sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/kimsitespect-470-75.jpgNot too long ago, I headed up marketing for a company where the CIO said to me on my first day, "If we both do our jobs, we'll never have to talk to each other again." It should be little wonder, then, that that company is no longer in business. If marketing and IT are not working together or are working against each other, your company simply will not be able to compete in today's marketplace. Over the last three decades, my teams have used the following best practices for working cohesively and cooperatively with IT for better outcomes (one of which is a happier workplace). 1: Learn how you each contribute to the business and where you can improveOnce marketing and IT start talking to each other and compare notes, it's often remarkable at how much they have in common. Both departments are responsible for improvements to the bottom line, process optimization, and enhanced productivity. The key here is to figure out where those items intersect. For example, I recently implemented marketing automation software at SiteSpect. Our IT department and various software owners helped make that happen, and I could not have done it without them. But I also tried to do as much on my own as possible, knowing that we're a thrifty, agile company with not a lot of overhead. By respecting those parameters and working within our culture, I helped contribute to the business by not creating additional burden on our technical resources. 2: Align goals, roles, and proceduresThere was a time when marketing came up with the strategic and creative execution of its programs and relied on IT to do the heavy lifting on infrastructure and technology. Today, so much marketing technology exists that marketers are investing their time, budget, and staff on using tools that enable them to get the job done on their own. At the same time, this creates an imperative to work even more closely with IT to ensure that security, privacy, and other corporate IT standards are met. A good example of this happens every day with our customers, some of the world's largest online businesses who use SiteSpect's Web and mobile optimization software to improve conversion rates and revenue. At the start of every SiteSpect implementation project, we figure out and agree ahead of time what we need to achieve, who should do what, and when and how those things would get done. It was as close to flawless execution as you can get because we align goals, roles, and procedures ahead of time. You can do this for any project, plan, or day-to-day task: it's the easiest and most efficient way to minimize interpersonal conflict and confusion in the workplace. 3: Take joint responsibility for wins and failuresThe obvious place where marketing and IT win or fail is marketing technology. If you are not making processes more efficient across the board and creating better experiences for customers, you're not winning. And neither department can do this alone. The only way you can win is together. That's why it's more important than ever for marketing and IT to be in alignment and collaborating on a regular basis. Whether it's building a new website, mining data, creating a better e-commerce flow, or rolling out new apps, both marketing and IT have their role to play, individually and together. Kim Ann King is the Chief Marketing Officer of web and mobile optimization firm SiteSpecthttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3af3c5ba/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506479346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af3c5ba/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506479346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af3c5ba/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506479346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af3c5ba/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506479346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af3c5ba/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506479346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af3c5ba/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FZLRiDAshew

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/IBMcroppedagain-470-75.jpgIBM has created 12 industry-specific subscription-based cloud solutions, the company said May 29. The releases include specific healthcare, mobility, asset management, customer data and predictive asset management tools. IBM's cloud-based healthcare solution is designed to help institutions improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs by integrating care management, analytics and patient engagement. IBM's mobility management cloud-based tool will include mobile accelerators, designs and development models to help organizations across all verticals improve mobile application and site development. IBM's asset management tool is designed to provide clients that haven't invested deeply in asset management the opportunity to maximize returns. IBM will also release a customer data tool that will leverage analytics in order to help IBM clients maximize marketing return on investment, and a predictive asset tool that is geared toward enabling proactive analysis. Additional releasesIBM has also announced customer analytics, fraud prevention, digital commerce, adaptive learning, emergency management, marketing management, and real estate management tools. Each of which is designed to provide businesses with the tools necessary to manage data regardless of industry or specific cloud-based need. IBM also plans to introduce eight cloud-based solutions that will be rolled out throughout 2014. It is unclear what the additional solutions will focus on or when during 2014 they will be announced. TP Vision is a beta user of IBM's customer data solution. Albert Mombarg Director of Smart TV at TP Vision said via statement that IBM's solution allows the company "to provide an economic, more flexible way to create new services for our viewers, driving ongoing business innovation." IBM's cloud visionIBM has invested more than $7 billion in 17 acquisitions to accelerate its cloud initiatives. In March, IBM completed its acquisition of database-as-a-service (DBaaS) provider Cloudant. The purchase is intended to further IBM's interests in big data and analytics, cloud computing and mobile. Last week, IBM said it will provide OpenStack integration and cloud virtualization and management capabilities across IBM's server portfolio. The service is designed to enable organizations to more easily adopt and integrate the cloud with their existing IT infrastructure. Earlier this year, IBM said it would commit $1.2 billion to expanding its global cloud footprint through an increased network of data centers. As part of the plan, 15 new data centers will be opened by the firm worldwide. A recent IBM study revealed most organizations are unprepared for emerging technologies, and plan to increase IT spending as a result.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3af2f3b0/sc/46/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506485871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af2f3b0/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506485871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af2f3b0/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506485871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af2f3b0/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506485871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af2f3b0/sc/46/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506485871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af2f3b0/sc/46/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/yb1gbnriw6I

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/oleg%20pliss-470-75.jpgApple issued a statement in the wake of growing concerns surrounding a series of hacking attacks, apparently commited by someone called Oleg Pliss. A number of iPhone customers reported that they were locked out of their devices - via iCloud - with a message requesting money to be sent to an email address. Apple's short notice says that it "iCloud was not compromised during this incident. Impacted users should change their Apple ID password as soon as possible and avoid Apple device users from as far as Canada, Australia and the US took to Apple's support communities website and claimed to have been targeted by the attacks. Going around the worldThere are are also unconfirmed reports that the ransomware scheme has hit the UK shores as well according to the thread, which has been read nearly 40,000 times. "Impacted users should change their Apple ID password as soon as possible and avoid using the same user name and password for multiple services," Apple said in a statement. "Any users who need additional help can contact AppleCare or visit their local Apple Retail Store." The only Oleg Pliss we could find currently works for Oracle as a senior software engineer and computer scientist, working primarily on Java, but it is unlikely that it was him. Have you been affected by this ransomware scheme? Get in touch with us.Via: Apple, ZDnet, Linkedin http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3af9c53c/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-jnLLSTxW3M

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/oleg%20pliss-470-75.jpgApple issued a statement in the wake of growing concerns surrounding a series of hacking attacks, apparently commited by someone called Oleg Pliss. A number of iPhone customers reported that they were locked out of their devices - via iCloud - with a message requesting money to be sent to an email address. Apple's short notice says that it "iCloud was not compromised during this incident. Impacted users should change their Apple ID password as soon as possible and avoid Apple device users from as far as Canada and the US took to Apple's support communities website and claimed to have been targeted by the attacks. Already in the UK?There are are also unconfirmed reports that the ransomware scheme has hit the UK shores as well according to the thread which has been read nearly 40,000 times. using the same user name and password for multiple services. Any users who need additional help can contact AppleCare or visit their local Apple Retail Store." The only Oleg Pliss we could find currently works for Oracle as a senior software engineer and computer scientist, working primarily on Java but it is unlikely that it was him. Have you been affected by this ransomware scheme? Get in touch with us.Via: Apple, ZDnet, Linkedin http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3af1a320/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506584316/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af1a320/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506584316/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af1a320/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506584316/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af1a320/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506584316/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af1a320/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506584316/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af1a320/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/HCzGzoHahcY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/logos/Beats%20Music-470-75.jpgNow that it's confirmed that Beats belongs to Apple, Telstra customers may be wondering just what will happen to music streaming service MOG? Telstra's partnership with MOG allowed the telco's customers to have unmetered access to the streaming music service. MOG was later bought up by Beats, and while Telstra customers were concerned what