IT Executive news

• A Brief History of Linux Malware

  11-12-2014 23:22
  
  Nobody’s immuneImage by ShutterstockAlthough not as common as malware targeting Windows or even OS X, security threats to Linux have become both more numerous and more severe in recent years. There are a couple of reasons for that – the mobile explosion has meant that Android (which is Linux-based) is among the most attractive targets for malicious hackers, and the use of Linux as a server OS for and in the data center has also grown – but Linux malware has been around in some form since w
  
  Read more

• IT Security Whiz Sets Sights on Commercial Drone Management

  11-12-2014 23:10
  
  The Federal Aviation Administration has taken a hard line so far against most commercial uses of unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones) for safety and privacy reasons. But one other good reason for taking things slowly is that the software for managing such drones has trailed hardware development.
  A new company called PixiePath seeks to address the software shortage by delivering SaaS-based tools for controlling fleets of commercial drones. Because of the FAA taking its time to outline ru
  
  Read more

• Net neutrality supporters disrupt FCC meeting

  11-12-2014 22:35
  
  About a dozen protestors calling on the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to pass net neutrality rules disrupted the commission’s meeting for a short time Thursday.Protestors shouting and carrying signs interrupted the beginning of the FCC’s meeting as commissioners were hearing from staff members, teachers and administrators about proposed changes to the agency’s E-Rate program, which subsidizes broadband service for schools and libraries.Protestors called on the FCC to vote to re
  
  Read more

• Cisco sees a data analytics fortune at the edge of the network

  11-12-2014 22:25
  
  If you need to know when holiday shoppers are about to hit the checkout stands or when store shelves need to be stocked, Cisco Systems says a router can tell you.The company that commercialized routers 30 years ago is now using them to bring big-data analysis to the edges of networks, where some types of data may be priceless for a few seconds but not worth storing or sending to a cloud.That’s one piece of Cisco Connected Analytics for the Internet of Everything, a set of new and existing c
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• David Arquette 'so excited' for sister - BlackburnNews.com

  11-12-2014 22:17
  
  David Arquette 'so excited' for sister
  BlackburnNews.com
  It's executive produced by Arquette and Courteney Cox under their Coquette Productions. Arquette said awards recognition "doesn't happen a lot" in show business, "so when things like that do happen it's really magical." "Once you've been in the ...
  
  and more »
  
  Read more

• Rick Mosca Joins Memex as Chief Operations Officer, USA, and Subscribes to ... - MarketWatch

  11-12-2014 22:06
  
  Rick Mosca Joins Memex as Chief Operations Officer, USA, and Subscribes to ...
  MarketWatch
  Mr. Mosca is an IT executive with special expertise in leading all facets of business including client facing revenue development, sales channel development, applications development and enterprise systems delivery. "I first became aware of Memex ...
  
  and more »
  
  Read more

• FCC requires higher speeds for broadband subsidies

  11-12-2014 22:00
  
  The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will require broadband providers getting new federal subsidies to build networks in rural areas to deliver download speeds of at least 10Mbps.The FCC on Thursday voted to update its rules for the Connect America Fund, the broadband subsidy program funded through fees on telephone service, with a major change being the increase in minimum download speeds from 4Mbps to 10Mbps from fixed broadband providers.Broadband providers AT&T and Verizon had o
  
  Read more

• David Arquette gushes over sister Patricia's Golden Globe nomination for ... - CTV News

  11-12-2014 21:58
  
  CTV News
  David Arquette gushes over sister Patricia's Golden Globe nomination for ...
  CTV News
  It's executive produced by Arquette and Courteney Cox under their Coquette Productions. Arquette said awards recognition "doesn't happen a lot" in show business, "so when things like that do happen it's really magical." "Once you've been in the ...
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• BrandPost: A Cure For The Mobility Blues (Or For A Shadow-IT Nightmare)

  11-12-2014 21:41
  
  As I’m sure you’ve noticed, employees love accessing and sharing data through mobile apps. Transferring data is suddenly easy, convenient, and fast, whether they’re in a car, a café, or working from home.
  For employees, it’s like a dream. But to the CIO, it’s more like a nightmare.
  Is it easy? Sure: It’s a snap for the engineering drawings of your company’s latest microchip to land in the lap of your competitors. For employee or customer Social Security numbers to find their w
  
