Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » octobre 7, 2015

BetaNews.Com (20 non lus)

Malware targeting Microsoft Outlook Web App is after your password

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 8:32pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

A newly discovered malware targets Microsoft’s Outlook Web App, the company’s web-based email client. The news was unveiled by security firm Cybereason, which said the advanced persistent threat (APT) can enable patient attackers to steal an organization’s email passwords over time.

By using this approach, the hackers managed to collect and retain ownership over a large set of credentials, allowing them to maintain persistent control over the organization’s environment, Cybereason says.

The company found the malware after an organization’s IT team spotted "behavioral abnormalities" in its email servers.

The security firm goes on explaining the malware: "The Cybereason platform found a suspicious DLL loaded into the Outlook Web App (OWA) server (a webmail component of Microsoft Exchange Server), with several interesting characteristics. Although it had the same name as another benign DLL, the suspicious DLL went unsigned and was loaded from a different directory. Since OWA servers typically load only legitimately signed DLLs, the Cybereason behavioural engine immediately elevated this event to a suspicion".

Cybereason says the attack is important, as whoever has access to the OWA server, owns the organization’s domain credentials:

"The attack on OWA is significant", claims Cybereason, because OWA authentication is based on domain credentials. "Whoever gains access to the OWA server becomes the owner of the entire organisation’s domain credentials", it says.

"The hackers installed a back-doored malicious OWAAUTH.DLL which was used by OWA as part of the authentication mechanism, and was responsible for authenticating users against the Active Directory (A/D) server used in the environment. In addition, the malicious OWAAUTH.DLL also installed an ISAPI filter into the IIS server, and was filtering HTTP requests".

"This enabled the hackers to get all requests in cleartext after SSL/TLS decryption. The malware replaced the OWAAUTH by installing an IIS filter in the registry, which enabled the malware to automatically load and persist on every subsequent server restart", adds Cybereason.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: Jirsak/Shutterstock
Beats Pill+ is an elegant Bluetooth speaker with Apple Lightning connector

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 7:11pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

As someone who just bought an iPhone, I find myself investing in Lightning cables. I needed one for my car, one for my backpack, one for my office and one for bedside charging. Apple's cables are well-designed, so I don't mind it, but many accessories, such as mobile keyboards and speakers, charge with micro USB. it would be nice if more things used Apple's connector.

Today, Beats by Dr. Dre, an Apple-owned company, announces the Beats Pill+. This Bluetooth speaker looks elegant, and should offer wonderful sound. The really cool aspect, however, is that it charges using a Lightning cable.

"The Beats Pill+ is slightly larger than the original Beats Pill speaker, allowing for a bigger and fuller sound. The stereo active 2-way crossover system creates an optimized sound field for dynamic range and clarity across all genres of music. Tweeter and woofer separation uses the same acoustic mechanics found in professional recording studios around the world", says Beats by Dr. Dre.

The Apple-owned company further explains, "the Beats Pill+ speaker has a 12-hour battery life to stay charged on the go. The lightning cable and power supply provide a quick full charge in just 3 hours. Keep track of your power levels with the fuel gauge so you always know how much battery is left and use the USB port to charge out".

Yes, you are reading that correctly -- you can charge your device using the full-size USB port on the speaker. In other words, it doubles as a battery bank. This could be very handy in an emergency situation. Heck, even if you just want to game and check social media, the extra juice can be a godsend.

Also impressive is the Beats Pill+ app, available for iOS and Android. It is very cool that an Apple company has thought to include users of Google's mobile operating system. This app will allow you to control the speaker, including linking two together or altering the sound settings.

The price is actually very reasonable at $229 and will be available directly from Apple.com and other retailers like Best Buy and Target in November. You can get it in black or white -- both colors look pretty.

While some people find it fashionable to put down Beats by Dr. Dre gear, I find the quality to be very good, including from its awesome headphones. The Pill+ should be no different. Expect this to be a very popular Holiday Shopping gift for both Christmas and Hanukkah.
Sony to spin off semi-conductor business

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 6:04pm CEST par Phoebe Jennelyn Magdirila

In an aim to grow its image sensors business, Sony Corp has said that it will be splitting off its semiconductors operations, the strongest business unit for the electronics maker.

In its announcement, Sony said it will be establishing Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp and will begin operations in April 2016, a move that was part of the company’s undertaking to give autonomy to its business units in picking up speed in its decision-making and making it more accountable for its profitability.

Sony Semiconductor Corp and Sony LSI Design, which handle manufacturing and design for this portion of the business, will become subsidiaries of this new company.

The sensor business is popular among both camera and smartphone manufacturers. Sony’s sensors, used in smartphones such as Apple’s iPhone, have helped lead a turnaround at the company in the past year as its other business segments, such as its TV and smartphone units, struggled.

Sony said in April that it would spend 45 billion yen ($374 billion), on top of a 105 billion yen investment announced in February, to increase its sensor production capacity this fiscal year. The company also aims to expand its sensors into automobile-related products, which is seen to be a growing industry.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Pandora buys Ticketfly, plans to bring artists to the fans

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 5:07pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

Regardless of what genre of music you like, concerts are a fun way of enjoying the sound first hand. Studio albums are great, but there's something to be said for the live experience. Pandora seems to agree and wants to begin making this connection between fans and artists.

