Password-free online authentication a step closer?

This could be interesting but given the failure of 'standards' in IT generally I guess we will have to wait and see - Password-free online authentication a step closer - a report in Computer Weekly looks at the Fido (Fast IDentity Online ) Alliance protocol, aimed at helping companies eliminate passwords in favour of multi-factor identity checks using a variety of alternatives.

World's First Insurance Backed Bitcoin Vault

A fascinating story - a UK start-up offering a secure bitcoin vault backed up by Lloyds of London insurance.

36 Cyber Security Acquisitions and Investments from the Last Quarter of 2013!

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!

1.       Datacard Group to Acquire Entrust Inc.

2.       Blue Coat snaps up anti-malware firm Norman Shark

3.       LifeLock Acquires Mobile Wallet Platform Lemon For $42.6 Million

4.       Mocana Receives Strategic Investment from GE Ventures

5.       Babcock International Group PLC Acquires Context Information Security

6.       Finjan to invest millions in new Israeli cyberfund

7.       Ixia Set To Expand Network Visibility Business With Acquisition Of Net Optics

8.       Cloud Security and App Ventures sign asset purchase agreement

9.       InsiderSpyder to Commercialize MITRE 'insider threat' technology  

10.   Openwave Messaging Acquires Critical Path

11.   Brazilian Antivirus Startup PSafe Raises $30M Series C From China’s Qihoo 360 And Redpoint e.ventures | TechCrunch

12.   Akamai buys DDOS protection company Prolexic

13.   After Passing 1M+ Users, PasswordBox Closes $6M Series A To Scale Its Team & Hook Into Biometrics | TechCrunch

14.   Israeli Checkmarx raises $8M | GeekTime

15.   Box acquires dLoop for data security and analytics

16.   Oracle ehances BYOD capabilities with Bitzer Mobile acquisition - 18 Nov 2013 - Computing News  

17.   Traklight Receives Loan From the Arizona Innovation Accelerator Fund

18.   Trend Micro acquires advanced persistent threat defender Broadweb

19.   Acquisition of NanoSight LTD | Spectris Plc

20.   IBM to Acquire Fiberlink Communications - Mobile Management and Security

21.   Trustwave Acquires Application Security Inc

22.   Chicago data security firm Trustwave buys Application Security - chicagotribune.com

23.   HyTrust buys HighCloud as security land grab rages on — Tech News and Analysis

24.   AccessData Raises $45M for First Investment in its 25 Year History

25.   j2 Global(R) , Inc. Acquires UK Email Security and Management Business EPA Cloud - WSJ.com

26.   Verint to acquire Victrio - SecurityInfoWatch.com

27.   PhishMe Raises $2.5M Series A Funding

28.   Wisekey raises further investment for mobile security

29.   Thetaray gets investment from GE

30.   Cloud Data Protection Startup PerspecSys Lands $12M - Datamation

31.   Security startup Bromium raises $40 million - Silicon Valley Business Journal  

32.   Project A backs encryption startup ZenGuard

33.   The Daily Startup: Sqrrl Nabs Funding for NSA-Secure Database  

34.   F5 on its acquisition of 'natural fit' Versafe: Clientless security is the way forward | ZDNet

35.   Untangle acquires network security firm

36.   OneLogin secures $13m to expand in US, Europe and Asia-Pacific - Computer Business Review