Delve Is No Jarvis
March 3, 2016
A podcast at SearchContentManagement, “Is Microsoft Delve Iron Man’s Edwin Jarvis? No Way,” examines the ways Delve has yet to live up to its hype. Microsoft extolled the product when it was released as part of the Office 365 suite last year. As any developer can tell you, though, it is far easier to market than deliver polished software. Editor Lauren Horwitz explains:
“While it was designed to be a business intelligence (BI), enterprise search and collaboration tool wrapped into one, it has yet to make good on that vision. Delve was intended to be able to search users’ documents, email messages, meetings and more, then serve up relevant content and messages to them based on their content and activities. At one level, Delve has failed because it hasn’t been as comprehensive a search tool as it was billed. At another level, users have significant concerns about their privacy, given the scope of documents and activities Delve is designed to scour. As BI and SharePoint expert Scott Robinson notes in this podcast, Delve was intended to be much like Edwin Jarvis, butler and human search tool for Iron Man’s Tony Stark. But Delve ain’t no Jarvis, Robinson said.”
So, Delve was intended to learn enough about a user to offer them just what they need when they need it, but the tool did not tap deeply enough into the user’s files to effectively anticipate their needs. On top of that, it’s process is so opaque that most users don’t appreciate what it is doing, Robinson indicated. For more on Delve’s underwhelming debut, check out the ten-minute podcast.
Cynthia Murrell, March 3, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
Stolen Online Account Info Now More Valuable than Stolen Credit Card Details
March 2, 2016
You should be aware that criminals are now less interested in your credit cards and other “personally identifiable information” and more keen on exploiting your online accounts. As security firm Tripwire informs us in their State of Security blog, “Stolen Uber, PayPal Accounts More Coveted than Credit Cards on the Dark Web.” Writer Maritza Santillan explains:
“The price of these stolen identifiers on the underground marketplace, or ‘the Dark Web,’ shows the value of credit cards has declined in the last year, according to security firm Trend Micro. Last week, stolen Uber account information could be found on underground marketplaces for an average of $3.78 per account, while personally identifiable information, such as Social Security Numbers or dates of birth, ranged from $1 to $3.30 on average – down from $4 per record in 2014, reported CNBC. Furthermore, PayPal accounts – with a guaranteed balance of $500 –were found to have an average selling price of $6.43. Facebook logins sold for an average of $3.02, while Netflix credentials sold for about 76 cents. By contrast, U.S.-issued credit card information, which is sold in bundles, was listed for no more than 22 cents each, said CNBC.”
The article goes on to describe a few ways criminals can leverage these accounts, like booking Uber “ghost rides,” or assembling personal details for a very thorough identity theft. Pros say the trend means service providers to pay closer attention to usage patterns, and to beef up their authentication processes. Specifically, says Forrester’s Andras Cser, it is time to move beyond passwords; instead, he proposes, companies should look for changes in biometric data, like phone position and finger pressure, which would be communicated back to them by our mobile devices. So we’re about to be even more closely monitored by the companies we give our money to. All for our own good, of course.
Cynthia Murrell, March 2, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
IBM Continued to Brag About Watson, with Decreasing Transparency
February 29, 2016
A totally objective article sponsored by IBM on Your Story is titled How Cognitive Systems Like IBM Watson Are Changing the Way We Solve Problems. The article basically functions to promote all of the cognitive computing capabilities that most of us are already keenly aware that Watson possesses, and to raise awareness for the Hackathon event taking place in Bengaluru, India. The “article” endorses the event,
“Participants will have an unprecedented opportunity to collaborate, co-create and exchange ideas with one another and the world’s most forward-thinking cognitive experts. This half-day event will focus on sharing real-world applications of cognitive technologies, and allow attendees access to the next wave of innovations and applications through an interactive experience. The program will also include panel discussions and fireside chats between senior IBM executives and businesses that are already working with Watson.”
Since 2015, the “Watson for Oncology” program has involved Manipal Hospitals in Bengaluru, India. The program is the result of a partnership between IBM and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Watson has now consumed almost 15 million pages of medical content from textbooks and journals in the hopes of providing rapid-fire support to hospital staffers when it comes to patient records and diagnosis. Perhaps if IBM put all of their efforts into Watson’s projects instead of creating inane web content to promote him as some sort of missionary, he could have already cured cancer. Or not.
