Thursday, July 24, 2014

“We're waiting for something really horrible to happen. Meanwhile we just sit and drink coffee.”
US Unprepared for Cyber-Attack: 9/11 Report Authors
In July 2004, the independent 9/11 commission issued a comprehensive, nearly 600-page report with numerous recommendations for upgrading the US security apparatus to avoid a new catastrophe.
A decade later the commission's former members have released a blunt follow-up, pointing out gaps in US security that increase the risk of cyber-attacks on infrastructure, including energy, transport and finance systems, and the theft of intellectual property from the private sector.
After exhaustive meetings with national security officials, "every single one of them said we're not doing what we should be doing to protect ourselves against cyber-security" threats, former 9/11 commission co-chair Tom Kean told a House homeland security panel.


Anything you do, anywhere you do it! Today the Internet, tomorrow your bedroom!
What Does Facebook Selling Your Data Mean For Privacy?
… “But wait . . . doesn’t it already sell tons of data to advertisers?” you might be asking. Yes, it does. But there’s an important distinction that many people don’t realize: right now, the information that Facebook sells to advertisers has to do with your activity on Facebook: pages you like, people you follow, apps you connect, and so on. Until now, Facebook hasn’t sold any of the data it collects about your browsing outside of Facebook.
But that’s about to change: in an announcement on June 12, Facebook announced that it would begin selling users’ browsing data directly to advertisers, and that it would roll out new ads over the following weeks, meaning that soon you’ll see more targeted ads on Facebook, and advertisers will know even more about your and your habits, supposedly because when asking users about how ads can be improved, they said “they want to see ads that are more relevant to their interests.”


Interesting. Anything requiring communication with large numbers of bad actors can be “noticed” and possible victims can be notified.
Georgia Tech Unveils 'BlackForest' Open Source Intelligence Gathering System
Coordinating distributed denial-of-service attacks, displaying new malware code, offering advice about network break-ins and posting stolen information – these are just a few of the online activities of cyber-criminals. Fortunately, activities like these can provide cyber-security specialists with advance warning of pending attacks and information about what hackers and other bad actors are planning.
Gathering and understanding this cyber-intelligence is the work of BlackForest, a new open source intelligence gathering system developed by information security specialists at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). By using such information to create a threat picture, BlackForest complements other GTRI systems designed to help corporations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations battle increasingly-sophisticated threats to their networks.


“We can make spending money so easy you won't know you've done it until the bill arrives!”
Target In A Snap Image Recognition App Aimed At Boosting Sales
In its latest effort to boost sales, Target Corp. (NYSE:TGT) is launching an app called In a Snap, which enables users to purchase items after scanning ads through their smartphone.


Inevitable?
A Plan To Untangle Our Digital Lives After We're Gone
… Last week, the Uniform Law Commission drafted the UNIFORM FIDUCIARY ACCESS TO DIGITAL ASSETS ACT, a model law that would let the relatives of a late loved one access the social media accounts of the deceased. A national lawyers' group, the ULC aims to standardize law across the country by recommending legislation for states to adopt, particularly when it comes to timely, fast-evolving issues.


Eventually, everything will be connected to the Internet of Things, but if you can't wait this is for you.
Internet of Things Comes to DIYers, Thanks to LittleBit
Not to be left out of the nascent Internet of Things, do-it-yourself enthusiasts now have a platform to connect their homemade devices to the Internet. A New York City start-up just launched a module known as cloudBit, which consists of a small Wi-Fi chip and USB power Relevant Products/Services source. Although not a device itself, cloudBit connects to other devices in order to make them Internet-enabled.
… LittleBits also announced that it has partnered with the popular IFTT Web app, which allows users to create automation scripts and protocols for a variety of Web services.


The path to bankruptcy. Please don't tell my power-shopping wife!
Online Stores that offer International Shipping
[Examples:
harrods.com – The iconic department store of London now ships stuff worldwide and you can pay via PayPal or credit cards.
marksandspencer.com - Marks and Specer would deliver clothese and home decor to international addresses with a flat shipping fee.

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