The streaming service has announced the acquisition of Ticketfly, which is one of the leading ticket sellers online. It claims to have booked "over 16 million tickets to more than 90,000 events".

Pandora is joining forces with them in an effort to get its listeners out to see the shows they've been jamming to. "It’s the perfect solution for listeners, artists, promoters and club owners, bringing the power of scale and personalization to bear on the working musician’s most intractable problem".

Pandora founder Tim Westergren relates an anecdote to illustrate that problem, telling how he and his band drove to a show but were told they couldn't play because they hadn't sold enough tickets -- they were only a few short and had traveled 400 miles for nothing.

The service will use its listener base to combine with the ticket service to send targeted messages to people who listen to a particular artist when a show comes around in their area.

"For listeners this is going to mean a personalized flow of local shows they love, with simple ticketing and no obscene fees. And for artists, it means a huge step towards sustainability. Revenue from live music is the lifeblood of most performers, typically representing 80 percent of their earnings. We can materially increase that revenue, and just as importantly, put an end to demoralizing shows to half-empty rooms", Westergren concludes.
Google will crank the mobile web up to warp speed with Accelerated Mobile Pages

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 5:03pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Google today announced a project which has the aim of speeding up the web for mobile users -- Accelerated Mobile Pages, or AMP. While there are clearly benefits for users in speeding up the web, Google is pushing the benefits that advertisers could reap: if a page takes too long to load, visitors may give up and not see any ads at all.

The AMP project is an open source initiative that gives publishers the ability to optimize their site code for mobiles so it will "load instantly everywhere". The aim is to be as platform independent as possible, allowing for optimize-once workflow. The result of a collaboration between Google, Twitter, WordPress, LinkedIn and others, a new open framework called AMP HTML has been put together from existing web technologies.

If the idea of pages loading "instantly" seems a little far fetched, Google says that smart caching and prediction help to facilitate it. As this is an architecture built with existing tools, publishers are free to continue creating and hosting their own content without having to worry about using new templates. The AMP Project website not only explains how the technology works and why it came about, but also demonstrates AMP HTML in action.

The framework is an extension of the idea of pre-rendering pages:

Browsers have long supported pre-rendering through the <link rel=prerender> tag, but they need to be conservative about this mechanism because prerendering can be expensive. With AMP HTML we added the ability to tell a document: render yourself, but only as far as what is visible above the fold and only elements which are not CPU intensive to minimize the cost of pre-rendering. With this mechanism in place, referrers of AMP document can initiate rendering of docs before the user acts much more aggressively, so that in many cases the document will be done rendering by the time the user clicks.

At the moment it is possible to speed up page load times by 15 to 85 percent, but as more work is done on optimizing the ecosystem, everyone using AMP HTML will automatically benefit -- no need to go back and change code.

Google says that it already has nearly 30 publishers on board, and more will join the project as it develops and spreads. The company also says that a "core goal" of the AMP project is to support paywalls and subscriptions, giving publishers more ways to monetize their sites.

If you're interested in getting started with AMP, the resources you need are on GitHub.

Photo credit: Creativemarc / Shutterstock
Qualys launches customizable security assessment questionnaires

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 4:57pm CEST par Ian Barker

With ever increasing regulatory requirements, guidelines and standards it's hard for businesses to ensure that they're following everything correctly. Add in the need to ensure compliance from third-party vendors too and it can become a major headache.

Cloud based security specialist Qualys is about to help streamline things by announcing the general availability of customizable questionnaires as a new addition to its suite of integrated services.

Qualys Security Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) enables organizations to assess business processes and vendor risk by centrally capturing all relevant information, therefore reducing time and cost. In addition, this new service allows companies to demonstrate compliance against internal policies, standards and mandates such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, COBIT and ISO 27001/2.

"Organizations must adhere to hundreds of constantly evolving regulatory requirements, standards and guidelines, and ensure that third-party vendors follow them as well," says Philippe Courtot, chairman and CEO of Qualys, Inc. "Until now the task was largely a manual process managed via email and spreadsheets. Qualys SAQ has turned a previously tedious and decentralized process into a streamlined, simple and repeatable one managed entirely online".

SAQ is a cloud-based solution that systematically gathers risk data, compliance information and evidence files. It addresses both the procedural and technical requirements of security and compliance. The package includes the ability to create custom templates by importing questions or can use out-of-the-box campaigns to assess risk and compliance requirements.

A questionnaire template can be assigned to specific users or groups. Questionnaire results can also be grouped together to simplify the management of multiple ongoing surveys. Results can be monitored via campaign progress tracking and customizable dashboards, reflecting vendor risk and compliance posture.

You can find more information and request a free trial on the Qualys website.

The company today also announced a beta app for the ServiceNow configuration management system that will automatically update the ServiceNow Configuration Management Database (CMDB) with any asset discovered by Qualys, and with up-to-date information on existing assets. This will give ServiceNow users full visibility of their global IT assets on a continuous basis.

"Every unidentified or misclassified asset and every delay in securing it invites security breaches," says Courtot. "Our highly distributed cloud-oriented architecture enables us to provide a real-time view of an organization’s global assets across on premise infrastructures, elastic cloud environments and endpoints. This seamless integration with the ServiceNow CMDB provides users full visibility of their global assets within the ServiceNow environment".

