Studying or Hacking? Today’s Adolescents Could Be the Hackers of the Future
A Panda Security study of 4,000 adolescents reveals alarming statistics around teenage hacking rates and exploration
Panda Security, a leading provider of IT security solutions, announced the results of a four month survey carried out by Panda Security(1) that analyzed the online behaviors, technology knowledge, and hacking activities of more than 4,000 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. The study results indicate that more than half of adolescents use the Internet daily, spending on average 18.5 hours a week connected. The survey revealed that some 32 percent of this online activity is dedicated to studying, while the remaining 68 percent involves leisure activities, such as online gaming, watching videos, listening to music, chatting, etc.
While 63 percent of parents declared concern for the online security of their children, relating to the threats to which they are exposed (contact with strangers, access to inappropriate content, etc.), none of them expressed among their main concerns, the risk that their children could be involved in illicit activities on the Internet.
However, some 67 percent of the young people surveyed admitted to having tried, on at least one occasion, to hack into friends’ instant messaging or social network accounts, etc. Similarly, 20 percent confirmed that they had sent compromising photos of friends over the Internet or published them on the Web without prior consent.
The survey also revealed that 17 percent of adolescent users claim to have advanced technical knowledge and are able to find hacking tools on the Internet. Of these, 30 percent claim to have used them on at least one occasion. When asked why, 86 percent said that curiosity had led them to investigate these public tools.
According to Luis Corrons, Technical Director of PandaLabs, “the advanced knowledge that many adolescents acquire through free tools and content available on the Web can often lead them to engage in illegal online activities. We have found cases of teenagers using Trojans to spy on their partners, hacking school servers to see exam papers or even stealing the identity of friends or colleagues on social networks.”
While there are many initiatives aimed at educating and promoting awareness of the many threats on the Web, there are far less that focus on detecting and addressing illegal behavior among adolescents.
“We should encourage young people to use the Internet as a channel for personal development, teaching them to use it in a healthy and responsible fashion. It is important to help them avoid the dubious activities which are driven by the anonymity of the Web, by educating them on the consequences and criminal charges,” urges Corrons. “Even though the percentage is very low, we still come across many cases of adolescent cyber-criminals, such as the recent high-profile case of the 16-year-old creator of the Twitter worms. We estimate that just 0.5 percent of such criminal acts are being detected by the authorities. Those who are drawn into hacking out of curiosity may very likely end-up discovering the financial potential of this activity, and become the next generation of cybercriminals.”
(1)Study carried out by Panda Security between January 2009 and April 2009 among users and non-users of Panda solutions.
Survey universe: adolescents between 15 and 18 years old.
Size and distribution of the survey sample: A representative sample of 4091 teenagers between 15 and 18 years old was taken. The surveys were carried out online, through prior invitation via email.
Sample error: Sampling error calculation has been based on p=q=0.5 for a confidence level of 95%.
Source: Panda Security
SIIA Ed Tech Industry Summit Announces Participants for Cutting Edge Innovation Incubator Program
Ten participants and two finalists were selected from 26 applicants
Innovation and growth of new education technologies will be the focus, particularly among those organizations represented during the acclaimed Innovation Incubator Program at the annual Ed Tech Industry Summit, sponsored by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), March 3-5, 2009, at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, Calif.
SIIA Education Division committee members reviewed 26 applications, and then voted for 10 entities based on the key selection criteria, including the alignment to SIIA’s Vision K-20 Benchmarks around: 21st Century Tools, Anytime/Anywhere Access, Differentiated Learning, Assessment Tools, and Enterprise Support.
SIIA’s 2009 Innovation Incubator participants represent pre-revenue companies, established companies, non-profit groups, R&D agencies, and academic institutions, and will officially be introduced during the upcoming conference.
The Ed Tech Industry Summit provides visibility for these innovators through three key events during the conference: Innovation Business Profiles Session, the Innovation Showcase and Networking Reception, and the One-to-One Business Connections Meetings.
