Sunday, June 26, 2016

41 Amazing Internet Security Blogs You Should Be Reading



Introduction

How do we stay up-to-date with the latest security news? Where do we find the best security solutions to fight malware? Who can we follow to learn about the latest threats and online attacks so that we can protect ourselves?
With security in our minds, no matter we are common people or a big company name, we need to understand technology if we want to prevent data loss and privacy breaches.

But with so many security blogs out there, which one should we follow?

We have put together a list of security blogs from independent individuals and big names in the IT industry, so that you can benefit from their knowledge and insight. Therefore, if you need best practices, how-to articles, online safety research or the latest security news, feel free to bookmark this article and access it whenever you feel necessary.

The List

1. Krebs on Security
Brian Krebs is the man behind Krebs on Security. Being hacked himself in 2001, he takes a personal interest in online security and is one of the well-known names in today’s security landscape. He covers topics from latest threats, privacy breaches and cyber-criminals to major security news.

2. Schneier on Security
Bruce Schneider is probably the most well-known name that you can recognize in our list, and was even called a “security guru” by The Economist. He wrote books, hundreds of articles, essays and security papers on security matters. At the same time, he is a known figure in the media environment which recognize him as an important voice for the online security, not only for his knowledge on the matter, but also because he knows how to express his opinions.

3. TaoSecurity
This security blog is run by Richard Bejtlich, Chief Security Officer at Mandiant and author of many books on security. With an extensive background on cyber-criminal world and malicious attacks on enterprise networks, he shares his experience on digital defense, network monitoring and detection on his security blog. Since a great number of network attacks come from China, he is specialized on Chinese online criminals.

4. US-CERT
This is the official website of the Department of Homeland Security, from USA.
Though it is not a classical security blog, its purpose is to improve Internet security by providing specialized and well detailed information on cyber-criminal activities, malware, phishing attempts and online threats. To use their own words: “US-CERT strives for a safer, stronger Internet for all Americans by responding to major incidents, analyzing threats, and exchanging critical cyber-security information with trusted partners around the world.”

5. Dark Reading
Dark Reading is a widely-read cyber security site that addresses professionals from the IT environment, security researchers and technology specialists. They use their experience and knowledge to provide articles, recommendations, news and information on IT security.

6. CIO
CIO is the place where you find news, information technology articles, insight and analysis on major data breaches and online threats. Covering multiple aspects of world wide web, it provides in-depth, content rich information for IT professionals and normal users.

7. Network Security Blog
Martin McKeay is the voice of this security blog, where you can find information and news on privacy and security issues. As Martin says: “I took up blogging as a means to extend my knowledge and test my ideas about security…”.

8. Security Watch with Neil Rubenking
Known for his direct and witty style, Neil Rubenking is the man you have to listen if you search for technical advice on the main security solutions, from firewalls, antivirus and antispam products to full security suites. Detailed reports and sharp analysis of security programs place him be on your follow list if you look for this type if information.

9. Paul’s Security Weekly
Paul’s Security Weekly, founded by Paul Asadoorian, brings you security news, useful technical articles, research studies and valuable information on hacking and cyber-crime through various channels, from blog posts, videos to podcasts.

10. PCMag.com
One of the most popular sites in the software industry, PC Magazine comes with reviews and studies on the latest products for online security. For an objective analysis of a product you may be looking, don’t forget to look for the dedicated article on this website.

11. Wired
One of the classical North American publications reporting on technology and its role in culture, economy and politics, Wired approaches topics on online privacy, cyber-criminal threats, systems security and the latest alerts.

12. Forbe’s Firewall
Forbe’s Firewall comes from one of the leading media company in the online environment and provides strong analysis, reliable tools and real-time reports for cyber-security news and information on the latest online threats.

13. TechRepublic
TechRepublic provides large resources for the online industry, such as blog articles, forums, technical papers and security data. All the valuable information available helps IT professionals and technology leaders to come with the best decissions on their business processes.

14. Zero Day
The Zero Day security blog is important for all the people which are part of the IT industry and you should follow it to stay up-to-date with the latest security analysis, software vulnerabilities, malware attacks and network threats.

