Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » septembre 21, 2015

BetaNews.Com (19 non lus)

Giving Microsoft's Windows 10 Mobile strategy the crystal ball treatment

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 8:45pm CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

crystall ball

As the industry awaits the debut of Microsoft’s much delayed Windows 10 Mobile phone OS, many questions are circulating about which strategy the company should pursue going forward.

Some are arguing that Microsoft should abandon Windows 10 Mobile altogether and throw its lot in with CyanogenMod (or perhaps roll its own, rogue version of Android). Others are advocating a continued focus on delivering apps for Android and iOS first while leaving Windows 10 Mobile to languish as a low-priority, third option. And still others believe Microsoft should stay the course and leverage its strengths in the enterprise to reshape Windows 10 Mobile into an extension of the company’s entrenched productivity stack.

But which strategy to choose? Proponents of the CyanogenMod route point to that platform’s status as the anti-Google as its biggest strength. They envision a combined product that features the underlying, AOSP-based CyanogenMod core coupled with Microsoft’s vast array of Android-supporting apps and services -- basically, using the latter’s code to supplant Google Play Services entirely while maintaining compatibility for third party apps that rely on those services.

It’s a bold vision, but one that is also fraught with potential pitfalls. For example, even if Microsoft could replace Google Play on a service-for-service, API-for-API basis, there’s no guarantee that, over time, the resulting integration layer wouldn’t devolve into an unsupportable mess of spaghetti code and makeshift compatibility "shims". Add to this the fact that they’d be chasing a moving target in the form of Google’s ever-shifting API set, and the future looks grim for such approach (see IBM’s OS/2 and BlackBerry’s BB10 as cautionary tales).

Advocates of a continued focus on placing Android and iOS first, at the expense of Windows 10 Mobile, note how well received Microsoft’s apps and services have been on those platforms. They argue that, as long as Microsoft is making money from its offerings, it doesn’t really matter where or how that revenue is generated.

The potential flaw in this logic is that it assumes Microsoft will continue to be able to deliver best-of-breed apps and services on third party platforms (e.g. Office and Outlook). However, as the company itself has shown over the years, control of the underlying platform gives the owner a leg up when leveraging new and compelling platform features and APIs. Google or Apple may not be capable of fielding a true "Office Killer" today, but down the line? That’s anyone’s guess. And you can be sure that, if and when they do deliver a productivity app "knockout blow", they’ll leverage their insider knowledge of Android or iOS to maintain a functional edge.

Lastly, there are those who say Microsoft should stay the course and continue to evolve Windows 10 Mobile regardless of its success in the marketplace. They argue that the company needs to press forward with initiatives like Universal Apps and XAML, and that in order to do so it needs a development platform that stretches across device form factors and processor architectures. "Win32 forever" is not a viable strategy.

The challenge with this strategy, of course, is the need to be perceived as making at least some inroads with Windows 10 Mobile. To make that happen, Microsoft will need to come up with some extremely compelling hardware offerings (e.g. the rumored "Surface Phone") and combine them with truly innovative Windows 10 Mobile productivity features, like Continuum. And the most logical place to achieve this sort of penetration is with the company’s loyal enterprise customers, many of whom already have the in-house skills set to embrace UA and XAML.

No question, Microsoft has some tough decisions to make in the coming weeks and months. And while nobody can truly predict the future, chances are good that the industry will see elements of all three strategies espoused by the folks from Redmond. The company will continue to dabble in potential partnerships with companies like CyanogenMod, Inc., while rapidly evolving its Android and iOS offerings to keep them fresh and competitive.

But Microsoft’s end game will remain a pure platform play involving Windows 10 Mobile (via UA/XAML), and it’ll leverage both its fledgling hardware skills and best-of-breed developer tools to ultimately realize that vision -- no matter the cost. Because to do otherwise is to effectively surrender the fastest growing segment of the IT industry forever.

Photo credit: Poznyakov/Shutterstock

Imation IronKey Workspace W500: Secure Windows To Go drive for enterprise users [Review]

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 8:43pm CEST par Ian Barker

Ironkey

In the modern workplace there’s increasing demand for people to be able to work remotely or bring their own devices into the office. That presents a problem for IT departments who need to deliver secure access to corporate data and ensure that everyone is using approved applications.

One way of allowing employees and contractors to use their own PCs but still ensure they’re running the approved corporate software is the IronKey Workspace. It’s a bootable USB stick that can be loaded with a corporate Windows image including applications, security controls and access policies. It will work on any reasonably modern PC and on some Macs too.

It’s the same size as a normal USB memory stick but a lot heavier -- not for nothing does it have iron in its name -- obviously designed to survive the rough and tumble of a life on the road. Provided your system is set up to boot from a USB drive it simply starts up from the IronKey rather than its internal drive.

In Use

Effectively the IronKey bypasses the host PC’s native operating system, in fact it’s purposely isolated from it in order to provide additional security. It uses a Windows To Go licence so businesses can use an IronKey for every existing Windows licence with no need for additional licensing. Since it’s using a solid state drive and it’s not encumbered by software that’s installed on the PC it runs quickly even on older machines. Our test sample came with Windows 10 installed, though 8.1 versions are available too.

The first time you boot from the IronKey there’s a short ‘preparation’ session then you need to re-boot again and it runs a normal Windows set up. This lets you select the language and set up Wi-Fi, then one more boot and you have the choice of using Azure AD or a domain to connect to a company network and you’re ready to go.

IronKey-W500

We tested the IronKey on a Lenovo laptop and there was little difference between the performance whether running from it or from the internal drive. It does feel a little odd to be using the machine without the noise of the hard drive whirring away though.