Focusing on how critical innovation is to the future of the education industry, the SIIA Education Division narrowed the list of 26 applicants to 10 selected participants and two finalists. They are as follows:
Adobe – Adobe Flash Catalyst, a new professional interaction design tool for rapidly creating application interfaces and interactive content without coding.
ArchieMD – Archie MD Interactive 3D Platform: Virtual Autopsy, an innovative state-of-the-art 3D interactive platform ideal for the K-20 markets, enhancing the study of forensics and biology.
ClassLink – ClassLink Inquiry, takes the guesswork out of instructional technology decisions by accumulating and analyzing instructional technology usage data.
Kidos Computer – Kidos Computers, similar to iTunes for children’s content with the added benefits of “scaffolding” the content with interactive tools and applications for both kids and parents.
Math Learning Exchange – MathLearningExchange.org, designed as an online community for improving K-12+ math education with a moderated wiki of user-generated videos for math instruction.
MixedInk – MixedInk Collaborative Writing Tool, a fun and collaborative way for students to grow as writers, building on student’s online behavior outside the classroom.
Filament Games, LLC – PLEX Labs, a series of educational science games designed to parallel existing classroom activities.
Child’sMind Publishing – The Predictive Assessment of Reading, a breakthrough, universal diagnostic test for students in K-4th grade that is based on 20 years of NIH-funded research.
Quantum Learning Technologies – Skatekids Online / Ramps to Reading, virtual online worlds filled with games and activities that teach kids literacy, reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
SMARTHINKING – Straighterline, combines on-demand tutoring from SMARTHINKING with off-the-shelf content to create developmental and general education courses.
2009 Ed Tech Industry Summit Innovation Incubator Finalists:
edWeb LLC – edWeb, a professional, social networking Web site for the education community that helps educators discuss issues, share resources, and collaborate.
GradeCam Corporation – GradeCam, advanced image recognition software that works with a camera to grade tests and post scores to any electronic grade book.
SIIA has extended the visibility of all applicants by hosting the Innovation Incubator Virtual Environment. Built with the support of member company Educational Systemics, it provided a venue for the voters to review each innovation by visiting the online exhibit hall. To provide visibility for all applicants during and after the Summit, the public is invited to view their booths by visiting http://k-12.veplatform.com/.
According to Karen Billings, Vice President for SIIA’s Education Division, “We are both excited and impressed by this year’s line-up of Innovation Incubator participants. These organizations represent different stages of company maturation and will have exciting new curriculum, administrative or productivity solutions for both K-12 and post-secondary markets. Their ability to build original and innovative solutions will help lead the charge into the next generation of technology-rich learning, and we were excited to place them front and center at this spring’s Ed Tech Industry Summit.”
Source: Software & Information Industry Association
SIIA Spring Events in San Francisco to Explore Industry Innovation With Keynotes From Executives of Red Hat, Wired Magazine
May Conferences in San Francisco Will Investigate Software and Digital Trends by Day and Celebrate the Best of the Industry by Night
The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) today announced keynote speakers for its NetGain Conference and Software Summit being held next month in San Francisco. The NetGain and Software Summit conferences will take place at the Palace Hotel on May 4th and 5th, and will culminate with the 24th annual CODiE Awards Gala, the only peer-reviewed technology awards program in the country, to celebrate achievements in software, content and educational technology.
Keynote speakers at the 2009 NetGain Conference and Software Summit include:
- Jim Whitehurst, President and CEO, Red Hat
- Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, Wired Magazine
- Kara Swisher, Co-Producer, D: All Things Digital, and Co-Executive Editor, AllThingsD.com
- Brewster Kahle, Founder and Digital Librarian, Internet Archive
- Judith Estrin, Chief Executive Officer, JLABS, and author of Closing the Innovation Gap
- Maribel Lopez, Founder & Principal Analyst, Lopez Research
During the events, top executives and industry leaders will present effective approaches to help participants succeed in an evolving industry. Presentations and panels will address a variety of relevant issues, including how to reignite sustainable innovation and the global economy, survive and thrive in the recession, and monetize “free” software and social media.
