Show 7 of 2007

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Digital rights management is back in the news again this week stirred up by Apple Boss Steve Jobs. In a speech to industry on February 6 he said some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPod’s. For listeners unsure what Digital Rights Management is, simply it’s an electronic system designed to stop people sharing files – in this case music – files between computers, iPod’s and the like. In what seems to be an unrelated announcement MUSIC label EMI said last Friday that it is planning to release a large portion of its music catalogue for sale by download, without technological protection against piracy. Coincidental? I’m sure the conspiracy theorists amongst you are slightly suspect of all this, so we thought it time to revisit one of our pet hates – Digital Rights Management.

We also talk to Lidija Davis, our Silicon Valley connection about the RSA 2007 conference in San Francisco last week, and if you’ve ever bitched about your anti virus software, wait till you hear this! Lid’s recommendation – Kaspersky

Justin Dunlop joins the panel to tell us all about the new technological lineup from Apple. Vista spores yet another clone, this time we see the release of a Vista for mobile devices. Apple boss Steve Jobs urges the top 4 record companies to un protect their music. What’s in a password? Well plenty as we find out in a new study about weak passwords and Vista security found somewhat wanting… For more information visit www.techtalkradio.com.au

Symantec’s Smart Computing: Helping Consumers Make Smart Choices

Another keynote speaker at RSA 2007 is Symantec‘s Chairman and CEO John Thompson who today said fostering consumer confidence in the security of Internet transactions is the “one thing upon which the growth of this online world depends.”

Regardless of the name put to it, he tells us, the Information Age is here and we are in an era where the user is in charge. 

People want connectivity 24 hours a day to transfer money, renew memberships, collaborate, and buy essentials – but they also want the surety that their security systems will keep the bad guys out.

“How do we make sure that when we are logging onto a bank it is our bank?” he asks, “How do you verify confidentiality?”

He points to critical changes in security in the past year and explains it is no longer about the device – it’s about the information.

So how do we secure the information?

Many things according to Mr. Thompson need to change but in the main:

“Do not become complacent with new threats by using old tools; become more innovative in detecting new threats, both enterprise and personal, and start using a user centric approach instead of the technology or platform centric approach we are used to.”

Symantec is demonstrating Norton Internet Security 2007, and Norton Identity Client at the show; a portable solution for any device to help users tell is a site is legitimate by alerting them about the site’s security certificates; whether it is a phishing risk or if its business practices have not rated well.