IT Executive news

• Fitbit ranks the fittest countries and U.S. cities

  16-05-2017 23:26
  
  I’ll admit it: I was surprised by how the U.S. (and California, where I live) fared in terms of fitness, based on newly released aggregated and anonymous Fitbit user data. And it’s interesting to compare Fitbit’s findings to other recent data on how we’re doing, as a country and as individual metro areas, regarding fitness.Fitbit’s data comes from more than 20 million users in 65 countries. In ranking countries and U.S. cities in terms of fitness, data collected fro
  
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• IOTA launches $2 million fund for IoT-focused blockchain derivative

  16-05-2017 23:02
  
  Open source non-profit IOTA this week launched a $2 million fund intended to foster growth of its distributed ledger technology, a derivative of blockchain technology aimed at the internet of things.Dubbed the IOTA Ecosystem Fund, the idea is to incentivize expanding and shaping the IOTA ecosystem through use cases, libraries, tools and hackathons.[ Your guide to top tech conferences 2017 ]"Every great open source project has a great ecosystem surrounding it, in many ways it is the defining char
  
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• SAP wants to help enterprises learn from their smart devices

  16-05-2017 20:16
  
  SAP has added machine learning to its Leonardo IoT software suite to help businesses handle data gathered from smart devices more intelligently.It unveiled the additions to Leonardo  -- and a cloud of other news -- at its customer conference, Sapphire Now, in Orlando on Tuesday.Leonardo runs on SAP Cloud Platform and provides a number of services to process data from the internet of things, including streaming and predictive analytics. Now, those predictive capabilities will include machine
  
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• Atos gaat samenwerking met OutSystems aan voor IT op twee snelheden

  16-05-2017 19:37
  Atos heeft een partnerschap gesloten met OutSystems, leverancier van het gelijknamige low-code ontwikkelplatform. Beide partijen lanceren vandaag een aanbod voor een IT-beleid op twee snelheden. Organisaties kunnen ermee sneller dan voorheen bestaande applicaties moderniseren, en daaraan snel mobiele apps en... lees meer
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How Microsoft is becoming a Linux vendor

  16-05-2017 19:26
  
  Linux and open source technologies have become too dominant in data centers, cloud and IoT for Microsoft to ignore them.On Microsoft’s own cloud, one in three machines run Linux. These are Microsoft customers who are running Linux. Microsoft needs to support the platform they use, or they will go somewhere else. Here's how Microsoft's Linux strategy breaks down on its developer platform (Windows 10), on its cloud (Azure) and datacenter (Windows Server).Linux in Windows: IT professiona
  
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• Google's the latest to take on IoT management headaches

  16-05-2017 18:05
  
  Google wants to take on what may become one of the biggest cloud-computing needs of the next few years with a service that will manage IoT devices and help developers bring the data they generate into applications that use Google's analytics platforms.Its Google Cloud IoT Core, announced in a blog post on Tuesday, may be a good use of Google's reach, number-crunching power and device OS expertise. But the problem it aims to solve is daunting, and competitors are already focused on it.The good ne
  
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• Microsoft, Amazon go after enterprises with new SAP cloud offerings

  16-05-2017 17:50
  
  There are some fresh public cloud offerings on the horizon for SAP database customers, thanks to Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. Both companies have announced new infrastructure services for the HANA database software aimed at giving customers tons of memory for workloads that need it.Azure customers will get access to M-series virtual machines that offer up to 3.5TB of RAM, designed for use with SAP’s database software. In addition, Microsoft announced Tuesday that it's working o
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: A fundamental flaw in approaching digital transformation

  16-05-2017 17:25
  
  What makes digital technologies so different and disruptive is their potential to enable very substantial business benefits. “Enable” is the key word. Too often, executives see the power of a technology and reason to themselves, “This technology will create significant benefits, so we need to implement it and learn how to use it to our advantage.” The problem is this is a fundamental flaw in approach that almost always ends up in a digital transformation failure.Technolog
  
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• CERN upgrades Wi-Fi infrastructure to support researchers on the move

  16-05-2017 17:16
  
  The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) is upgrading its wireless broadband network in order to support thousands of researchers using mobile devices while moving around its campus buildings.There are more than 12,000 staff, visiting researchers and contract workers onsite at CERN's physics laboratory in Geneva each day, supporting projects such as the Large Hadron Collider. Around 20,000 mobile devices are used, requiring reliable wifi connectivity.Having experienced problems with
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Dell shifts security focus to data itself