15. Securosis
Securosis is a security research and advisory company that offers security services for companies and organizations. At the same time, you can find on their security blog some useful articles and insight on managing and protecting online data.

16. The Guardian Information Security Hub
Known for its quality articles on world news, Guardian offers a section dedicated to information security for companies and individuals. To stay up-to-date with the latest articles and news on cyber security, make sure you follow this site.

17. Help Net Security
This security site is a popular place for data and security news and you can find here the latest information and articles related to the IT industry.

18. Techworld Security
The section dedicated to security on this site analyzes the latest malware threats and zero-day exploits. You can find here other important topics and subjects, such as security articles, how-to documents and software reviews.

19. Fox IT Security Blog
This security blog is a very good source of information on online security, technology news and cyber crime defense.

20. SC Magazine
SC Magazine comes in the IT environment with technical information and data analysis to fight the present online security threats. Their site provides testing results for e-mail security, mobile devices, cloud and web security.

21. Network Computing
The content of this security blog focuses on cloud technology and enterprise infrastructure systems. Its published articles cover security solutions on how to deliver applications and services for an increasingly large threat environment in the business world, news and expert advice.

22. Infosecurity Magazine
Infosecurity Magazine is an online magazine which covers not only security articles on popular topics, but is also dedicated to security strategy, valuable insights and technical approaches for the online industry.

23. SANS Institute AppSec Blog
This security site addresses the growing malware threats in the online world by providing training, research, certification and educational resources for IT specialists.

24. Threat Track Security
This security blog keeps you up-to-date with the latest innovations and developments in the IT industry, from security exploits to software vulnerabilities and cyber-criminal attempts.

25. CSO Online
CSO focuses on information technology, access management for enterprise servers, loss prevention, cybercriminal threats and software vulnerabilities.

Security blogs from software providers in the IT industry

26. Sophos security blog
Naked Security is Sophos’s award-winning threat news room, giving you news, opinion, advice and research on computer security issues and the latest internet threats. Naked Security is the blog of security company SOPHOS and the place where you can find news, research studies, advices and opinions. Categories range from mobile security threats to operating systems and malware articles. Naked Security is updated multiple times per day and receives around 1.5 million pageviews per month. It has won numerous awards and it is considered one of the best security blogs.

27. Kaspersky Lab’s ThreatPost
Threatpost is the leading security news website that is part of The Kaspersky Lab. Their articles cover important stories and relevant security news for the online world. They are recognized as an important source of news for online security in important newspapers and publications, such as New York Times, USA Today or The Wall Street Journal.

28. Kaspersky Lab’s Securelist
Securelist is a security blog run by Kaspersky Lab and it addresses a large audience, providing some of the best security subjects on cybercriminal activities and data stealing malware. You can find here security information that focuses on malware, phishing and other threats from the cyber security world.

29. Symantec Weblog
Symantec Weblog is a security blog from one of the biggest providers of security solutions world wide, Symantec. Using their technical knowledge and data collected along the years, they come with strong analysis reports and articles on security threats, online criminals, data stealing malware, system vulnerbilities and many others.

30. Google Online Security Blog
We are surrounded by Google products and services, from their search engine to their web browser, so it is normal to include their security blog in our list. It is a reliable security blog and even more, a reference point on online security and privacy we need to acknowledge.

31. Zone Alarm Cyber Security Blog
The security blog from ZoneAlarm, one of the well-known vendors of security products, provides valuable information on malware defense and online security. Using their experience on malware, this security blog generates malware alerts, practical security tips and the latest news in the IT industry.

32. F-Secure Safe & Savvy Blog
A security blog from F-Secure, a company dedicated to online content and privacy protection. On this security blog you will find helpful tips and advises on security issues, from protecting your personal identity to keeping your system safe.

33. HotforSecurity
The security blog from Bitdefender – one of the leading companies on online security solutions, covers various subjects from the IT world, from Internet scams, online spam and phishing to malware and data stealing software.

34. McAfee security blog
McAfee security blog provides the latest tips and techniques from security experts to keep you up-to-date with the latest malware trends in the online environment.