Once up and running you can still access most of the laptop’s features like the DVD drive and Bluetooth. The IronKey did a pretty good job of detecting our machine’s hardware, though we did have to tweak the display settings to get the right resolution and it couldn’t cope with the scroll part at the side of the trackpad, but neither of these are major issues.

The PC’s own hard drive is hidden from Windows when you’re running from the IronKey and on our 32GB version there’s around 20GB of space available on the device itself to allow you to store files and install programs. Higher capacity versions are available. It comes with the standard range of Windows software, Windows Mail, Media Player, Windows Defender, etc installed. In use it’s like any other desktop environment so you can access cloud based apps and services via a web browser.

Security

The main reason for using something like this is to secure corporate information and provide a barrier between personal and work use of the same machine. When it’s running the IronKey’s LED is green and, as we’ve already pointed out, you can’t access the PC’s hard drive. Plug the device in while the PC is running its own OS and the LED turns red to show that the device is encrypted, it’s the IronKey that’s now hidden from Windows Explorer.

It has it’s own control panel that lets you set the device password and there’s the option to reset or self-destruct the device if it falls into the wrong hands. You can also set a custom 'if found...' message to display on the lock screen.

It’s hardware encrypted to keep its contents safe. Different versions of the IronKey are available with varying levels of encryption, the W500 tested here uses hardware encryption but there’s also a W700 which provides stronger encryption and access to a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 140-1) validated workspace, plus there are W200 and W300 versions with BitLocker protection. The company says that the cryptographic chip keys never leave the device and that it’s physically and logically impenetrable.

For IT managers the IronKey offers control over the ability to run business apps and the ability to remotely disable the device if need be.

Conclusion

The IronKey is aimed at IT departments who need to allow employees to telecommute, implement a BYOD policy, or give contractors access to systems. Because it will work on pretty much any PC that has the ability to boot from USB it’s also a good way of extending the life of older hardware, though performance is better if you have USB 3.0 capability.

It’s easy to use, and it offers impressive security features and the ability to keep itself separate from the host PC’s storage. It isn’t cheap at £166 for the 32GB version but then again it’s a lot less than buying a laptop.

More information is available on the IronKey website.

Pros

Solidly made
High level of security
Easy to use

Cons

Hardware detection
Not cheap

Apple Watch owners rejoice -- watchOS 2 is finally available to install

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 7:38pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Apple Watch 3

The latest version of the OS that powers Apple’s first wearable was supposed to be released last week, on the same day that iOS 9 hit devices. However, a last minute bug delayed things, leaving Watch owners like myself disappointed.

Since it was only the one -- albeit major -- bug delaying things it was always going to be a case of the updated OS being held back by no more than few days, and today Apple has finally (and quietly) released the new version. If you own an Apple Watch, you can update it now.

So what’s new? A lot. In the release notes Apple says:

This update is the first major software update for Apple Watch and includes new watch faces, third-party app complications, new capabilities in Mail, Friends, and Digital Touch and support for third-party apps running natively.

This last feature is, of course, the big new addition. A lot of people were initially disappointed that Watch does little more than mirror apps installed on the iPhone, and this change boosts the wearable’s capabilities significantly.

Installing the new OS is very straightforward. Open the Watch app on your iPhone (which will need to be connected to the internet via Wi-Fi), and go to General > Software Update. Download the update, agreeing to the terms, and make sure that your Watch is in range of the phone. The wearable will need to have at least 50 percent charge and should (preferably) be on its charger.

Unlike some updates, there’s really no reason to delay upgrading. The first generation of the OS was rather basic, and this version unlocks a lot of Watch’s potential.

iOS 9 took a long time to download and install for most people when it was first released last week due to the sheer number of eager updaters (50 percent of iPhone and iPad users have now upgraded to it) but there’s no such delay with watchOS 2. Partly because it’s a much smaller user base, and partly because a lot of people won’t be aware that the upgrade is now available.

Even so, you can expect the new OS to take around 30 minutes to download and install on the Watch.

Don't worry, Angry Birds 2 probably didn't infect your iOS device, but it might have

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 7:35pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

angrybirdinfectedsick

Apple's App Store is a very trustworthy place do get apps. In fact, most people choose iOS because they can mindlessly install apps without having to worry about malware. Sadly, this proved to be slightly false, as a bunch of apps have been found to be infected with some nastiness due to developers using a non-official version of Xcode.

The good news, however, is that these "infected" apps have largely been found in the Chinese version of Apple's App Store only. Earlier today, however, it was announced that Angry Birds 2, a wildly popular game, was among the infected apps. People in the USA, including myself, were worried. Thankfully, our worry was for naught, as Rovio confirms that only the Chinese version has the malware.

"There has recently been a news story that stated Angry Birds 2 on iOS is infected with malware. We want to assure you that this is an issue isolated to the Chinese version of the game. If you have installed Angry Birds 2 from any other App Store across the world, your game is absolutely secure and you can carry on enjoying it", says Rovio.

The popular developer further explains, "if you installed Angry Birds 2 from the App Store in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macau, we have an update that fixes the issue coming very shortly".

@brianfagioli @flargh Only the Chinese App Store version was affected, rest of world just fine. More info here: [t.co]

— Rovio (@Rovio) September 21, 2015

While I am relieved the USA version was not infected, it is still troubling that a huge developer like Rovio would use a sketchy version of Xcode to create their app. Even if it was only the Chinese arm of the company, that should never happen. Rovio's irresponsible behavior has put many iOS users in China at risk.