Chelsea Kerwin, February 29, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
The Intersection of the Criminal, Law Enforcement and Technology Industries
February 26, 2016
A ZDNet article covers Arrests made over Bitcoin laundering scheme, Dark Web drug deals
Dutch police made several arrests related to laundering of criminal profits orchestrated through an unindexed section of the web called the Dark Web. The article says suspects allegedly laundered up to 20 million euros from online drug deals. With the information originating from Reuters, this article summarizes the arrests made by Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service and public prosecution department:
“According to the publication, some of the men arrested are traders, while others are “Bitcoin cashers” — traders of Bitcoin online who cash these funds then withdraw money from ATMs. It is possible to find cashers online who run shadow services which exchange “dirty” coins for clean currency. Law enforcement in the United States, Australia, Lithuania and Morocco also participated in the raid.”
Just as criminal offenses are taking place increasingly online, so too must the law enforcement industry have turn to technology to aid its efforts. As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to uncover how these suspects were identified. Perhaps something innovative will be at the source.
Megan Feil, February 26, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
Startup Semantic Machines Scores Funding
February 26, 2016
A semantic startup looks poised for success with experienced executives and a hefty investment, we learn from “Artificial Intelligence Startup Semantic Machines Raises $12.3 Million” at VentureBeat. Backed by investors from Bain Capital Ventures and General Catalyst Partners, the enterprise focuses on deep learning and improved speech recognition. The write-up reveals:
“Last year, Semantic Machines named Larry Gillick as its chief technology officer. Gillick was previously chief speech scientist for Siri at Apple. Now Semantic Machines is looking to go further than Siri and other personal digital assistants currently on the market. ‘Semantic Machines is developing technology that goes beyond understanding commands, to understanding conversations,’ the startup says on its website. ‘Our Conversational AI represents a powerful new paradigm, enabling computers to communicate, collaborate, understand our goals, and accomplish tasks.’ The startup is building tools that third-party developers will be able to use.”
Launched in 2014, Semantic Machines is based in Newton, Massachusetts, with offices in Berkeley and Boston. The startup is also seeking to hire a few researchers and engineers, in case anyone is interested.
Cynthia Murrell, February 26, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
DuckDuckGo: Challenging Google Is Not a Bad Idea
February 25, 2016
I read “The Founder of DuckDuckGo Explains Why Challenging Google Isn’t Insane.” I noted several statements in the write up; namely:
- DuckDuckGo delivers three billion searches a year, compared to Google’s trillion-plus search per year. The zeros can be confusing to an addled goose like me. Let me say that Google is delivering more search results that DuckDuckGo.com
- DuckDuckGo’s revenues are in 2015 were more than $1 million. Google’s revenues were about $75 billion. Yep, more zeros.
- It used to take Google six months to index pages on the Internet. (I thought that Google indexed from its early days based on a priority algorithm. Some sites were indexed in a snappy manner; others, like the National Railway Retirement Board, less snappily. I am probably dead wrong here, but it is a nifty point to underscore Google’s slow indexing. I just don’t think it was or is true.)
- DuckDuckGo was launched in 2008. The company is almost eight years old.
- Google’s incognito mode is a myth. What about those Google cookies? (I think the incognito mode nukes those long lived goodies.)
Here’s the passage I highlighted:
Adams (the interviewer): I thought the government could track me whether I use DuckDuckGo or not.
Weinberg (the founder of DuckDuckGo): No they can’t. They can get to your Google searches, but if you use DuckDuckGo it’s completely encrypted between you and us. We don’t store anything. So there’s no data to get. The government can’t subpoena us for records because we don’t have records.
DuckDuckGo beats the privacy drum. That’s okay, but the privacy of Tor and I2P can be called into question. Is it possible that there are systems and methods to track user queries with or without the assistance of the search engine system? My hunch is that there are some interesting avenues to explore from companies providing tools to various government agencies. What about RACs, malware, metadata analyses, etc.? Probably I am wrong again. RATs. I have no immunity from my flawed information. I may have to grab my swim fins and go fin-fishing. I could also join a hacking team and vupen it up.
Stephen E Arnold, February 25, 2016
More Hacked US Voter Data Appears on the Dark Web
February 25, 2016
From HackRead comes a piece called More US Voters Data Circulating on the Dark Net, which points to the lack of protection surrounding data on US voters. This data was leaked on the site The Hell on Dark Web. No reports yet suggest how this data was hacked. While no social security numbers or highly sensitive information was released, records include name, date of birth, voter registration dates, voting records, political affiliation and address. Continuing the explanation of implications, the article’s author writes,
“However, it provides any professional hacker substantial information to initiate and plan a phishing attack in the next election which takes place in the US. Recent discoveries, news and speculations have exposed the role of nation-state actors and cyber criminals in planning, instigating and initiating hacking attacks aimed at maligning the upcoming US elections. While social media has emerged as one of the leading platforms adopted by politicians when they wish to spread a certain message or image, cyber criminals and non-state actors are also utilizing the online platform to plan and initiate their hacking attacks on the US election.”
