Sean Michael Kerner

A company’s organizational structure is not directly related to security challenges in its network — but too many demands on executives could inhibit effective security, according to a new study. Security firm StillSecure’s 2005 Security Management Survey polled nearly 900 IT professionals in an examination of how organizational structure may affect how security challenges are […]

If you’re using a non-genuine Microsoft product, you won’t be able to get non-security updates starting today. Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) 1.0 officially launched worldwide today to prevent users running pirated non-licensed versions of Microsoft’s software from accessing updates. Prior to today, the program was optional. Microsoft claims that during the 10-month pilot of […]

In 2004 the worldwide application deployment software markets raked in just under $7 billion in software revenues, according to a new IDC study. IBM continued its reign as top vendor, though BEA and Oracle both held their own in the competitive market. IDC defines the application deployment software market as message and transaction server middleware, […]

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past three months, you’ve likely been hit with an Internet security vulnerability needing your attention. The latest threats cover the gamut of popular client- and server-side applications, and they’re even getting the ones once thought to be safe. There were 422 newly reported Internet security vulnerabilities […]

Alleged “security” holes in US and European digital content sites may potentially result in over $301 million worth of ringtones being “shoplifted” by 2006. The shoplifting allegation was leveled by Seattle, Wash.-based Qpass, a digital media and services vendor. At least one mobile analyst, however, is skeptical of the allegation. Qpass conducted a study of […]

Not sure of what the terms Podcasting , RSS or Phishing mean? You’re not alone. Though the tech news media regularly use those terms in stories, most Americans are not familiar with the digital audio file nature of Podcasting, the Web site syndication protocol RSS or the e-mail scam known as Phishing, according to a […]

The global Wi-Fi VoIP handset market is set to take off according to a new study released this week from Infonetics Research. The study hits the street at the same time as Vonage and VTech officially launch a 5.8GHz wireless VoIP system, with a Vonage Wi-Fi phone expected sometime this fall. According to Infonetics Research’s […]

By 2009, consumers worldwide will be buying mobile phones at a rate of 1 billion per year. But the pressure will be on vendors because wholesale costs are set to decline. The mobile phone forecast, published this week by research firm Gartner Group, also reports that there will be 2.6 billion mobile phones in use […]

Oracle users may potentially be at risk from a half dozen vulnerabilities, even if they applied the company’s latest patch released last week. German security research Alexander Kornbrust of Red-Database-Security has issued six security advisories affecting Oracle Forms and Oracle Reports. On the highly critical side, the vulnerabilities could allow a system to be compromised, […]

If your company emphasizes and invests in information technology, it’s likely to be a better financial performer. That’s the conclusion of a new study out this week sponsored by Juniper Networks. In the company’s study of 560 companies, 25 percent of respondents reported on average 30 percent higher revenue growth. Among the keys to their success, according to […]

Instant messaging (IM) use is expected to increase over the next four years with a growing percentage of use by enterprises as well as the general public. According to the Radicati Group’s recently released report, “Instant Messaging Market 2005-2009,” there will be 867 million instant messaging accounts by the end of 2005. By 2009, the […]

The PC market is far from dead. Though earlier predictions indicated otherwise, both Gartner and IDC have reported higher-than-expected PC shipments in the second quarter of 2005. Gartner has reported that worldwide PC shipments grew by 14.8 percent in the second quarter for a total of 48.9 million units. IDC has reported that shipments grew […]