Tech 2.0 for Friday, February 17, 2012
Cybersecurity experts have told Congress to close loopholes in legislation to give the government more power to force critical industries to make their computer networks more secure. Experts told a Senate committee the bill could allow many companies to avoid regulation entirely or drag out the process for up to eight years before they would actually have to improve their computer security. The legislation would limit the number of industries subject to regulation to those in which a cyberattack could cause "an extraordinary number of fatalities" or a "severe degradation" of national security. The legislation is intended to ensure that computer systems running power plants and other essential parts of the country's infrastructure are protected from hackers, terrorists or other criminals. Business groups argue that more regulation is not the answer and that any new mandates will drive up costs without really increasing security.
Central Connecticut State University says a security breach has exposed Social Security numbers of more than 18,000 current and former faculty, staff, and student employees to potential misuse. James Estrada, the University's chief information officer, says a computer in the business office was infected by a malicious software program virus. The university says no other information, such as names or addresses, was exposed. The university is offering free identity protection services for up to two years. Officials say they're matching Social Security numbers with names and addresses. Those whose information may have been compromised are being notified about how to receive credit and identity theft protection.
Microsoft is hooking up MSN.com with a hipper sidekick to broaden its appeal and stay on top of the Internet's hottest topics. The trend-tracking service, called "msnNOW," tunes into the buzz by sifting through millions of Internet searches and links circulating among the hordes on Facebook and Twitter. The chatter is then distilled into the equivalent of a digital water cooler -- a place where people can go to keep in touch without taking up a lot of their time. After months of development, the new feature debuted yesterday. The service is primarily aimed at college-age teenagers and young adults who are increasingly relying on smartphones and other mobile devices to remain plugged into what everyone is talking about from one hour to the next. MSN.com remains one of the Internet's top destinations with about 520 million users. In comparison Facebook boasts 845 million users, Yahoo has about 700 million and Twitter has more than 100 million.
Children have access to hundreds of smartphone apps at their fingertips, but parents usually don't know what kind of information those apps are collecting, or how it's being used. That's according to the Federal Trade Commission. Mobile apps can automatically grab smartphone information, like the location, phone number, and contacts. Many aimed at children are free or inexpensive. Commissioners want app makers and sellers to provide easy-to-understand information on their products so parents can make informed decisions on which apps to download.
