The Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill 2020, now awaiting Royal Assent, hands the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) three new powers for dealing with online crime. The first of the warrants is a data disruption one, touted as a way to prevent “continuation of criminal activity by participants, and be the safest and most expedient option where those participants are in unknown locations or acting under anonymous or false identities”....

Among the measures is a new AU$10 million data tool that will look to provide real-time information about Australia’s regional and local area workforce, skills, and labour market, said Stuart Robert, the Minister responsible for Australia’s workforce. “Data at a regional level will provide us with a better picture of the supply and demand, assist with workforce planning and mean that both business and government will be able to focus on better matching of skills and training to local needs,” Robert said....

Since 2013, non-corporate Commonwealth entities (NCCEs) have been required to undertake an annual self-assessment against the Top Four strategies, which are mandated by the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF). Entities report their overall compliance with mandatory requirements to AGD. The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) last year reviewed a pair of reports from the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). A report on this probe from the JCPAA in December asked AGD whether it was feasible to mandate the Essential Eight, a call the committee made in October 2017, as well as report back on why any entities have yet to implement the Top Four mandated in April 2013....

As AWS Australia principal solutions architect Rada Stanic puts it, Data Lab is a “joint accelerated engagement between our customers and AWS technical experts in order to create tangible deliverable that can help accelerate data modernisation initiatives”. The free program has two offerings: Design Lab and Build Lab. Design Lab is a half to two-day engagement of non-build exercise to discuss architecture patterns and anti-pattern designs for a company’s specific use case, best practices for building, and recommended strategies for design and delivery....

Also read: Microsoft introduces Azure Purview data catalog; announces GA of Synapse Analytics ZDNet spoke with Mike Flasko, Microsoft’s General Manager, Data Governance & Privacy Platform, to understand Azure Purview’s capabilities, technological underpinnings, pricing structure and roadmap more precisely. Flasko provided comprehensive details on all of these facets; he also described Azure Purview’s architecture quite well, and how that impacts the service in practical terms. Purview’s not parochial Also read: At Microsoft Ignite, expanding reach for Azure ML & Purview, Power BI Premium Purview had 36 connectors when ZDNet spoke with the Microsoft; and Flasko says new connectors will be released each month....

After years and years of ridiculous claims – such as those made by then-Shadow Communications Minister cum Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2011 that there was no evidence end users would receive any benefit from getting access to broadband speeds higher than those available under ADSL2+ technology, or that 1Gbps was a marketing gimmick – NBN will now embark on upgrading its network. The end goal of the upgrade will be to ensure that for a cost of AU$4....

Baidu said in a statement that it secured regulatory approvals to collect fares for its driverless taxi service Apollo Go in the two Chinese cities. The autonomous vehicle manufacturer’s vice president and chief safety operation officer of intelligent driving group, Wei Dong, said: “Fully driverless cars providing rides on open roads to paying customers means we have finally come to the moment the industry has been longing for. We believe these permits are a key milestone on the path to the inflection point when the industry can finally roll out fully autonomous driving services at scale....

To help you wade through it all, ZDNet is rounding up the best new notebooks, 2-in-1s, and ultraportables from the annual consumer electronics show. We’re gathering premium rigs designed to get work done. We might include some gaming laptops, too, as they’re still high-powered PCs perfect for business or intensive daily tasks such as video editing. Also: The best laptops: Does Apple take the crown? The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE features a 14-inch FHD screen with a 144Hz refresh rate....

Furniture, a laptop, a camera, a microphone, and perhaps an extra monitor or two are all worth investing in, but lighting considerations should not be dismissed out of hand. You may want to show off your background (or yourself) in the best light possible on your next conference call and the right ambiance can help when you need to concentrate, read, or stare at a screen for long periods of time....

