Image courtesy of IBM. IBM just released IBM Z, a new mainframe that reportedly can run more than 12 billion encrypted transactions per day – a staggering 18 times faster than any other platform. Since encryption is difficult to do at scale, IBM hopes this mainframe will help banks, healthcare providers, government agencies [...]
Credit scores play a critical role in most of life’s major financial decisions. They can determine if you qualify for a loan and many affect the interest rates applied to that loan. They’re also a factor in approving new credit cards and home rental applications. In general, higher credit scores indicate a lower risk for [...]
Summer vacation is prime time for identity theft and fraud. We recently shared tips to help consumers stay secure and keep a relaxing trip from turning into a headache. But what about the risks before you’ve stepped out the door? Travel scams are among the most popular online threats facing consumers. According to a recent [...]
Another ransomware attack was identified Tuesday and is affecting critical infrastructure providers across the globe. The ransomware, called GoldenEye, is a new strain of the Petya ransomware. GoldenEye is especially vicious as it does more than simply encrypt files – it also encrypts hard drives by overwriting the master reboot record. This prevents the computer [...]
In the last few years, consumers have met advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) with equal parts excitement and fear. We’ve come a long way from 2015’s Jeep hacking demonstration, perhaps the first “mainstream” story that sparked fear in consumers, but also helped them connect the dots around how IoT may directly impact their [...]
With the summer months upon us, the thrill of escape is constantly on our minds. Whether it’s an international getaway, a road trip, a visit to the beach, or another destination, summer is synonymous with travel. Perhaps you’ve already made some vacation plans of your own this summer. While it’s great to get out and [...]
Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies are designed to promote flexibility and collaboration for employees, help companies cut hardware and service costs, and are quickly becoming standard in today’s workforce. In fact, over half of U.S. companies recently reported that they allow the use of personal devices for work purposes. While there are many benefits to BYOD, it’s [...]
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, 76% of consumers are aware that using free public Wi-Fi can lead to identity theft. However, people are still three times more likely to connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot if it’s free to use. Public Wi-Fi allows anyone within a specified area to potentially access or read [...]
Late last week, news broke of a ransomware attack affecting systems across the globe. The malware variant, called Ransom-WannaCry, exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft known as EternalBlue, locking people out of their computers and demanding $300 in Bitcoin. Major organizations, including the National Health Service (NHS) in the U.K., have been affected. By the latest [...]
Earlier this week, our team had the pleasure of participating in the Card Forum here in Austin, Texas. The three-day event headed up by publisher SourceMedia brought together over 600 professionals from the mobile payments, credit, marketing, risk and fraud industries. Session programming highlighted trends, challenges and innovation in card programs across financial services and [...]
