Kaspersky has resigned from the Business Software Alliance (BSA). First reports indicated that it was because of the BSA’s almost automatic support for the US Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA. Now Eugene Kaspersky has personally explained the reasons: ‘SOPA-Dodger – or why have we decided to withdraw from the Business Software Alliance’.

This is the highest penalty ever imposed by the Information Commissioner. It follows a series of data protection breaches by Powys; the latest being the release of confidential child protection information to the wrong person.

California’s Contra Costa County has informed around 4,700 residents that confidential information about debts they owed to the Health Services Department was posted online.

There has been a 90% increase in Android malware families in 2011 compared to 2010, while malicious iOS families only increased by 25%, according to FortiGuard Labs.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) experts have uncovered malware in more than 2,000 free smartphone applications. Free rogue applications are expected to be the most common access point for mobile hackers over the next year.

The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) has released a new report designed to help improve the proactive detection of security incidents. It is the result of questioning a wide range of leading CERTs combined with ENISA’s own expert input. It is a report largely by national CERTs for national CERTs; but has general relevance for any company determined to improve its security stance – and especially those that operate their own internal CERT.

The 2011 Lloyd’s Risk Index has been published. While cybersecurity is only one aspect of overall business risk, it shows a surprising disparity in companies’ attitude and preparedness in information security.

M86 Security has released a new version of its Web Filtering and Reporting Suite specifically aimed at schools. With pupils’ growing use of both personal and school-issued portable devices, it is becoming increasingly important that staff are aware of what’s going on in order to adequately discharge their ‘duty of care’ on school premises.

Christmas is the annual festive period when shoppers make merry and fraudsters make money. We need to take care; but perhaps our guardians shouldn’t be over-zealous.

Adobe is patching a critical zero-day vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat that could enable an attacker to take control of an affected machine.

Russian media outlets and an election watchdog said they were the targets of cyberattacks during the recent Russian elections.

The contractor who helped install the industrial control system for the Curran-Gardner Public Water District in Springfield, Illinois, said the water pump allegedly hacked by the Russians in fact just burned out.