Skyway Recommended April 8th to 14th
Each Monday we’ll pass on links to articles we thought were well worth reading from the previous week, for those who live where we do (British Columbia, Canada), work like we do (high speed business internet), and think about things we do (internet trends, internet privacy, internet censorship, cutting-edge technology, etc.). If you don’t want to wait ’til Monday, we usually tweet and link to these as we come across them…
The Verge | Massive botnet using brute force attack to target WordPress sites
A huge network of over 90,000 IP addresses has been targeting WordPress blog installations with a brute force attack, attempting to gain access by using the default “admin” username by trying multiple passwords. Two prominent hosting providers, CloudFlare and HostGator, report that the scale of the current attack is much larger than usual. CloudFlare tells The Next Web that it blocked 60 million requests in one hour. HostGator’s Sean Valant describes it as a “global attack on WordPress installations across virtually every web host in existence.” Read More…
Advertising Age | Intel Cooks Up Future of TV — a Potential Mess for Cable
Visualize the TV service you’ve always wanted: a gorgeous interface that does away with clunky (and often ad-strewn) programming grids; a simple remote that isn’t a crushing array of buttons; a cloud-based DVR that doesn’t require you to hit “record”; algorithms that learn what you like and recommend new shows; an easy sync with social networks; effortless co-viewing with friends far away; video on tablets, phones and other devices with screens; and the seamless integration of traditional TV and what’s on the web. Read More…
The Guardian | Bitcoin exchange halts trades of digital currency after drop in value
The largest exchange for the digital currency Bitcoin halted trading Thursday, saying it needed to let the market “cool down” after a massive drop in value. Read More…
Computer Dealer News | Shared Services Canada mandate adds end user devices, software
The federal government is consolidating even more of its IT procurement and purchasing through Shared Services Canada (SSC), but one channel observer says it shouldn’t raise alarm bells for government resellers. Rather, they should see opportunity. A recent announcement from SSC president Liseanne Forand and COO Grant Westcott indicates that, as part of last month’s federal budget, the government has now given SSC the authority to procure hardware and software, including security software, for end-user devices on behalf of 106 federal departments and agencies. Read More…
IT World Canada | Study Shows Canadian firms leading world in BYOD
Canadian companies outpace their global counterparts when it comes to adopting the bring-your-own-device trend and deploying of consumer-type applications in the workplace, according to a recent study. More than 75 per cent of Canadian businesses support the use of employee-owned smart phones and tablets, according to a study conducted by research firm Ovum for information communication technology provider Dimension Data Canada Inc. Read More…