Apple’s Mac OS-X and iOS operating systems have traditionally been highly resistant to malware, leaving bad actors to concentrate their efforts on infecting individual components of a desktop, such as the Safari web browser. For years, the prevailing wisdom has been that Apple hardware or software simply can’t be infected by viruses or other malicious software – a view that … Read More
The Use of Blockchain in Healthcare – How Can Technology Keep Health Data Secure and Private?
Blockchain technology is being proposed as a means of preserving the integrity and confidentiality of stakeholder information in the health sector. Individuals and organizations in the healthcare industry are making increasing use of the cloud, to cut down on management costs and data access times. This comes at a potential cost in data security, if cloud services are poorly delivered … Read More
How Companies Will Handle Social Media eDiscovery
Enterprise eDiscovery now has to factor social media into its makeup. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social platforms contribute on a daily basis to the enterprise data stream. And when that information is called for in a legal context, organizations must have appropriate measures in place to comply with requests for access. These measures, in turn, have to cover the … Read More
Why Tech Companies Are Resistant to Adding Backdoors
So-called “backdoors” built into application software, hardware, and operating systems can be the breaking point for end-to-end and device-based encryption, access controls, and other security measures put in place to protect desktop and mobile devices. And they’re a mechanism that government and law enforcement agencies across the globe are putting increasing pressure on manufacturers, vendors, and online service providers to … Read More
How Will Anti-Encryption Laws Affect Users?
The increasing reliance by consumers worldwide on encrypted messaging platforms, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), and data protection algorithms at personal and business levels has prompted a backlash from several governments, in the form of draft legislation and some currently active sets of anti-encryption laws. It’s claimed that these statutes are being proposed in the public interest, as the same sets … Read More
How Dangerous Are Potentially Unwanted Applications or PUA’s?
Corporate employees or private users whose systems or devices come with pre-installed software usually aren’t concerned with knowing exactly what programs they have, as long as they can do their jobs or use their hardware without any complications. But if your system contains or installs pre-packaged or bundled software, it may be at risk from Potentially Unwanted Applications. What Are … Read More
CPU Vulnerabilities – How Flaws Can Lead to Exploits
As we’ll see in a moment, design flaws and other weaknesses in the central processing unit or CPU of a computer or mobile device can create and have in fact produced a number of vulnerabilities that are causing concern to hardware manufacturers and users the world over. They have reason to worry because, in the assessment of Google, “effectively every” … Read More
TLS 1.3 – How Will It Impact Secure Web Communications?
Building on the legacy of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption protocols, the recently ratified TLS 1. 3 looks to set a new standard for secure web communications and online application deployment. As we’ll see, improvements in security aren’t all that TLS 1. 3 has to offer. But there are technical considerations which are likely … Read More
Big Tech – A Look at How Big Firms, Employers and Governments Violate Privacy
Big tech companies, major employers, and government agencies all have a vested interest in monitoring activities and collecting data – but the privacy of the people concerned in these information gathering exercises may often be disregarded, or abused. Players in the “big tech” arena have had a checkered history with regard to data privacy matters. But recent changes in European … Read More
How to Prevent Web Browsers from Cryptojacking
In what’s become a worrying and growing trend, private and corporate web browsers are increasingly being co-opted as tools for generating cryptocurrency, via a process known as cryptojacking. This trend comes in response to the massive growth of cryptocurrencies – digital units of exchange that use encryption and blockchain technology to authenticate currency owners and validate transactions. The sometimes ridiculously … Read More