would happen to service, the telco confirmed that MOG would be replaced by Beats Music streaming service later this year. But with another acquisition, questions have again arisen over the future of the unmetered music streaming service for Telstra customers. ApplefiedWhile rumours began swirling about a possible acquisition of Beats by Apple last week, the deal was confirmed overnight. In a statement to TechRadar, Telstra said that for now, MOG will continue to run as usual. "We're looking forward to understanding the detail in due course and will work with Beats on this," the telco said of the deal between Apple and Beats. "Of course we will let our customers know more information when we know more." Previously, Telstra had confirmed that MOG would migrate to Beats in Australia by the end of June on its CrowdSupport community site, although whether that is still the case is still to be determined. Here's another 10 things you need to know about Apple buying Beatshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3af009f2/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506472863/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af009f2/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506472863/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af009f2/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506472863/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af009f2/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506472863/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af009f2/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506472863/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3af009f2/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2YwZQX-ltcQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Internet%20Of%20Things/Rooms/kitchen_ipad-470-75.jpgTake a tour of the Apple House of the futureWe've been promised super-connected homes for some time now- Popular Mechanics magazine was banging on about it in the 1930s - but at last the technology is catching up with futurists' predictions. We know that Google's interested in home automation thanks to its purchase of the Nest smart thermostat and its patented plans to serve ads on almost everything but, if the Financial Times is correct, Apple's about to take an even bigger step: at WWDC it's going to announce a standard for intelligent home appliances based around iOS. iOS is already in many homes. We use it to control WeMo switches and to stream music; you might use it to control your heating or to access your favourite films. What's going to change at WWDC is that manufacturers will no longer have to roll out their own iOS solutions: Apple will have a system they can use, branding they can stick on their ads and hype that might finally make internet fridges sound attractive. So what might the Apple house of the future look like? Here's what we reckon. Coming homeYou've already used CarPlay to unlock the car, to listen and reply to messages, to plan the fastest way home through traffic and to stream your favourite tunes; as you drive your iPhone tells the house your ETA so the cooker can heat your dinner and the central heating knows whether it needs to stick to its usual programme or warm the house a little earlier. On arrival your iPhone says hello to the secure gate, unlocks the front door and turns on the porch light so you can see your way inside. In the hallwayNo need to punch a code into the alarm system: your phone's already talking to it and turning off the motion sensors and external camera. Motion sensors will turn the camera back on and stream video to your iPhone if someone approaches the door, but there's no point filming when there's nothing happening. The interior lights come on with a welcoming colour scheme, triggered by motion switches in their plugs that spotted your arrival, and you notice the faint glow of the charging light on the vacuuming robot under the stairs, which does its duties as soon as you leave in the morning. In the kitchenYour wireless speakers pick up the music from where you left off in the car, and both the music and the lighting follow you as you move from room to room. You check the notes from your family (tonight's football, they'll get pizza on the way home) on the fridge's flat screen - it's a memo board and iPad stuck to the fridge rather than an integral part of the appliance - and swipe to the recipe app for dinner's final touches, calling up a podcast to listen to while you work. Later you'll pick a recipe for tomorrow's dinner and send it to your online shopping app for delivery while you're at work. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/internet/Internet%20Of%20Things/Rooms/livingroom_TV-420-90.jpg Winding downYou catch a few news clips and throw a quick game at the Apple TV, the lighting changing from warm hues to cool blues as the game takes you into colder territory. Your iPhone pings to let you know everybody's about to arrive, so you reluctantly quit the game and tell Siri to play something more family-friendly than the hardcore hip hop you prefer. Siri suggests the soundtrack from Frozen 3, but you know she's just taking the mickey. As everyone arrives their i-devices automatically backup to your Time Capsule - Apple still hasn't made its iCloud storage per-device rather than per-account - and shared calendars and to-do lists are synced with the family Mac. Ready for bedhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/internet/Internet%20Of%20Things/Rooms/livingroom_lapms-420-90.jpg The kids' bedroom lights have already faded at the pre-arranged times, their streaming music silent and their ebooks off. After a well-deserved glass of wine and some good chat you and your partner head for bed. As ever the scales track your weight, body fat percentage and BMI and send the results to Healthbook, but something isn't right tonight: as you move towards the toilet the seat starts opening and shutting like a mouth while a disembodied voice cackles. You sigh and tell Siri to call an Apple-accredited plumber to dial in and deal with the hack, and to do it sharpish. That's the third time this month, you think. So much for "it just works".

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Skype/Skype_Translator-470-75.jpgSince the dawn humanity our propensity to speak in different tongues has limited our ability to fully communicate with everyone we encounter, but Microsoft reckons it might have sorted all that. At the Code conference on Tuesday, the firm demonstrated 'near real-time' language translation for voice calls for Skype, which works just like having a real interpreter as part of the conversation. Amazingly, the English-to-German Skype Translator demo from CEO Satya Nadella wasn't just your average proof of concept envisioning the tech of tomorrow either. A beta app expected to land for Windows 8 users before the end of 2014, with a commercial roll out possible within a couple of years. Microsoft is also working on adding more languages and says the feature may come at a cost for users. Resolving the mismatchMicrosoft said the project required a number of breakthroughs from its Machine Translation Team and researchers and engineers across the company in speech recognition and translation. "The interesting thing about this project," project leader Arul Menezes says, "is we've got these two fairly complex technologies coming together for the first time to provide this end-to-end user experience." The key breakthrough came in 2010 when the team developed a system for real-time speech-to-text and speech-to-speech translation of voice calls. Since then the firm has been analysing conversational data, the way people speak on social media and the differences between how people write and talk in order to fine tune the technology. "That's one of the things over the last year that my team's been doing, resolving the mismatch between the way people talk and the way they write," Menezes added on the Microsoft Research blog. "If your translation system is focused on written text, it works very poorly with spoken language." The firm says its efforts over the last few years have come close to solving what it had previously considered "an impossible task." It's certainly an example of how Microsoft, with its vast resources and knowledge can take an established property like Skype and take it to unheard of levels. We're excited to give this a try. Find out how Skype is matching Google Hangoutshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ae43d76/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506524397/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae43d76/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506524397/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae43d76/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506524397/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae43d76/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506524397/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae43d76/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506524397/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae43d76/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/9hpEn9MwdYU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/HTC/First/HandsOn/HTC%20First-470-75.jpgFacebook is changing everyone's News Feed to feature less auto-shared posts, including what Spotify songs their friends are listening to and images they like on Instagram. In a move to reduce auto-shared spam, the social network promises users' third party apps will post fewer stories on their behalf. Additionally, apps that auto-share your activity, such as Socialcam and Viddy, will need to prompt users with an option to opt out before apps can post the video to their timelines. However, Facebook isn't doing away with sharing from third-party apps completely. In a developer update, the social network wrote it's prioritizing explicitly shared stories over automated posts. By doing so, Facebook users should feel less confused by activity that shows up seemingly on its own. Meanwhile, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their News Feeds won't be flooded with "implicitly" shared posts all the time. This time it's personalAutomated sharing helped build Facebook into an aggregator that allowed users to post practically everything they saw and did online. However, in the last year the company has been trying to reinvent itself as a more mature and conscientious social network with revised privacy controls. By combing down the News Feed to promote explicitly shared content, Facebook wants to pull only the most interesting and personal stories from the web. "In general, we've found that people engage more with stories that are shared explicitly rather than implicitly, and often feel surprised or confused by stories that are shared implicitly or automatically," Facebook's Peter Yang said in a blog post. While auto-sharing helped Facebook grow as the internet's boombox, it's actually hurt the thumbs-up firm; Yang wrote that the number of implicitly shared stories has declined as people have come to associate these posts with spam. Facebook does care! About your privacy, that is.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ae384f2/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506493105/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae384f2/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506493105/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae384f2/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506493105/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae384f2/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506493105/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae384f2/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506493105/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ae384f2/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/fyveQxG75lA