More details on this can be found on the Qualys blog.

Image Credit: pichetw / Shutterstock
People rating app Peeple disappears

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 4:55pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

The, uhm, app for people rating, has disappeared from the web. This is news because, as you might imagine, it is very hard for something to completely disappear from the internet.

The app, called Peeple, gained a lot of media attention recently, as it was dubbed "Yelp for People". Yelp is an app where people can rate restaurants, hotels and stuff like that. A lot of feedback was negative and threatening, as the app was seen as a huge platform for online bullying.

Now, the complete business has disappeared. The website is offline, and the app’s Facebook and Twitter pages seem to have been removed.

Few people who have been able to connect to the website have been met with a landing page that reads "Join the positive revolution #oct12", which hints the app could make a return, IB Times wrote in a report.

One of the app’s founders wrote a blog post a few days back, trying to defend the app against the raging mob also known as everyone, everywhere.

"Since the interview with The Washington Post, I’ve received death threats and extremely insulting comments aimed at me, my investors, and my family on almost every social media tool possible", said Julia Cordray in her blog post. "I hope now if nothing else by watching me you can clearly see why the world needs more love and positivity".

Cordray said Peeple would work on a 100 percent opt-in system, with no one being put on the platform without their permission and that there would be no 48-hour waiting period to remove negative comments.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
90 percent of companies have suffered at least one cyber attack

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 3:38pm CEST par Ian Barker

According to the latest survey by Kaspersky Lab, 90 percent of companies have suffered a cyber attack and for larger businesses the cost could be as much as half a million dollars.

Of the 5,500 companies surveyed nearly half, 46 percent of businesses, lost sensitive data due to an internal or external security threat.

The average cyber attack for enterprise incurs costs of up to $73,000 for professional services, up to $58,000 in lost business opportunities and up to $420,000 in downtime. Smaller companies suffer too and average cyber attack costs of up to $38,000 can prove crippling.

As well as the direct costs of an attack organizations both large and small need to address staffing, training and IT infrastructure upgrades to prevent future incidents from occurring. Those costs could be up to $69,000 for an enterprise and up to $8,000 for a small business. It's also important to factor in the reputational damage that an organization can suffer as a result of a cyber attack, which could total up to $204,750 for an enterprise and up to $8,653 for a small business.

"Businesses have known for a long time that any cyberattack has its consequences, but the high costs associated with addressing a cyberattack after an incident occurs is quite alarming," says Chris Doggett, managing director of Kaspersky Lab North America. "These numbers should serve as a wakeup call for both large and small businesses. IT security needs to become a more common priority for organizations and it is our hope that these numbers will motivate businesses to take the necessary steps to implement effective cybersecurity technology and strategies to prevent having to pay an enormous cybersecurity bill".

Despite the scale of threats many businesses are still not doing enough to protect themselves from what could be a financially crippling attack. Only 50 percent of IT professionals surveyed listed prevention of security breaches as one of their three major IT concerns and 44 percent of businesses have not implemented anti-malware solutions to prevent them.

More detail, including the types of threat most likely to lead to a security breach, can be found in the full IT Security Risks report available from the Kaspersky site.

Photo credit: Tashatuvango/Shutterstock
Everything you need to know about Microsoft's Windows 10 hardware event

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 3:25pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Microsoft's Windows 10 hardware event has been an impressive tour de force, as we have seen the company reveal a significant number of exciting new products. The focus has been on Surface and Lumia devices, but we have also seen Band and HoloLens pushed into the spotlight. And we cannot forget about the news surrounding Windows 10.

Since it can be hard to keep track of everything that Microsoft has talked about, we have crammed everything you need to know about its Windows 10 hardware event into a single article.

New Lumias: Two Flagships and an Entry-Level Model

Windows Phone fans have been waiting for new Lumia flagships for well over a year and a half, and, thankfully, Microsoft's new Windows 10 Mobile ambassadors, Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, do not disappoint.

Lumia 950 is likely to appeal to more consumers, thanks to its more pocketable size. It has a 5.2-inch WQHD OLED display, hexa-core 1.8 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 20 MP main camera with optical image stabilization and dual LED flash capable of recording 4K video, 32 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, USB-C connector, and a price tag of just $549.

Lumia 950 XL is Microsoft's flagship phablet, as this shows when reading the specs: 5.7-inch WQHD OLED display, octa-core 2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 20 MP main camera with optical image stabilization and triple LED flash (also capable of recording 4K video), 32 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, USB-C connector, and a higher price tag of $649.

Both smartphones go on sale in November, with Windows 10 Mobile on board and support for Continuum mode. The last feature allows users to hook up their Lumia 950 or Lumia 950 XL to a monitor and use their devices like they would a PC. Only one app at a time can be displayed on the monitor, and a display dock will be needed to enable this functionality.

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL are not the only new smartphones to be announced at the event, as Microsoft also (briefly) talked about Lumia 550. It is the software giant's new budget Windows 10 Mobile device, coming in at just $139.

Microsoft Lumia 550 is seen at Windows 10 Devices Event, on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 in New York, New York. (Mark Von Holden/AP Images for AP Images for Windows)

The main specs: 5-inch 720p display, 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor, 1GB of RAM, 5 MP camera on the back, 8 GB of internal storage, and a microSD card slot. It goes on sale a month after its big brothers, in December.