  16-05-2017 17:15
  
  Brett Hansen, vice president of Data Security Solutions at Dell, calls it his “Mona Lisa.” It may not be as pretty as the artwork, but Dell Data Guardian is pretty sweet nonetheless. What Hansen and colleagues have been laboring mightily to bring forth is a security suite that wraps encryption, complete with policy details, around each and every byte in a customer’s data store.That way, not only is data encrypted in flight and at rest, but individual files have their own encryp
  
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• Shadow Brokers teases more Windows exploits and cyberespionage data

  16-05-2017 17:13
  
  A group of hackers that previously leaked alleged U.S. National Security Agency exploits claims to have even more attack tools in its possession and plans to release them in a new subscription-based service.The group also has intelligence gathered by the NSA on foreign banks and ballistic missile programs, it said.The Shadow Brokers was responsible for leaking EternalBlue, the Windows SMB exploit that was used by attackers in recent days to infect hundreds of thousands of computers around t
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Will macOS protect you from ransomware attacks?

  16-05-2017 17:06
  
  The recent WannaCry ransomware attacks on Windows systems have generated worldwide headlines and caused quite a lot of fear among users of all operating systems. Even some Mac users have been wondering if their computers are safe from such attacks.[ Related: 8 ways to manage an internet or security crisis ]So are Mac users safe from ransomware attacks?A writer at 9to5Mac recently considered the question and warned Mac users not to become complacent despite the fact that Windows is still the #1 t
  
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• Google's Chromebooks are getting a night mode to help you sleep better

  16-05-2017 16:52
  
  Chrome OS fans on Reddit have uncovered an upcoming “night mode” that changes the color tint of your Chromebook’s display when toggled. The feature is currently called “Night Light” and is only available in Canary, an early build of Chrome OS.The feature is relatively simple right now, based on user reports. You click on the right corner of the Chrome OS shelf, and when the settings panel comes up you click a Night Light icon close to the power button.Adding a night
  
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• BrandPost: Ransomware Worms Force Your Hand: Patch or Layer Security

  16-05-2017 16:45
  
  Friday, May 12th, the “WannaCry” network worm joined the ranks of Conficker and Code Red. It’s infected tens of thousands of systems worldwide, and climbing. Among those victimized were England’s National Health Service, automobile manufacturers, and government systems. The worm’s ominous red ransom screen, informing the user that all files have been encrypted, was found not only on users’ desktops, but also on ATM screens, parking meters, digital billboards,
  
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• The CSO IoT security basics survival guide

  16-05-2017 15:26
  
  The Internet of Things – the connecting of billions of everyday and industrial devices using tiny sensors that transmit data and share information in the cloud – is revolutionizing the way we live and do business.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Funding your startup with the ICO and token crowdsales explosion

  16-05-2017 15:00
  
  Investors are allocating substantial sums to cryptocurrencies. Entrepreneurs would be wise to make themselves aware of the billions being raised in the global ICO (initial coin offering) markets.An ICO is an unregulated means by which a new cryptocurrency venture monetizes its investment. ICOs use dynamic pricing based on real-time supply and demand. The time-based pricing strategy means that no central authority or government sets the price; rather, the price of the token is based on current ma
  
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• HPE shows off The Machine prototype without memristors

  16-05-2017 15:00
  
  In 2004, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise's Kirk Bresniker set out to make radical changes to computer architecture with The Machine and drew out the first concept design on a whiteboard.At the time Bresniker, now chief architect at HP Labs, wanted to build a system that could drive computing into the future. The goal was to build a computer that used cutting-edge technologies like memristors and photonics.It's been an arduous journey, but HPE on Tuesday finally showed a prototype of The Machine
  
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• HPE shows off The Machine prototype without memistors

  16-05-2017 15:00
  
  In 2004, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise's Kirk Bresniker set out to make radical changes to computer architecture with The Machine and drew out the first concept design on a whiteboard.At the time Bresniker, now chief architect at HP Labs, wanted to build a system that could drive computing into the future. The goal was to build a computer that used cutting-edge technologies like memristors and photonics.It's been an arduous journey, but HPE on Tuesday finally showed a prototype of The Machine
  
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• Enterprise smartwatch use is catching on

  16-05-2017 15:00
  
  Smartwatches are getting a foothold in the enterprise.In the latest example of a trial, Samsung Galaxy S3 smartwatches are helping janitors do timely cleanups of restrooms at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Another successful four-month Samsung smartwatch trial last fall gave restaurant servers alerts when customers arrived or needed service.The smartwatches run an app called TaskWatch made by Samsung partner Hipaax. In the airport example, janitors are notified when and wher
  
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• AMD plots return to the data center with Naples

