Data Security Topic Center

What you need to know about data security and protecting sensitive information

Tibco offers free R to the enterprise

Hoping to entice more enterprises to use the R statistical programming language directly within their predictive modeling and data visualization jobs, Tibco has released a free version of its R runtime engine.
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The Onion explains how its Twitter account was hacked

Hackers who commandeered The Onion's Twitter account used simple but effective phishing attacks to obtain passwords, according to a writeup by the publisher's technology team.

Systems manager arrested for hacking former employer's network

A 41-year-old man was arrested for allegedly disrupting his former employer's network after he was passed over for promotions, leading him to quit his job and take revenge, the FBI said.

Big data can be a big headache for data defenders

Technology is outrunning the security needed to keep it safe

Gh0stRAT malware attacks continue, researcher says

A well-known cyberspying tool called Gh0st RAT is still being employed in stealthy malware attacks, according to security firm FireEye.

One in five data breaches are the result of cyberespionage, Verizon says

Even though the majority of data breaches continue to be the result of financially motivated cybercriminal attacks, cyberespionage activities are also responsible for a significant number of data theft incidents, according to a report that will be released Tuesday by Verizon.

Germans fine Google for gathering personal data with Street View cars

Google must pay a $190,000 fine in Germany for gathering and storing emails, photos, passwords and chat protocols from unprotected Wi-Fi networks with Google Street View cars, Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information said on Monday.

U.S. House moves toward passage of CISPA

The U.S. House of Representatives moved closer toward passage of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), despite concerns that the cyberthreat information-sharing bill will allow Web-based companies to share a wide amount of customer information with government agencies.

Microsoft moves to optional two-factor authentication

Following similar initiatives by Apple, Google and Facebook, Microsoft is enabling two-factor authentication for its Microsoft Account service, the log-on service for many of its online and desktop products.

Symantec report finds small businesses battered by cybercrime

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting small businesses due to their less sophisticated defenses, according to a new report from Symantec.

Sure, information has value, but don't forget the risks

Enterprises are clogging their arteries with information, most of which has no real value but carries costs and risks. The CPO can help in disposing of that information that can only cause harm. (Insider; registration required)

Security Manager's Journal: Upgrading, and looking for the best we can afford

Several of the company's security technologies are reaching end of life. It's a new experience for our manager to be improving security measures instead of closing gaps.

Security Manager's Journal: A little housecleaning

Our manager finds the time and opportunity to cross a few nagging items off of his to-do list.

BYOL: Bring your own liabilities

What are the legal ramifications of allowing staff to bring their own mobile devices to work and where is the dividing line between organisational and employee risk?

Straight talk on security gets employees to listen -- and comply

Sure, you want users to comply with security edicts, but would you phish your own employees or share your company's hack history? At least some CIOs say yes.

Security Manager's Journal: Reining in network accounts

Many accounts exist that aren't associated with individual people, and theyve gotten out of control.

Security Manager's Journal: Getting up to date on expired access rights

Employees come and employees go, but access rights tend to live on long after their departures.

It's lonely in the middle -- but it doesn't have to be

A note from security luminary Dan Geer to those middling firms that are not yet resource-rich enough for how information-rich they already are.

How to Get a Grip on Data With 'Information Superiority'

To make more efficient use of data and improve data protection, take a holistic approach to information governance-one that focuses attention on the most sensitive data while removing impediments to sharing.

Ira Winkler: Stupid users, or stupid infosec?

When security professionals see stupidity all around them, shouldn't they ask themselves whether it's their own precautions that are lacking?