New Surface Devices: Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book

Microsoft has been expected to reveal a successor to its popular, yet aging Surface Pro 3 for some time now, but the completely new Surface Book comes as surprise.

Surface Pro 4 is, if you will, a Surface Pro 3 on steroids. It has a larger screen, faster processors, new configuration options and, obviously, Windows 10 out-of-the-box. The entry-level model also costs more. It also gets a new Surface Pen, with 1,024 points of pressure, an eraser at the top, and a magnet.

Here are the main specs: 12.3-inch display with a resolution of 2,736 by 1,824; Intel Core m3, Core i5 and Core i7 processor options; 4 GB, 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM; 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB SSD; Intel HD Graphics 515 (Core m3), HD Graphics 520 (Core i5) or Iris Graphics 520 (Core i7); Surface Pen; Wi-Fi 802ac; up to nine hours of battery life; Windows Hello camera: 8 MP rear camera; 5 MP front camera; stereo speakers; physical dimensions of 292.10 x 201.42 x 8.4 mm (11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 in) and a weight of 766 g (1.69 lbs, for Core m3 version) or 786 g (1.73 lbs, for other models).

Prices start at $899 for the entry-level model, and go all the way up to $2,199 for the top-of-the-line Surface Pro 4. And the keyboard is still listed as an accessory. It goes on sale on October 26.

Microsoft has revealed two new Type Cover keyboards, available in five color options, with backlit keys and a 40 percent larger, glass touchpad. One of them has a fingerprint scanner next to the touchpad, playing well with Windows 10's new security features. The model without this functionality goes for $129.99, while for the extra security option customers will have to shell out $159.99.

There is also a new docking station, which now packs two DisplayPorts capable of handling 4K monitors and four USB 3.0 ports. It costs $199, and is expected to ship on October 26. It is also compatible with Surface Pro 3 and Surface Book, which we're going to discuss below.

Surface Book is Microsoft's answer to high-end ultrabooks like Apple's 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. It looks like a high-end ultrabook, featuring a metal keyboard, connected through a hinge, that can be detached from the screen. So, you can use Surface Book like a tablet as well, if you want to.

The big features: 13.5-inch display with a resolution of 3,000 by 2,000; sixth-generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processors; Intel HD Graphics 520 and optional Nvidia GeForce graphics; 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM; 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB of internal storage; full-size keyboard with glass touchpad; Surface Pen; up to 12 hours of battery life; Windows Hello camera; 8 MP main camera; 5 MP secondary shooter; two full-size USB 3.0 ports; SD card reader; Mini DisplayPort; physical dimensions of 232.1 x 312.3 x 13.0-22.8 mm (9.14 x 12.3 x 0.51-0.90 in); weight of 1,515 g (1.6 lbs) with standard graphics, 1579 g (3.48 lbs) with optional Nvidia graphics. Without keyboard, it comes in at 220.2 x 312.3 x 7.7 mm (8.67 x 12.3 x 0.30 in) and 726 g (1.6 lbs).

Seeing as it is designed to be a premium device, it has a price-tag to match Microsoft's aspirations. It costs from $1,499 and goes all the way up to $2,699. It goes on sale on October 26.

The New Microsoft Band: Still Aimed at the Fitness Crowd

On top of all the aforementioned devices, Microsoft has also unveiled a new Band wearable. This model is sleeker than its predecessor, and also more powerful. It is priced at $249, and will go on sale on October 30.

What you need to know is that it is less bulky, battery life is said to be 48 hours, a full charge happens in under 90 minutes, and it is compatible with just about any smartphone released in the past couple of years: it has to run Windows Phone 8.1 Update or newer, iOS 8.1.2 or newer or Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or newer.

It can do more things than its predecessor, with one of the new features being a barometer. Uber, Subway, Men's Fitness, Runkeeper are among the new apps that will be offered for the new Band.

Software News: Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile and Universal Apps

Microsoft has revealed that Windows 10 has been installed on 110 million devices, up from 100 million at the end of September and 75 million at the end of August. The adoption rate is slowing down, however.

Also on the Windows 10 front, the Mobile version of the operating system will ship in December to existing Lumia smartphones, and, as previously revealed, it will roll out first to these smartphones.

As far as Universal Apps are concerned, Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile users can expect to see new apps from Facebook (Facebook, Messenger and Instagram) and other developers. Rumors about Google announcing support for Windows 10 have not panned out yet.

Some HoloLens Love

There is not much to say on the HoloLens front that you do not already know, with the exception of how much it will cost to get a development kit: that would be $3,000. Is it too much? You tell us.

What do you think of what Microsoft's announced?
Can your heartbeat be hacked?

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 3:15pm CEST par Max Silber

It’s human nature to want to ensure the safety and security of our loved ones, financials, and health. From more complicated tasks such as selecting the safest car seat for a child to simple safety routines like looking both ways before crossing the street, security in every sense is always top of mind for individuals.

The same goes for businesses, which not only have to secure intangible assets such as business-critical information, but are also focused on protecting physical assets like products and employees. As the shift toward a more mobile workforce continues, the influx of connected devices -- or the Internet of Things (IoT) -- is making it more difficult for businesses to protect and secure their assets. This is especially true for the healthcare industry, where the hype around the IoT overshadows the focus on implementing security protocols for connected devices.