  Read more

• FBI: The Top 3 Ways Congress Could Help Fight Tenacious Cyberthreats

  11-12-2014 21:35
  
  There certainly has been no shortage of cyber crime in 2014. You need look no further than the myriad problems outlined by Joseph Demarest, the FBI’s assistant director, Cyber Division touched on during testimony before a Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing on cyber security today.
  “The FBI is engaged in a host of efforts to combat cyber threats, from efforts focused on threat identification and sharing inside and outside of government, to our internal emphasi
  
  Read more

• Microsoft to Detail 'Next Chapter' of Windows 10 on January 21

  11-12-2014 20:57
  At the end of September, Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 with an eye toward the business market and productivity. In January, Microsoft said it would detail the “next chapter” of Windows 10, revealing new features for consumers.
  Microsoft announced that it would hold a Webcast and an in-person event in Redmond on Jan. 21, where chief executive Satya Nadella, plus senior executives in Microsoft’s Operating Systems division—Terry Myerson, Joe Belfiore and Phil Spencer—will discuss the
  
  Read more

• Microsoft keeps its word on developing consumer apps for Android, iOS

  11-12-2014 20:30
  
  Microsoft has ported some of its consumer apps to run on iOS, Android and Amazon devices, following through on its recent pledge to make select apps available on competing mobile platforms.MSN News, Food and Drink, Weather, Sports, Health and Fitness, and Money can downloaded free from Google Play and the app stores operated by Apple and Amazon, Microsoft said on Thursday, adding that the weather app will be available to iOS users “in the coming months.”These apps have been available to W
  
  Read more

• Ford SYNC 3 in Pictures: Ford's Infotainment System Gets a Sweeping, Phone-like Revamp

  11-12-2014 20:30
  If you’re stuck with the old SYNC…sorryImage by Image: FordIs anyone going to miss the old Ford SYNC? Probably not. It had a slow touchscreen, a clunky voice interface, and other shortcomings.
  
  Ford deserves tons of credit for being a pioneer in putting something akin to a real computer in a car. Still, it was high time for a change, and on Thursday the company announced SYNC 3, a completely revamped version that will start appearing on some 2016 models. Earlier cars, unfortunately, are
  
  Read more

• 'Agent Carter' Debuts Striking Series Poster - The Fandom Post

  11-12-2014 20:14
  
  The Fandom Post
  'Agent Carter' Debuts Striking Series Poster
  The Fandom Post
  It's executive produced by Christopher Markus, Steve McFeely, Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Jeph Loeb. Plot concept: It's 1946, and peace has dealt Peggy Carter a serious blow as she finds herself marginalized when the ...
  
  Read more

• Dropbox Rolls Out Desktop Microsoft Office Collaboration Tool in Early Access

  11-12-2014 19:56
  
  First announced back in April, cloud sync-and-share pioneer Dropbox has rolled out Project Harmony, its collaboration plug-in for the desktop versions of Microsoft Office, in early access to Dropbox for Business customers. 
  If you opt-in -- Dropbox is stressing the "early access" or still-in-development nature of the plug-in -- you get a Dropbox badge in your PowerPoint or Excel documents that lets you see who else is collaborating with you, see if there's a more recent version (and refresh
  
  Read more

• Nederlandse software verovert markt in binnen- en buitenland

  11-12-2014 19:48
  Nederlandse softwarebedrijven presteren beter dan de rest van het bedrijfsleven. De belangrijkste aanjager van deze groei zijn het steeds grotere belang van software voor de samenleving en de sterke opkomst van cloud computing. Dat zegt ABN AMRO in een rapport over de softwaremarkt dat vandaag is... lees meer
  
  Read more

• De belangrijkste malware trends naar sector volgens Palo Alto Networks

  11-12-2014 19:48
  Leverancier voor oplossingen in enterprise security Palo Alto Networks heeft gisteren zijn Threat Landscape Review uitgebracht, waarin de belangrijkste malware trends per sector zijn opgenomen. De malware-familie Kuluoz/Asprox is zeer hardnekkig en zorgt voor een groot aantal aanvallen in allerlei sectoren, zoals de... lees meer
  
  Read more

• Besteed de overheid uit!

