Foundem vs. Google: How one startup’s story shaped big tech regulations

Foundem vs. Google: How one startup's story shaped big tech regulations

For most startup founders, launch day is a nerve-wracking blend of excitement and worry. But for Shivaun Raff and her husband, Adam, that day in June 2006 turned into a nightmare they hadn't seen coming.

Their new venture, Foundem—a unique price comparison website they'd left stable careers to create—was finally live. But soon after launch, Foundem practically vanished from Google. Marked as spam by Google's algorithm, the site was buried deep in search results for terms like...

31 October 2024 | Artificial Intelligence

Beyond antivirus: Other essential tools to protect your Mac

Beyond antivirus: Other essential tools to protect your Mac

Macs were once thought to be nearly invincible from a cybersecurity perspective, but now face more threats than ever. Just a few years ago, Mac-specific malware was a rarity. In 2021, security specialist Patrick Wardle discovered eight new malware families that targeted the platform. By 2023, that number grew to 21. While this may seem small next to the number of CVEs that affect Windows, It's a reminder that Macs aren't as immune as were once believed.

With macOS gaining...

31 October 2024 | Developer

Zscaler highlights security trends challenging developers

Pile of keys illustrating the security trends and challenges posed to developers highlighted in Zscaler ThreatLabz's latest cybersecurity report for 2024.

Zscaler has released its annual ThreatLabz report, highlighting security challenges that should be on every developer's radar.

The 2024 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report – covering June 2023 to May 2024 – highlights critical vulnerabilities in mobile applications, IoT devices, and operational technology (OT) systems that demand immediate attention from the development community.

One of the most alarming findings is the discovery of over 200 infected applications in...

15 October 2024 | Android

Entry points threaten multiple open-source ecosystems

Sign illustrating how vulnerabilities with entry points can be exploited by hackers to threaten open-source packages of multiple programming ecosystems.

While current tools have improved at detecting common tactics for exploiting open-source packages, a feature remains largely overlooked: entry points.

Security researchers at Checkmarx uncovered how attackers can leverage entry points across multiple programming ecosystems, with a particular focus on PyPI, to trick victims into running malicious code. This method – while not allowing for immediate system compromise – offers a subtler approach for patient attackers to...

14 October 2024 | Developer

Safe Coding: Google’s strategy reduces memory safety vulnerabilities

Google logo illustrating its Safe Coding strategy to reduce memory safety vulnerabilities to improve security.

Google has unveiled compelling data highlighting the efficacy of its "Safe Coding" approach in reducing memory safety vulnerabilities.

The tech giant's strategy, which prioritises the use of memory-safe programming languages for new code development, has yielded impressive results. Most notably, Android has seen a sharp decline in memory safety vulnerabilities, plummeting from 76% of all vulnerabilities in 2019 to just 24% in 2024.

This reduction is particularly...

26 September 2024 | Android

General app stability improves as crash-free sessions near 100%

Thumbs up on a smartphone illustrating mobile app stability on Android and iOS platforms reaching almost perfection.

Instabug has released its Mobile App Stability Outlook 2024 report, shedding light on the current state of app performance across various platforms and industries.

The report reveals that mobile apps have maintained the high stability rates observed in the previous year, with only minor fluctuations across all percentiles. The median crash-free session rate stands at an impressive 99.95%, confirming a high level of stability across the board.

Top-performing mobile teams...

19 September 2024 | Android

Platform engineering is falling short of expectations

Person standing on a downward arrow suggestive of platform engineering falling short of expectations in embedded software.

Platform engineering – lauded for its potential to revolutionise software development with automation, self-service, and streamlined workflows – appears to be falling short of expectations in the embedded software world.

A new study by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by Qt Group, reveals a stark disconnect between the perceived maturity of platform engineering strategies and their actual implementation.

The research – surveying 317 decision-makers and...

10 September 2024 | Approaches

North Korean hackers target developers in latest npm attack wave

A fresh offensive by suspected North Korean hacking groups has targeted the open-source software community with a series of malicious packages uploaded to the npm repository.

Identified by cybersecurity firm Phylum, the attacks leverage multiple techniques and appear designed to steal cryptocurrency and sensitive data from unsuspecting developers.

The campaign began on 12th August and involves several distinct publication patterns and attack types, suggesting the...

29 August 2024 | Developer

SQL, Python, and Java most sought-after skills

SQL, Python, and Java remain the most sought-after programming skills by employers, according to new research from System Design School. The study analysed job listings on Glassdoor, revealing the languages most frequently cited as required skills.

"In today's competitive job market, having the right skills is more important than ever, and this data provides clear evidence of the programming languages employers are seeking,” commented Sheldon Chi, ex-Google engineer and creator...

19 August 2024 | Developer

Veracode unveils tools to combat growing security debt

To help organisations tackle mounting security debt and an expanding attack surface, Veracode has announced two new platform innovations.

Veracode has introduced Universal Connector and Application Security Heatmap, both powered by Longbow, to enable businesses to quickly identify and prioritise security risks across their applications.

These new capabilities come at a critical time, as organisations struggle to manage an overwhelming volume of security alerts and the...

1 August 2024 | Hacking & Security