Net Security writes that “[m]ore than half of computer users who think they are protected against online threats like spyware, viruses and hackers actually have inadequate or no online protection, according to an independent research study conducted for Verizon. Verizon’s study, conducted with 545 U.S. Internet subscribers by the independent Internet research firm iTracks, contrasted participants’ opinions about their level of online security against results of Verizon Security Advisor scans performed on their computers. While 92 percent of participants thought they were safe, the scans revealed that 59 percent were actually vulnerable to a variety of online dangers. Ninety-four percent of those surveyed said they would find it helpful to be able to diagnose or check their online security status on a regular basis to make sure their PCs were safe.”
The Register reports that “iPhone sales around Europe have been disappointing, with the French only pocketing 30,000 in the first five days – though that’s three times the number T-Mobile managed to shift in Germany. But that’s not stopped Google releasing an optimised version of its mobile application suite specially designed for the finger-driven interface.”
According to the Sidney Morning Herald, “China today rejected as ‘baseless’ allegations that it was carrying out state-sponsored espionage against British businesses. The Times newspaper reported last Saturday that the head of Britain’s MI5 intelligence agency had sent a confidential letter to 300 chief executives and security chiefs at banks, accountants and legal firms warning them they could face electronic attack from ‘Chinese state organizations.’ […] ‘The Chinese government is firmly opposed to hacking attacks against websites. It is prohibited by the law,’ he told a news conference, speaking through an interpreter, after talks with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.”
Reuters points out that, according to an IDC report with predictions for 2008, “[g]rowth in global technology spending will slow next year, hurt by a U.S. economic downturn that could crimp spending on computer hardware. IDC estimates worldwide technology spending growth to range between 5.5 percent and 6 percent in 2008, down from about 7 percent this year. U.S. spending growth will dip to 3 percent to 4 percent next year from 6.6 percent in 2007, IDC said.”
Ars Technica reports that Dan Glickman, head of the Motion Picture Association of America, yesterday told a crowd of bankers and analysts at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference in New York that ‘protection of content from theft’ is the MPAA’s number one issue towards which half of its budget goes. Glickman added that the trade group believes that the single best way to do reduce piracy is through technology. ‘Technology will be the key to determine how successful we will become,’ he said. However, the MPAA chief also added that ‘technology’ in isolation won’t do much to help the movie business. The MPAA needs the support of those companies best in a position to implement filtering technology: ISPs.”