  11-12-2014 19:48
  OosterscheldedamBetuwelijnHSLFyra (diepe ademhaling)... envergeetnietdeNoordZuidlijn Werk.nlC2000UWVb-Belastingdienstende aanstaandewindmolenparkdebacles...
  
  Als je het allemaal heel snel achter elkaar uitspreekt valt het best wel mee. Als je er wat meer tijd voor neemt, zie je dat de overheid in staat is miljarden te... lees meer
  
  Read more

• The Biggest Challenges Faced by CIOs/CISOs Heading into 2015

  11-12-2014 19:37
  
  The year aheadImage by ShutterstockAs the year winds to a close, CIOs and CISOs are faced with a number of challenges heading into 2015. CSO recently heard from several experts about the topic, each offering their opinion on what they feel would be the most important item in the security sandbox next year.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
  Read more

• iRobot's Latest Roomba Robot is Designed for Hackers

  11-12-2014 19:26
  
  If you've ever wanted to hack a Roomba into a mobile DJ, iRobot has you covered.
  Best-known for its robotic floor cleaners, iRobot's Create 2 is a programmable robot with a USB interface for uploading custom code. The company says the it's latest offering is essentially a refurbished Roomba 600 series device that sells for $200. It's available now.
  iRobot is supplying the robot as an educational too designed to enhance STEM education programs. In addition to the programming interface, iRobot
  
  Read more

• $30 Movo Wave Fitness Band Ships, With One Big Caveat

  11-12-2014 19:19
  
  Movo is pushing fitness trackers ever closer to the bargain bin with its new $30 Movo Wave.
  The ultra-cheap step counter, which went up for pre-orders in August, will start shipping on December 15. You can order one straight from Movo's Website, though the company says it can't guarantee delivery by Christmas.
  Given the $30 price tag, don't expect the Movo Wave to do much or come with any bells and whistles. It measures steps taken, distance traveled and calories burned, but it doesn't trac
  
  Read more

• Tall Tale: How AEGIS Insurance (Finally) Automated its Underwriting Workflow - Insurance Networking News

  11-12-2014 18:08
  
  Tall Tale: How AEGIS Insurance (Finally) Automated its Underwriting Workflow
  Insurance Networking News
  Shirley Shea, a highly regarded insurance systems consultant and former IT executive for AIG, has spent the past 6 years working with AEGIS Insurance Services upgrading the specialty insurer's aging infrastructure. She recently sat down with Insurance ...
  
  Read more

• How AEGIS Insurance Automated its Underwriting Workflow - Insurance Networking News

  11-12-2014 18:08
  
  How AEGIS Insurance Automated its Underwriting Workflow
  Insurance Networking News
  Shirley Shea, an insurance systems consultant and former IT executive for AIG, has spent the past 6 years working with AEGIS Insurance Services upgrading the specialty insurer's aging infrastructure. She recently sat down with Insurance Networking News ...
  
  Read more

• UK spooks to hunt down pedophiles on the 'dark net'

  11-12-2014 18:05
  
  The U.K. will set up a specialist unit that will use high-tech capabilities to hunt down pedophiles on the Tor anonymity network and other dark corners of the Web.The unit will combine the investigatory expertise of the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (NCA) with those of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the U.K’s intelligence service. Together they will tackle the worst cases of child sexual exploitation online, the U.K. government said on Thursday.“Persistent pedophiles
  
  Read more

• Ford's new SYNC will be more like your smartphone

  11-12-2014 17:45
  
  Ford’s in-car infotainment system is getting an overhaul with SYNC 3, which will add a capacitive touch screen, better integration with smartphone apps and, eventually, support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.SYNC 3 will initially launch in a small lineup of vehicles rolling off assembly lines in 2015. Ford plans to have it available across its full North America line by the end of 2016.While there are currently 10 million vehicles on the road with SYNC, none of them will get the new ver
  