Are you surprised that a large developer like Rovio got roped into this controversy? Tell me in the comments.

Photo credit: Praisaeng/ Shutterstock

The majority of the world doesn't have Internet access, and that is sad

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 7:15pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

africanchildrentablet

Every morning, my alarm clock goes off and I immediately grab my smartphone or tablet. Before I use the toilet or shower, I need to check my email, look at Twitter, and get the day's news. In other words, the Internet is extremely important to me. I am not alone either; many people are arguably addicted to the web.

Unfortunately, many of us in the developed world take our Internet access for granted. Hell, Skype was down for a little while today and people were up in arms -- it was a major news story. According to a new report from the United Nations, the majority of the world (a shocking 57 percent), does not have regular Internet access. You know what? That is both sad and tragic.

"Broadband Internet is failing to reach billions of people living in the developing world, including 90 percent of those living in the poorest nations, according to a new United Nations report that offers country-by-country data on the state of access around the globe. The State of Broadband, produced by the UN Broadband Commission and released today, reveals that 57 percent of the world's people remain offline and unable to take advantage of the enormous economic and social benefits the Internet can offer", says The United Nations.

Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization explains, “this calls for stronger efforts by governments and all actors, in ensuring access, use and affordability -- it requires also greater work to build the capacities of all women and men to make the most of all new opportunities. According to the report, the Internet is currently only accessible to 35 percent of people in developing countries. The situation in the 48 UN-designated Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is particularly critical, with over 90 percent of people without any kind of Internet connectivity".

Internet access is particularly strong in South Korea, where over 98 percent of homes have a broadband connection. Where it is lacking, however is in some African countries. The UN claims that only 2 percent of people in Guinea, Somalia, Burundi and Eritrea have access to the Internet. That is shockingly low.

While some people will claim the Internet is less important than things like food, water, and medicine -- and they'd be right -- the Internet is still important for the advancement of these societies. In other words, getting these human beings connected shouldn't be neglected because other things take precedence. Knowledge is power, and the Internet offers a wealth of knowledge -- it is arguably a right, and not a luxury, at this point.

Let us not forget the number of people in wealthy countries without access too, like in the USA and Europe. Remember, there is poverty everywhere, and the goal should be getting everyone connected, regardless of borders, skin color or financial status.

Are you surprised that 57 percent of humans are lacking Internet access? Tell me in the comments.

Photo credit: karelnoppe / Shutterstock

Ditch the Slow Ring! Get on the Windows 10 Fast Ring or step away from the previews

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 7:10pm CEST par Mark Wilson

slow_fast_choose_wisely_sign

Windows 10 is a major departure from the norm for Microsoft. This is not only the first time Windows has been made available as a free upgrade, but the first time that users have been able to get actively involved in the development process. The existence of the public previews for Windows Insiders has made this one of the most transparent development programs to come out of Redmond.

Broken down into the Fast Ring and the Slow Ring, Microsoft has explained how the Windows 10 development process works, saying that the former is for those who want to be on the bleeding edge, the latter for those who want to play it safer. Ultimately, however, you should be either in or out, and this leads us to the question: what's the point of the Windows 10 Slow Ring?

While there have been a number of preview builds released, the rate at which releases have hit the two rings has been markedly different. Anyone waiting for the 'more stable' builds to reach the Slow Ring has certainly had their patience tested. Things have been slightly better for those happy to take the risk of working with Fast Ring builds, but most people would have been happier with a somewhat accelerated release schedule.

Part of the reason for the existence of the Slow Ring is that it is home to builds that have already gone through various phases of testing -- the Fast Ring included. Any show-stopping bugs should have been ironed out, but the release schedule is far slower.

But Microsoft warns that none of the preview builds -- and some would argue the same warning should apply to the RTM build -- should not be installed on a machine that is mission-critical. If you're interested in seeing the development process of Windows 10 and want to check out the latest features and fixes ahead of official updates, you're going to be sensible about it and run the operating system on a second machine or virtual machine, or be competent enough to sort problems out if things go wrong. If an operating system screw-up scares you, you shouldn't be using the preview builds in the first place.

Both the Slow and Fast Rings are home to builds that would be generally considered unfinished and unstable, so what’s the point in both? Neither are meant for use on main machines, so why compromise and settle for fewer, slower releases? If you're a Windows Insider with an interest in the preview builds, you should either be in or out. Fast or nothing.

The Slow Ring is a half-hearted pandering to those who feel like sort of taking part. Ditch it this instant. Get on the Fast Ring right now. And, Microsoft -- speed things up! We can take it. We don’t mind wobbly builds -- we just want more. We know you're beavering away on things, so let's see it faster.

Photo credit: Dirk Ercken / Shutterstock

The Wi-Fi router's role in today's homes

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 7:04pm CEST par Mike Chen

Router closeup

We’ve come a long way since dial-up internet. Thankfully, we are no longer subjected to its ear-piercing dial tone and instead enjoy the freedom of roaming about in our homes receiving our Internet connection cord-free or going to our local café and surfing with unattached ease. Revolutionizing this advancement is, of course, Wi-Fi.

So much of what we take for granted in our homes -- whether it be bingeing on (Netflix) box-sets, online gaming with an opponent who resides in another country, or even everyday practicalities like ordering dinner or communicating with friends and family -- is dependent on the Wi-Fi router, that little box in the corner with its row of blinking lights.

Having reliable Wi-Fi is as much of a necessity as electricity and running water in today’s household. Yet, as is so often the case with such necessities, the Wi-Fi router is something that is taken for granted. It’s one of those household appliances that you’re most likely to notice only when it’s not working as it should be. This is why I believe the wireless router is really the unsung hero of today’s technology.