Predicted to be a $117 billion industry by 2020, healthcare IoT is poised for tremendous market growth. Such growth reinforces the need for businesses to put advanced security measures in place to protect patient information being gathered in a medical facility or in the field. The influx of hacks and breaches on healthcare information (such as with Anthem Healthcare and Premera) only drives home the importance of protecting your healthcare business against security attacks.

Greater security starts with protecting from all angles

To effectively protect patients’ healthcare information, the first step for building an IoT security strategy is securing all of the connected devices in your mobile ecosystem. Already a hot topic, device security can mean instating measures from two-factor authentication and unique passwords, to locking capabilities such as fingerprint recognition all on one device to keep hackers out and sensitive information protected. These measures are the first line of defense, and can be achieved at a higher efficiency if the devices are corporate liable (provided by the business) versus bring-your-own-device, due to the lower level of mobile device management policies that can be put in place by the business.

The next, and arguably most important, step in safeguarding IoT devices is securing the network that they are connected to. From utilizing private Access Point Names (APNs) for IoT deployments or leveraging infrastructure that is connected to underlying service providers (such as AT&T or Verizon), there are defense protocols to meet when rolling out an IoT deployment across a network. Should the networks the devices are connected to have any "holes", they create an entry point for hackers to access the information stored on the device -- no matter how physically secure the device may be. Pertinent patient information, such as health records, are maintained on these devices and updated in the field as healthcare workers track vital signs, medications and more.

Moving forward, it will be a standard part of doing business to understand the ever-evolving security measures needed to keep the healthcare industry and its consumer information secure in the IoT. Predicted by Gartner to be at the peak of the inflated hype cycle, it’s clear that the Internet of Things is not just a subtle trend that will eventually fall off the map. In the healthcare industry, we’ve only just begun to see how the IoT will change the day-to-day for both doctors and patients alike.

The IoT provides many opportunities for businesses to operate more efficiently and at a lower budget, but this is only true if they have the proper security protocols in place. To ensure healthcare organizations achieve the most out of their IoT implementations, they need to secure both the devices and networks to which they are connected.

Image Credit: Aykut Erdogdu / Shutterstock

Max Silber is Vice President of Mobility at MetTel. He is responsible for the mobile division’s operations and business development initiatives. With 20 years of experience, he has served in a variety of product, sales, and business development positions with some of the world’s most innovative technology and telecommunications companies. Prior to joining MetTel, he served as senior vice president of business development for IDT Corporation, where he led the company’s managed services and mobility business unit. Prior to joining IDT, Mr. Silber was vice president of business development at Net2Phone Inc., and held similar management positions at Amtel and GTE Spacenet, Inc.
Large organizations struggle with end-user mobile computing

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 1:32pm CEST par Ian Barker

Large organizations are unsure of how to approach the concept of end-user computing as a cohesive strategy, and manage the proliferation of devices and their associated security risks.

This is among the findings of the 2015 Mobile Workforce Report published today by global ICT services company Dimension Data.

The study looked at 730 organizations employing 1000 or more staff in five regions, 11 countries and across 14 industries. The research was undertaken to understand the challenges that CIOs are facing when it comes to adopting a user-centric approach to doing business, and provide insights into strategies and habits influencing end-user computing.

Of those polled, 44 percent say they have incorporated enterprise mobility into a broader end-user computing strategy and have budget for end-user computing on multiple devices, while 13 percent have no end-user computing strategy in place.

On average, end-user computing accounts for 28 percent of the IT budget. The research indicates that almost two thirds (61 percent) of participants indicated that they are seeing return on investment from end-user computing initiatives, with a further 65 percent of organizations are seeing competitive advantage from their approach.

"The global workspace is changing along with where and how people work and perform their business functions," says Jaco Hattingh, Senior Vice President for Enterprise Mobility at Dimension Data. "We're seeing a growing number of organizations starting to embrace future forward working styles such as flexible time and ability to work remotely, which includes accessing the corporate network".

Among other findings are that mobile IT management and mobile applications are top initiatives for 2016. But many respondents do not have a comprehensive management solution for both phones and tablets (32 percent) or utilize a siloed approach to manage both PCs and smart devices (31 percent).

Security is the single top priority component of EUC among almost half (43 percent) of respondents, followed by IT Service Management. CIOs are the most prominent driver of strategic mobility initiatives within the business. However, they remain in a reactive state when it comes to end user computing, and are struggling to act strategically.

Meanwhile the modern worker expects access to anyone, anytime and anywhere, but 82 percent of organizations stated that a key obstacle facing end-user computing initiatives is protecting company data and providing a good user experience.

"It appears that the proliferation of employee-owned mobile devices has placed the IT department in a reactive state when it comes to management and enablement, leaving CIOs unable to respond strategically. Nevertheless, it's a vibrant and exciting time for end-user computing as organizations press ahead aggressively," Hattingh adds.

The full results of the study will be discussed at a virtual event on October 20th. You can find out more and register to attend on the Dimension website.