35. Microsoft Malware Protection Center
The Microsoft Malware Protection Center analyzes data from all over the world to provide insight and valuable information on fighting online threats in order to protect users from malware attacks and online crime.

36. SpiderLabs Security Blog
Investigators and researchers at Trustwave cover the latest technology news on this security blog. Gathering information from research and testing, they publish articles and security studies to fight online hackers and cyber-criminal threats.

37. Dell SecureWorks
The security blog from Dell SecureWorks provides the latest news and information for IT professionals and users that need to stay up-to-date with online threats and malware attacks.

38. Malwarebytes Security Blog
The Malwarebytes security blog articles cover the latest malware threats and cyber criminal attempts from the online world. You can find their articles on categories, from cyber-crime, exploits, hacking and malware analysis.

39. Trend Micro Simply Security
Trend Micro Simply Security site offers expert insights on cloud security, data safety, privacy protection and threat intelligence.

40. We Live Security
We Live Security, the Eset blog, is an online resource for cyber security articles and this blog covers a large network of security topics from emerging online threats to zero-day exploits.

41. CSIS Security Group Blog
The security blog from CSIS Security Group provides valuable information on malware attacks and online threats. Using the internal research data from their own security labs, their studies help users fight cyber-criminal threats.

Conclusions

We know our list is not perfect, there are so many other security blogs and top influencers in the IT industry that we have not included and we can not assume this list is complete. We try to stay in tune with the latest updates in the industry and we provided a few reasons why you should follow the security blogs above.
But, since the Internet world and the security landscape is changing all the time, so must we. So, help us improve our article, let us know what you think, we have no problem in making changes to our article and improve it for the benefit of all.

What are your favorite security blogs and why should we follow them?


Monday, June 20, 2016

International Financial Securities: SCALING SOLAR DELIVERS LOW-COST CLEAN ENERGY FOR ZAMBIA

Adding power capacity is a matter of urgency in Zambia, where only one fifth of the population has access to electricity and two years of drought have crippled existing hydropower facilities, causing a national electricity crisis.

It was in this context that the southern African country signed up to try Scaling Solar, a World Bank Group program designed to make it easier for governments to procure solar power quickly and at low cost through competitive tendering and pre-set financing, insurance products, and risk products.

The results of the first auction, which took place in May, have surpassed even the most optimistic expectations, with seven of the world’s leading renewables developers competing for the opportunity to build Zambia’s first large-scale solar plants.

The winning bids were for just 6.02 cents per kilowatt hour and 7.84 cents per kilowatt hour—the lowest prices for solar power to date in Africa, and among the lowest recorded anywhere in the world.

“This is a tremendous result for Zambia and for Scaling Solar, which has proved itself as a vehicle to open up new markets for clean energy,” said Philippe Le HouĂ©rou, IFC’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President. “It is now possible for governments across sub-Saharan Africa to look first to solar power as a solution for inexpensive, quick-to-build power—something unimaginable outside of South Africa until now.”

Because the 6-cent Zambia tariff is fixed for 25 years and won’t rise with inflation, it represents about 4.7 cents per kilowatt hour over the life of the project—on par with recent auctions in Peru and Mexico.

Scaling Solar has also delivered on its promise of speed: Zambia’s results come just nine months after the government first engaged IFC to advise on the transaction. The winning bidders—Neoen/First Solar and Enel—are expected to reach financial close on the projects within three months and complete construction a year later. This is especially critical in Zambia, where blackouts happen daily. The two new solar power plants will increase the country’s available generating capacity by 5 percent and will also help to restore water levels in its dams.

Zambia has already committed to a second round of Scaling Solar tendering, and Senegal and Madagascar have also signed up. Given growing interest in the program, Scaling Solar is now targeting developing 1 gigawatt of solar power in the next three years. At the tariffs recorded in Zambia, this would provide African consumers with more than $7 billion in savings compared to oil-based power, which costs about 20 cents per kilowatt hour.


Scaling Solar has financing support from USAID’s Power Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and the Infrastructure Development Collaboration Partnership Fund (DevCo). For more information, visit www.scalingsolar.org.