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/barnaby-jack-470-75.JPGTraffic stoppers and cash printersUntil Ubisoft's Watch Dogs came along, we hadn't been this excited about a game involving hacking since Deus Ex had us honing our security terminal-cracking skills back in 2000. Playing as protagonist Aiden Pearce, your main weapon is a smartphone that can be used to hack into (and control) surveillance cameras, traffic lights and other electronic devices connected to Chicago's central network in a bid to thwart enemies and evade the police. While Watch Dogs' content director Thomas Geffroy claims that everything in the game is based on reality, some of Aiden's abilities are more far-fetched than others (speeding up hacked trains, for example, is still perhaps wishful thinking for many commuters). Others, however, are certainly being exploited today, and we're not going to argue with the game's creative director Jonathon Morin when he says that technology is a "wake up call". The question is: who are you gonna call when society slips into an inevitable dystopian hackerfest ruled by offbeat vigilantes dressed in more layers than a GAP mannequin? We've picked out five security researchers who would be among the first on our list. If there's a real-life Watch Dogs exploit out there, the chances are that one of these guys has patched it. 1. Cesar CerrudoOccupation: Professional hacker and CTO of IOACtive Labs Watch Dogs skill: Hacking traffic light control systems http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/people/cesar-cerrudo-93-100.JPG Image credit: Martin Lescano / In Watch Dogs, Aiden can use his smartphone to hack traffic lights to turn them all green at the same time. As you might expect, this causes road rage levels to go through the roof as vehicles come together in a head-on scrum, allowing him to escape from pursuers. Cesar Cerrudo, an Argentinan security researcher, claims that such a feat is relatively simple (worryingly so for those in control of traffic lights). In a blog post, he writes that all you need to hack into the traffic control systems of some of the world's biggest cities is $100 (to buy a cheap drone), a bit of hacking know-how and a few hours to kill. After attaching a Sensys Networks Wireless transmitter (a type of embedded roadside sensor that sends traffic data to a data centre) to the drone, he was able to intercept and manipulate traffic light signals from a certain distance. He could then trick the lights to cause a pile-up or even re-route traffic. Cerrudo says he was inspired by the Bruce Willis movie Live Free or Die Hard (which features a terrorist who controls traffic lights, no less), but don't worry: he reported his findings at a security conference after directly contacting Sensys about the vulnerability. 2. Barnaby JackOccupation: Hacker, programmer and security expert Watch Dogs skill: Hacking ATMs http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/people/barnaby-jack-87-100.JPG Barnaby Jack was a computer expert and "white hat" (non-malicious) hacker famous for achieving what most people dream of one day: making ATMs gush cash like Niagara Falls (a process that became known as "jackpotting"). Before his untimely death in 2013 (an autopsy recorded a verdict of accidental drug overdose), Jack appeared at the Black Hat Security Conference in July 2010 where he hacked an ATM live on stage using a master key downloaded off the internet, the machine's IP number and a telephone, draining it of its cash reserves in the process. The elite hacker from New Zealand spent years analysing ATM flaws, honing his skills to carry out attacks either at the terminals themselves or remotely. He began working with vendors to help them patch security holes and prevent malicious attacks, in addition to exposing flaws in peacemakers and other medical devices. In Watch Dogs, ATMs show Microsoft's infamous 'blue screen of death' to indicate that Aiden has successfully withdrawn money from other people's bank accounts. We reckon they're probably still running Windows XP. Vehicle hackers and city spies3. Zoz BrooksOccupation: Robotics interface designer and rapid prototyping specialist. Co-founder of Cannytrophic Design in Boston and CTO of BlueSky in San Francisco Watch Dogs skill: Hacking vehicles http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/people/zos-defcon-75-100.JPG Image credit: DEFCONConference / The idea of hacking cars and other vehicles has gained considerable ground in recent years as the number of lines of software code they run on has spiraled into the hundreds of millions. However, unlike in Watch Dogs where regular cars and trains can be easily hacked and controlled to help Aiden make his escape, a more immediate real-life threat stems from another concept to have gained traction in recent years: autonomous vehicles. Google has voiced its support for self-driving car technology and wants to get fully-autonomous cars on the road by 2018. In the UK, plans to roll out two seater 'pods' that ferry people around the city centre are planned to be operational in Milton Keynes by 2015. According to Australian robotics interface designer Zoz, we could be driving around in circles in our attempts to make autonomous vehicles secure - for a number of reasons. Most revolve around the unpredictable nature of the sensors that help such vehicles navigate - from GPS that can be can be jammed, causing vehicles to veer off course - to compasses that can be rendered inaccurate using strong electromagnetic currents. 4. Craig HefnerOccupation: Security specialist, professional hacker Watch Dogs skill: Hacking surveillance cameras http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/people/craig-heffner-84-100.JPG Image credit: Security Weekly / YouTube Along with hacking and privacy, surveillance is one of the main themes in Watch Dogs. By tapping into the city's network, you can spy on certain areas of the city, and personal data can be dug up on its citizens allowing you to decide how to approach different missions. It's no huge surprise to find out that this is already going on in the real world. Earlier this year, ex-National Security Agency employee Craig Hefner uncovered a security vulnerability found in cameras made by D-Link, TrendNet, Cisco and other manufactures that allows attackers to hack into and control them. By changing a user string (a line in the camera's settings URL code used to access its settings), Hefner was able to gain access without a password. Like something out of a Hollywood-style plot, the "zero day" vulnerabilities applied to cameras found in banks, businesses, hotels and casinos. Hefner revealed his findings at the Black Hat Security Conference in Las Vegas, inspiring several Oceans Eleven-style heists in the process (probably). 5. Ralph LangerOccupation: Security expert Watch Dogs skill: Hacking public infrastructure http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/people/ralph-langer-88-100.jpg Stuxnet was a deadly cyber attack that has been described by some as the "blockbuster of malware". Launched in 2011, it targeted Windows machines running a certain type of Siemens software found in Iranian nuclear power centres. Because the attack exploited four separate zero-day vulnerabilities (ones with no known fix), it was able to cause centrifuges used to enrich uranium to spin rapidly to the point of destruction. In Watch Dogs, Aiden doesn't quite possess such devastating abilities to disrupt nuclear operations, but he can rupture steam pipes connected to the city's network by overloading them with pressure, causing them to squirt hot water at his enemies. Ouch. Concerns around hacking public infrastructure are growing every day, and it's down to security researchers such as Ralph Langer to make sure the world's biggest water systems and other public infrastructure are safe from hackers. Langer has written the most in-depth analysis of Stuxnet that's available today, delving into the attack in incredible detail. If we ever needed a go-to guy to stop Aiden Pearce hacking our water pipes, Langer would be it. Before Watch Dogs: the best and worst hacking gameshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3adfb6a2/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506399413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3adfb6a2/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506399413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3adfb6a2/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506399413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3adfb6a2/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506399413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3adfb6a2/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506399413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3adfb6a2/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/wJgVV9XzqMQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/connectedhome/WeMo%20Light%20Switch%20lifestyle-470-75.jpgApple's invasion of our homes might not stop at iPads and Apple TVs, according to a new report. The company is reportedly prepping a new "software platform" that will let iOS devices control every aspect of smart homes, including lighting, temperature, security, and more. This rumor comes from a report found on The Financial Times, which claimed to have spoken with sources who knew what they were talking about. The site expects Apple to unveil the new iOS-compatible smart home platform at the company's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC 2014) in San Francisco on June 2. Get smartThe software platform will reportedly be similar to Apple's Made For iPhone (MFI) program, in that it will be built into iOS devices but open to development by third parties. Like how any hardware maker can create an official MFI controller - as long as it's up to Apple's standards - so too will any smart device maker be able to craft appliances and other systems that can interact with iOS devices. And the controls may not be limited to manually flicking the lights or adjusting the air conditioning. Location-activated features could also, for example, automatically light up a room when a person enters with an iPhone that's paired with the system. Apple could be trying to get ahead of Google on this one. The search company bought smart thermostat company Nest this year, and a recent proposal from Google suggested the company could hypothetically plaster ads all over your smart home. Smart homes have yet to catch on in a really big way, but Apple's involvement may push your average consumer into adopting smart thermostats, light fixtures, appliances, and more. Read TechRadar's MacBook Air reviewhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ad8d2dc/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506469934/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad8d2dc/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506469934/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad8d2dc/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506469934/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad8d2dc/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506469934/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad8d2dc/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506469934/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad8d2dc/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/djToWhu-HtQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/matt_asay-470-75.jpgWe recently spoke to Matt Asay, VP of business strategy at MongoDB, to discuss the