Video: Websense discusses Cybercrime numbers in Canada

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Websense issued a report highlighting Canada as the new breeding ground for cybercriminal activity. Fiaaz Walji, Websense Canadian country manager talked to us earlier at the SC Congress 2012 (ongoing in Toronto) to cover some of the threats affecting Canada today.  While most security news releases are loaded with alarmist claims and scary percentages, the statistics presented by Websense are staggering. 

Websense did an exact comparison of the same cyber security stats one year later (Q1 2011 compared with Q1 2012) and found that hackers are still having a field day in our backyard.

• 170% Jump in Hosted Phishing Sites – Canada ranks #2 in the world for hosted phishing sites, jumping 170 percent in the last year. This is a significant increase and the country ranks ahead of some of the best known offenders like Egypt and Russia.

• 39% increase in Bot Networks – Cybercriminals’ command and control centers are finding that Canadians make GREAT hosts. In the past year, Canada saw a 39 percent increase in bot network activity.

• 239% Increase in Malicious Websites - The number of malicious URL’s are also on the rise in Canada. Canadian computer users beware, Canada saw a 239 percent jump in malicious Canadian websites.

Apple and Samsung drop various patent claims against each other

The most popular frenemies in tech, Apple Inc. and Samsung have been ordered by a U.S. district court judge's order to scale down the number patent claims against each other in their monster intellectual-property lawsuit focused on smartphones and tablets.

Paring down the number of patent disputes between the two companies streamlines the trial and what the court has to work with.

Apple noted that, "while the parties have been readying the case for trial Samsung has vaulted into first place in worldwide sales of smartphones, with massive sales of its copycat products." 

Apple, who uses various Samsung components such as displays, memory and processors in its popular mobile and computer products and is one of Samsung's bigglest clients added, "to preserve the July 30 trial date, Apple is willing to narrow the case on its patents for jury trial to four utility patent claims and a small set of design-related claims."

Samsung dropped two patents from the lawsuit, reducing the total number of claims based on those patents. However, it still wants to proceed to trial on 15 claims from seven patents.

"With these reductions, Samsung has narrowed its case from twelve patents to seven, dropping 42% of its affirmative counterclaims. From a total of 75 claims identified by Samsung's experts as infringed by Apple's products, Samsung will drop 60 and only proceed on 15 -- a reduction in total claims of 80%," Samsung's representative said.

Apple took Samsung to court a year ago for violations on various Apple patents and trademarks pertaining to the iPhone and the iPad and even managed to temporarily stop sales of competing Samsung tablets in certain markets.  Samsung has countered with its own series of patent lawsuits.

Hostilities resume in court on July 30th when the trial begins.

RIM appoints new COO and Chief Marketing Officer

Research In Motion just announced the appointment of a new Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, a sure sign that things are moving at the Waterloo, ON BlackBerry maker just a week after its BlackBerry World Developer conference. Kristian Tear  was announced as Chief Operating Officer and Frank Boulben is the Chief Marketing Officer. See the full release below.

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Olympus reveals TG-1 iHS tough and pro quality camera

Olympus is innovating it's Tough line with the new TG-1 iHS which features the world’s first high-speed bright f2.0 lens on a Tough camera, and converter-lens compatibility to create a versatile system camera. Encased in a durable waterproof, dustproof, freezeproof and crushproof body, the TG-1 iHS is expected to retail for US $ 400 and brings a 12 Megapixel - CMOS 1/2.3 sensor, 4.5-18.0mm  lens with 4 x optical and 4 x digital zoom. It also features a GPS and digital compass.

Olympus is touting DSLR-quality TruePic VI image processor with in high-speed autofocus, enhanced Intelligent Auto for spectacular scene and subject recognition, and 2x Super-Resolution Zoom as a key differentiator for the TG-1 iHS in the sporty-line of point and shoot cameras.