  16-05-2017 14:51
  
  There aren't many second acts in technology, let alone a third. But that isn't stopping AMD.In the early part of the century, AMD shook up the computing world when it introduced three major changes to the x86 CPU: multi-core CPUs, 64-bit extensions, and moving the memory controller onto the CPU instead of a separate front-side bus.As a result, the company suddenly became very competitive with Intel and began taking market share. Nowhere was that more obvious than in servers, where the company in
  
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• WannaCry: Sometimes you can blame the victims

  16-05-2017 14:46
  
  The WannaCry ransomware attack has created at least tens of millions of dollars of damage, taken down hospitals, and as of the time of this writing, another round of attacks is considered imminent as people show up to work after the weekend. Of course, the perpetrators of the malware are to blame for all the damage and suffering that has resulted. It’s not right to blame the victims of a crime, right?[ Related: 8 ways to manage an internet or security crisis ]To read this article in full o
  
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• Stopping ransomware starts with the security pros

  16-05-2017 13:50
  
  Virtualization-based security software vendor Bromium surveyed security professionals about their behavior toward ransomware. The results were surprising. For example, 10 percent of them admitted to paying a ransom or hiding a breach. More alarming, 35 percent admitted to ignoring their own security protocols.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• 3 ways your culture may be sabotaging innovation

  16-05-2017 13:19
  
  Digital transformation has left businesses scrambling to innovate around technology but if your business is failing at innovation, you might need to look at your company culture.Uniting your workforce under a common goal is the best way to thrive and foster innovation in the digital age, says Barry Pellas, chief business technologist at PointSource, an IT consulting firm with a focus on digital transformation. Changing corporate culture is easier said than done, but companies stand to lose a lot
  
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• Missing protection: Corporate B2B privacy policies

  16-05-2017 13:00
  
  When most IT execs hear the term “corporate privacy policy,” they think about what their company promises its consumer customers in policies such as those from LinkedIn, Uber and Evernote. But what about policies in contracts entered into with businesses that will handle data from or about your company? Those are rare, and that is a massive security hole.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• 10 most in-demand tech skills

  16-05-2017 12:56
  
  Trying to land a new job or angling for a promotion? Recruiters and hiring managers are always on the hunt for ideal candidates with just the right mix of tech savvy, experience and soft skills to give their organizations a competitive advantage. But all technology skills are not created equal.HiringSolved's artificial intelligence software, RAI, aggregated data from over 10,000 public social profiles to determine which technology skills were most likely to result in a person's being hired or pr
  
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• Facebook hit with maximum fine for breaking French privacy law

  16-05-2017 12:47
  
  The French data protection watchdog has imposed its harshest penalty on Facebook for six breaches of French privacy law.The breaches include tracking users across websites other than Facebook.com without their knowledge, and compiling a massive database of personal information in order to target advertising.The French National Commission on Computing and Liberty (CNIL) began its investigation of Facebook and its European subsidiary, Facebook ireland, after the company made changes to its terms a
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Smart glasses are making workers more productive

  16-05-2017 12:30
  
  Everyone loves reading about how to be more productive. Do some digging on the web and you’ll find thousands of pages of articles loaded with actionable tips. Whether it’s waking up two hours early, taking care of emails first, learning how to say no, or becoming better at prioritizing. We’ve all tried to implement ways to make ourselves or our teams more productive at some point in time. But guess what? In 2107, optimizing productivity is becoming more technical.You don’
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How IT leaders can stop the blame game

  16-05-2017 12:30
  
  This article is part of a series highlighting key takeaways from my recently published book, Truth From the Trenches: A Practical Guide to the Art of IT Management. As a seven-time CIO I’ve had an opportunity to observe the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of IT management up close and personal. Truth From the Trenches is my attempt to share my experiences with emerging IT leaders to help them avoid the chronic problems that afflict so many IT organizations.To re
  
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• Cybercrooks fight over DDoS attack resources

  16-05-2017 12:30
  
  As more groups get into the denial-of-service attack business they're starting to get in each other's way, according to a report released this morning.That translates into a smaller average attack size, said Martin McKeay, senior security advocate at Cambridge, Mass.-based Akamai Technologies Inc.There are only so many devices around that have the kind of vulnerabilities that make them potential targets for a botnet."And other people can come in and take over the device, and take those resources
  
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• Vocal theft on the horizon

  16-05-2017 12:22
  
  Your voice is yours alone – as unique to you as your fingerprints, eyeballs and DNA.Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it can’t be spoofed. And that reality could undermine one of the promised security benefits of multi-factor authentication, which requires “something you are,“ along with something you have or you know. In theory, even if attackers can steal passwords, they can’t turn into you.But given the march of technology, that is no longer a sure thing. Fi
  
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• What developers can expect at Google I/O 2017

  16-05-2017 12:00
  
  At today’s Google I/O conference, developers will get insights into Google’s Android Studio, Firebase tools, and Android Instant Apps. Developers and users alike will learn more about the forthcoming Android O operating system, changes to the Google Play Store, and likely the Google-Mozilla progressive web apps concept.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• The ‘cobots’ are coming. Is your IT team ready?

