In this week's edition of news for CIOs and IT pros, we look at the transformational power of data and follow up on security. Read on for more.
Big data in the real world
Big Data: buzzword or game-changer? Steven Clough says that as data gets bigger and bigger, we're getting better and better at ignoring it. In an article for Huffington Post, he points out that the big value that can be uncovered from big data is in how it's used to tell a story that can ultimately transform the business. He suggests a slight tweak to the buzzword: from big data to significant data.
So what is the significance of all this data? Bernard Marr, author of “Big Data,” is exploring that question in a series for Forbes in which he highlights several real world examples of big data in action. This week, he touches on how big data and predictive analytics are transforming the way businesses find and recruit C-level hires. In another example, he showcases how law enforcement is turning to big data to help track and combat a crime gang currently operating across 36 states. Significant, indeed.
More on security
Last week we highlighted the latest news around car hacking in an Internet of Things era, among other security concerns keeping CIOs up at night. Chrysler's proposed solution – mailing USB sticks to customers so they can download and install a patch themselves – is being met with criticism by cybersecurity experts, as reported by Zack Whittaker at ZDNet.
Also on the security front, TechCrunch highlights the 2015 Cyber Risk Report from HP Security Research, which points out that the biggest threat to security may not be cloud technology, Internet of Things, or even car hacking. It may, in fact, be a dangerous combination of poorly communicated or harmful security patches and a history of CIOs and security leaders dealing with their unwanted and unintended consequences.
CIOs in the news
Wall Street Journal: Box Names H-P’s Paul Chapman as CIO
Computer Weekly: CIO interview: CABI’s Andrea Powell on feeding the world
Even more news for IT pros
TechCrunch: The Next Wave Of Enterprise Software Powered By Machine Learning
SiliconANGLE: Fighting Big Data complexity: Future-proofing open source
Computer Weekly: It's time for a Digital Customer Experience Bill of Rights
ZDNet: How collaboration ended up in IT, and why it may move
