Google announced a plan to curb data sharing with outside developers whose apps do not provide email or productivity services. Effective next Jan. 9, the new rule will also restrict developers from selling data or using sensitive customer information for marketing research or targeted ads.

Apple users have been more receptive to the iOS 12 update than they were to iOS 11, with more than half of all Apple devices running the latest upgrade, according to ZDNet data. The iOS 12 update prioritized stability and improved performance over added features.

Widespread breaches of Social Security numbers make it necessary for the US to move beyond basic Social Security cards to cards with chip-and-PIN technology, McAfee and the Center for Strategic and International Studies write in a newly released report. A digital smart card could provide better security by including two-factor authentication or other biometric technologies, the report adds.

The US Chamber of Commerce and FICO have developed a system to provide scores on the extent to which businesses and sectors have secured their networks. The Assessment of Business Cybersecurity score is based on a range of factors, such as the degree to which networks are exposed to the internet.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are highly convenient for many consumers looking to buy items for the coming holidays, but they are also prime times for hackers to reach those customers' data. Garry McCracken advises retailers to check where their shoppers are from, assess risk exposure, encrypt their data, streamline their data security and get their employees involved in the process.

Google plans to help educate children about proper online behavior through a partnership with the National Parent Teachers Association and nonprofit DonorsChoose.org. As part of a National Cybersecurity Awareness and National Bullying Prevention Month initiative, Google will offer Pixelbook laptops for parents and kids with presentation materials about online safety and other issues.

A European investigation is now underway into Google's refusal to reveal a major data breach in its Google+ social network for months after it was discovered. The problem came to light internally in March but reportedly was not announced due to fears of regulation.

The California Consumer Privacy Act allows the state's 39.5 million residents to control whether their personal data can be used by businesses and enables them to sue over data breaches. In a report that surveyed 300 executives at high-revenue companies, PwC found that many respondents are "considering whether to extend CCPA's rights to all of their US employees and consumers for operational simplicity and long-term readiness for potential federal privacy legislation."

Researchers at Palo Alto Networks uncovered cryptojacking malware that disguises itself as an Abobe Flash Player update. The malware downloads an actual Flash Player update "to hide distribution of cryptocurrency miners and other unwanted programs," explains Palo Alto intelligence analyst Brad Duncan.

Software analytics company New Relic says it will acquire CoScale technology and its key team members, enhancing New Relic's container and micro service software offerings. New Relic will add CoScale's Kubernetes monitoring capabilities to its platform.