Security News

Apple and Google tweak key bits of contact-tracing privacy plan
2020-04-27 07:45

Apple and Google have revealed a little more about their plans to support COVID-19 contact-tracing apps and changed up some of their security plans. Apple and Google won't see the information ever.

Privacy pros expecting an increase in privacy rights requests as a result of COVID-19
2020-04-27 03:30

Despite changing IT priorities and tightening of spend due to COVID-19 measures, 56% of data privacy professionals are expecting there will be an increase in rights requests as a result of COVID-19. The research found that consumers are actively exercising their rights under CCPA with 51% of companies receiving more than 10 requests a week and 20% receiving more than 100 requests a week.

How technology can identify a "safe" workforce and protect privacy post-pandemic
2020-04-24 16:46

As policymakers and business leaders grapple with how to restart the economy after the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, MIT Professor Alex Pentland is advocating for the use of digital tools that certify a person's health status to create "Safe" environments for workers and customers-while also protecting people's personal privacy. Privacy advocates have voiced concerns about how that data will be used and by whom, as well as how and where it's stored.

Canada's .ca overlord rolls out free privacy-protecting DNS-over-HTTPS service for folks in Great White North
2020-04-23 22:42

CA domains, among other important internet functions, is rolling out a free Canada-wide DNS-over-HTTPS service to protect people's privacy. The Canadian Internet Registry Authority today said its new Canadian Shield service will allow people and businesses to encrypt their DNS queries in transit between their devices and CIRA's servers, providing an added layer of security at a time where millions in the country are transitioning to working from home mid-coronavirus pandemic.

Malwarebytes Unveils New Privacy VPN Service
2020-04-23 18:11

Endpoint security firm Malwarebytes has launched a new VPN offering targeting work from home and consumer markets, featuring AES 256 encryption, WireGuard VPN protocol, no logging, and virtual servers in more than 30 different countries. Santa Clara, CA-based Malwarebytes has introduced Malwarebytes Privacy, a VPN it promises will be the first of an emerging suite of privacy products.

COVID-19 contact tracing: The tricky balance between privacy and relief efforts
2020-04-22 04:15

As more governments consider the use of contact tracing apps to prevent the spread of coronavirus, researchers say privacy will have to be at the forefront of efforts in order for civilians to use it. Rachael Falk, CEO of the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, said with a serious public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, digital contact tracing is helpful as positive cases need to be identified quickly, and particularly if the patients involved are unable to communicate with those who they come into contact with.

Privitar Data Privacy Platform is now available in AWS Marketplace
2020-04-20 00:45

Privitar, the leading data privacy platform provider, announced that the Privitar Data Privacy Platform is now available in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services. Privitar's availability in AWS Marketplace makes it easier for customers to start using software designed to protect sensitive data and accelerate safe data provisioning so they can increase insights, share data with more users, and accelerate time to data.

California Needlessly Reduces Privacy During COVID-19 Pandemic
2020-04-16 15:34

On March 17, 2020, the federal government relaxed a number of telehealth-related regulatory requirements due to COVID-19. On April 3, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-43-20, which relaxes various telehealth reporting requirements, penalties, and enforcements otherwise imposed under state laws, including those associated with unauthorized access and disclosure of personal information through telehealth mediums.

Apple: We respect your privacy so much we've revealed a little about what we can track when you use Maps
2020-04-15 06:24

In 1965, Gordon Moore published a short informal paper, Cramming more components onto integrated circuits. Based on not much more but these few data points and his knowledge of silicon chip development - he was head of R&D at Fairchild Semiconductors, the company that was to seed Silicon Valley - he said that for the next decade, component counts by area could double every year.

Balancing public safety and privacy during COVID-19: The rise of mass surveillance
2020-04-14 16:39

One tech company is harnessing artificial intelligence, thermal imaging, and real-time surveillance data to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll on populations and economies around the globe, governments and private industries are harnessing real-time monitoring solutions and artificial intelligence to mitigate the spread. However, these surveillance technologies also bring up a litany of concerns related to privacy, civil liberties, and data collection.