learning-based threat-detection software to its enterprise mobility management (EMM) client, which it said will help address an increase in mobile attacks.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said it has partnered with Zimperium, a maker of machine learning-based behavioral analysis and threat detection software that monitors mobile devices for nefarious activity and apps.

MobileIron said it will integrate Zimperium’s z9 Engine software with its security and compliance client. The software will reside on users’ iOS or Android smartphones or tablets, and it will also become a part of IT administrators’ EMM control consoles. That upgrade to MobileIron’s EMM client will “automate the process of detecting and responding to mobile threats,” MobileIron stated.

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ComputerWorld Independent

October 3, 2017 admin

C'mon, what else could it be?

Credit to Author: Sharky| Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2017 03:00:00 -0700

Desktop support tech is helping a user at her desk, reports a pilot fish who happens to be close enough to hear what’s going on.

“He asked the user to enter her password,” fish says.

“She said, ‘Password.’

“Yes, he said, please enter your password.

“‘Password,’ she said.

“He then asked if her password is ‘password.’

“She said, ‘Of course.’

“We promptly changed and tightened up our password requirements.”

Sharky wants to pass the word to remind you about fresh guidelines for better passwords from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (along with an explanation of why NIST’s new rules are better). Take a look — and after that, don’t forget to send me your true tale of IT life at sharky@computerworld.com. You’ll snag a snazzy Shark shirt if I use it. Comment on today’s tale at Sharky’s Google+ community, and read thousands of great old tales in the Sharkives.

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ComputerWorld Independent

October 2, 2017 admin

And the award for worst mobile idea of the year goes to Walmart

Credit to Author: Evan Schuman| Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2017 06:00:00 -0700

For some reason, Walmart seems to go out of its way to find and embrace mobile ideas that are most likely to cause problems far worse than the one they are supposed to address.

This summer, the world’s largest retailer gave us store employees delivering items to customers as the employees drove home. Yes, indeed, that’s exactly what we need to help Walmart: more inexperienced and resentful delivery people.

A mobile app that lets Walmart employees into your home

But Walmart has now decided to leverage mobile and deliver an idea that is far more dangerous than grumpy cashiers: Walmart has struck a deal with a digital doorlock company to — I am not making this up — unlock your home frontdoor so they can get into your kitchen, when you’re not at home, and put away groceries for you. I swear that Walmart actually announced this. I doublechecked that it wasn’t an Onion video. (Although Onion has done some wonderful Walmart segments.)

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ComputerWorld Independent

September 29, 2017 admin

What Face ID means for iOS and device access

Credit to Author: Ryan Faas| Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2017 03:11:00 -0700

The most obvious difference between the upcoming iPhone X and every iOS device that preceded it is the loss of the iconic Home button. For years, it has served as the fingerprint sensor for Apple’s Touch ID technology, offering easy and secure unlocking of the device as well as authentication for transactions.

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(Insider Story)

ComputerWorld Independent

September 27, 2017 admin

Tech Talk: The Equifax data breach, a new Apple Watch and A.I. for all

Credit to Author: Ken Mingis| Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2017 14:08:00 -0700

First there was news that Equifax, the credit rating agency, had been hacked. Then came stories about questionable stock sales by execs before the breach became public. Then…anger and confusion from some of the 143 million people affected.

And finally, this week, came the retirement of the company’s CEO.

It’s enough to (almost) make our panel of tech experts – Network World‘s Brandon Butler, CSO‘s Fahmida Rashid, Macworld‘s Michael Simon and Computerworld Executive Editor Ken Mingis – throw up their collective arms as everyone tries to figure out how to stop it from happening again.

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ComputerWorld Independent

September 27, 2017 admin

Tech Talk: The Equifax data breach, a new Apple Watch and the A.I. revolution

With the Equifax breach still making waves, the new Apple Watch now on wrists and A.I. seemingly everywhere, our panel digs into what's happening in the IT world.

ComputerWorld Independent

September 26, 2017 admin

Microsoft Patch Alert: Where we stand with September’s Windows and Office patches

Credit to Author: Woody Leonhard| Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 05:03:00 -0700

Microsoft’s foray into quantum computing sure sounds neat, but those of us stuck with real programs on real computers have been in something of a quandary. Once again this month, we’ve hit a bunch of stumbling blocks, many of which were pushed down the Automatic Update chute.

Before we dissect the creepy-crawlies this month, it’s important to remember that you have to get the .Net patches installed, unless you fastidiously refrain from clicking the “Enable Editing” button in Word.

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