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Banks in Russia, Japan, the US, and Europe have fallen victim to a massive, sophisticated malware hack

February 16, 2015February 16, 2016 Staff Writer

Hackers rob US and global banks of millions in one of the largest heists ever writes Kwame Opam on the Verge Banks in Russia, Japan, the US, and Europe have fallen victim to a massive, sophisticated malware hack, allowing the perpetrators to steal hundreds of millions of dollars since 2013. According to a Kaspersky Labs report provided to the New York Times, more than 100 banks in 30 nations have been affected by the breach, with upwards of $300 million stolen in the process. One of the largest bank heists ever…

EU Parliament blocks Microsoft’s new Outlook apps over privacy concerns

February 11, 2015February 16, 2016 Staff Writer

Access to Microsoft’s new Outlook apps has been blocked for members of the European Parliament because of “serious security issues.” Microsoft launched new Outlook apps for iOS and Android just over a week ago. The new apps are basically a rebranded version of a mail app made by Acompli, a company Microsoft bought in December for a reported US$200 million. Access to the apps though was blocked on Friday by the Parliament’s IT department, DG ITEC, in order to protect the confidentiality and privacy of its users, according to an…

WSJ: U.S. Technology Companies Worry About the Backlash They Face in Europe

January 23, 2015February 17, 2016 Staff Writer

By Stephen Fidler: Europe Pulls Welcome Mat for U.S. Tech Companies One message so far from the corridors around the World Economic Forum in Davos: U.S. technology companies are very worried about the backlash they are now facing in Europe. From their standpoint, Europe risks shooting itself in the foot by rejecting the cutting-edge technologies they have brought to the continent. But they would say that, wouldn’t they? Look at it from the European point of view. Europe once led the world in mobile technology: The Global System for Mobile…

France, Germany Seek Help From Tech Firms in Policing Terrorism Online

January 22, 2015February 17, 2016 Staff Writer

Officials Expect Companies Like Twitter, Facebook, Google to Pre-Emptively Remove Content on Terrorism Online LILLE, France—France and Germany demanded that U.S. tech companies help them police terrorism on the Internet, escalating European efforts to wrangle more law-enforcement help from Silicon Valley. Top law-enforcement officials from the two countries said on Tuesday they expect U.S. Internet and social-networking companies like Twitter Inc., Facebook Inc. and Google Inc. to pre-emptively remove terror content from their services—or face new laws aimed at forcing them to do so in order to fight Terrorism Online.…

White House: President Obama Announces New Cybersecurity Legislative Proposal and Other Cybersecurity Efforts

January 14, 2015February 17, 2016 Staff Writer

Obama unveils cybersecurity proposals: ‘Cyber threats are urgent and growing danger’ Proposed legislation will allow companies to share information with government agencies including NSA, with which White House admitted there were ‘overlapping issues’ “In this interconnected, digital world, there are going to be opportunities for hackers to engage in cyber assaults both in the private sector and the public sector. Now, our first order of business is making sure that we do everything to harden sites and prevent those kinds of attacks from taking place…But even as we get better,…

Obama Wants Firms to Notify of Data Breach Within 30 Days

January 13, 2015February 17, 2016 Staff Writer

The Proposal Complemented a Series of Data Privacy Related Rules Suggested by the White House Today. President Barack Obama wants companies to notify consumers within 30-days of a personal data breach. Despite a slew of pressing issues facing the administration and a potentially unsympathetic Republican-led congress, the White House today unveiled a handful of legislative proposals aimed at safeguarding consumer privacy, continuing along a path established by its privacy and big data report published in May. The administration’s Personal Data Notification and Protection Act is being pitched in part as…

“Sophia Bekele Scholarship Fund” Pledged on Nazareth School 60th Anniversary-Diamond Jubilee

January 7, 2015February 17, 2016 Staff Writer

Sophia Bekele has pledged personal funds of up to 100,000 Ethiopian Birr for the benefit of Nazareth School students. “This amount would be drawn-down and disbursed to the Nazareth School to the most deserving students of the school on the basis of academic excellence and leadership achievement,” She said in her Keynote address to the audience. She is among African Women who are supporting youth development and innovation through ICT, girl child empowerment; encourage them to pursue opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The announcement of the Sophia…

WSJ: U.S. technology companies are in a pitched battle with Europe’s sovereign states

December 10, 2014February 17, 2016 Staff Writer

Discontent on Continent Highlights Battle Over Economics, Culture, Internet Control BRUSSELS—From Berlin to Madrid, from London to Paris, U.S. technology companies are in a pitched battle with Europe’s sovereign states. It is a clash that pits governments against the new tech titans, established industries against upstart challengers, and freewheeling American business culture against a more regulated European framework. And it poses one of the greatest threats to U.S. technology giants since their emergence from garages and college campuses over the past four decades. First and foremost, the battle is about…

European Regulators Publish Right To Be Forgotten Guidelines

December 2, 2014February 17, 2016

Europe’s Article 29 Working Party, the body comprised of data protection representatives from individual Member States of the European Union, has now published guidelines on the implementation of the so-called right to be forgotten ruling, which was handed down by Europe’s top court back in May. The European Court of Justice Right To Be Forgotten ruling gives private individuals in Europe the right to request that search engines de-index specific URLs attached to search results for their name — if the information being associated with their name is inaccurate, outdated or irrelevant. The ruling…

Black Friday – consumers warned to be vigilant

November 27, 2014February 17, 2016 Staff Writer

On the eve of the much-anticipated retail focused sale and discount event, Black Friday, consumers in key regions across Africa, such as Kenya, are warned by network security experts to be vigilant. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are acknowledged as two of the busiest shopping days of the year, involving contribution by social networks and ecommerce websites. Global network security company Fortinet, and its research division FortiGuard Labs, are warning shoppers to be wary. The Company has issued important tips than can keep consumers safe, both when shopping online or…