The fact that we depend on the Internet for more than we used to is no secret, of course, but the speed at which I’ve witnessed the once-humble Wi-Fi router develop in terms of its capabilities in supporting our increasingly-connected lives isn’t to be understated.

From the first consumer-grade units, launched in 1999, to present day pioneering of 802.11ac Wave 2 MU-MIMO (Multiple User, Multiple Input and Multiple Output) technology, the router has always been challenged with keeping pace with our insatiable appetite for connectivity and content. And with the mass-adoption of the connected home approaching, this challenge is only growing in scale and importance.

The importance of investing in a quality Wi-Fi router is something that many everyday consumers simply don’t understand or don’t want to be bothered with. Some consumers are beginning to learn that the Wi-Fi router supplied by their Internet Service Provider (ISP) is not only outdated (nearly 50 percent of households are still using routers running versions of Wi-Fi that are at least 12 years old), but it’s also not "free" as ISPs are charging monthly rental and handling fees for their hardware.

As available download speeds continue to expand -- the current wireless-N technology reaches up to 450Mbps while wireless-AC technology, welcomed as the new industry standard, increases speeds by 2.8 times which is to up to 1.3Gbps -- the need for faster Wi-Fi continues to grow. That is fuelled by high bandwidth activities like video streams and the need for multiple devices to be connected and competing for limited throughput from older Wi-Fi routers.

The current progressive trends that we see taking place are all available because of the way the wireless router has changed how we gather and share data. Originally only providing home computers with shared access to the Internet, routers now support a multitude of applications running on different devices, including smartphones, personal computers, tablets, peripheral devices such as printers and scanners, home entertainment systems and smart household appliances.

Modernizing the TV, movie and music industry, the advancements in wireless networks have also provided consumers with the opportunity to access their favourite tunes or movies cheaper and faster. The latest 802.11ac Wave 2 MU-MIMO technology helps ensure uninterrupted Wi-Fi connectivity to multiple devices in the home and functions as if each device has its own dedicated router, revolutionizing the home wireless experience.

The average house now has more than five devices connecting to the Internet at the same time and they’re not used for just sending emails and tweets. Having dedicated bandwidth for devices working simultaneously via MU-MIMO enhances the experience so you won’t see a buffering icon when streaming a movie, suffer listening to choppy music or play video games online with a lag.

Increased portability and accessibility, faster speeds and extended range have all contributed to better networking at home and at work -- our business evolution is evidence that the home router has matured, along with the Internet, to become a linchpin of all communications: data, voice and video.

It’s fair to say, as we introduce more smart devices into the home, we’ll look more intently to our home network and how we can achieve a smoother experience for all of our connected devices. By 2020 we can expect to collectively own anywhere from 25 to 33 billion gadgets. More consumers are beginning to understand that the routers supplied from ISPs are not optimized to support even the current amount of content consumption, so imagine when we reach 2020!

The future of home networking is about delivering a seamless experience for every home by increasing speed, extending range, providing robust security options, and maintaining a stable connection even when simultaneously streaming on our smart TVs, gaming on our laptops and downloading apps on our smartphones.

So think about what you have connected to your router today, maybe $3,000 -- $10,000 worth of technology? Wouldn’t you want all that technology connected to a premium router that can handle all your Wi-Fi needs?

As the smart home concept becomes a reality, consumers will come to rely on having a premium home networking router which can truly handle the amount of devices that will depend on it.

Mike Chen is the vice president of product management and engineering at Linksys.

Image Credit: Georgii Shipin / Shutterstock

Transform any photo into a work of art with AKVIS AirBrush 3.0

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 7:02pm CEST par Mike Williams

AKVIS AirBrush

AKVIS has announced AKVIS AirBrush 3.0 ($49 -- $89), its powerful applications for transforming digital photos into airbrushed works of art.

Unlike many similar tools, the program preserves a lot of detail from the original photos, while still giving it a very stylized look.

We’ve covered the company’s AKVIS OilPaint (64-bit here) before, and AirBrush has the same easy-to-use controls.

Open an image, drag a few sliders to tweak key aspects of the image -- or choose from one of a host of presets -- then stop when you find something you like, or share it directly on Twitter, Flickr, Google+ or Dropbox.

New features include the ability to add text or image watermarks with custom position, font, opacity and style.

Smudge and History brushes enable users to refine the AirBrush effect, adjust or fade it, to produce the results you need.

The Print tool now has a "Poster" option, printing high resolution across multiple pages to create spectacular posters.

There’s now support for importing even more RAW formats, and of course you get the regular scattering of bug fixes and minor tweaks.

AKVIS AirBrush 3.0 isn’t cheap, but if you’re interested in the idea then the trial may still be worth a look. It’s fully functional and -- apart from being "not for commercial use" -- unrestricted, so you’ll be able to create at least some images at no cost at all

Why LinkedIn is hacker heaven

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 5:07pm CEST par Stuart Poole-Robb

Professional social networking site LinkedIn has proven to be a valuable business tool, bringing together professionals from all over the world.

But few corporations grasp the security risk injudicious use of LinkedIn represents. The main problem is not with the LinkedIn website’s own digital security but with a widespread corporate ignorance of the way the organized criminal gangs (OCGs) who make billions, sometimes tens of billions, of dollars from cyber crime.

The hackers are now using well-known brands names such as Standard Chartered Bank on LinkedIn to attract senior executives to divulge information that they can use. It’s all very plausible unless you know what to look for.