  Read more

• Iowa's Smartphone Driver's License is a Big Step Toward All-Digital Wallets

  11-12-2014 17:39
  Iowa could be the first state to offer a smartphone driver’s license, with plans to launch a free app in 2015.
  According to The Des Moines Register, the license will be a free option alongside a traditional license. Iowa law enforcement offers will recognize the digital license during traffic stops, and airport personnel will accept it during screenings. For security, accessing the license will require a PIN.
  It’s unclear which platforms Iowa plans to support, but a photo in the Register
  
  Read more

• Microsoft acquires cross-platform mobile app power with HockeyApp

  11-12-2014 17:25
  
  Adding to its toolset for cross-platform mobile applications, Microsoft has acquired a small German software company, called HockeyApp, that has developed a service for crash analysis and beta testing of mobile applications.Microsoft plans to fold the functionality into its own Visual Studio Online, a hosted service for managing the lifecycles of applications being developed by teams of programmers. There, it will be incorporated into the Visual Studio Online’s Application Insights portfoli
  
  Read more

• BitTorrent Wants Your Help Creating a P2P-Powered Web With Project Maelstrom

  11-12-2014 17:25
  
  BitTorrent Inc. is already trying to remake instant messaging and multi-device file syncing using peer-to-peer technology, and now the company has its sights set on an even larger target: the web itself. On Thursday, BitTorrent announced Project Maelstrom, a browser powered by torrent technology.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
  Read more

• KappoBike wants to make ride tracking fun and turn data into better cycle lanes too

  11-12-2014 17:05
  
  The KappoBike cycling app for Android and iOS tracks rides and encourages cycling with a fun leader board of app users—and sells aggregate data to city authorities to help them plan and improve cycling facilities.That could be good news all around, because research has repeatedly shown that more cyclists on the road are associated with improved cyclist safety.By turning cycling into a game, KappoBike aims to attract new cyclists hoping to make their daily commutes more fun, rather than just
  
  Read more

• Uber to tighten driver screening after alleged Delhi rape

  11-12-2014 16:55
  
  Uber plans to tighten the screening of its drivers after an outcry over the alleged rape of a woman passenger last week in Delhi by a company driver.The company, whose service has already been banned in Delhi by the local transport department, was however short on details.“We are evaluating additional screening options to include background checks on all our driver partners in India above and beyond what is currently required,” Uber said in a blog post late Thursday.India’s federal Home
  
  Read more

• In Gadget We Trust

  11-12-2014 16:48
  
  “Windows rules!”
  “If it’s not a Mac, it’s not worth jack!”
  “There is one true operating system, Linux, and Linus Torvalds is its prophet!”
  Those of us who hang around tech circles have heard sentiments like these. And we’ve seen the defenders of one OS rise up in flame wars against the acolytes of the competition. Wars of words have erupted between Mac and Windows users, Android and iPhone supporters and, seemingly since the dawn of silicon, EMACS and vi programmers. They u
  
  Read more

• IBM and Apple’s New Enterprise Apps for iOS

  11-12-2014 16:30
  
  Getting work doneApple and IBM announced a suite of powerful new business-focused mobile apps for iOS this week. While that shouldn’t really surprise anybody – smartphones and tablets have become increasingly central to the business world over the past few years – these apps have taken the possibilities a lot further than simply having email and a GPS in an employee’s pocket. Have a look.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
  Read more

• EU antitrust commissioner to meet Google complainants

  11-12-2014 15:55
  
  The new EU antitrust commissioner will meet with complainants in a four-year-old antitrust case against Google to get a first-hand update and decide how to move ahead.“I found that there was a need to update the information in the case,” said Margrethe Vestager, who took over as competition commissioner on Nov. 1. The meetings follow questionnaires sent to a number of companies, she said during a news briefing in Brussels on Thursday. The questionnaires covered map and travel services, am
  