Image Credit: Syda Productions / Shutterstock
Easily transcribe media files with Listen N Write

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 1:05pm CEST par Mike Williams

If you need to transcribe a media file then you could just open it, click Play, launch Notepad and start typing.

That’ll work well, too, for about five seconds, until you have to start hitting Play/ Pause, stepping backwards or forwards, and generally spending more time switching between the apps than transcribing.

Listen N Write is a free portable application for Windows which uses several tricks to simplify the transcription process.

The program opens with two windows, a media player and a basic (but "good enough") text editor. Open your media file (audio or video), click Play and the program starts playback.

Listen N Write starts by playing 5 seconds of audio, then pauses for 2 seconds. You’re able to adjust these delays if you like, but they’re reasonable defaults which give you time to listen, start typing, but not feel overwhelmed by trying to keep up.

If you’re still typing at the end of the pause, Listen N Write waits until you’ve finished, and then it plays the next 5 seconds of audio and pauses again.

This does a lot to aid transcription all on its own, but you also get buttons and hotkeys to manually pause and resume playback, or jump backwards and forwards by a few seconds.

If it’s still too fast then you’re able to adjust playback speed to something more comfortable.

A Bookmark system enables key sections in the file to be marked for speedy recall later.

We found the default settings worked well, but if you have any problems then all the key delays and features can be tweaked in a click or two via the Options menu.

Listen N Write is available now for Windows XP and later.
Why buying a used mobile could get you more than you bargained for

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 12:46pm CEST par Ian Barker

If you buy a mobile device or a hard drive second hand are you buying the previous user’s data along with it?

A new study from data erasure company Blancco Technology Group and recovery specialist Kroll Ontrack suggests that in a high percentage of cases the answer is yes.

Based on an examination of 122 pieces of second-hand equipment, the study revealed that 48 percent of the hard disk drives and solid state drives looked at contained residual data. In addition over 2,000 leftover emails and more than 10,000 call logs, texts/SMS/IMs, photos and videos were retrieved from 35 percent of the mobile devices tested.

When the devices were examined in more detail researchers discovered that a deletion attempt had been made on 57 percent of the mobile devices and 75 percent of the drives that contained residual data. More worrying was the discovery that those deletion attempts had been unsuccessful due to common, but unreliable, methods being used, leaving sensitive information exposed and potentially accessible to cyber criminals. Residual data left on two of the second-hand mobile devices was significant enough to discern the original users' identities.

"Whether you're an individual, a business or a government/state agency, failing to wipe information properly can have serious consequences. One of the more glaring discoveries from our study is that most people attempt in some way or another to delete their data from electronic equipment," says Paul Henry, IT Security Consultant for Blancco Technology Group. "But while those deletion methods are common and seem reliable, they aren't always effective at removing data permanently and they don’t comply with regulatory standards. There’s no better example of this danger than the findings of a recent state audit, which found that 12 US state agencies responsible for handling taxes, programs for people with mental illness and driver's licenses used inadequate methods to attempt to wipe information. The big lesson for both businesses and consumers is to understand which deletion methods are effective and comply with regulatory standards and, most importantly, to be cautious of blindly trusting that simply ‘deleting’ data will truly get rid of it for good".

More information is available in the full Privacy for Sale report which is can be downloaded from the Blancco Technology site.

Image Credit: LovePHY / Shutterstock
YouTube Kids is a friendly, safe(ish) video browser

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 12:13pm CEST par Mike Williams

YouTube can be a great resource for young children, but there’s also a vast amount of adult content that you probably won’t want them to see.

The regular YouTube app and even the website can place some limits on what you access (Manage Subscriptions > Restricted Mode > On), but if that’s not enough then you might like to try Google’s official YouTube Kids app for Android.

Custom algorithms and some human reviewing cut out the vast majority of unsuitable material, organizing and presenting the rest in four main categories: Shows, Learning, Music and Explore.

If that’s too restrictive then there’s a "Search" tool which relies on algorithms alone, giving access to any child-friendly content, although also increasing the chance of finding something unsuitable. (Search can be disabled if that’s a problem.)

The interface is simple and straightforward, big buttons giving quick access to only the essential options, so kids will be using it happily within a minute or two.

Handy configuration options include a "time limit", allowing you to lock the app after your children have been watching for a defined amount of time.

Are apps like this a good idea? Well… That depends.

Yes, they do make your life simpler. Even very small children could keep themselves happily entertained for quite some time, with less chance of them stumbling across any inappropriate content.

YouTube Kids doesn’t offer any 100 percent guarantees, though, and there have already been some high profile complaints about disturbing content that’s turned up on the app occasionally.

As Google points out, "no algorithm is perfect" and it’s "no substitute for a parent": if you don’t have time to monitor what your kids are doing, then there’s an increased risk of them viewing something unsuitable.

There’s perhaps also an issue of exposure to advertising, as the app will not only display its own ads, but any from the content creators, as well.

YouTube Kids isn’t the perfect child minder, then, and it might not be something you want to use all the time. But it does provide a simpler, safer way to browse video content, and overall the app deserves a place in every parent’s internet toolkit.
Windows 10 sees people ditching IE -- but Chrome wins out, not Edge

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 12:02pm CEST par Mark Wilson

Launching a new web browser was always going to be a risk. Microsoft used Windows 10 as a launch pad for Edge, shedding the shackles of Internet Explorer in a bid to take on the likes of Chrome and Firefox.

