Google Privacy Changes: 6 Steps To Take, or 1

I really like step 6, which is live in a cave. If you don't want to get off the grid, the next easiest way to escape Google is to not use it, disable cookies, and use one of the many excellent alternative search engines.

"Hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me twice, shame on me."

The real problem here is how deeply we've let Google insinuate itself into our lives. I have to admit, I use Blogger, a Google product, for this blog. I use Google Analytics for Web site analysis. I've undoubtedly shared photos using Picasa, and I'm certain none were embarrassing. It's hard to beat free and good and available, and I'm sure there are equally good alternatives that are slightly less intrusive but I haven't found them. So, it's shame on me.

5 Hot Security Worries at RSA

As reported by InformationWeek, the top infosec worries are

1. Securing employees' smartphones and tablets
2. Stopping Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
3. Curbing social animal attacks
4. Securing Big Data
5. Getting better at stopping hacktivists

What's missing? Who agrees? Disagrees?

Social animal attacks is a new one for me.

If anyone wants to write on BYOT, APTs, or Big Data, let me know.

Developers say Apple needs to overhaul iOS user information security; jailbreak apps access user data far less frequently than Apple-approved apps in the App Store

There are really two stories here. One is the continuing litany of security-challenged apps for various personal devices. Surely, a threat for getting BYOT under control. The second story concerns a reference to a study that determined that jailbreak apps are more secure than the approved apps sold on the Apple store. As Col. Klink would say, "Very interesting."

Mobile payments will boost crime

Well, here's another "dog bites man" story. Is there any technical advance that won't boost crime? Don't all these advances become challenges to those with a criminal bent, or just curious? I'm not at ease with this, even though I use online banking. I'm still not sure how banks allow deposits based on a photo from a smartphone. Seems like that's ripe for abuse, too.

Jesse Varsalone to lead ethical hacking and systems defense seminar

Jesse Varsalone, author of "Defense Against the Black Arts" and the forthcoming book "Intrusions: How Hackers Get In and the Evidence They Leave," is giving a two-day seminar on ethical hacking and systems defense on June 9 and 10.

CIO's Guide to Security Incident Management

We just signed an agreement with Matthew Pemble and Wendy Goucher of Idrach Ltd. for a book entitled, "CIO's Guide to Security Incident Management." You can read Matthew's blog here.

Google calls Microsoft privacy claims 'myth'--spare me, please!

Clearly a case of "the pot calling the kettle black." I don't know who's worse, Web companies' recriminations, or politicians'. Regardless, enough already.