Technology News: Security

Wallflower or Extrovert? Facebook Lets Users Choose by Post

Thursday - July 2, 2009

With 200 million members who double as very vocal quality assurance officers, Facebook knows that any tinkering with its privacy policy is going to receive a lot of attention. So, its Wednesday announcement of an upcoming series of tests regarding its new privacy settings was carefully marketed as a matter of "control, simplicity and connection" by chief privacy officer Chris Kelly. "The power to share is the cornerstone of Facebook," Kelly wrote in the Facebook Blog. [More...]

Marketers Aim to Self-Regulate Consumer Tracking Online

Thursday - July 2, 2009

Companies that track consumer behavior online for advertising purposes are vowing to make their practices more transparent and to give people a way to decline being shadowed. It's unclear how much of an effect the new policies will have. One consumer group said the changes don't go far enough, and that extensive profiles of people still will be collected without their complete consent. [More...]

3 Tips for Brushing Up B2B Security

Thursday - July 2, 2009

Companies are seeking to establish electronic relationships with as many business partners as possible to enhance competitiveness, make it easier for important third parties to engage with them, cut time and space out of transaction cycle times and drive down the cost of doing business. [More...]

Green Dam Protesters Wait for China's Other Shoe to Drop

Wednesday - July 1, 2009

China reversed itself Tuesday, lifting the mandate to install Web-filtering software on all personal computers sold in the country. The government's announcement of the requirement, made without warning in June, was met with widespread opposition. It could be that the day of reckoning has simply been postponed. [More...]

Firefox 3.5 Streaks Onto the Web

Tuesday - June 30, 2009

Mozilla has released Firefox 3.5, the latest edition of its open source browser, one year after its release of Firefox 3. The update went through four betas, incorporating JavaScript fine-tuning and other improvements, resulting in the fastest version yet, according to Mozilla. [More...]

China Wobbles on Green Dam

Tuesday - June 30, 2009

The government of China says it will put off the July 1 deadline for mandatory installation of the controversial Green Dam Youth Escort Internet filtering software on new PCs, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. Originally, the country's government had said it would require vendors to include Green Dam with all computers sold in China. [More...]

Google Throws Its Voice to the Masses

Friday - June 26, 2009

Three months after unveiling its Google Voice application, Google unveiled a limited public roll-out on Thursday. The application's home site says the tool is available by invitation only. Anyone can sign up for an invitation, though they must then wait for a go-ahead from Google. Google has added several features to the application since March. [More...]

Pros Cool, Bloggers Warm Toward Microsoft's Security Freeware

Thursday - June 25, 2009

A beta version of Microsoft's free computer security software is now out. Microsoft Security Essentials, or SE, aka "Morro," replaces Redmond's OneCare subscription service. Features in SE are designed to preempt such typical malware activities as stealing passwords or turning a PC into a zombie bot. [More...]

Facebook Lets You Have Privacy Your Way

Thursday - June 25, 2009

Your 21st birthday party will no doubt go down in the record books as a legendary debauch, but the photos of you doing jello shots off a stripper's belly won't be nearly as impressive to future employers as they are to your Facebook friends. So, Facebook made it easier Wednesday for you to decide exactly who gets to see those photos -- as long as you are the one doing the posting. [More...]

Just Because I'm Paranoid Doesn't Mean My Mac Is Secure

Thursday - June 25, 2009

I was buying a fully loaded Mac to replace the 4-year-old Mac I had at home. Along with Microsoft Office for the Mac, I also wanted to buy a standard security AV and firewall application. The salesperson's response? Not necessary. I was sufficiently chastened by the $2,000-plus tab I had racked up that afternoon to let it go. But years of writing about online security had made me paranoid. [More...]

New Military Command to Guard US Cybersystems

Wednesday - June 24, 2009

The Department of Defense will proceed with the creation of a new command to coordinate the day-to-day defense of military, federal government and critical civilian networks from attack. The cyberdefense command will be part of the U.S. Strategic Command, a multiservice military operation that is responsible for, among other things, cyberwarfare policies. [More...]

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