  Read more

• Vodafone-connected bus shelters aim to improve mobile coverage, speeds

  11-12-2014 15:45
  
  Waiting for a bus that never seems to arrive might have a silver lining in the near future, if you’re a Vodafone subscriber. The mobile operator has tricked out bus shelters with technology to boost mobile broadband speed.By installing so-called small cells at the bus stops, mobile operators can move voice and data traffic off existing cellular networks to improve performance. The small cells cover a limited area and have their own connection to the operator’s core network.While the advan
  
  Read more

• Buzzwords and Jargon Just Aren’t Revolutionary Anymore

  11-12-2014 15:22
  
  In the world of tech press releases and Silicon Valley executive speeches, certain buzzwords abound. There's the tried-and-true "scalable and robust" solution, the ubiquitous "multi-platform," and, of course, the claim to be an "industry leader." Most tech reporters simple glaze over these words -- they don't even register anymore.However, as tech culture comes head-to-head with mainstream culture, tech buzzwords have taken on more serious consequences. Tech jargon is partially to blame for t
  
  Read more

• Users Hate Your App's Awful UX

  11-12-2014 14:02
  
  A study sponsored and released by mobile enterprise app development platform Kony today indicates that if users hate your app, it's probably more about the look and feel than it is about functionality.
  The survey asked more than 340 developers and designers about their pain points when building apps. A solid 50% of respondents said that their apps weren't approved by higher-ups or their outside clients because of user experience (UX) issues, not because of problems with functionality. 
  "Mob
  
  Read more

• Salesforce Introduces Custom AppExchange Storefronts

  11-12-2014 14:02
  
  Salesforce today introduces AppExchange Store Builder, which lets any customer set up a curated storefront of their most favorite (or most required-by-business) enterprise apps -- with Salesforce's own analytics under the hood and its identity infrastructure gluing the whole thing together.
  As every company becomes a technology company -- or "app company," as Salesforce puts it -- Store Builder will make it easier to connect users in just a few clicks to the cloud-based tools changing the fa
  
  Read more

• Why Foursquare Should Target Business Travelers

  11-12-2014 14:00
  
  Location-based social network Foursquare split its service into two distinct products roughly seven months ago, and the company is still experiencing a bit of an identity crisis.
  By dividing itself into two apps — Foursquare and Swarm — the company repositioned its flagship Foursquare component as a travel recommendation engine and relegated the gamification of check-ins to Swarm. 
  [Related Opinion: Foursquare Reinvents Itself, But Will the Overhaul Pay Off?]To read this article in full
  
  Read more

• Sprint Admits Deceptive 'Half-Off' Deal Really Offers Only 20 Percent Off

  11-12-2014 14:00
  
  If you're a wireless carrier and you can't provide better service, cutting prices sharply seems like a reasonable strategy. However, when a company fails to do both of these things and then lies about the latter, it really needs a reality check. I'm talking about Sprint, the wireless carrier with the worst network of the four leading U.S. providers.Earlier this month, Sprint tried to entice customers to switch from AT&T and Verizon by offering to cut their data bills in half. That sounds
  
  Read more

• Advances in Electrical and Computer Engineering Are Transforming Everything

  11-12-2014 13:47
  
  In the developed world, advanced technologies are at the heart of the way we live, work and play today. It is often easy to take these technologies for granted. The past several decades have seen enormous leaps forward in electrical and computer engineering, and in the next several decades those disciplines promise more wonders in areas like medical technology, biotechnology and even automotive technology.Once the stuff of science fiction, technologies like 3-D printing are here and technolog
  
  Read more

• Why Disaster Recovery Planning Can Save Lives

  11-12-2014 13:25
  
  From Katrina to Sandy, tornadoes in the planes, flooding in the south, wildfires throughout the West, natural disasters threaten our world with destruction every year. The cost to rebuild and recover is phenomenal, so companies across the globe are investing in disaster recovery solutions to mitigate their losses and protect their data from these cataclysmic events.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
  Read more

• FBI Calls Sony Hack 'Organized' But Declines to Name Source or Finger North Korea