Using a process called ‘social engineering’, OCGs assemble as much information via the Internet as they can on a target subject within an organization that has been identified as likely prey. LinkedIn is proving a rich vein for OCGs. Executives have become too cavalier about posting details of their movements and personal information on LinkedIn.

KCS’ own experience shows that 90 percent of passwords take the form of the name of a sports team, a pet or other personal details. But even if the target has been careful to use a more complex password, their organization’s most sensitive data might still be at risk. For example, details of business trip dates combined with personal details such as a recent illness or family names can be all an OCG needs to socially engineer a 'Friday Afternoon' attack.

Typically, this would take the form of an email, phone call or possibly a combination of the two in order to convince someone at the company that an important executive is making an urgent request. Sometimes, this is a straightforward scam where the end goal is a money transfer to a third party account.

But a quick financial hit is by no means the worst occurrence. Sometimes, the request may not be for cash but for passwords or access to sensitive data. This data may then be ransomed back to the company for a huge non-negotiable fee, sold to competitors or simply put up for sale on the Dark Web. In this scenario, the company may remain blissfully unaware it has been hacked for months or even years.

A recent example is a cyber attack hitting US health insurer Excellus BlueCross BlueShield that exposed personal, financial and medical information of over 10 million people. Recent evidence now shows the initial hack of the Excellus-Lifetime systems occurred in December 2013 but went undiscovered by the companies’ IT staff for some time.

The security industry on this side of the Atlantic is now asking how long it will before we see the same effective attacks hitting the healthcare industry and the Local Councils here? Neither are adequately prepared or able to cope at this time.

So far, in the UK this combination of psychological and technological techniques to access personal information is mainly being used to target law firms. The reason is thought to be that many law firms are hierarchical and if a senior partner emails the finance department to ask for a money transfer it generally has to be done swiftly and without question.

But this does not mean that organizations working in sectors other than law or healthcare have any room for complacency. OCGs have a tendency to target what they see as "low-hanging fruit" first, before adapting their new offensive strategies to those organizations which have sensitive data and security systems that can be breached fairly easily. There is, therefore, little doubt that companies working in other sectors are probably already being targeted by OCGs.

As with the "Friday Afternoon" attacks taking place on banks on legal firms, social engineering will play a crucial part in future cyber attacks on a wide spectrum of industries and businesses.

Aside from discreet social engineering, LinkedIn also offers other opportunities for the OCGs. KCS’ own research shows that "false flag" profiles can be used to great effect. These are essentially fake identities built around the fictional profile of an attractive member of either sex.

These are designed to tempt the target to connect with the fake profile. Once this is done, the OCG then not only has access to all the target’s business contacts but also to their other social networking profiles such as Facebook. Additional personal information gleaned from Facebook can be used to gain more personal information on the subject.

KCS conducted a simple test on how effective this strategy is by subjecting half the attendees at a cyber security conference within the legal sector to a "false flag" profile of an attractive young woman. Over 50 percent of those targeted responded by connecting with fictional lady, with two men actually inviting "her" on a dinner date.

Had the "false flag" been posted on LinkedIn by an OCG then anyone foolish enough to arrange a dinner date might find themselves blackmailed into revealing company passwords etc. Or they might not notice that during the course of the evening their new companion had taken their phone for a few minutes and hacked into it using a $50 device available on the Internet known as a "Rubber Ducky", thereby compromising the unfortunate executive’s entire corporate IT network.

The only real safeguard is to educate all staff that all social networks are potential minefields and that, under no circumstances, should they discuss confidential company information or reveal personal details that could be used by an OCG to socially engineer a cyber attack

Stuart Poole-Robb is the chief executive of business intelligence and cyber security adviser, the KCS Group.

Image Credit: Gil C / Shutterstock

iOS 9 adoption tops 50 percent in just 3 days

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 3:44pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

iOS 9 edited

In an announcement that is mostly meant to remind us that its new iPhones go on sale on September 25 -- like we did not already know that -- Apple today reveals that iOS 9 has been installed on more than 50 percent of all iPhones, iPads and iPod touch devices currently in use.

That is a remarkable achievement, but it is even more impressive that iOS 9 reached this milestone just three days after its release on September 16. Apple says it is the "fastest iOS adoption ever".

That information was generated from Apple's App Store traffic on September 19, and because only devices which are active connect to it we have reason to believe that adoption figure is pretty accurate. Google uses a similar method to generate Android distribution share data each month.

Speaking of Android, Lollipop has been around for nearly a year now and its adoption rate -- at the beginning of September -- was just under 16 percent. The second Lollipop incarnation, version 5.1, launched in the first quarter of the year, being installed on just 5.1 percent of all Android devices in use so far.

In case you need the breakdown on the new iPhone, here goes. The new iPhone 6s kicks off at $649 off-contract for the 16 GB model. Add $100 to get the 64 GB model, or $200 for the 128 GB model. If you can get it on a two-year contract, be prepared to shell out at least $199; otherwise installment plans kick off at $27 per month for two years. For the new iPhone 6s Plus, the prices are $100 higher across the board, with the exception of the monthly installments which start at $31.

If you want to go with Apple's new iPhone Upgrade Program, prices start at $32 and $37 per month, respectively. For the money, you get a new iPhone every year with AppleCare+ included, and the option to switch carriers if you want.

First-wave availability is limited to Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, UK and US. Both iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are available to pre-order now, and will be available for in-store pick-up and walk-in purchases.

Two months in: Living with Amazon Echo

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 3:42pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

Amazon Echo

It's been two months since I acquired Amazon Echo, the voice controlled device that can do a surprising amount of things. That feature list is always growing as well, with an increasing amount of partnerships and developers writing "skills".