If you’re new or moving to town, you’ll have access to a variety of San Francisco internet providers that offer some of the fastest speeds in the country for affordable prices. The following is our review of the best San Francisco internet providers and what they have to offer. Price: Internet prices start at $29.99 per month for light internet use with 25 Mbps download speeds and $59.95 for Performance Plus download speeds of 1 Gbps....

Among them, you’re sure to find the bachelor’s or master’s program for your academic and career goals. Many of the programs listed here are designed for working adults and prepare graduates for employment or career advancement in Alabama’s top industries. Alabama’s big business sectors include agricultural products and food production, bioscience, chemicals, and forestry products. Industries including corporate operations, cybersecurity, distribution and logistics, and technology support those sectors. Read on to discover the best online colleges in Alabama and explore your options....

An online degree in majors that include sustainable agriculture, finance, and supply chain management may help you start a career in one of Delaware’s top industries. Read on to explore our rankings of the best online colleges in Delaware and learn how they can serve you. Top 3 online schools in Delaware: Quick facts The best online colleges in Delaware Before browsing through our rankings of the top online colleges in Delaware, take a moment to familiarize yourself with ZDNet’s ranking methodology....

However, with many companies today offering modern faxing solutions, it can be difficult to discern which provides the best online fax services for your needs. Whether you send the occasional fax or have a high daily volume, these are our picks for 2021’s best online fax services. Online fax services compared How did we choose these products? Many services offer online faxing services, but not all will offer the best features and characteristics for your needs....

The 2019 Best Places to Work would have been the fourth year in a row that Facebook occupied one of the top five places in Glassdoor’s US rankings, which is now held by consulting firm Bain & Company. Facebook ranked top in 2018 but has since sunk to seventh spot, ahead of Google in eighth. The search giant’s ranking is also down from fifth place in 2018. Facebook’s overall rating fell from 4....

The three versions of the S23 come at different price points and they’re each available in phantom black, cream, green, and lavender: For a limited time, retailers are offering discounts on Galaxy S23 cases and screen protectors. ZDNET experts factored in price, protection, durability, sustainability, and feel to find the following best cases for the new Galaxy S23. The Pro series has a holster that you can clip to your belt or use as a kickstand....

Biological engineering blends engineering and biology coursework. A degree in biological engineering can prepare you to work as a physician, manufacturing engineer, biomedical scientist, or researcher. What is it like to work in a biological engineering job? Biological engineering degrees blend coursework in engineering theory with classes in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Bioengineers work for private and public companies to solve problems facing the environment and our health. Biological engineers take on challenges such as carbon sequestration and providing access to clean water....

And I’m also a huge fan of the best rugged smartphones. Sure, my daily driver is an iPhone, but there’s something very practical about having a smartphone that I can drop into water or mud, stamp on it a few times for good luck, and run it under a tap at the end of the day to clean it. A rugged smartphone is perfect for a more unpredictable lifestyle. And if you can combine a thermal camera with a rugged Android smartphone, then you have my attention....

But they do exist. And they can be really good. You can check out our list of elite Android tablets if you want more info on them. Take the Blackview Tab 12. Blackview is a company better known for making rugged Android smartphones (such as the flagship BV9900Pro, featuring a built-in thermal camera), but it also makes other gadgets – such as tablets. But is it any good? Yes. Overall, the fit and finish is great....

This book is the second in a series intended to entertain while communicating tenets of freedom. It seems impossible that there isn’t someone in your life who would find this book hilarious and delightful. Even a dedicated blockchain skeptic will love the pictures. This book is small, but perfectly formed. It is nearly 50 years since the launch of the first edition of a small book of rules whose originators, Gary Gygax and Dave Arenson, thought was a “$300 idea”....

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) brings many benefits. Still, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has detailed certain situations where it should never be considered due to the potential cybersecurity risks it could cause. “You cannot do all your organisation’s functions securely with just BYOD, no matter how well your solution may be configured,” say new guidelines from the NCSC. “If you’ve given BYOD users admin access to company resources, revoke that access immediately,” NCSC said....