disruptive nature of NoSQL solutions, the advantages of an open-source approach, and what MongoDB's plans for the future are. MongoDB is a NoSQL database with a focus on agility and scalability, helping organisations including The National Archives, The Guardian and Telefonica by providing a non-relational, open-source solution that allows for the management of data produced by modern applications. This has made MongoDB a popular solution among the startup community in the UK, helping them to build their businesses around valuable data. As part of a vibrant and fast-moving sector, Asay enthused about the industry and his company's role in it during our Q&A. Tech Radar Pro: With the database market dominated by the likes of Oracle and IBM, how is NoSQL challenging this established order? Matt Asay: NoSQL started as a movement and has become less useful as a category definition. I say "less useful" because "NoSQL" describes an array of databases that are generally more different than similar. Still, what NoSQL set out to describe was a shift away from the rigid, structured data of the past to a new world of unstructured, constantly changing data. That's the world in which MongoDB lives and thrives. Most data today simply doesn't fit neatly into a relational database. Sure, given enough money and time you can force most data into the rows and columns of a relational database, but organisations are coming to realise that this is a very poor use of both resources and time. So I'd actually rephrase your question: with today's data so clearly suited to a NoSQL, general purpose database like MongoDB, how can the likes of Oracle hope to remain relevant for modern applications? Not because Oracle is a bad database - it's actually fantastic for yesterday's business needs. But because modern applications need a modern database like MongoDB. TRP: What features does an open source solution like MongoDB have that proprietary offerings don't? MA: It's not so much a set of features that MongoDB has versus, say, Oracle. Oracle has been around for 40 years. It has a wealth of functionality. What proprietary or open-source RDBMSs don't have, however, is the natural ability to handle unstructured and semi-structured data at scale. Consider this: 90% of the world's data was created in the last two years, 80% of the world's data is unstructured, and unstructured data is growing at twice the rate of structured data. Put that together and it's clear that the trends favour databases that are comfortable with messy data that doesn't fit neatly into the rows and columns of a relational database. TRP: Was MongoDB designed specifically for web applications or does it have other use cases? MA: Co-founder Dwight Merriman likes to describe MongoDB as the database he wishes he would have had back when he started DoubleClick, which he later sold to Google. It's not about web applications: it's about an entire new generation of modern applications that require an operational database. One of the reasons MongoDB has been so popular is that it's a true, general purpose database that is useful in a broad array of use cases including content management, big data (including the database powering a new breed of internet of things applications), product and asset catalogs, and more. TRP: Would you say that Europe is slower to adopt open source solutions than the rest of the world, or is it more open minded? MA: The irony is that Europeans have been quickest to develop much of the leading open source technologies, but European companies have been slower to adopt than organisations in APAC or North America. Things like Linux and MySQL were hatched by Europeans, yet their broadest adoption has been in the U.S. On a government level, however, Europe has definitely led over the U.S. Europe has long pointed to the benefits of using open source. Now it just needs European companies to listen more. TRP: You received considerable funding in 2013 from a range of sources, how is this investment being used? MA: While it's great that MongoDB has raised over $200 million, it's still quite small compared to the billions that Oracle and other legacy incumbents have at their disposal. The thing we have that our proprietary competitors do not is a vibrant, massive open-source community. We're spending a great deal of money investing in an even bigger, stronger engineering team, but we're always mindful of the need to multiply our internal resources by the power of our external community. In addition to engineering, we're expanding our footprint to Asia-Pacific and strengthening our presence further in EMEA. We're very fortunate to have the resources to be able to hire exceptional people everywhere. Ultimately, it's people, not money, that will make MongoDB the most widely used database on the planet. TRP: What does the rest of 2014 hold for MongoDB? More and faster! In 2014 I expect to see a winnowing down of the NoSQL database population. Today, DB-Engines.com lists over 200 databases, many of them NoSQL databases. By the end of the year, the market will have settled on two to three primary NoSQL databases, similar to what happened in the relational database market. MongoDB is currently the top NoSQL database by a considerable margin, and we want to make it even easier to embrace MongoDB by expanding our partner reach, widening our physical footprint throughout Europe and Asia-Pacific and constantly improving the core database. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ad758bd/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506363109/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad758bd/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506363109/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad758bd/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506363109/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad758bd/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506363109/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad758bd/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506363109/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ad758bd/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/qx62-HdJmwg

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/youtube_creator_space_la-470-75.jpgYouTube is about to introduce some helpful new tools for content creators, but it wants some feedback on them first. The site's Creator Product Management Director Matt Glotzbach introduced the new features, including an app made specifically for creators, in a video posted on YouTube's creator blog. The app will include tools that are important to video makers and aren't available in the standard YouTube app, like channel management features. Also incoming are a feature that will allow fans to give money directly to YouTube creators, one that will let users crowdsource captions and subtitles in more than 60 languages, and more. YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR8XBZRkkaoWhat's "meow" in Mandarin?The blog post said they'll reveal more about these upcoming features "in the coming months." The company is apparently making an effort to be more transparent about upcoming features. "We want to show you the features and products we're building ahead of time, so you can tell us if we're on the right track or if we need to adjust a little," Glotzbach says in the video. And they're not kidding about the feedback - the blog post encourages users to provide some on Google+ or Twitter. Here's TechRadar's take on Google Glasshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ac48761/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506380468/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac48761/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506380468/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac48761/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506380468/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac48761/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506380468/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac48761/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506380468/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac48761/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/lBzEjI6SZf4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Lenovo/ThinkPad8/Hands%20on/thinkpad8-13-470-75.jpgThe days when there was just one version of Windows are long gone. With a phone and RT version already out, Microsoft is adding yet another variant made specifically for hardware manufacturers. First teased at Build 2014, Microsoft announced a Windows 8.1 with Bing - yes that's really its name – designed for low-cost hardware platforms. In a blog post the Richmond company detailed that these affordable devices could be equipped with as little as 1GB of memory and 16GB of storage. Microsoft is also offering this new version of Windows for free to all hardware developers for phones and tablets with a screen smaller than 9-inches. While regular consumers might not be able to take advantage of this free version of Windows, we could see a many more Windows devices in the near future. Microsoft also went on to hint that we could see new Windows devices in the coming weeks at Computex in Taipei. I love free stuffAlthough the vanilla version of Windows 8.1 comes with Bing integration baked in, this new variant will come with Internet Explorer using Microsoft's search engine by default. It's not clear if this is a setting users will be able to change on their own, but there's always the option to install another browser like Chrome or Firefox. As an extra perk devices, and especially tablets, also may come with Office preloaded or an included one-year subscription to Office 365. Otherwise the Windows 8.1 with Bing seems to be largely the same operating system and Microsoft promises it will run just as fluidly on the lightly specced platforms. It may be even more interesting to see how many new phones and tablets, decide take advantage of this free Windows offer. Stay tuned as we bring you more Windows-powered hardware news from Computex in the coming weeks. Windows 8.1 with Bing may have just gotten here but we want Windows 9http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ac37e4d/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506350400/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac37e4d/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506350400/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac37e4d/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506350400/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac37e4d/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506350400/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac37e4d/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506350400/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ac37e4d/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/KytHK3Dx9Kc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/HP/HP%207%20Plus/HP-7-Plus-470-75.jpgHow low can you go? That seems to be the question on Hewlett-Packard's mind this week as the beleaguered hardware maker debuts a new seven-inch Android tablet for the budget-minded consumer. While not the cheapest slate the company has produced, HP today announced availability for the HP 7 Plus, a modest seven-inch Android tablet that boldly proclaims to be "big on performance." That would seem to be a dubious bit of marketing considering the $99.99 price tag, especially for a silver tablet capable of mustering up a 1024 x 600 display resolution and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, which is certainly no longer the freshest flavor of Google's mobile platform. The 7 Plus is powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex A7 processor clocked at 1GHz, but the 2800 mAh battery is only capable of eking out a mere five and a half hours, according to HP's own specs. Fair to middlingWhile HP may have skimped on some of the core details, the 7 Plus does offer a micro-SD expansion slot, and you'll likely need it, given the meager 8GB of onboard storage; the tablet also comes with a generous 25GB of Box cloud storage. Aside from the expansive bezel surrounding the display, the overall design of the HP 7 Plus certainly lives up the company's claims of looking "sharp with a suit and dynamite with denim," thanks to the silver-hued casing. The most obvious compromises made to get the price just shy of $100 come into play with the cameras - the good news is there are indeed two of them, but buyers are only receiving 2MP around the back and a woefully inadequate 0.3MP fixed focus lens up front. Still, for many consumers, it's what they can afford that counts, and the HP 7 Plus delivers the goods for a modest price that won't ding the wallet too badly, and comes with free standard US shipping to boot. What's the latest on Windows 9? Find out in our up-to-the-minute report!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ac3aaad/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/VKsa2wCSq_s

