All the Latest in Industry Happenings-Here in the ImageQuest IT Blog

5G: More than self-driving cars and smartphones

January 21, 2020 There’s certainly a lot of hype around 5G. This coming mobile data technology promises high speeds, high data capacity. and negligible lag. A typical promise: 5G will enable you to download an entire 4K movie in 25 seconds. Other promises: So fast cars will use it to avoid colliding with each other. Stadiums full of … Continue reading "5G: More than self-driving cars and smartphones" Read More

Hacker thanks non-profit’s donors for fake $2,000 contributions

January 18, 2020 How do you think this would go over with your prized donors? They get an email from your non-profit organization saying you plan to process a $2,000 credit card payment in two hours. The email invites them to review and verify this payment by clicking on a link. The email address is from someone they … Continue reading "Hacker thanks non-profit’s donors for fake $2,000 contributions" Read More

Gartner projects 3.4% increase in IT spending for 2020

January 16, 2020 Gartner Inc. headquarters in Stamford, Conn. IT Research and Advisory firm Gartner, Inc. projects worldwide IT spending to grow to nearly $3.9 trillion in 2020, an increase of 3.4 percent from 2019. “Software will be the fastest-growing major market this year,” Gartner said, reaching 10.5 percent. The firm said Software-as-a-Service is driving the growth. Also … Continue reading "Gartner projects 3.4% increase in IT spending for 2020" Read More

California’s new privacy law sparks confusion, inconsistency

January 13, 2020 California’s new privacy law took effect Jan. 1 and so far, the results are confusing and inconsistent. One of the markers of the new law is a “Do Not Sell My Info” link. But some websites do not have it yet, or have buried it in fine print. The L.A. Times offered up a lengthy … Continue reading "California’s new privacy law sparks confusion, inconsistency" Read More

Ransomware Costs More Than A Single Payment

January 10, 2020 The first known ransomware attack happened way back in 1989. Then, people were still learning to navigate the nascent world of digital technology, and this kind of invasion was a brand new breed of enemy. Today, ransomware is one of the most prevalent threats to businesses and individuals alike. If you are not familiar with … Continue reading "Ransomware Costs More Than A Single Payment" Read More

Facebook, Apple, FTC discuss privacy at CES 2020

January 8, 2020 At the giant Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas yesterday, the data privacy officer for Facebook said Facebook is just like Apple in building “privacy by design.” But she was challenged by an FTC Commissioner. The Privacy Roundtable marked the first time since 1992 that an Apple executive has attended CES. Apple has been touting … Continue reading "Facebook, Apple, FTC discuss privacy at CES 2020" Read More

5G in 2020: Needs a couple more years, experts say

January 7, 2020 Several year-end stories are noting that we’re not there yet with 5G. The Wall Street Journal (paywall) quotes several CIOs as seeing this new technology needing a couple more years to be fully deployed. Yes, phone manufacturers are starting to offer 5G capabilities but most see the actual promise of 5G needing more time for … Continue reading "5G in 2020: Needs a couple more years, experts say" Read More

Iranian hackers deploying destructive “wiper” malware

January 3, 2020 An Iran-based hacking group has been deploying a new “wiper” malware that destroys computer systems and the data housed on them. While the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned of Iranian wiper malware last June, IBM researchers announced last month that a new version of wiper malware attributed to an Iranian hacker group … Continue reading "Iranian hackers deploying destructive “wiper” malware" Read More

Don’t pay ransom to cyber criminals, Microsoft advises

January 1, 2020 Don’t pay ransom – it only spurs more ransomware attacks, according to Microsoft. In a recent blog post by Microsoft’s Detection And Response Team, organizations are urged to maximize their security efforts instead. “Paying a ransom is often expensive, dangerous, and only refuels the attackers’ capacity to continue their operations,” the post says. “(B)ottom line, … Continue reading "Don’t pay ransom to cyber criminals, Microsoft advises" Read More

Make sure you’re using 2-Factor Authentication with your Ring, Nest

December 30, 2019 Did you get a Ring or Nest home security system for Christmas? When you set it up, be sure to enable two-factor authentication. This means not only establish a password, but also require a second factor, such as a code texted to your phone, or a physical token you plug into the device. The home … Continue reading "Make sure you’re using 2-Factor Authentication with your Ring, Nest" Read More

Ransomware attacks: Likely to go “from bad to worse”

December 29, 2019 This year’s trends in ransomware attacks have left IT Security researchers worried about what’s coming in 2020. Dark Reading cites “growing collaboration between threat groups on ransomware campaigns; the use of more sophisticated evasion mechanisms; elaborate multi-phase attacks involving reconnaissance and network scoping; and human-guided automated attack techniques.” Hackers also have developed ways to research … Continue reading "Ransomware attacks: Likely to go “from bad to worse”" Read More

Maze hackers using blackmail – while claiming moral high ground

December 18, 2019 The hackers behind Maze ransomware are really something. They are currently in the news for blackmailing victims that refuse to pay their ransom demands. They have released a list of victim names and sample files locked up by their ransomware. Maze Ransomware also hit the city of Pensacola, Fla., Dec. 7, a day after a … Continue reading "Maze hackers using blackmail – while claiming moral high ground" Read More