Sadly for Microsoft, new figures show that Edge is failing to make inroads into Google's and Mozilla's market shares. Analysis performed by Quantcast shows that in the US just 12 percent of Windows 10 users are using Edge, while Chrome is sitting pretty with a greater than 70 percent share.

With Microsoft Edge the new default browser in Windows 10 -- and with 110 million installs -- it would be reasonable to expect that Microsoft's own web browser would be faring rather better. But Quantcast's figures show that Edge seems to have stolen Internet Explorer's crown as the web browser that is used to download another web browser.

Once Windows 7 and 8 are factored in, Edge's share shrinks further -- but so does Chrome's. Internet Explorer still accounts for around 20 percent of the market, but looking at the Windows 10 stats it is clear that people upgrading to the latest version of Windows are also using it as an opportunity to check out the browser competition. This is borne out by Chrome's larger share of Windows 10 users when compared to Windows 7, 8, and 10 combined.

Photo credit: Stanislaw Mikulski / Shutterstock
Russia orders Google to unbundle its apps on Android

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 11:58am CEST par David Curry

After three weeks of discussion over the punishment for Google, Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service has ordered the company to unbundle applications on Android.

The complaint, originally filed by Yandex, asked for a change to Google’s pre-installation of apps. Instead of Google deciding what apps should and shouldn’t be on a mobile, the manufacturer will be able to pick and choose from a variety of services.

This should, in theory, allow local app developers more of a chance to surpass Google. Yandex, a Russian search engine, will receive more acceptance from Russian mobile manufacturers.

It should also allow manufacturers to remove apps deemed unpopular in the country, offering more space for users to fill with their own favourite apps. Apps like Drive, Google Play Books, Movies, and Music could be booted off.

Google has until November 10 to fix the bundle problem. It may face a 1 to 15 percent revenue fine for the violations on services.

It is the first time Google has been found guilty in an antitrust case, and should bolster the European Commission’s own investigation. Search might be safe, but Google’s conduct on Android is definitely worth looking into for any anti-monopoly and antitrust organization.

Google has not responded to the ruling. We might see the company "pull out" of the country if it comes down to the wire, or implement some structural changes -- we doubt the entirety of Google services will be unbundled, at least for now.

Russia does have a huge Android market however, so working with the government may be advisable. Google is also working on returning to China, where it has been banned since 2011, which shows a new value on markets regardless of regulation, censorship, and surveillance.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: zwola fasola/Shutterstock
Windows 10 Mobile to launch in December

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 11:00am CEST par Mark Wilson

The next phase of the Windows 10 rollout will happen in December. We already know that the latest version of Microsoft's operating system is installed on millions of desktops and laptops, but the mobile version has been dragging its heels.

With the announcement of the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL which have Windows 10 Mobile pre-installed, owners of other devices have been left wondering when the upgrade will make it to their handset. Originally slated for a November launch, Microsoft has revealed on Facebook that the rollout will start in December.

As noticed by Brad Sims, Microsoft hardly made a great fuss about revealing this new information. Rather than making a well-publicized announcement, the revelation came via an answer to a question on the Microsoft Lumia Facebook page. Asked when Lumia owners could expect to receive the upgrade, the response was:

Windows 10 is available on PCs and tablets now, and while Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL ship with Windows 10 for phones, broad availability of Windows 10 on other devices, including mobile phones, will begin rolling out in December.

So now you know -- although it's not yet clear how far into December the launch date is, Microsoft is still hoping to get Windows 10 Mobile out of the door in 2015.
Microsoft's Windows 10 hardware event disappoints

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 9:34am CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

"Where’s the beef?" That iconic phrase from the annals of advertising yore is just one of the thoughts that come to mind after viewing the recent Windows 10 "Hardware Event" in New York. Microsoft had an opportunity to really "wow" the industry with something new and innovative. Instead, it served up a re-hash of technologies and trends that have been old news for months now:

Surface Pro 4 -- Evolutionary rather than revolutionary, which is a good thing if you’re hawking BMWs and want to keep last year’s customers from feeling cheated, but not so great if you’re trying to showcase true innovation. Performance bump? Modest. Weight reduction? Negligible. Fanless? Only on the lowest-end model, and even then you save very little on weight.

In fact, aside from "Windows Hello" support (which is a terrible idea in itself -- think "random airport screening"), there is nothing compelling about the Surface Pro 4. If anything, Microsoft has walked the design back in some areas, like the bezel size (smaller does not always equal better) and the removal of the Start button (the assault on thumb navigation continues). Oh, and wasn’t Surface Pro 4 supposed to get some sort of dynamic bezel resizing technology (the rumor mills also took a hit with this one)? Just meh.

Surface Book -- Aside from the stunningly unimaginative name, the Surface Book seems like a device full of superlatives -- just not the ones Microsoft might use: "It’s the fattest Surface ever, heavier than a pair of Surface 3s glued together and almost as ugly".

Could Microsoft have possibly made a more unattractive device? Coming from an iPad or even a Surface 3, the Surface Book looks plain clunky. That hinge. Those horrible serrated looking vents. The "muscle" locking mechanism (mixed organic/tech terms just sound "icky"). Surface Book is the "Ikea Coffee Table" of laptops, right down to the "lid" that doesn’t fully close (though that "teardrop" gap looks like a tempting place to try to store the Surface Pen).

