The privacy risks of pre-installed software on Android devices
Many pre-installed apps facilitate access to privileged data and resources, without the average user being aware of their presence or being able to uninstall them. On the one hand, the permission model on the Android operating system and its apps allow a large number of actors to track and obtain personal user information. At the…
2019 may be a record year for enterprise breaches, but secure collaboration tools could help
Despite business executives agreeing that cybersecurity is a major challenge, businesses globally are severely unprepared for cyberattacks. 44% of business executives from Europe and the United States said they shared sensitive information over email, yet 35% admitted they are unaware of the ways in which their organization is protecting its sensitive information, communications and data,…
Tech companies fret over data privacy, but ready to bet on IPO market
Cybersecurity concerns, along with U.S. economic growth, are the two top drivers anticipated to spur overall U.S. tech industry growth in 2019. Data privacy remains at the center of the sector’s worries, with 87 percent of tech CFOs expressing a high or moderate concern about the issue. It also ranked third in the list of…
Is 2019 the year national privacy law is established in the US?
Data breaches and privacy violations are now commonplace. Unfortunately, the consequences for US companies involved can be complicated. A company’s obligation to a person affected by a data breach depends in part on the laws of the state where the person resides. A person may be entitled to free credit monitoring for a specified period…
Four differences between the GDPR and the CCPA
By passing the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which goes into effect on January 1, 2020, the Golden State is taking a major step in the protection of consumer data. The new law gives consumers insight into and control of their personal information collected online. This follows a growing number of privacy concerns around corporate…
Encryption is key to protecting information as it travels outside the network
A new Vera report reveals stark numbers behind the mounting toll of data breaches triggered by cybercrime and accidents. One of the most recognized and mandated security controls, installed encryption tools protect just four percent of breached files. Meanwhile, compliance-focused mindsets and perimeter-driven encryption deployments keep organizations’ encryption investments fundamentally misaligned with how employees and…
BlackBerry Offers Its Security Technology to IoT Device Makers
BlackBerry, which recently announced the acquisition of endpoint security firm Cylance for $1.4 billion in cash, says its Secure technology can be licensed by third-party vendors for their Internet-connected devices. The Secure feature packs provide manufacturers a framework that should help them build safer and more secure products without the need to internally develop cybersecurity…
Not all data collection is evil: Don’t let privacy scandals stall cybersecurity
Facebook continues to be criticized for its data collection practices. The media is hammering Google over how it handles data. JPMorgan Chase & Company was vilified for using Palantir software to allegedly invade the privacy of employees. This past June marked the five-year anniversary of The Guardian’s first story about NSA mass surveillance operations. These…
Zuckerberg Defends Facebook in New Data Breach Controversy
A British parliamentary committee investigating whether the social media behemoth was being used to manipulate the results of elections published 250 pages of internal Facebook documents earlier Wednesday. They show executives holding discussions about big companies such as Netflix being granted preferential access to user data even after Facebook had tightened its privacy rules in…
Retail Security Hygiene: The Case for Seasonal Checkups
The winter holidays offer big potential for retailers, with some companies earning around 30 percent of their annual revenue during the season, according to the National Retail Federation. Big sales numbers, however, also drive increased risks of fraud and theft, and businesses are now spending on extra security measures to keep physical stores safe. But…