As the article reminds us, this is the not first instance of voter records leaking. Such leaks call into question how this keeps happening and makes us wonder about any preventative measures. The last thing needed surrounding public perception of voting is that it puts one at risk for cyber attacks. Aren’t there already enough barriers in place to keep individuals from voting?
Megan Feil, February 25, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
monograph
CyberSpark Billed as New Cybersecurity Capital for Israel
February 24, 2016
Beersheba, a city in Israel with a population of about 200,000 has become the site of several connected academic and technological influences, led by government and industry, which may position it to be the cyber capital of the country. The article Israel’s Cyber Sector Blooms in the Desert article from Security Week covers Beersheba’s industrial park, CyberSpark. A project leader for the Israeli National Cyber Bureau is quoted explaining how this area is primed to become a leader in cyber security. The report describes CyberSpark’s projected growth,
“Two more complexes comprising 27 buildings are to be added, and the municipality expects the population to grow by 100,000 in the next 10 years. About 30,000 soldiers, including 7,000 career officers, will move in the coming years to bases and a technology campus to be built on 100 hectares (250 acres) near CyberSpark and around Beersheba. As a lure from the bustle of cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, the government plans a bonus of $18,000 for single officers and $50,000 for families who spend at least five years in Beersheba.”
More often than not, we hear about cybercriminals taking the initiative while law enforcement, intelligence and others attempt to catch up. While the article frames CyberSpark as a case of proactive collaboration with necessary partners for the sake of forwarding the cyber security industry and protecting citizens, we are not sure it can be called proactive. Let’s not forget, as the article mentions, Israel may be the most heavily targeted country in the world with reports suggesting as many as a thousand web attacks per minute.
Megan Feil, February 24, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
No Evidence That Terrorists Are Using Bitcoin
February 23, 2016
If you were concerned virtual currencies like Bitcoin are making things easier for Islamic State (aka IS, ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh), you can rest easy, at least for now. The International Business Times reports, “Isis: Bitcoin Not Used by Daesh.” That is the conclusion reached by a Europol investigation performed after last November’s attacks in Paris. Though some had suggested the terrorists were being funded with cyber money, investigators found no evidence of it.
On the other hand, the organization’s communication networks are thriving online through the Dark Web and a variety of apps. Writer Alistair Charlton tells us:
Better known by European law enforcement is how terrorists like IS use social media to communicate. The report says: “The internet and social media are used for communication and the acquisition of goods (weapons, fake IDs) and services, made relatively safe for terrorists with the availability of secure and inherently encrypted appliances, such as WhatsApp, Skype and Viber. In Facebook, VKA and Twitter they join closed and hidden groups that can be accessed by invitation only, and use coded language.”
se of Tor, the anonymising browser used to access the dark web where sites are hidden from search engines like Google, is also acknowledged by Europol. “The use of encryption and anonymising tools prevent conventional observation by security authorities. There is evidence of a level of technical knowledge available to religiously inspired terrorist groups, allowing them to make their use of the internet and social media invisible to intelligence and law enforcement agencies.”
Of course, like any valuable technology, anonymizing apps can be used for weal or woe; they benefit marginalized peoples trying to make their voices heard as much as they do terrorists. Besides, there is no going back to a disconnected world now. My question is whether terrorists have taken the suggestion, and are now working on a Bitcoin initiative. I suppose we will see, eventually.
Cynthia Murrell, February 23, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
Recommind Enables Easier Oversight into E-Discovery for Legal Industry
February 19, 2016
A recent article, entitled Recommind Adds Muscle to Cloud e-Discovery from CMS Wire, highlights an upgrade to Recommind’s Axcelerate e-discovery platform. This information intelligence and governance provider for the legal industry has upped their offering by adding a new efficiency scoring feature to enable “extensive visibility into the overall e-discovery review process.” Recommind make the updated based on polling their clients and finding 80 percent do not have oversight in regards to the technological competency of their outside counsel:
“Citing the same survey, he added that 72 percent of respondents pointed to insufficient visibility into the discovery practices of their outside counsel — legal professionals working with them but outside the firm — as a major concern. Axcelerate Cloud also eliminates the cost unpredictability that arises with traditional hosting charges with cloud-based e-discovery tools providers and the infrastructure maintenance required for on-premises solutions.”
When insights from big data is what a company is after, stronger cloud-based functionality is often the first step. Reminds us of enterprise search firm Autonomy which was eventually sold to HP. What will be next for Recommind?
Megan Feil, February 19, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
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