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/ebay_natural_logo-470-75.jpgEbay has denied that details pasted on anonymous text site Pastebin that purportedly came from a stolen database were genuine. A spokesperson told the Guardian that, "the published lists we have checked so far are not authentic eBay accounts". The auction site suffered one of the biggest cyberattack of all time after a database of up to 145 million of its users was apparently stolen. Someone provided a sample of more than 12,600 entries coming from a database of Asian-Pacific eBay users and containing their emails, names, phone numbers, data of birth and addresses. Suspiciously cheapThe asking price for the entire database was 1.45 Bitcoin (or 1 Bitcoin for 100 million users); that's about £445 (US$750, AU$813). The list page on Pastebin has been viewed nearly 30,000. Arguably not a lot for a database whose size is said to dwarf that of Adobe breach file at 22GB (compared to 9GB); that's small enough to fit on a cheap USB stick. Security experts expect the number of fake eBay user databases on sale to rise significantly over the next few weeks (ed: it would be ironic if it ended on eBay). It is also likely that the hack will trigger a flood of scam emails sent to eBay (and non eBay) users worldwide, urging them to change their passwords. Seems like passwords just don't cut it anymorehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3abf36e3/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506268052/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3abf36e3/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506268052/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3abf36e3/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506268052/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3abf36e3/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506268052/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3abf36e3/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506268052/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3abf36e3/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/IL3pDvk8cGc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/AU%20News/samsung%20m7%20speaker-470-75.jpgAs Sonos will undoubtedly have noticed, Samsung last night launched its new multiroom audio range, featuring a pair of triangular speakers, an updated Soundbar and a 1330W Series 7 Home Theatre System to compete with the likes of the Sonos Play:1. The new range is managed using multiroom Link to create a central ecosystem, enabling multiple music sources to be accessed over Wi-Fi. Samsung's Wireless Audio multiroom app, which is available on iOS and Android, makes it easy to select any music source and speaker combo your ears desire via your smartphone or tablet. Music streaming services and this year's Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray players can act as music sources, but Samsung's representative was unsure if TVs from previous years would be compatible once upgraded with an Evolution Kit. Speak to meSamsung's triangular speakers, which come in M5 and M7 variations, feature Bluetooth and NFC and can lie flat or stand upright. If you prefer a subtle approach, the speakers' shape makes them easy to discretely position in corners, where they will be heard rather than seen. A Samsung representative said the system had been tested with 12 speakers linked at once, but could potentially handle more. The M5 and M7 speakers retail for $399 and $499 respectively and are available in black and white. Samsung has also updated its Series 7 Soundbar's insides - even if the exterior remains more or less unchanged - upping its power to 320W. It features 4.1 channel sound, an 8-inch 160W subwoofer and can be turned on via previously paired Bluetooth devices, which is one less reason to have to get out of bed in the morning. The Soundbar retails for $899. Also launched last night was the Series 7 Home Theatre System, featuring six speakers (two tallboys, two rear satellites, one centre speaker and one sub-woofer) and the new DTS Neo: Fusion II codec for 2014, which creates virtual 9.1 channels of output. The system retails for $1,099. Interested in Samsung, eh? Why not check out our Galaxy S5 review?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/nest/protect-black-pathlight-470-75.jpgThe Google-owned thermostat company Nest has recalled every one of its Protect smoke alarms over a defect that could cause the alarm to be wrongly disabled. The recall, said to total 440,000 units, is the result of an issue with the Wave feature which is designed to let owners disable the sound of the alarm with a simple gesture. Just last month the firm halted Protect sales, revealing the Wave feature could be falsely triggered, thus preventing the alarm from sounding in the event of a real fire. The temporary solution for the problem, as listed on the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website, is an automatic software update, delivered when users connect their device to a Wi-Fi network. DisabledOnce the update is automatically downloaded, the Wave feature will be completely disabled. Following the install, the firm says users can continue to use their smoke alarms safely. A Nest spokesperson told TechCrunch: "Even with the Wave feature disabled, the Nest Protect Alarm will continue to perform its essential safety functions, monitoring for increased levels of smoke and CO, and alerting users via voice alerts and Nest app alerts (if set up) as soon as there is a potential issue." Users can choose to update their device or claim a full refund, options which were first presented when the issue came to light in April. In depth: Why has Google bought Nest?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Internet%20Of%20Things/techtoaster_IoT-470-75.jpgIf there's one thing Google isn't serving enough of, it's ads. Thankfully the company might someday address that, if it follows through on a proposal that it might put ads on everything from thermostats and refrigerators to car dashboards, watches and glasses - a proposal it explained in a letter to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. These everywhere-ads are currently hypothetical - or at least we have no proof that they're otherwise. And a Google spokesperson told TechRadar that the letter "does not reflect Google's product roadmap." Hm. The definition of mobileSo it seems some context might help, before you start looking at your thermostat sideways expecting to see an ad for whatever you last Googled. The search company mentioned the possibility of putting ads on appliances and other unusual places to explain to the SEC why it shouldn't be required to disclose revenue generated from mobile devices, like Twitter, Facebook and other companies do. Google said it doesn't make sense to single out mobile devices as their own category, since the definition of mobile is always evolving, especially as more and more household items turn smart. And in fact, a Google spokesperson let us know that the company is "in contact with the SEC to clarify the language in this 2013 filing." ExplanationsGoogle said the content it could (hypothetically) displays on weird devices might not even be limited to ads. "Our expectation is that users will be using our services and viewing our ads on an increasingly wide diversity of devices in the future," the company told the SEC. With Android already getting behind the wheel, Google Glass headsets causing headaches all over the place, and Google buying up home appliance companies like the smart thermostat makers at Nest, it's not hard to imagine its expectation coming true. But imagination is all it might be: "Nest, which we acquired after this filing was made, does not have an ads-based model and has never had any such plans," Google's statement to TechRadar explained. We'll see. Like or dislike, Facebook announces 'Audience Network' mobile ad system

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Carphone%20Warehouse/Safe%20phone/CBN09.safe.illo-470-75.jpgThe 10 worst breaches of the past 12 monthsMost Internet users are accustomed to changing their online passwords regularly. They limit their shopping to sites with a trusted security certificate, and use companies like PayPal for safe transactions. But the last year has demonstrated that even the most cautious user is vulnerable to data breaches that can lead to fraud and identity theft. Luckily, timely disclosure about these breaches is becoming more standard for the organizations affected, enabling users to act quickly to change their passwords and check their credit reports. However, with data breaches becoming more common, the best Internet users can hope for is that these quick security fixes, plus a new password, will be enough to protect them in the future. Here are the top ten data and security breaches of the past twelve months—the year some have called the year of the stolen password. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/internet/heartbleed_padlock-420-90.jpg 1. Heartbleed The Heartbleed encryption bug is probably the biggest and best-known breach of the last 12 months (if not the last few years). The existence of the bug was made public by security firm Codenomiconon in April, although it operated undetected for almost two years. Heartbleed affected about 17% of the Internet's secure web servers making passwords vulnerable to theft—information that was normally protected by SSL/TLS encryption. A massive number of companies were affected including Amazon, Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr, Airbnb, Wordpress, and Wattpad. Users on each site were advised to change their passwords, while companies were advised to patch their copy of OpenSSL to fix the problem. Operating systems like Android 4.1.1 were also discovered to be vulnerable. The industry mobilized one of its biggest responses ever to a data breach by creating the Core Infrastructure Initiative, a multi-million dollar project to fund critical elements of the web's infrastructure. Backed by companies like Amazon, Dell, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft the funding will help lead developers on various projects and pay for security audits and software development. