6 aging protocols that could cripple the Internet

The biggest threat to the Internet is the fact that it was never really designed. Instead, it evolved in fits and starts, thanks to various protocols that were cobbled together to fulfill the needs of the moment. Few of those protocols were designed with security in mind. Or if they were, they sported no more than was needed to keep out a nosy neighbor, not a malicious attacker.

The result is a welter of aging protocols susceptible to exploit on an Internet scale. Some of the attacks levied against these protocols have been mitigated with fixes, but it’s clear that the protocols themselves need more robust replacements. Here are six Internet protocols that could stand to be replaced sooner rather than later or are (mercifully) on the way out.

via 6 aging protocols that could cripple the Internet | InfoWorld.

Google wants you to help design the Internet of Things

Have an idea for how the much-anticipated Internet of Things should operate? If the idea is good enough, Google may pay you to see it to fruition.

As part of a new effort to generate more Internet of Things technologies, Google is planning to issue a number of grants to facilitate pioneering research in this nascent field of computing.

“While the Internet of Things (IoT) conjures a vision of ‘anytime, any place’ connectivity for all things, the realization is complex given the need to work across interconnected and heterogeneous systems, and the special considerations needed for security, privacy, and safety,” co-wrote Google chief Internet evangelist Vint Cerf, in a blog post announcing the research program.

via Google wants you to help design the Internet of Things | Computerworld.

Cybercrime: Thieves in the night

CRIME has been falling in Britain since the mid-1990s, as it has in much of the rich world. Car-related theft has plummeted by 79% since 1995 and burglary by 67%. The decline is partly due to technology; car immobilisers and house alarms make such crimes harder. The increased use of CCTV and DNA databases means criminals are more likely to be caught, and the rewards for burglary have decreased anyway because electronic gadgets are so cheap. The falling crime rate has come alongside big recent cuts in police budgets. By 2015, the coalition government will have trimmed 20%. Meanwhile, crime has moved online.

Britain is particularly at risk when it comes to cybercrime, argues Charlie McMurdie, a cyber-security expert at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), a consultancy. It is rich, its infrastructure for moving money around is slick, and it is saturated with technology. Over 60% of the population use smartphones. More than 80% of households are connected to the internet. Three-quarters of them shop online. According to PWC, 69% of companies in Britain experienced a cyber-security incident in the past year, compared to 59% globally.

via Cybercrime: Thieves in the night | The Economist.

3 REASONS I’d LOOK At YOUR RESUME

3 REASONS I’d LOOK At YOUR RESUME

Originally a posting of Lockheed Martin’s Chairman, President and CEO,  Marilyn Hewson.  

I’ve hired thousands of people over the course of my career, which means I’ve read tens of thousands of resumes. I’ve seen great resumes that have helped people launch thriving careers — and, unfortunately, I’ve seen plenty that have fallen flat.

A resume is your first impression on a potential employer. And in many cases, it will determine whether you get the chance to make a second impression.

At Lockheed Martin, it’s not unusual to get hundreds of applicants for a single job opening, so the competition is intense. It’s important to take the time to make sure you stand out — and stay — in a potential employer’s mind. In my experience, a few simple steps can help take your resume to the top of the pile.

1) Don’t be afraid to delete Your resume is not an autobiography. In fact, less is more in crafting a good summary of your skills and experience. A tight resume shows me that you can prioritize. It tells me that you can be clear, concise, and get right to the point. It also shows me that you respect my time. Hiring managers — at any level of leadership — are busy. And the fact that they’re hiring means they likely have even more work on their plate than usual. Don’t expect the hiring manager to weed through your resume looking for experience that’s relevant to the opening. Honestly assess whether every single word belongs. Odds are, you’ll find places to trim — and that’s a good thing.

2) Re-write your resume for every job description Don’t just send the same resume and cover letter to every job opening. Really pay attention to the job description, and make sure that your application underscores why you’re perfect for that particular position. Companies spend a lot of time and energy crafting job descriptions to attract the right candidates. So learn from them and use it to your advantage. Job postings are great input to help you understand what the organization really needs. When you focus your resume on the job description, and align your skills to the organization’s needs, you’re demonstrating that you understand exactly what they’re looking for. And you can better show how you are the right person for the job.

3) Show me results Use your resume as an opportunity to showcase all your hard work. I don’t just want to see a list of previous positions and responsibilities — I want to see the results you delivered. Did you increase sales? Did you land a big contract? Did you complete a project under budget? Did you improve customer satisfaction or employee engagement? Each of these examples is a real, tangible accomplishment — and accomplishments say more about your experience than a long list of jobs you’ve held. Specific examples show me that you are ready and able to help the organization succeed. So for each position you list, highlight the one or two achievements you are most proud of. Demonstrate how valuable you were, and how valuable you can be.

