The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner was notified of 539 data breaches during the July-December 2020 period, an increase of 5% on the figure of 512 reported during the previous three months.



Market research company Roy Morgan has found 8.6 million Australians watch catch-up TV services ABC iView, SBS On Demand, 7plus, 9Now and 10 Play – a category which Morgan calls 'broadcast video on demand.'

Veteran security researcher Chester Wisniewski says the takedown of the Emotet botnet is to be welcomed but notes that the primary Emotet operators were not apprehended, which meant that they would rebuild new infrastructure and go back to business as usual.

Google is displaying a notice to Australian Google search users whenever they do a Google search, which leads to a YouTube video featuring Mel Silva, the MD of Google Australia, stating there is "a workable news code that doesn’t break Google Search."

Okta's "seventh annual Businesses at Work" report has been released for 2021 and looks at the apps that powered work in 2020, including what we're told is "a combination of best-of-breed solutions and remote work winners".

Search behemoth Google, which is trying to muscle the Australian Government into accepting a news media code devised by itself, has contradicted its own threat to pull out of the market by slyly approaching smaller news organisations and trying to cut deals on its (Google's) terms.

Australian robo-advice fintech Ignition Advice has appointed IT industry veteran and former finanacial services expert Russell Scrimshaw and ex Fortescue Metals Group managing director to its board..

Global smartphone shipments have returned to positive growth in the final quarter of 2020, led by Apple, with its iPhone 12 helping the company to ship a record 395.9 million units and take top spot for the three-month period, according to technology research firm Counterpoint Research.

Australia's self-described first "smartbank", built for smartphones, is 86 400, and it has announced it "will join the NAB family, accelerating innovation in the industry and creating a smart digital bank committed to helping all Australians take control of their money."

eftpos announced it has joined the Hedera Governing Council and will run the country’s first Hedera network node this year.

And of course, there's plenty more today, so for all the news, please visit www.itwire.com.

Stephen Withers, Morning Newsletter Editor, iTWire

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