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Security in the Web
Technology products are increasingly vulnerable to attack, says a recent Symantec report. The Internet security firm documented 2,524 new vulnerabilities last year, 82% more than in 2001. One reason for the uptick may be the proliferation of Web applications, which by their nature have vulnerabilities that can be exploited remotely. Because such attacks are relatively easy to conduct, Symantec rated 99% of all Web vulnerabilities as “highly or moderately severe.”
Blend Well, And Worry
Blended threats—part virus, part worm—are emerging as potentially the most damaging of all technology attacks. Surprisingly, theres often significant lag between the time a vulnerability is discovered and when a threat first exploits that vulnerability. Companies that constantly update their security configuration can stay ahead of the hackers
Low Wages but Lower Hopes
Big jumps in salary are becoming the exception, not the norm. Two-thirds of the 6,000 technology professionals surveyed by Brainbench landed a salary increase of under 3% last year. Women were particularly hard-hit, with their median income dropping below $40,000 as opposed to low $50,000s for men. And dont expect things to rebound: 42% of respondents thought a raise of 0% to 3% was in order for 2003, while another 9% lacked the confidence to even guess.
Unlocking Results
The technology behind customer relationship management software can often be deployed successfully, says AMR Research, but the business benefits may remain elusive. To avoid failure, make sure the team includes both tech and business staffers, set common goals and establish measures of success. And hold the executives accountable from start to finish.
Certified Benefits?
You may want to hold off on paying for your developers certification programs. in its annual survey, Evans Data found that only 40% of developers considered getting certified important to their work. only 20% said they would do it to increase their productivity. The most-cited reason why theyd get certified? To get a better job. Talk about gratitude.
Spend on the Basics
A report on the Global 1,000s spending plans forecasts a return to the basics. Human resources is projected as the No. 1 recipient of technology dollars in the next three to six months, while customer service and enterprise software are no longer on the front burner. Disaster recovery remains important, but its fallen from post-9/11 highs.