  16-05-2017 12:00
  
  At Creating Revolutions, an employee affectionately nicknamed "Manuel Noriega" assembles the tiny components of a customer service paging device. Unlike other employees of the startup, Manuel works for hours, day in and day out, without bathroom breaks or healthcare benefits.Meet today's robot workforce. Manuel is a collaborative robot (or cobot) that's helping Creating Revolutions build electronic tabletop devices for the restaurant industry. The startup didn't always rely on a gunmetal grey ro
  
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• What is WannaCry? What does WannaCry ransomware do?

  16-05-2017 09:45
  
  A ransomware attack called WannaCry that was first launched on 12 May and since spread around the world impacted a number of high-profile organisations globally, including NHS England in the UK.[ Related: 8 ways to manage an internet or security crisis ]Ransomware is a type of malicious software that will block access to your files unless you pay a ransom.Some 47 NHS trusts fell victim to these ransomware attacks resulting in devastating consequences for some patients, as operations were cancell
  
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• Will the WannaCry ransomware serve as a meaningful infosec wake-up call?

  16-05-2017 09:22
  
  Described as "unprecedented" in scale by Europol, the wave of WannaCry ransomware attacks over the last four days brought hospital infrastructure to its knees. But ransomware is no new threat: will WannaCry finally act as a catalyst to a wider infosec wake-up call?[ Related: 8 ways to manage an internet or security crisis ]WannaCry was launched on Friday 12 May, and over the weekend had affected more than 200,000 IT systems worldwide. Independent researcher Kafeine discovered WannaCry was using
  
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• HTC unveils the U11, a gorgeous 5.5-inch flagship phone with Amazon Alexa support

  16-05-2017 09:00
  
  Gut reaction: You won’t want to hide the HTC U11 in a protective case. HTC’s new flagship phone is just too stunning to conceal behind a chintzy polycarb shell. Imbued with HTC’s new “liquid” design aesthetic, the U11 has an impossibly glossy finish, evoking the T-1000 Terminator for those old enough to remember that robot assassin.From a basic specs perspective, the U11 is a solid but not remarkable Android 7.1 phone. It includes a state-of-the-silicon-art Snapdrag
  
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• Digital signature service DocuSign hacked and email addresses stolen

  16-05-2017 08:23
  
  Digital signature service DocuSign said Monday that an unnamed third-party had got access to email addresses of its users after hacking into its systems.The hackers gained temporary access to a peripheral sub-system for communicating service-related announcements to users through email, the company said. It confirmed after what it described as a complete forensic analysis that only email addresses were accessed, and not other details such as names, physical addresses, passwords, social security
  
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• Small Cell Forum seeks advice from large enterprises

  16-05-2017 06:02
  
  The carrier-led Small Cell Forum has revealed the names of the founding members of an Enterprise Advisory Council designed to help address the need for more wireless coverage to meet rising demand.The Forum — whose members include the likes of AT&T, Cisco and Huawei —had previously said it was forming such a council, but had not disclosed any member organization names. It also had said it was working with hotels and others in the hospitality industry to plot strategies for boosti
  
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• The WannaCry ransomware might have a link to North Korea

  16-05-2017 03:01
  
  As security researchers investigate last Friday’s massive attack from the WannaCry ransomware, they’ve noticed clues that may link it with a North Korean hacking group that has been blamed for attacking banks across the world.The evidence is far from a smoking gun, and may prove inconclusive. But security researchers have noticed a similarity between an earlier version of WannaCry and a hacking tool used by the Lazarus Group.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please
  
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• Paying the WannaCry ransom will probably get you nothing. Here's why.

  16-05-2017 01:57
  
  Last Friday’s massive WannaCry ransomware attack means victims around the world are facing a tough question: Should they pay the ransom?Those who do shouldn't expect a quick response -- or any response at all. Even after payment, the ransomware doesn’t automatically release your computer and decrypt your files, according to security researchers.  Instead, victims have to wait and hope WannaCry’s developers will remotely free the hostage computer over the internet. It's a p
  
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