Research from Onapsis shows that more than 95 percent of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems were exposed to vulnerabilities that could let cyberattackers take full control of a business. The fact that ERP systems are low-hanging fruit isn’t what makes them such an attractive target for attackers, however: it’s what the ERP is used for that makes breaching such a system so lucrative. Consider the fact that these applications are at the heart of any business. They store information critical to a business, and they run critical processes. As such, they open…

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An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system provides a great record of what customers have purchased and when they paid for it. It does less well when asked to describe customers—what type of customer are they, how big are they, how much effort the company spends retaining the customer, and so on. These data are stored in the customer relationship management (CRM) system. Traditionally, ERP systems have offered a lot of built-in reporting. Some systems calculate the usage rate of items by customer—a quick and easy way to predict when the…

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At the company’s annual Build conference this week Microsoft unveiled among other things an Azure Data Lake service, which the company is pitching as a hyperscale big data repository for all kinds of data. The data lake concept is a fairly new one, the gist of it being that data of varying types and structures is created at such a high velocity and in such large volumes that it’s prompting a necessary evolution in the applications and platforms required to handle that data. It’s really about being able to store…

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We stand at the edge of a remarkable era of total connectivity. Soon, nearly every kind of object and device we have will be digitized and web-enabled – the result of the continually expanding and evolving Internet of Things (IoT). This week at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, I’m participating in a panel discussion on IoT connectivity. This annual conference brings together some of the world’s most extraordinary people to explore solutions to today’s biggest challenges – from energy and education to financial markets and health care. How…

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Perception of the millennial generation has gone through several iterations, from general disdain to guarded optimism of their tech savvy. Here’s whyMillennials haven’t yet reached optimum potential – and where they’re headed next. Version 1.0: Millennials as Outliers As with anything disruptive to the status quo, Millennials were first regarded with a combination of fascination and scorn. It might sound overdramatic now, but just a few years ago, psychologists, bloggers, and everyone in between had something to say about Millennials – and most of it far from complimentary. Gen Y was…

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1. Google Nexus 9 One of the best tablets in Google’s list of “pure” Android devices, the Nexus 9 was the first tablet to run Android Lollipop and is likely to be first in line for updates. It is available in 16GB or 32GB capacity.  Image: Josh Miller/CNET 2. Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact The Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is a small tablet with lots of power. The thin tablet is also waterproof and easier to carry around than its 10-inch predecessor.  Image: Andrew Hoyle/CNET 3. Dell Venue 8…

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