Technology News | Silicon UK

2019: Highlights and lowlights for the tech sector

2019 has seen technology and big name tech firms dominate news headlines, amid privacy concerns, digital tax and national security issues

CyberCrime

Microsoft Takes Control Of ‘Thallium’ Hacking Domains

Cyber win. Web domains used by North Korean hacking group Thallium have been seized by Microsoft

Security

Amazon Hit By Potential Class-Action Lawsuit Over Ring Security Issues

Lawsuit accuses Amazon and Ring of failing to provide adequate protection against cyber-attacks amidst rash of security incidents

Security Management

Chat App ToTok Is Spy Tool For UAE – Report

ToTok chat and messaging app that is popular in UAE, is allegedly a spy tool for the government, it is claimed in a report

Security

F5 Networks Buys Shape Security For $1bn

Acquisition gives F5 access to Shape's AI-powered, enterprise-grade anti-fraud technologies, including protection against credential stuffing attacks

Security

Twitter Fixes Serious Security Glitch In Android App

Company urges Android users to update to latest version of app after finding bug that could allow account takeovers and information leaks

Security

Reporters Use Leaked Location Data To Track President Trump

New York Times follows Donald Trump's movements in real time as part of exposé into lack of regulation around smartphone tracking industry

Security

Hacker Who Tried To Blackmail Apple Receives No Jail Time

Londoner Kerem Albayrak threatened to factory reset 319 million iCloud accounts in 2017 – but authorities say he was only seeking 'fame and fortune'

Security

Mind Reading Marketing: Predictive Analytics Today

Being able to predict consumer behaviour has been the holy grail of marketing for decades. As businesses now collect masses of data about their customers and their behaviour and, with new AI tools currently available, is predictive ana ...

An Alexa-powered device is seen in an Amazon TV ad. Credit: Amazon

Security Management

Amazon, Apple, Google Partner For Smart Home Device Compatibility

Smart home connectivity standard sees Amazon, Apple and Google partner up with Zigbee Alliance to develop new open source protocol

Security

Silicon in Focus: CES 2020

As CES 2020 approaches, Silicon spoke with leading technology specialists and asked what they think are the highlights of the forthcoming event.

Security Management

Google Removes Avast, AVG Extensions From Chrome Web Store

Google takes action over data collection concerns about browser extensions from Avast, AVG, joining similar action by Mozilla and Opera

Security

The Promise of the Blockchain

The blockchain could become one of the most disruptive technologies ever created. However, with sluggish uptake, what is preventing the blockchain from fulfilling its promise, and how can enterprises leverage the blockchain to deliver ...

CyberCrime

WhatsApp Bug Can Wipe Out Group Chats, Warns Check Point

Devastating bug found by Check Point that can permanently destroy group chats within WhatsApp with just one text

How to identify and defend your business’s threat perimeter

Security

Where is Your Threat Perimeter?

As business transform into agile organizations, the traditional perimeters a company could defend against attack have expanded and become less well-defined. In an age where mobile devices, the cloud and the burgeoning IoT revolution, h ...

CyberCrime

Ransomware Forces New Orleans To Declare State Of Emergency

Another ransomware victim. Staff told to switch off computers as government of New Orleans declares state of emergency

CyberCrime

Iran Defeats ‘Second Cyber-Attack’, Minister Claims

Telecoms minister of Iran says his country has foiled a second cyber-attack targetting government systems in less than a week

Security Management

Government Departments Admit Rise In Lost Laptops

FoI requests from Apricorn reveals soaring levels of missing laptops from government departments, with the Ministry Of Justice the chief culprit

Security Management

Patch Tuesday Fixes Zero-Day Flaw, As Windows 7 Cut Off Looms

Only one more Patch Tuesday update for Windows 7 users in January 2020, as Microsoft delivers its final security update of 2019

Authentification

US Senators Threaten Tech Firms With Encryption Regulation

Give law enforcement access to encryption or we will regulate the technology, US Senators threaten tech firms Facebook and Apple

CyberCrime

Apple ‘Deeply Concerned’ Former Staff May Flee To China – Report

Former Apple staff who allegedly stole data concerning its self-driving cars, present a flight risk US prosecutors have told a US court

Security Management

John McAfee Launches Second Presidential Bid

President McAfee? Bid to become president of the United States launched by colourful former security tycoon John McAfee

Security Management

Mozilla Removes Avast, AVG Extensions From Firefox Store

Add-ons from security vendor Avast pulled from Firefox online store, after they are accused of spying on user's web surfing habits

A train on the London Underground (Tube). TfL, Transport for London

Security

Transport For London Locks Oyster, Contactless Accounts As ‘Precaution’

Users must reset online passwords after Oyster accounts maliciously accessed over the summer, but in the meantime cards can still be used for travel

face recognition, facial recognition, scanning

Security

China Law Requires Face Scans For Mobile Services

New law requires biometric identification for SIM card purchases, but detractors call the move 'dystopian' and say it could aid scammers

Security

Unpatched Android Flaw Exploited To Steal Banking Logins

Unpatched 'StrandHogg' vulnerability found to be targeting at least 60 financial institutions, but could also be used to carry out range of other attacks

Authentification

Wearable Healthcare: Vital Signs for CTO Innovation

As the wearable technology sector continues to expand, CTOs considering their company's next innovation in this space should pay close attention to healthcare. With personalized health monitoring growing, wearable healthcare is set to ...