To be sure, the Surface Book’s specifications are impressive -- for a hybrid device. However, that starting price point of $1499 ensures that only Tesla owners will be buying one. Everyone else will do like Sheldon Cooper and grab a nice, tricked-out Alienware laptop. And maybe an iPad.

HoloLens -- Cool demo. But how long before some poor PTSD-addled soul shoots up his local Starbucks because -- according to the Police Report -- he saw "giant alien spiders crawling out of the display case…you know, the one where they keep those stale $6 sandwiches".

Lumia Devices -- First, Microsoft should have never let the guy who think’s he’s "too cool for school" give a demo. The shtick was tired and the jokes fell flat. Then there was the clever weaving of CYA language into the presentation ("PC-like experience") so that, when customers realize how limited a solution like Continuum really is, the company will have an out (e.g. no running apps side-by-side in "desktop" mode). But the phones do look nice -- very "retro" of Microsoft to keep the drab Lumia styling of yesteryear alive and well in 2015.

Bottom Line: After so much hype, the "Windows 10 Hardware Event" was a huge disappointment. Microsoft lightly tweaked Surface Pro, introduced its obese cousin, and set the stage for either mass shootings or riots from frustrated mobile users (that object whizzing by your head was a Lumia 950XL after the owner realized she couldn’t snap Edge and Word together).

Photo credit: shpock/Shutterstock
Logitech Harmony adds even more home automation control

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 4:55am CEST par Alan Buckingham

Home automation is a catch phrase these days, though some of it is not quite ready for prime time. But things are improving all the time with new products being released at a rapid rate. Logitech's Harmony brand of remote controls has been at the forefront of controlling these devices.

Now, after adding things like the Nest thermostat, the company is announcing compatability with even more devices. This time around it's adding ZigBee and Z-Wave.

"Harmony Hub Extender also allows your Harmony Hub to join as another controller to existing Z-Wave networks. Popular Z-Wave networks that have been tested" include Wink, Pulse, Vera and Nexia. The hub also works with Schlage and other door locks, among other devices.

ZigBee light bulbs include GE Link, Osram Lightify and Cree. Switches and sensors work with both ZigBee and Z-Wave.

You can get a full list of devices compatible with the Harmony Home Hub by visiting here. There are quite a few of them, and the list keeps growing.
I'm sorry, Lumia fans, but Microsoft Continuum can't run two apps side-by-side

Publié: octobre 7, 2015, 12:27am CEST par Brian Fagioli

As one of the lucky people in attendance at today's Microsoft event in NYC, I was of course excited for a new Surface device -- I expected the "Pro 4", but was pleasantly surprised by the "Book". What I was particularly interested in trying, however, is Continuum. This is Microsoft's branding for using a smartphone as a PC. In other words, you connect a Lumia to a monitor, mouse and keyboard and have a desktop experience.

The good news is, I did get to try Continuum. The bad news? It is not yet ready to replace your PC. Unfortunately, there is one specific thing that makes it less than ideal. Sadly, you cannot run two apps side-by-side. That stinks.

Let's get the good out of the way -- Continuum works extremely well and should have a bright future. It works like this -- a box (Display Dock) is connected to a power source, monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Then, using a USB-C cable, you connect the Lumia to the aforementioned dock. Next, you are presented with a traditional Windows 10 desktop, at a max of 1080p.

On the surface (pun intended), you can run Windows apps, such as Office, and get work done; this is true. Unfortunately, Continuum, including the Lumia 950XL with its octa-core processor, cannot handle running two apps at once. Want to run Edge and Word side-by-side? No can do. Want to have Outlook and Excel opened on the screen at the same time? Sorry, dude.

Now, the programs can run simultaneously (in the background), so you can move between them, including copy and paste, but you can only have one on the screen at a time. Some apps will be full screen, and some only take up a part of the screen. Sometimes a big part of the screen is wasted, for instance the text-messaging app (one of Microsoft's own), is not optimized for the full screen. This is very frustrating, and a huge hit to productivity. You will need to master alt+tab or the task view switcher on the task bar.

The good news is, the Display Dock can handle flash drives for local media, but I couldn't get a straight answer if self-powered USB hard drives (meaning they don't use the USB bus for power and depend on an AC outlet) would work too. According to a Microsoft representative, drivers will be an issue, as only some hardware will work with Continuum; there is no list of supported devices. For instance, some USB printers will work, but not all -- it will be trial and error in the early stage I fear.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft reveals new Windows 10 Mobile flagships: Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL

Microsoft seems to be pushing the portability of Continuum and the Display Dock, but I'm not sold. One of the representatives tried to tell me how great it would be to bring to a hotel and plug into the HDMI of the TV. Why would I want to have such an uncomfortable setup with a limited OS as opposed to bringing a low-cost Windows 10 laptop?

The real benefit to Continuum could be in the future, if hotels, businesses and coffee shops have Display Docks set up all over the place, so the user can just sit down, dock their phone, and start working. This won't be for many years, however. Hopefully two apps can be displayed side-by-side by then.

Are you excited by Continuum knowing that you can't display two apps at once? Tell me in the comments.