Media and Bloggers are invited to attend the entire two-day event series. To register, or for more information, please contact Eileen Bramlet, Vice President for SIIA Communications, at: EBramlet@siia.net or Beth Dozier, public relations contact, at bethdozier@rationalpr.com
WHO: Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)
WHAT: SIIA San Francisco Conferences and Events
WHEN: May 4 – 5, 2009
WHERE: The Palace Hotel, San Francisco, California
More information follows about the NetGain Conference, Software Summit and CODiE Awards:
NetGain Conference: www.SIIANetGain.net
Workflow applications, user-generated content, and the semantic web are redefining the digital information industry. Join publishers, aggregators, and technology providers gathering at this second annual conference to address the new rules for licensing, building and aggregating information. A popular part of the NetGain Conference agenda — SIIA Product Previews — will highlight new and interesting products from member companies. Product Previews will also provide media and attendees with the opportunity to see and hear from cutting edge content leadership.
Software Summit & CODiE Awards Conference: www.SIIASoftwareSummit.net
The software industry is undergoing a radical transformation: on-demand and open source technologies are replacing on-premise solutions, and consumers want to “pay as they go” for technology or not pay at all; tight economic conditions make it hard to launch and innovate, restricting access to capital and limiting exit strategies; and everything’s going mobile, which changes how technology is used. Join software industry leaders gathering to address these new rules for funding, building and selling software during candid discussions and fast-paced panels organized by and for software executives.
CODiE Awards Gala and Showcase: www.siia.net/codies/2009/
CODiE Awards Gala: On the evening of May 5th, SIIA will hold the 24th Annual CODiE Awards Gala — the industry’s only peer-reviewed technology awards program. The CODiE Awards cover numerous diverse categories that celebrate the most successful and innovative software, content and educational technology businesses/products. Please visit the list of CODiE Award Finalists for an update on firms that achieved this prestigious stage of the awards process for 2009. For more information regarding Gala tickets, please contact SIIA Awards Manager, Lisa Mitchell-Brooks, at LMitchell@siia.net.
Lifetime Achievement Awards: In addition, this year, the CODiEs will re-introduce its Lifetime Achievement Awards, highlighting a series of individuals who have made enormous contributions to education technology arenas.
CODiE Finalist Showcase: Lastly, to enable Awards Finalists to provide industry and media colleagues with demos of their extraordinary products, SIIA is hosting its second annual CODiE Finalist Showcase. Be sure to get demos of finalist products for Software and Content categories before casting your ballot to select CODiE Award winners and “Showcase Favorites” during this unique event. Please email Dipo Odunlami at Dipo@siia.net for details on participating in the CODiE Finalist Showcase.
SIIA
The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry. SIIA provides global services in government relations, business development, corporate education and intellectual property protection to 500 leading software and information companies. For further information, visit www.siia.net.
Source: Software & Information Industry Association
Deloitte Announces Exclusive Software Tool to Help Companies Transition to IFRS
Deloitte’s IFRS Navigator Software Tool to Help Companies Transition from U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to International Financial Reporting Standards
Deloitte’s IFRS Navigator is a web-based application that incorporates a variety of capabilities and features to support an effective and efficient IFRS transition. With its project management design, IFRS Navigator enables a high level of oversight, governance, and control of IFRS initiatives.
Key features of Deloitte’s IFRS Navigator:
- capabilities to help define, develop, and track the IFRS assessment and overall work plan
- scheduling features to help monitor and track resources and milestones
- customizable modules to help identify accounting differences between U.S. GAAP and IFRS
- and portals to provide a quick and focused view into tasks assigned to the user.
Deloitte believes that approaching an IFRS transition in a strategic way with the right tools will help companies in their efforts to improve their competence and resource capabilities, keep pace with their competitors, and save time, cost, and effort in the short and long term. DJ Gannon, partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP, and leader of Deloitte’s IFRS Center of Excellence, is available for press seeking further context.
http://www.deloitte.com/us/ifrs/navigator
Source: Deloitte LLP