Has the novelty worn off? Well, somewhat, but I still use it every day. It has become a tool that works for me and there are many features that come in handy.

I play Pandora while I work and I can ask Echo what song is playing and it responds with artist and title. That information is also available in the Amazon Alexa app. The device can set a timer for whatever span you want -- "Alexa, set a timer for ten minutes". That's a feature I use daily so as not to forget something on the stove or in the oven. You can even use it to set an alarm and, with the Wink Hub, have it turn on the lights when the alarm goes off -- maybe, that's next.

Therein lies the one problem I've encountered, though it doesn't seem the fault of Echo. It's actually the home automation hub linked to it. This turns the lights on and off with a voice command, which seems handy until it doesn't work. I dread asking it to turn on the lights and hearing "that command doesn't work with that device". It simply means I have to reset the hub, and is an easy enough fix, but annoying, especially in the dark.

Alexa will read me the news, which it pulls from NPR. It will create playlists of music from Amazon Prime Music. Other content can be pulled from TuneIn Radio or you can link your iHeartRadio account to Echo.

I'm only scratching the surface with the functions I'm using. A plethora of others exist, including IFTTT integration to create your own recipes, SmartThings integration (maybe your lights will work), Google Calendar, audio books and much more.

The past couple of months have been a fun, and occasionally bumpy ride. Would I recommend Echo after my experiences? Absolutely. It's an interesting device with a growing ecosystem of features and integration. Is Amazon listening to everything you say? Well, sort of -- if it begins with "Alexa" then it's processed by the retail giant's servers and provides instant answers. This is evident when you open the app on your phone or tablet and find information about your actions. Am I worried about that? Not particularly. I can live with it.

Prelert improves insight into problems and threats

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 3:29pm CEST par Ian Barker

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Finding anomalies in data sets is an effective way of identifying performance issues or indicators of compromise before they impact a business.

Being able to link those anomalies together by identifying common traits among them would be even more effective and that's what a new Anomaly Detective tool from behavioral analytics specialist Prelert does.

"IT security and operations teams are drowning in log data that, if analyzed, could tell the story of most performance issues or security threats their organization faces. However, there’s no way a person can piece that story together on their own, which is why intruders go undetected for months and performance issues can persist indefinitely," says Mark Jaffe, CEO of Prelert. "With our machine learning capabilities, Prelert enables organizations to pinpoint issues that really matter. And with significant enhancements in this new version, teams can now see how those issues relate to one another, making it even easier to detect advanced threat activity or discover the root cause of operational issues".

Anomaly Detective V4 introduces a new feature called Insights that helps tell the story behind an organization's data. It identifies time-sequenced groups of anomalies linked by one or more common entities. By using machine learning to automate data analysis, Prelert can identify unusual or suspicious behaviors and the entities -- such as users, IP addresses and domains -- that influence them. Users can then access a list of other Insights that share a common influence, helping to make certain patterns of attack stand out as being more critical than others.

Key features include pre-configured Insight definitions to enable the system to automate Insight creation for activities including cyber kill chain progressions. It also delivers the ability for analysts to create Insights based on their own environmental factors and then save, label, comment and re-use them for future detection and investigation. An Anomaly Timeline shows the temporal relationship of anomalies included in any given Insight.

For more information about Anomaly Detective or to start a free trial you can visit the Prelert website.

Photo Credit: ollyy/Shutterstock

Google loses Right to Be Forgotten appeal in France

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 2:06pm CEST par Mark Wilson

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France has rejected an appeal from Google about last year's Right to Be Forgotten ruling. A previous ruling said that when Google received requests from European citizens to remove search results linking to stories deemed "inadequate, irrelevant, or no longer relevant", the removals should be applied worldwide.

Google disagreed, saying that removals should be limited to country-specific Google domains like Google.co.uk and Google.fr, leading to the appeal. But the president of the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés, Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, said that rather than amounting to censorship, imposing global removals would help to prevent circumventions of the ruling.

Having lost the appeal, Google must now remove thousands of entries from Google.com as French law does not give the company the right for further appeal. The Guardian explains that if Google fails to comply, fines could be levied against Google, who would then be able to appeal against the financial penalty.

A statement from the commission says:

Contrary to what Google has stated, this decision does not show any willingness on the part of the CNIL to apply French law extraterritorially. It simply requests full observance of European legislation by non-European players offering their services in Europe.

Google is not happy with the ruling, saying:

We've worked hard to implement the 'right to be forgotten' ruling thoughtfully and comprehensively in Europe, and we'll continue to do so. But as a matter of principle, we respectfully disagree with the idea that one national data protection authority can assert global authority to control the content that people can access around the world.

Inateck USB hub and Ethernet adapter improves ultrabooks' usability [Review]

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 2:01pm CEST par Ian Barker

Inateck USB hub Ethernet adaptor adapter

More and more devices now either connect through, or are powered by, USB connections which means you can easily find yourself running out of ports. This is especially true of the latest slimline ultrabook type systems.

Adding a USB hub is an easy way of expanding your number of ports and these latest offerings from Inateck give you a choice of solutions as well as a handy way of accessing wired networks.

Both versions -- the HB4102 and the HB4103 -- share the same size aluminium body which gives them a smart look with a nice solid feel whilst remaining light. Both support the latest USB 3.0 standard for 5 Gbps transfers -- that’s around ten times faster than USB 2.0 for those who are interested in these things. It is of course backwards compatible with earlier kit.

