Tag Archives: computers

Friday Link Roundup: Hackers and Cyberwarfare

I’m bringing back the Friday Link Roundup today with an interesting topic that is starting to see more coverage across various media outlets again: Cyberwarfare.

Previously, this coverage was usually in the realms of hysterical pieces about how your son could be an evil hacker; or how one teenage kid could bring down a whole country with the press of a few keys.  But today, computer and internet technology is far more widespread and utilised by just about all of us.

The recent stand-off between China and Google highlights just how important cyber-security has become, with both China and the U.S. governments weighing in against one another with accusations of cyberwarfare.  Not only does the individual computer user need to be more vigilant than ever, but it is now of ever higher importance at the corporate and even national levels and must be followed closely.

So, because of this I’ve brought you five links from various news articles, blogs and websites that are taking a look at hackers and cyberwarfare:

1) Hackers steal millions in Carbon Credits – The big story this week was a massive carbon credit scam that took about $4 million.

2) Google teams up with National Security Agency – A worrying partnership sees Google get into bed with one of the world’s largest spy networks.

3) Cyber warfare: Should we be on the cyber offensive? – Blog post by an information security expert on the increased focus on cyberwarfare.

4) China accuses U.S. of cyberwarfare – The battle of words continues to go back and forth between the two superpowers.

5) First man ever charged with VoIP hacking pleads guilty – A Venezuelan man pleads guilty to reselling stolen VoIP services.

If you’ve got any other stories about cybercrime or warfare do let us all know in the comments.  It seems inevitable that with the advent of more and more powerful computer-based systems the allure becomes stronger to find ways to abuse weaknesses for personal, or even national, gain.  Are you doing enough to protect your personal systems?  What about your place of work?  Or the country you live in, are they doing enough?
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Tech industry to rebound in 2010?

Business news sites around the web are abuzz with the latest market forecasts provided in a report by Forrester Research, an independent research company that is predicting that the technology industry will see over an 8% increase in spending globally throughout 2010.  If this is to be the case, then it will be one of the primary sectors leading the world out of the financial crisis quagmire of the past few years.

Of course, futurists and technophiles such as ourselves would never think twice about saying that technology continues to permeate our lives at both a macro and micro level; but it’s great to see that this intuitive feeling (which often has more than a bit of wishful thinking mixed in!) seems to be stacking up with the economic figures and forecasts.

For those of us who have been paying closer attention to the stock-market over the past few years, it has definitely been the case that many of the multinational tech corporations such as IBM and Microsoft have completely overcome the fall in stock price that the financial crisis brought about.

IBM, in particular, has been soaring ahead in many different areas – see for example the latest report that the company received 4,914 patents in the US in 2009, which represents a 50% rise in the company’s received patents of 2004.  Of course, tech companies by their very nature are going to dominate the patent ‘charts’; but what it shows is a dedication to innovation and progress that indicates a very strong and lively sector.

So what does this rebound mean?  That is, if it does indeed eventuate (and we must keep reminding ourselves, it’s just a report).  One obvious indication is that it represents a shift into a new phase of technological innovation and production.  In order for revenues and spending to increase, particularly if they are to do so beyond just the upcoming year, this needs to be built upon either new products or new markets.  What we will likely see is that both will come about concurrently, which could lead to absolutely huge growth amongst those companies ready and able to meet the new demands.

For us little people down here, it means that we will hopefully be able to see come to fruition many of the new products and concepts that we’ve been waiting for.  Profit means investment, and investment usually ends up with innovation and new consumer products.

The great thing about the technology industry, is that many of these products have the capability to be truly game changing when it comes to the way that society functions and will operate going into the future.  Personally, I’m hoping to see a lot more work being done on the availability of information and knowledge; augmented reality type applications which have intellectual, social and even commercial viability.

The bulk of the great rebound being forecast will come from seemingly more mundane things – servers and storage, communication systems and business software – but hopefully this will mean a greater push for progress in the industry as a whole.  Who knows, maybe by 2020 we really will be wearing our augmented reality glasses and have the ability to be connected to all of human knowledge; all of the time.

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10 sectors to watch over the next decade (part 4)

We’re almost at the end of our ’10 Sectors’ series, and today I’ve got some big ones for you. Whilst many of the others that have previously been mentioned will have a massive impact on global society as a whole, the two sectors I’ll be highlighting today will undoubtedly impact everybody reading this.Continue Reading

10 sectors to watch over the next decade (part 2)

Continuing our brief look at a number of areas that are well worth keeping an eye on and making sure you are informed about any news or events surrounding them.Continue Reading

New study: Majority of Twitter just pointless babble and conversation

A new Twitter study conducted by marketing company Pear Analytics is making the rounds at the moment that analyses a cross-section of 2000 tweets collected randomly over a two week period.Continue Reading

Do computers make us more human?

Now that the computer lies quite literally at the center of many of our lives we really do need to ask the big questions about how it affects us as humans, and how the technology will continue to change just what it means to be part of a human society.

Continue Reading