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Rob Lee got the idea for SCADA and Me - a barely-technical picturebook that introduces industrial control systems to novices - from a group that should have already known what SCADA systems were but didn't, and who afterwards suggested that he write up a non-technical handout to distribute at his next briefing.

Microsoft and its latest purchase target, Nokia, have lined up big announcements on Sept. 23 and Oct. 22, both likely to involve some form of tablets.

When Microsoft launches the next generation of Surface tablets in two weeks, they'll be better suited to use in enterprises than the initial offerings, making them both more mobile with longer battery life and better suited for office work with a docking station add-on that gives them Ethernet connectivity.

Even though Windows 8 incited hordes to call for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's ouster, the operating system is not what he regrets most about his 33-year tenure at the company.

Cheating gamers pay as little as $10 per month to launch denial of service attacks against their opponents as a tactical advantage using commercial providers that walk the line between being legitimate businesses that stress-test their customers' networks and purveyors of DDoS as a service, researchers at USENIX Security 2013 say.

Microsoft's Surface RT tablets have been in trouble almost since they became available last year, but it looks like the company is going to hang with them at least through the next version.

Injecting malicious code into legitimate Android mobile applications can turn smartphones into spyphones with little effort, which could pose a problem for businesses that support BYOD programs, a researcher told the Black Hat security conference.

Within five years the math for cracking encryption algorithms could become so efficient that it may render today's commonly used RSA public key cryptography algorithm obsolete, Black Hat attendees were told.

IT pros can stop worrying about whether and how to support Windows RT tablets should any come through the door as part of BYOD programs; it's likely not to become an issue.

Microsoft business reshuffling puts the spotlight on four execs.

Microsoft is making it simpler for business applications in its Azure cloud to automatically turn services up and down as demand requires and for apps to incorporate features of Office 365, company executives told the Build 2013 developer conference.