  11-12-2014 12:58
  
  The FBI declined to name the source of the Sony Pictures hack during a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday.
  "I won't touch on the attribution piece because we're still working very hard on that," said Joseph Demarest, assistant director of the FBI's cyber division. Demarest's comment was in reply to questions from Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) during a hearing of the Senate Banking Committee.
  "I think most of us were shocked at the sophistication of the breach of Sony," Schumer said. "Fingers are
  
  Read more

• IT and End Users Are Far Apart on Critical Data Access

  11-12-2014 12:36
  
  When it comes to protecting sensitive data, there's a big gap between what IT departments think is happening in their customers and what end users are actually doing, says a new study released Tuesday by the Ponemon Institute.
  For example, 32 percent of IT professionals surveyed said that end users sometimes have more access privileges than they need to do their jobs.
  Meanwhile, a whopping 71 percent of end users said that they have access to company data that they shouldn't be seeing.
  "It m
  
  Read more

• 5 Apps to Help With Your Holiday Shopping

  11-12-2014 12:30
  Black Friday may be over, but your holiday shopping probably isn't. Unfortunately, most shopping apps focus on deals and sales, not your holiday shopping strategy (unless your strategy is just "buy things on sale," which is actually a pretty good strategy).
  Ready to level up your shopping skills? Here are five free apps that can help—these apps don't just bring deals, they help you plan and execute your shopping spree while also helping you maximize your savings from every angle. We have a
  
  Read more

• 3 Ways for CIOs to Understand Their Company’s Bottom Line

  11-12-2014 12:30
  
  For many IT execs, the drumbeat of "know the business, know the business" has become just so much white background noise.Tip 3: Get educated (MBA, anyone?)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
  Read more

• Weird Science: The 10 Oddest Tech Stories of 2014

  11-12-2014 12:00
  
  Weird science: The 10 oddest tech stories of 2014 Image by hitchBOTEvery now and again, strange events from the world of high tech bubble over to the general news cycle and make headlines for a day or two. No doubt these crossover hits favor reports that enforce the general populace's sentiment that technologists are fringe lunatics with their eyes on our collective future demise. This phenomenon has become more common in recent years as the intersections of technology and pop culture have becom
  
  Read more

• The Best PC Laptops of the Year

  11-12-2014 12:00
  
  Just a couple of years ago, you couldn’t get past page one of a large business newspaper or website without seeing some “expert” making prognostications of the imminent death of the laptop. Well, it’s now almost 2015, and we’re happy to rub reality in their faces, and remind the naysayers that they were wrong. Dead wrong.
  The familiar clamshell that’s been with us since the 1980s isn’t going away anytime soon, and it’s difficult to see it ever going away, frankly. So let�
  
  Read more

• Microsoft starts accepting Bitcoin payments

  11-12-2014 11:55
  
  Opening up to new payment options, Microsoft has started accepting Bitcoin payments on its Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox stores.The cryptocurrency can be used to add money to a Microsoft account in order to buy apps, games and other digital content from its various online stores, Microsoft said on a help page detailing how to use Bitcoin.Purchasing items directly using bitcoin isn’t possible at the moment though. The virtual currency can only be used to add money to a Microsoft account in
  
  Read more

• Xiaomi faces copycat charge from Japanese company over new air purifier

  11-12-2014 11:40
  
  After taking heat for allegedly lifting design ideas from Apple, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is now facing copycat claims over its air purifier device, which a Japanese company claims closely resembles its own product.Xiaomi on Tuesday unveiled its smartphone-controlled “Mi Air Purifier” for the Chinese market. But local press in the country was quick to point out to similarities between Xiaomi’s product and an air purifier from Japan’s Balmuda, a maker of electric fans. Both devi
  
  Read more

• Panasonic LED signs beam data to phones 5 meters away

  11-12-2014 10:30
  
  Panasonic has developed LCD signs that can beam ID codes linked to ads and other information to smartphone cameras that are 5 meters away or farther.It’s promoting the technology as an advance beyond QR codes, which require users to hold their phones close to a code when scanning it, as well as a high-speed form of communications using light.The Hikari ID technology is based on ID signals sent by LEDs that form the backlight of LCD signage. The LEDs flicker on and off at a rate that is impe
  
  Read more

Follow @ITExecutiveNews on Twitter!