The HB4102 has four USB ports, three on top and one on the end panel, and connects via a standard USB socket. The HB4103 offers three USB ports on top as before, but the end panel now carries an Ethernet connection. Both are also available in ‘C’ versions to connect via a USB Type-C port, as found on the new MacBook for example, rather than standard USB.

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They’re powered solely by USB so there’s no additional mains adapter required. The hardwired connection cables are quite short though -- about 30cm -- which means they’re better suited to use with laptop than desktop systems. There’s a white LED on top to indicate that the hub is active though this is a bit hard to see against the aluminium body.

The Inateck HB4102 is a nicely made USB hub, but it’s the HB4103 that’s likely to have more appeal to business users because of that Ethernet port. It’s not there to allow you to connect a NAS box or network printer, it acts as a gigabit Ethernet adaptor so you can use it to connect a PC to a router or to an office network.

Extra LEDs on this model show network activity. For devices like Chromebooks and MacBooks that don’t have a wired Ethernet port it’s a good option. The C version is compatible with Mac OS 10.6 without needing any drivers, settings can simply be handled from the Mac’s Network menu.

Combine HB4103 with a mini-USB adaptor and you can use the Ethernet port to connect to a wired network with a phone or tablet too. The advantage being that it will give you a faster connection than Wi-Fi for streaming or uploading large files, and allow you to connect if no Wi-Fi is available. It supports the 802.3az energy efficient Ethernet standard to reduce power consumption.

The HB4102 costs $11.99 on Amazon. The HB4103 costs $24.99 (or $28.99 for the HB4103C version). More information and technical specs can be found on the Inateck site.

Can't access a file, folder, or Registry key? MicEnum shows why (maybe)

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 2:00pm CEST par Mike Williams

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Windows integrity levels are a key element of your PC’s security, often manipulated by malware, and one reason why you sometimes can’t access files, folders or Registry keys. But most users don’t even know they exist, because there’s no standard graphical interface for viewing them.

MicEnum is a free portable tool which makes it easy to browse the integrity levels for files, folders and Registry keys, scan for anomalies, and -- in some situations -- even change them.

The program opens in a "Folder view" tab, an Explorer-type pane listing your drives, folders and files, and their integrity levels. A "Registry view" tab displays your Registry tree, again with the integrity level of each key, typically "Medium" (standard users) or "High" (administrators).

One immediate plus is that objects above your integrity level will be marked "Access is denied", ensuring they’re visible at a glance, and you’ll at least know that there’s a system-level issue in accessing them.

Malware will sometimes alter integrity levels to gain more privileges, so it’s useful to pay attention to these higher level files.

You would expect system components and your Windows folders to have plenty of High Integrity items, but if there are inaccessible object in your Temp folders (or some other more general location) and you can’t explain why, that might need further explanation.

For a more general check, right-click a folder or Registry key and click Scan. MicEnum then crawls that entire tree and expands anything which hasn’t inherited the integrity level of its parent.

If you see something which is marked as High Integrity, or inaccessible, and you can’t see why it needs that level of access, then check out the files to find out what they are.

Mismatched integrity levels could indicate deeper problems which explain why an application isn’t running properly. (Uninstall, reinstall, and check the integrity levels again, maybe.)

Right-clicking an object gives you an option to change its integrity level, although this only works if you’re able to access it. And even then, is probably best ignored unless you really, really, really know what you’re doing.

There are also options to save the current "session" -- the integrity details -- and reload them later. This could be handy for dumping the details of someone else’s system, then analyzing them on another machine.

MicEnum isn’t something you’ll need every day, but just being able to see inaccessible objects at a glance can be useful sometimes. Grab a copy for your troubleshooting toolkit.

Who you gonna call? Ghost Push Android virus infects 600,000 people a day

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 12:15pm CEST par Ian Barker

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If you frequent Android forums you'll probably have seen references to 'Monkey Test' and 'Time Service' as users report that it's hard to get rid of these apps.

Researchers at Cheetah Mobile's CM Security Research Lab have discovered that the source of these apps is a virus called 'Ghost Push'. This installs unwanted and annoying apps on the device and can't be removed easily even by doing a factory reset or using normal antivirus software.

Disguised as legitimate apps, the malware can spread itself widely via commercial SDKs or browser ads. Once a Ghost Push infection is active, it will automatically be able to root the device and download apps without the user's permission. This will slow down the system as well as consuming large amounts of data. CM Security says it's the most widespread and infectious virus it's seen to date. So far it's been affecting 600,000+ users per day.

The virus is mainly spread through Europe, Russia, the Middle East region, and southern China. So far 39 apps have been discovered that contain Ghost Push and it has affected 14,847 phone types and 3,658 brands.

The virus has so far not affected apps from the Google Play store so if your device is set to not download apps from third-party locations you should be safe.

For more information on the infection and how to remove it you can visit the Cheetah Mobile blog.

Photo Credit: Dmitrijs Bindemanis/Shutterstock

New solution helps avoid account lockouts

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 11:13am CEST par Ian Barker

Being locked out of your account because you mistyped your password is not only frustrating, it takes up valuable IT staff time as it has to be treated as a genuine security threat and investigated before resetting.

Behavior analytics specialist Exabeam has produced a solution to the account lockout problem that uses machine learning to model lockout behavior and apply that logic and related rules to its latest release.

This also records how many times a user has been locked out in the past so companies can add that information to the user's behavior history.

"Exabeam Version 2.0 empowers companies to maintain strict security policies without relegating their security teams to futile, endless lockout investigations triggered by everyday user errors," says Nir Polak, Exabeam's CEO. "Separating true security risk from accidental lockouts is no longer a full-time job".

