Showing posts with label Security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Security. Show all posts

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The screen size could determine the price of your movie in the future

Most of the time, DVDs cost, more or less, about the same price. However, it is illogical that watching a movie on TV costs the same as watching it on smartphones. After all, on our smartphones, the experience is somewhat limited in terms of audio and visual quality.

Well, maybe the price of your movie could be based on the media its displayed with in the future. Or at least that's the vision of the CEO of DreamWorks Animation, Jeffrey Katzenberg:
 

"A movie screen will be $15. A 75-inch TV will be $4. A smartphone will be $1.99"


Although this seems pretty logical, this model may be difficult to implement because of the difficulties a security system might encounter recognizing the exact screen size: who's to say that a user won't play a $ 1.99 film on a big screen TV?
 
That said, it is an interesting idea and Katzenberg is convinced that this pricing model will eventually be a standard in the industry. Until then, would you pay less to watch a movie on a smartphone?


Source: The Verge

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

What Does "Heartbleed" Mean For The Future Of Data Center Security?

computer code
The Heartbleed vulnerability is less of a game-changer and more of a reminder that online security is precious and vulnerable. There have been major breaches before and there will be again. The question is: will your data center be ready to handle the next breach? There is no real online security without a response plan to fall back on when, not if, security is breached.
Perhaps the most damning to the idea of flawless security online came from the revelation that some government agencies, US-based and otherwise, and had used it for the purposes of reconnaissance on citizens. More than ever, the proper response to security is not to try to build something impenetrable, but to have a plan that keeps data, even once accessed, from being able to do much damage.

 

 

 

Possible Solutions

Circles online including white hat Moxie Marlinspike are saying that the only real way to prevent this kind of vulnerability from being a massive breach is to get rid of plain text internet entirely, and to use HTTPS as a new standard. Encrypted data like this allows for another barrier between the data and those who would seek to compromise the security through attacking risk vectors.
There are downsides to this arrangement, however, including the increased cost of using SSL and the difficulty of requiring the unique certificate process that SSL uses on every small website that's being used.
Another idea for increased global security is called forward secrecy, which operates on a function similar to the popular mobile app, Snapchat. Once you're done with a session, your key disappears. This allows for data that is much harder to break into once it has been taken, so that anyone who wanders off a server with a load of encrypted information is much less likely to find a way to read it.

 

Response Plans

Your data server needs to be able to deploy patches and updates remotely and with little effort. Much of responding to security breaches require on-time fast-acting responses to severe problems. Using not only encryption, but additional security products is highly important.
Anyone who relies on your network for security is going to feel betrayed when their privacy is broken by a hack. A script for what to follow and how to break the news to customers quickly and easily is the only way to keep and/or regain trust in the wake of a security breach.
Make sure that all of your employees, not just those who are involved with security, understand security risks. The human element is commonly the most easily compromised link in the chain, and workers are regularly bamboozled into giving out critical information. If they are well-trained in security, though, they can be a strong line of defense that actively upkeep your network's security.
Google is a good case study on responding to security breaches correctly: they quickly patched their platforms and immediately educated the public on the threat and recommended security fixes for them.
Featured images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/1159614
+Katrina Matthews  is a tech expert and product specialist for RackSolutions, manufacturer of custom racking solutions for businesses! She likes giving data center tips and advice on our blog.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

An education in Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the world's most innovative digital currency. It utilises a peer to peer payment system using digital currency which enables you to transfer currency privately and securely. Bitcoin utilizes cryptography to control the creation and transfers of money; you send payments by broadcasting digitally signed messages to the Bitcoin network. These transactions are then verified and recorded into a shared public database called the block chain. Subsequently customers are rewarded with transaction fees and newly minted bitcoins.


The worldwide success of bitcoin has spawned a variety of educational resources which teach you the basics and benefits of bitcoin. Here are but a few of these online resources:

·      CoinDesk is a London-based resource and news operation which provides coverage for Bitcoin and digital currencies in general. It is a valuable resource for any readers who are not technically adept but express an interest in broadening their knowledge of the ever-expanding Bitcoin ecosystem. 

·      The Genesis Block – This site offers a slightly more technical yet immensely educational resource on Bitcoin. The Genesis Block are a self proclaimed news and tutorial site which cover the fundamental aspects of bitcoin, including mining, trading, economics, and businesses, as well as regularly generating new relevant content on bitcoin updates and trends.