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/internet/Hacking/hacking-usethisone-420-90.jpg 2. TargetMajor US retailer Target announced a massive breach of its point-of-sale terminals in early December of last year. The breach affected an estimated 70 million Black Friday shoppers. Customer credit and debit cards were compromised and customer names, mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers were stolen. Target's website has an FAQ dedicated to answering consumer questions about the breach. The company assures customers they won't be held liable for fraudulent charges. In response to the theft, and in order to step up credit card security for its customers, Target is fast-tracking plans to implement chip-enabled technology with its store branded credit cards by early 2015. Target also announced that it has joined forces with a host of other retailers to launch the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center, which will enable them to share information, analyze data, and help address cyber crime in tandem with U.S. law enforcement. Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel announced his resignation after 35-years with the company and Target CIO Beth Jacobs stepped down after 6 years with the organization. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Adobe/Photoshop%20CC/photoshopcc01-420-90.jpg 3. AdobeAdobe revealed that it had been the victim of a sophisticated security attack last October. At least 38 million customers across various Adobe properties were affected by the breach. Information removed from the system included customer names, credit and debit card numbers, expiration dates, and order information—much of which was later posted online. Customers whose debit or credit card information was compromised received a notification letter and the option of enrolling in a complimentary credit monitoring service for one year. 4. Facebook, Google, TwitterIn November of last year, hackers stole passwords and usernames for almost two million accounts across a number of social networks. Sites affected include Facebook, Gmail and YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, as well as the payroll service ADP. The hack was the product of keylogging software that had been installed on a number of computers worldwide—enabling hackers to capture login credentials for millions of users and route them to their own server over a month long period. The breach was discovered by researchers at cyber security firm Trustwave who traced the server to the Netherlands. A spokesperson at Trustwave suggested there could be more active servers they haven't yet tracked down—and that the hack could be ongoing. Users are advised to update their antivirus software, download the latest patches for their Internet browser, Adobe, and Java, and change their passwords. 5. Washington State CourtsMore than one million driver's license numbers and 160,000 Social Security numbers were accessed in a data breach at the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts' website. Citizens booked at a city or county jail, or with a traffic case in a district or municipal court through 2012, or anyone with a DUI citation in the state going back to 1989 may have had their data compromised. The court discovered the breach in late February of last year and has said they have taken steps to enhance their online security. The court advised citizens who may have been affected to call the court's administrative office for more information. Breaches #6-#106. FacebookIn June of last year, Facebook admitted, via their blog, to a technical breach that had inadvertently exposed the phone numbers and emails of more than six million users. The software bug allowed Facebook users who downloaded contact information for their list of friends to obtain additional, unauthorized contact details. The bug was found by a security researcher who reported it to the company. While Facebook says they fixed the glitch within 24 hours of discovery, and that they hadn't received any complaints of suspicious activity as a result of the glitch, the incident served as a reminder to users that their personal information wasn't safe-even on one of the world's most popular websites. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/other/Onetimers/living%20social-420-90.jpg 7. LivingSocialDaily deal site LivingSocial was the victim of a cyber attack that compromised the account information of its 50 million users. According to the company, customer credit card data was stored on a different server and remained safe, however the names, email addresses, birth dates, and encrypted passwords of its users were accessed. LivingSocial forced the reset of customer passwords and sent notices to affected users. 8. Maricopa Community CollegeA massive security breach in Arizona exposed the personal information of 2.4 million current and former students and faculty across ten district schools. Compromised was a wealth of personal information, including Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and bank account information, as well as academic records. The school was notified of the security breach by the FBI who found a website selling personal data from the district's information-technology system. While there is no evidence the information was actually accessed, the school came under fire for waiting seven months to disclose the breach to those affected. The board has allocated $17 million to deal with the fallout—funds will go towards ongoing retention of a law firm, maintenance for a call center, as well as the issue of notification letters and credit monitoring for those affected. 9. JP Morgan ChaseThe financial services firm revealed it was targeted in a July 2013 cyber attack. The bank uncovered the breach to its website server in September but came under fire for waiting months to notify its customers that their personal information had been compromised. Targeted were almost half a million holders of the bank's prepaid cash cards, called UCards, which were issued to corporations and government agencies—organizations that are increasingly using the cards to replace paper checks. More than 6,000 residents in Louisiana received the cards for their state income tax refund, for example. While the bank believes critical personal information such as Social Security numbers and birth dates were not taken, the bank is offering the cardholders a year of free credit-monitoring services as a courtesy. 10. The University of Pittsburgh Medical CenterThe University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) was the victim of a data breach than enabled scammers to file up to 788 bogus 2013 tax returns with the IRS—a scam worth about $10 million. Names, addresses, and Social Security numbers for up 27,000 employees may have been compromised, UPMC said. An investigation into the UPMC breach is ongoing but one worker has already filed a lawsuit against her employer—rather than financial compensation, the employee is seeking credit restoration services and identity theft insurance. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3aab4cfd/sc/46/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4cfd/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4cfd/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4cfd/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4cfd/sc/46/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506189048/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4cfd/sc/46/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/pn7LqKk92-I

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/seewhy-470-75.jpgGerman software powerhouse SAP acquired behavioral marketing expert SeeWhy, on Tuesday, in a bid to strengthen its marketing cloud and integrate some of its features to Hybris, the e-commerce platform, it acquired in June 2013. In a statement, SAP highlighted SeeWhy's forte, the ability to convert customer interactions into sales by using "1-to-1 personalized marketing based on real-time customer behavior". Seewhy claims to have helped more than 4000 brands get back around $500 million (about £300m, AU$540m) annually in lost sales. Its secret sauce, as it puts it, is a proprietary solution based on Big Data, In-Memory architecture called Conversion Manager. Buy, buy, buyIt continuously analyses hundreds of millions of events, crunching them through Seewhy's patented analytics engine and delivering tailored, individual actions, automatically and in real-time to reduce churn and drop-outs. CORE, as the platform is called, integrates with more than 30 e-commerce, advertising, email service providers, web analytics services and social networks to achieve this level of customer interaction. Neither SAP nor SeeWhy disclosed details of the transaction but the latter is expected to be completed by the end of June 2014. SeeWhy's acquisition allows SAP to be better positioned to fend the growing threats of Oracle, Salesforce and IBM which have been investing heavily on enterprise commerce and customer relation marketing solutions. SAP has been feeling the heat and announced last week that it was laying off around 2500 employees or 3% of its global workforce in a bid to improved its bottom line. Choosing a cloud based CRM solutionhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3aab4d06/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189047/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4d06/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189047/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4d06/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189047/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4d06/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506189047/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4d06/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506189047/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aab4d06/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/6bh89iWtJag

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/windows8rtm-470-75.jpgChinese government offices won't be allowed to use Windows 8 after the country's Central Government Procurement Center issued a nationwide ban. A laconic post said that all new computers (desktops, laptops and tablets) will need to carry an operating system other than Windows 8. The ban doesn't affect sales to businesses or individuals or, apparently, upgrades to older systems. The post mentions a move to "energy saving" products but China's Xinhua News agency cites "safety concerns", adding that the move would improve the level of security after Microsoft ended critical support for Windows XP in April. The operating system remains by far the most popular in China with an estimated seven out of 10 PCs still running it. Yan Xiaohong, deputy director at China's National Copyright Administration, is quoted by the Economic times, mentioning that costs may well have been an important factor as well as. "Windows 8 is fairly expensive and will increase government procurement costs," he said. The country's Public sector is Microsoft's biggest single client in China. An opportunity for Chinese tech companiesHe also added that "relevant authorities are negotiating with Microsoft over the issue". Others like Qi Xiangdong, president of Qihoo 360 Technology, a Chinese security software outfit reckon that it might provide home grown IT companies with a unique opportunity to develop their own OS. Several Linux-based operating systems, such as StartOS and KylinOS, developed locally haven't fared as well as expected, in stark comparison to the surging popularity of other computer brands like Lenovo or Mediatek. That opportune ban on Windows 8 could well be an indication that the China's government is ready to adopt to Chinese-sourced platforms. Others might point out that the move comes only hours after the US department of Justice indicted five Chinese military officers for allegedly hacking into US-based company and stealing vital commercial data. Maybe the Chinese government should read our "End of support for Windows XP: what are the options?" article.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3aaac449/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506186434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aaac449/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506186434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aaac449/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506186434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aaac449/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506186434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aaac449/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506186434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aaac449/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/u6I1QlQLN0Y

