security

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This is a TED talk by Misha Glenny, who have investigated cyber crime and their roots. He quickly discovered that hackers play a vital part (no surprise there), and suggests that the way we treat black hats may be a threat to our society. Perhaps he's got a point?

Running a vulnerability assessment is more important than ever as security threats and weaknesses in applications and operating systems are a constant target for hackers and cyber criminals. The speed at which computer systems are attacked is also accelerating. For instance, when the Conficker worm was discovered in September 2008 and then released in November 2008, according to estimates the worm was able to quickly infect approximately nine to 15 million systems – even months later, machines were still infected with the worm. All it took was one single vulnerability to be exploited.

The Unique Identification Authority of India has long emphasized that the focus of the Aadhaar number is on giving the poor and marginalized in India their first clear, easily verifiable, mobile identity.

Ranjna Sadashiv Sonwane, a tribal woman from Tembhali village in Nandurbar, in the western state of Maharashtra, became the first recipient of the Aadhaar number under the Unique identification project. Ranjna received the Aadhaar (the UID brand) letter from Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Thursday, the day he launched the initiative nationally.

Ranjna’s letter marks the point where the Aadhaar initiative transforms from a technology concept to an on the ground reality. Ranjna had enrolled with her five-year old son Hitesh, who was the second person to receive the Aadhaar letter. For Hitesh, Aadhaar will be his first proof of identity.