Other features of the latest Exabeam include user watchlists, allowing admins to create arbitrary lists of employees and contractors that will require special monitoring. For example, a customer might create a watchlist of all users whose systems had malware within the past month, to detect potential re-infection.

Exabeam v2.0

Security alert searches allows the entry of an alert from another security product and the ability to view a timeline of all users and activities connected to that alert. It can also use organizational information to automatically identify all machines -- laptops, smartphones, etc -- used by company executives, to enable special data monitoring rules as required.

Exabeam 2.0 will be on display at Splunk.conf15 in Las Vegas this week or you can find out more on the company's website.

Image Credit: Gunnar Pippel/Shutterstock

Apple cleans up the App Store after serious malware attack

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 11:06am CEST par Mark Wilson

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Apple has started a clean-up operation of the Chinese version of its App Store after it was flooded with apps infected with XcodeGhost malware. The problem was not detected by Apple, but a number of security firms who discovered various malicious iPhone and iPad apps littering the Store.

The apps made their way past Apple's usually-rigorous vetting process after developers were tricked into using a counterfeit version of the Xcode tool to create them. The attack has been described as "a pretty big deal" although at this stage there are no reported instances of data theft or attacks on victims.

Apple spokeswoman Christine Monaghan said: "We've removed the apps from the app store that we know have been created with this counterfeit software. We are working with the developers to make sure they’re using the proper version of Xcode to rebuild their apps". Reuters reports that high-profile apps were targeted, including Uber clone Didi Kuaidi, and chat app WeChat.

Apple's wall-garden approach in the App Store has previously kept problems with malicious apps to a minimum. But the approach used this time around -- attacking developers rather than users -- highlights a weakness that could be exploited again.

Chinese security firm Qihoo360 Technology said that it had detected 344 apps infected with XcodeGhost. Apple has not yet provided users with any information about how to check their iPhones and iPads to see if they are infected.

Photo credit: TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock

Worried about Windows 10 privacy? Use Linux

Publié: septembre 21, 2015, 12:27am CEST par Brian Fagioli

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Windows 10 is a wonderful operating system. Every day, I boot a computer running Microsoft's latest operating system to get work done. On the surface, everything is peachy-keen. Sadly, under the hood, there are some legitimate privacy concerns. There is a bunch of information being sent to Microsoft, and you may not even know it. This has caused programs like the wonderful O&O ShutUp10 to be created.

Luckily, Windows is not the only game in town, folks. Actually, there are many wonderful operating systems available to you at no charge. Unlike Windows 10, where it is only free with a prior licence, most Linux-based operating systems are entirely free. Period. If you want to try one of these open-source operating systems, you may be confused as to where to start. Don't worry, I am here to help. Here are the distributions and software you should use.

A good place to get started in selecting a distro (short for "distribution" and meaning operating system) is the wonderful DistroWatch. This site can alert you to new operating systems, information about the top choices and show you where to download them. The problem, you see, is that beginners will get confused quickly by all the choices. Plus, some operating systems are more appropriate for beginners than others.

To keep things simple, I am going to recommend only two, both of which are great. My top choice is Netrunner 16, with the second being Linux Mint 17.2 Cinnamon. I have highlighted these particular operating systems because Windows users should be fairly comfortable in them. Both the Cinnamon and KDE desktop environments are straightforward with a very slight learning curve.

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The reason I make the lesser-known Netrunner my top pick, is the amount of pre-loaded software and overall polish geared towards the user experience. No doubt, you want software like web browsers, image editors and office suites, and this operating system comes with all of that ready "out of the box". It comes with a whole lot more actually, including games and other goodies.

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If you want to surf the web, many Linux-based operating systems, including Netrunner and Mint, will ship with Firefox. Mozilla's web browser is wonderful, and I suggest using it. If you prefer Google Chrome, no worries -- that can be installed too. Since both Netrunner and Mint are based on Ubuntu, you can install the typical .deb installation files, which Google supports.

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Are you a Microsoft Office user? Well, I have good and bad news. The good news is, there is an alternative called Libreoffice. The bad news? It is not as good as Office. You know what? For home users, that is probably OK. If you want basic word processing and the occasional spreadsheet for budgeting, Libreoffice is free and wonderful. If you are a professional who depends on SharePoint and Microsoft Office integration, Linux and Libreoffice just aren't for you.

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If you are an amateur Photoshop user, or just curious about advanced image editing and manipulation, Adobe's software is not available for Linux. You know what is though? Gimp, which stands for "GNU Image Manipulation Program". It is very powerful software which, like most Linux software, is totally free. There is plenty of documentation and support online, so you can learn, or even master it, if you try. Best of all, it is also available on Windows and OS X, so if you switch operating systems in the future, your knowledge will not be wasted.

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Believe it or not, there are other popular Windows software available as Linux versions too. Which ones? How about Skype for communications, VLC for video, Spotify for music, and Steam for gaming. Part of the fun of Linux is discovering all of the amazing programs that are available. Go ahead and jump in -- you will enjoy yourself and learn at the same time.

If you want to try either of my suggested distros, you can download them below. For most modern computers, you should get the 64-bit versions.

Back to the Windows 10 privacy issue for a moment. Am I worried about it? Not really -- I think it is very overblown. Will I stop using Microsoft's operating system? Hell no. With that said, it is always good to have choice, and Linux offers that. If you feel uncomfortable with the confusing privacy settings, that is totally understandable, and your feelings are valid. You should be comfortable and anxiety free with your computing.

Are you concerned about Windows 10 privacy settings? Will you jump to Linux? Tell me in the comments.

Photo credit: Viachaslau Kraskouski / Shutterstock