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Google/Project%20Glass/glass_photos4-470-75.jpgEven as the Korean manufacturer licks patent wounds suffered in repeated courtroom defeats against Apple, Samsung appears willing and able to copy further technology, this time from its closest ally. The Guardian reported Tuesday that Samsung has filed a trademark application in Korea for something called "Samsung Gear Blink," which appears to be little more than the company's own take on Google Glass. Taking a break from its existing wrist-based Gear wearable line, Samsung's next big thing looks an awful lot like augmented reality glasses similar to those being pioneered by none other than Android maker Google. Samsung's trademark ambitions follow on the heels of earlier patent filings for enabling a virtual keyboard to be projected onto the hands of the person wearing it, and dueling designs as to how such technology might actually be mounted onto eyeglasses. Don't blinkGear Blink certainly wouldn't be Samsung's first foray into vision-powered tech, given the Korean consumer electronics giant already includes optic recognition features in the company's popular smartphone line. With that existing functionality, Galaxy S5 owners can scroll through on-screen text simply by moving their eyes up or down, while the handset keeps the display active as long as the user is looking directly at the screen. For now, the trademark filing has been limited to Samsung's home turf with the Korean Intellectual Property Rights Information Service, although the application number 4020140033123 doesn't yet show up in a search of that website. Earlier this month, Google Glass went on general sale to the public in the US, although Samsung's own take on heads-up based wearables isn't expected to debut until at least September of this year. Check out our review of Samsung's latest Gear Fit wearable!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3aa3782e/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506157114/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa3782e/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506157114/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa3782e/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506157114/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa3782e/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506157114/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa3782e/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506157114/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa3782e/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-qW_SONE3AE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/Surface_Pro_showdown-470-75.jpgMicrosoft marketed the Surface Pro 2 as "the tablet that's got it all," but apparently that wasn't quite true, given the big leap forward the Windows maker has made with the announcement of the Surface Pro 3. Although everyone anticipated Microsoft would unveil a smaller Surface (and the event invitations seemingly confirmed such a device), the folks in Redmond went in the other direction, bypassing a new model of its ARM-based Surface tablet in favor of a larger Surface Pro instead. Available for pre-order starting Wednesday, May 21, the Surface Pro 3 certainly looks like it lives up to Microsoft claims that it's "the tablet that can replace your laptop," but is it marketing hype or truly a significant upgrade to the Surface Pro 2? http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/Surface-Pro-3-hero-420-90.jpg ScreenThe Surface Pro 3 is certainly larger than its predecessor, with a 12-inch diagonal ClearType Full HD screen that abandons the previous 16:9 aspect ratio of earlier models for a unique 3:2 aspect ratio. That makes for a nice 38% increase in screen estate compared to the Surface Pro 2's 10.6-inch display. But it's not just about the size of the screen: Surface Pro 3 also packs in 2160 x 1440 pixels compared to the Pro 2's 1920 x 1080 (a 50% increase) for what Microsoft calls a "pixel-free" display with the highest contrast ratio in the industry. Windows 8.1 also includes optimized scaling specific to the Surface Pro 3. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/Surface-Pro-3-Type-Case-Kickstand-420-90.jpg DesignThere's no mistaking the Pro 3 is a Microsoft Surface product, although the 0.36-inch (9.1mm) thin build certainly makes the 0.53 inches (13.462mm) Surface Pro 2 look downright pudgy by comparison. For further comparison, Microsoft claims Surface Pro 3 is half as thick as one of Apple's MacBook Pro notebooks, and even 30% thinner than its slimmest 11-inch MacBook Air model. Surface Pro 3 is also made from a silver-hued magnesium, which Microsoft claims has been custom machined and "designed to fit" compared to the Pro 2, which was made from dark titanium. Perhaps Microsoft's most impressive feat with the Pro 3 is how they were able to slim down an even larger device, which weighs in at only 800g (1.76 lbs.) compared to the Pro 2's heavier two pounds (just a hair over 907g). http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Microsoft%20Surface%20May%202014/Surface_Pro_3_processor-420-90.jpg ProcessorFor all the effort Microsoft engineers put into slimming down Surface Pro 3, it might be easy to forgive the company for sacrificing on what's inside, if that was the case. Judging from the amount of time Redmond spent detailing the guts of its latest tablet, the Surface Pro 3 seems like it can handle whatever is thrown its way. For starters, Microsoft claims Surface Pro 3 is the "thinnest Intel Core product ever made" - a bold claim that applies even with a Type Cover attached. And for the first time ever, Microsoft has found a way to cram a more powerful Intel Core i7 processor into such a diminutive frame. By comparison, last year's Surface Pro 2 topped out with a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, although the Pro 3 will be available in i3, i5 and i7 flavors to suit most any budget. Last but not least, Surface Pro 3 takes the "fanless" concept to new heights, with what Microsoft claims is a 30% more efficient cooling system than any other product on the market. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Microsoft%20Surface%20May%202014/surfacetomacbookairscale-stage-420-90.JPG BatteryFaster processor equals less battery life, right? Not so fast, says Microsoft, which claims the Surface Pro 3 manages to squeeze out more than 20% battery life compared to previous models. This is in keeping with the company's new "no compromises" mantra. In the case of Surface Pro 2, Microsoft proclaimed seven to 12 days of idle life, although their official specs fell short on how many hours it might last while in use. Our own tests of the Pro 2 managed just short of seven hours on average use - not quite MacBook Air numbers, but still improved from the original Surface Pro. By comparison, Microsoft claims the Surface Pro 3 can be used for up to nine hours, which winds up somewhere in the neighborhood of 10% better than the previous Surface Pro 2. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/SurfacePro3kickstandp_comp-420-90.jpg FeaturesSurface Pro 3 includes all of the features that made Surface Pro 2 great, including a full-sized USB 3.0 port, microSD card reader, headphone and Mini DisplayPort jacks, but those accustomed to using their Surface Pro on a lap will find one major change. That change is what Microsoft calls a "continuous kickstand" designed specifically for the Surface Pro 3. The kickstand includes an adjustable friction hinge capable of taking an angle from zero to 150 degrees for what company executives call better "lapability." Needless to say, that's a huge improvement over the dual-position kickstand on the Surface Pro 2. Audio is another area the Surface maker managed to improve upon with Pro 3. It now includes front-facing speakers with Dolby sound that are up to 48% louder than the Surface Pro 2. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/Surface-Pro-3-stylus-OneNote-420-90.jpg Microsoft is also beefing up the included stylus pen, which promises a more natural, organic ink-to-pixel experience than the previous model. Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Surface Panos Panay demonstrated clicking the pen to wake up the Surface Pro 3 directly in note-taking mode with OneNote, for example. Last but not least, longtime partner Adobe demonstrated a forthcoming touch-optimized version of Adobe Photoshop CC, featuring a user interface with buttons and icons that have been enlarged by 200% to make them more finger-friendly. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/SurfaceProTypeCover_comp-420-90.jpg AccessoriesMicrosoft has rightfully received plenty of accolades in the past for its Type Covers, but the latest generation promises to improve on that legacy. Available in five colors, the new "click-in" keyboards feature 63 percent larger trackpads, while offering greater stability than the previous generation. The Type Covers now magnetically seal themselves against the edge of the Surface Pro 3 for improved lap use in conjunction with the new kickstand. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/Surface_Docking_Station-420-90.jpg For users who spent an equal amount of time at their desk and on the go, Microsoft is introducing a new Surface Docking Station. Judging from the company's demo, the dock is as easy as sliding the Surface Pro 3 into place, with support for external 4K Ultra HD displays. Redmond played coy on exactly when the Surface Docking Station would be available beyond sometime "in the next few months." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro%203/Surface-Pro-3-lapability-420-90.jpg VerdictLast but not least, Surface Pro 3 manages to best its predecessor in one final key area: Price. The latest and greatest model will start at only $799, although it's important to note that's for a Core i3 model. Microsoft will begin accepting preorders at 12:01 AM EST tonight on its website, expanding to Microsoft retail stores and Best Buy locations on May 21; Surface Pro 3 will be available for purchase in stores or from authorized resellers starting June 20 in the US and Canada, expanding to 26 international markets by the end of August. