PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
PCR rounds up some of the developments in IT security over the past week.
Norton launches Wi-Fi Privacy in the UK
According to the Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report 2016, which surveyed over 9,000 people across nine markets, confusion about the security of public Wi-Fi networks can make people easy targets for hackers.
Two in three are unable to recognise the difference between a secure and unsecure Wi-Fi network, putting the convenience of connectivity before the security of their personal information.
To help people safely connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots, Norton by Symantec has introduced Norton WiFi Privacy, a mobile app for Android and iOS devices that helps shield consumers’ information from hackers snooping on wireless (Wi-Fi) networks.
Norton also found that 78 per cent of Brits fear personal details theft more than nude photo leaks, while two in three (65 per cent) are unable to tell the difference between a secure and unsecure public Wi-Fi network
67% of used drives sold on eBay hold personal info
E-commerce sites are reselling used electronics without permanently erasing data from them, according to The Leftovers: A Data Recovery Study released by Blancco Technology Group.
Based on an analysis of 200 second-hand hard disk drives and solid state drives purchased from eBay and Craigslist in the first quarter of 2016, 67 per cent of the used drives contained personally identifiable information and 11 per cent held sensitive corporate data, including company emails, CRM records and spreadsheets containing sales projections and product inventories.
Ransomware attacks on the rise
The number of users attacked by ransomware targeting Android-based devices has increased four-fold in just one year, hitting at least 136,000 users globally.
A report on the ransomware threat landscape, conducted by Kaspersky Lab, also found that the majority of attacks are based on only four groups of malware.
Cisco to acquire CloudLock
Cisco has announced its intent to acquire CloudLock., a privately held cloud security company based in Massachusetts.
CloudLock specializes in cloud access security broker (CASB) technology that provides enterprises with visibility and analytics around user behavior and sensitive data in cloud services, including SaaS, IaaS and PaaS.
"The acquisition will further enhance Cisco’s security portfolio and build on Cisco’s Security Everywhere strategy, designed to provide protection from the cloud to the network to the endpoint," Cisco said in a statement.
International travellers at risk
The urge to go online the moment they reach foreign soil sees a high proportion of people connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi networks, putting their personal data at risk, according to a study by Kaspersky Lab.
The research, which polled 11,850 people from across Europe, Russia, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the US, found that cybercrime is commonplace when abroad.
However, as ever more essential travel information – from maps and hotel confirmations to check-in details and boarding passes – is stored online, international travelers often have no choice but to connect upon arrival. Many will be keen to use Wi-Fi rather than risk incurring roaming charges, despite the fact that doing so will expose them to risk.
Intel to sell cybersecurity unit?
Intel is thinking about selling its security business, according to reports.
The Intel Security Unit, previously known as McAfee, could be offloaded as Intel refocuses its business around chips that power data centres and IoT devices.
Intel bought McAfee for $7.7 billion five years ago.