These three suggestions are important whether you’re applying for a top management position or your first job out of school. They can help you make that first impression that will land you an opportunity to interview. And I have some suggestions for that, too. Are there any other tips you find particularly helpful? Share with other readers by leaving a comment below.

About to attend ACM Webinar Getting Cyber Safety Through to Employees

People are and always will be the weakest link in security. Yet, it’s an often overlooked topic. This session discusses people skills, influence, and social engineering in security education. This session will educate attendees on human motivation and interaction, how security controls may be bypassed by a person’s intentional or unintentional acts, and methods for reducing the cyber risks associated with people. It concludes with online references that can be immediately used to inform on simple steps for cyber safety.

via Event Lobby (EVENT: 904250).

Faculty Positions Computer Science at UBC

Faculty Positions

UBC will be recruiting for several faculty positions in the 2014-2015 season.

Faculty Position In Software Engineering

The Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia is seeking an outstanding investigator for a full‐time tenure-track faculty position, at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. UBC is seeking candidates of exceptional scientific talent who have demonstrated research success and shown evidence of high potential in the area of Software Engineering. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2015. Details.

Tenure-Track Teaching Faculty Position

The University of British Columbia invites applications for one or more tenure-track teaching positions at the rank of Instructor I in the Department of Computer Science on the Vancouver Campus. These position(s) provide the rare opportunity to pursue a career based on excellence in teaching, while participating as a first-class colleague in the intellectually exciting atmosphere of a top-tier computer science department. Appointment at a tenured rank may be considered for applicants with exceptional qualifications and experience. The anticipated start date for these positions is July 1, 2015. Details.

Tier I Canada Research Chair in Data Science

Note also the pan-departmental search for a senior candidate (associate or full professor) being run through the Faculty of Science, where Computer Science is one of the stakeholder departments. Applications are currently being accepted for a CRC Tier 1 Data Science position.

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Algorithmic Game Theory

The Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia is seeking an outstanding investigator for a full­time tenure track faculty position.  UBC expects the position to be filled at the rank of Assistant Professor; however exceptional applicants will be considered at the Associate Professor rank. UBC is seeking candidates of exceptional scientific talent who have demonstrated research success and shown evidence of high potential in the area of Algorithmic Game Theory. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2015. Details.

Associate Professor Position in Algorithmic Game Theory

The Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia is seeking an outstanding investigator for a full­time tenured faculty position at the rank of Associate Professor. This position is open to investigators who obtained a PhD more than ten years ago. Investigators whose PhDs are more recent are instead invited to apply to the Tier II CRC position in Algorithmic Game Theory. UBC is seeking candidates of exceptional scientific talent who have demonstrated research success by sustained and productive scholarly activity in the area of Algorithmic Game Theory. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2015. Details.

via Faculty Positions | Computer Science at UBC.

CI student gadget wins a national award

CI junior Danny Larkins had been studying art for three years when he switched his major to computer science because “it felt right,” he said.

An award Larkins won from a national software company this week suggests Larkins made a good choice. Larkins won the national “2014 OmniUpdate Gadget Challenge” for a software “gadget” he invented.

OmniUpdate is a Camarillo-based web content management systems company for institutions of higher learning. CI is among 700 colleges and universities that use OmniUpdate.

via CI student’s ‘gadget’ wins a national award – News Releases – CSU Channel Islands.

Postdoc position at The Institute of Applied Geometry at Johannes Kepler University

The Institute of Applied Geometry at Johannes Kepler University (Linz, Austria) has an opening for one 1-year postdoc position (experienced researcher 4-10 years experience) under an EU 7 FP People Programme Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways (Call: FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IAPP) on “Exact and Adaptive Modeling and Simulation of the Air Passage of Aircraft Engines” (EXAMPLE).

via Jobs – EURAXESS – European Commission.

Facebook: the architecture of disclosure – insidious?

I am reading an interesting article, The Internet that Facebook built,  by Michael L. Best. I am not a Facebook user, but the following quote in the article from a book by José Marichal is interesting and makes one worried:

José Marichal, in his book Facebook Democracy, defines the architecture of disclosure as Facebook’s purpose-built environment that systematically and in some ways insidiously encourages its users to disclose increasingly personal revelatory data. Facebook invests millions in perfecting this architecture not with degraded voyeuristic interest; it is simply their business model. They capture and commodify a portfolio of these disclosures and sell them to the advertisers.

Facebook’s interests may not be voyeuristic, but they certainly seem to elicit a voyeuristic behavior from the users.