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3aa36d89/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506155871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa36d89/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506155871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa36d89/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506155871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa36d89/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506155871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa36d89/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506155871/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa36d89/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/q-3QcYPDzDQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/iPad/iPadAir/Press/iPadAir-Press-09-470-75.jpgApple has confirmed its iPad trade-in program has opened its doors UK, allowing users to trade in their old tablets in exchange for credit towards a new iOS device. The scheme, which began in the US and Canada on Earth Day last month, has been advertised on Apple's retail websites in the UK, Spain, Germany and France offering folks the chance to "get a discount to buy a new one." The trade in program will allow owners of the original iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4 and original iPad mini to receive credit towards a new iPad or iPhone. The new iPad mini 2 or iPad Air cannot be traded in, but users can upgrade to them by cashing in their older tech. Is it in good nick?The amount they receive for their existing device will depend on the age, model and condition, although Apple hasn't revealed any information on what it's offering for particular iPads. However, it goes without saying that if the device is a 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G iPad 4 in good nick it'll obviously will be worth more than a battered old 16GB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi. Is this the opportunity you've been waiting for, or do you think you'll get more bang for your buck by flogging the older device on eBay? Let us know in the comments box. iPad Pro: Release date, news and rumourshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3aa2fafd/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506231800/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa2fafd/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506231800/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa2fafd/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506231800/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa2fafd/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/195506231800/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa2fafd/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/195506231800/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3aa2fafd/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Q2TTy1-e9EY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/Android%20security/Android-security-main-470-75.jpgIntroductionYou have in your pockets a snooper's best friend. You take it everywhere: from your office to your bedroom, from the dining room to the lavatory (and hopefully clean it after). It records almost everything you do and can be made to turn against you in a matter of minutes. Believe it or not, the modern day smartphone is a private citizen's worst privacy nightmare. Think about what you have in there: email addresses and phone numbers from your contacts, calendar appointments, photos, and probably even personal financial information. On top of that, smartphones can continually track your location to build a detailed profile of your whereabouts. But just because it can doesn't mean you have to let it. Here's five simple steps you can take to control your smartphone security and keep your data, and life, private: 1. Manage your appsTo enjoy all the conveniences of a smartphone you need apps. Unfortunately, apps are the weakest link between your private data and the world. Many access your personal data to 'enhance their experience', leaving you to trust that they will only use this data in a desirable way. Unfortunately, not every app clearly states how they use this information. But there are ways to find out what your app knows about you and to restrict them. A critical component of your Android smartphone is the permissions system. When you install an app, it notifies you of what it would like to gain access to. You can then install the app, or not. Unfortunately, this system puts a lot of responsibility on the users to know whether these access requests are appropriate. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Android%20security/Android-security-2-420-90.jpg Fortunately there are multiple ways of visualising app permissions. BitDefender's free Clueful will scan your apps and categorise them as high risk, moderate risk, and low risk. You can then browse each list and click on an app to find out the features it can access. You should uninstall any High Risk apps as they might be pinching your passwords or reading emails. There's also Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware mobile app, which scans apps and divides them into categories based on the phone feature they have access to, such as your calendar or contacts, giving you full transparency on what your apps are up to. 2. Protect yourself online In addition to preventing apps from leaking info, you should also minimise the personal data you put out there, even when sharing something as innocuous as images. Images can reveal a lot of information about you thanks to the exchangeable image file format (EXIF) data attached to them. If you take an image with a GPS-enabled camera or a smartphone it can reveal your location, the time it was taken, as well as the unique ID of the device. To strip EXIF information from pictures before sharing them you can use Instant EXIF Remover. This app doesn't have an interface, instead once installed it'll be available as an option in the 'Share' action. When selected, the app will intercept any images you wish to share and delete all EXIF data, before passing them on to the email client or any other sharing app. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/cameras/Canon/SX600HS/canon-sx600-l-s-420-90.jpg After securing your images it's time to take control of your web browsing activities. Just like any desktop web browser you can install a variety of add-ons to your Android browser. The Phony add-on can be used to customise the user-agent on the browser and hide the fact that you are on a mobile device. Then there's Self-Destructing Cookies add-on, which will automatically delete all cookies when you close a site. For more comprehensive control you can use the CleanQuit add-on, which removes all information about the previous session including the browsing & download history and site preferences. If you want full anonymity, you should switch to the Orweb browser. It's loaded with plugins to disguise your device, gives you control over cookies, prevents loading of Flash content and keeps no browsing history. However, it requires the Orbot plugin and Orbot is Tor for Android, which may not be something you wish to install. Protect your communications, device and data3. Control your communicationsYou can encrypt SMS messages with the open source app TextSecure, which can encrypt SMS stored locally on your phone. However, to send encrypted messages over the air, the recipient must also have TextSecure or they'll receive unencrypted messages. Before you can send messages you'll have to create a secure connection with the recipient's device by exchanging keys. TextSecure will send a message to the recipient, whose TextSecure app will automatically respond with a message to establish a secure connection. From then on you send and receive encrypted messages. To keep your calls safe you can use free RedPhone app for free, which makes encrypted calls over the internet. There's also SilentPhone, which is developed by Phil Zimmerman (who gave us OpenPGP for securing email and ZRTP protocol for securing VoIP calls). The SilentPhone app works on multiple mobile platforms but comes with a $10 (about £6) subscription fee. Both these solutions create encrypted calls. However the person at the other end of the line must be using the same app. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/HTC/HTC_One/Hands%20on/HTC_One_review_23-420-90.JPG To encrypt email messages on your mobile device you need the Android Privacy Guard (APG) app, which is an open source implementation of OpenPGP. You'll also need the K-9 email app, which integrates seamlessly with APG. To use these apps, first launch K-9 and configure it to connect to your email server. Then launch APG and tap the menu button, which brings up the option to manage private keys and public keys. You can export these keys from the desktop and import them into APG. Once the keys are imported, K-9 will display the option to sign and encrypt messages when you write a new email. Conversely it will let you decrypt emails when you receive a new encrypted message. For encrypting instant messages, you'll need the open source ChatSecure app. The app uses the OTR protocol to enable secure chat sessions over XMPP accounts. Using the app you can have secure chats with your friends over popular networks including Google Talk and Facebook on any OTR compatible client including Pidgin, Adium, and Jitsi. 4. Secure your deviceLocking your phone is one thing, but it doesn't help when you want to hand over an unlocked device to someone but still keep some things private. You can use Screen Locker to lock your screen before handing the phone to someone else. The app disables all forms of inputs and prevents the users from viewing anything other than what's on the screen. You can then enter a preset pattern to unlock the device. Privacy Master Free will lock access to apps and can also fake a crash to prevent an app from launching. You can also block the task manager as well as USB connections. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Samsung/galaxy-s5-adjust-420-90.jpg AppLock app has, along with the ability to block access to apps, two separate vaults where you can hide photos and videos. The app can also prevent toggling of settings such as WiFi. One of the best features is its ability to create lock profiles. So you can create a list of apps you want to lock when you in the office, and another set when you're with the kids. You can trigger the locks based on time or location. Applock can also randomly rearrange its numeric keyboard to prevent others from figuring out your password by following your fingers. It also allows you to hide the app from the application drawer to keep its existence on your device a secret. 5. Encrypt your dataThe key to securing your phone against any sort of surveillance is end-to-end encryption. Encryption safeguards data against any kind of snooping by making it unintelligible to anyone without the correct decryption keys. However, there are some caveats involved with the process. For one, encryption is a one-way process, which is to say that once turned on there's no mechanism to turn off the encryption. You'll have to reset your phone to factory settings and lose all your data. Make sure you securely back up your data before initiating the encryption process and don't interrupt the process - if you do you'll lose the data and render the device unusable. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Android%20security/Android-security-3-420-90.jpg When using the standard Android encryption service make sure you have already set up a lock screen PIN or password. Android will use it as your decryption key. To begin encryption, head to System Settings > Security > Encrypt device. When it's done you'll have to enter the PIN or password each time you boot your phone. Instead of encrypting the whole device, you can also choose to encrypt selected files. One of the best apps for this purpose is SSE Universal Encryption. The app has three modules: the Password Vault module allows you to safely store passwords and organise them into folders. The Message Encryptor module encrypts snippets of text. But the most interesting option is the File/Dir Encryptor module. It lets you pick a file using the built-in file browser and then encrypts it. 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