News

US President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order to "grow" and "strengthen" the nation's cyber security capabilities. The US Government says it will set up a range of new schemes to support "a strong cyber security workforce" and "defend our country and promote quality job opportunities" in the face of 21st-century threats. One of the initiatives is a rotational programme through which federal employees can boost their cyber security expertise using temporary reassignments to...

Facebook is banning several prominent figures it regards as "dangerous individuals". The social network accused Alex Jones, host of right-wing conspiracy website InfoWars, its UK editor Paul Joseph Watson and ex-Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos of hate speech. Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader who has expressed anti-Semitic views, will also be excluded. Facebook has already banned anti-Islamic UK groups such Britain First. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-48142098  

The Chinese government is using gate-like scanning systems to record biometric three-dimensional images, as well as smartphone fingerprints, of Muslims living in the country's Xinjiang province. These devices are installed as security checkpoints at entries in government buildings and various public spaces, manned by police officers, and are part of the Chinese's government's ever-increasing mass surveillance apparatus deployed in the Xinjiang province. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/china-uses-biometrics-and-digital-scanning-data-doors-to-track-muslim-minority/

Patterns define human behaviour. They help point to potential problems before they become full-blown incidents; and the same is true in cybersecurity. Patterns (or deviation from) can be an organisations biggest ally in the fight to prevent data breaches. In a new blog for IAM and PAM specialist One Identity, Jenny Radcliffe describes the importance of patterns with real life examples of her observations when investigating data leaks. She begins: “Many years ago I investigated...

A British government minister will be called to parliament on Thursday to answer a question on the findings of an inquiry into the disclosure of confidential information relating to Chinese telecoms company Huawei, the opposition Labour Party said. Prime Minister Theresa May fired her defense minister Gavin Williamson on Wednesday over a leak of discussions in the National Security Council. A Labour Party account tweeted that the question would be asked at 0930 GMT. Source:...

Gavin Williamson has been sacked as defence secretary following an inquiry into a leak from a top-level National Security Council meeting. Downing Street said the PM had "lost confidence in his ability to serve" and Penny Mordaunt will take on the role. The inquiry followed reports over a plan to allow Huawei limited access to help build the UK's new 5G network. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48126974

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested Thursday to face a U.S. charge that he conspired to hack military computers after Ecuador's government ended his seven years of self-imposed exile and expelled him from its London embassy. Police in the United Kingdom dragged Assange from the front door of the embassy Thursday morning.  He now faces extradition to the United States. In an indictment revealed Thursday morning, U.S. authorities say Assange conspired with former Army intelligence...

Facebook Inc and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are negotiating a possible settlement that would require the company to create an independent privacy oversight committee and take other steps to safeguard users, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing a source. The steps would include appointing a federally-approved privacy official at the highest level of Facebook and creating a privacy oversight committee that may include Facebook board members, the report said. Source: https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-ftc-settlement/facebook-settlement-with-u-s-may-include-privacy-oversight-politico-idUKKCN1S802X

Google is to offer users the option of automatically deleting their search and location history after three months. The search giant already allows users to manually delete the data it scoops up when they use its products such as YouTube, Maps and Search. Now, in a bid to offer more control over personal data, it will offer the option of automatic deletion after three or 18 months. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-48132041

On Tuesday 30 April, Facebook debuted a makeover for its main app at its annual developer conference, F8, in San Jose, California. Speaking at the event, CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained that Facebook Messenger has been rewritten from scratch: it now includes ways for people to watch videos together. Likewise, the Facebook app has been entirely redesigned (“The app isn’t even blue anymore!”), and a new desktop webpage will launch later this year. Both will feature new...