High-quality, low-cost sensors have entered the market, putting biometrics in the hands of consumers for the first time. But availability doesn't necessarily translate to viability. [ + ]

The Australian Senate last week passed laws that would allow ASIO to monitor every device on the internet; Michael Brown has been appointed permanent CEO of Symantec, replacing sacked former-CEO Steve Bennett. [ + ]

Passwords are a flawed method of maintaining online security and should be replaced with identity management systems, Centrify Regional Manager Derek Morwood has argued. [ + ]

Some 86% of IT decision-makers believe that all data has value if it can be stored and analysed, but only 52% are retaining all available data. [ + ]

Three-quarters of Australian businesses are investing in the cloud, even though many still lack confidence in cloud services. [ + ]

Big data can deliver benefits across all departments in your business, but it is vital to ensure that you know who is leading the big data push, and that they have a suitable strategy in place. [ + ]

A vulnerability found in the ubiquitous Bash Unix shell has been described as more severe than Heartbleed and affecting the "largest ever attack vector surface" of any bug. [ + ]

Apple's 'flexi' phone vs Blackberry's "bizarre" one; Bionic brains will be analog; When your car just won't listen; Home Depot needs data DIY.

Two university research projects are exploring promising ways to overcome the limitations of conventional silicon chips with electronic circuits. [ + ]

Telstra has arranged to link up with Equinix data centres in Sydney and Melbourne, and to extend its Telstra Cisco Intercloud rollout into Singapore and Hong Kong. [ + ]

Four in five Australian businesses are unaware of advanced persistent threats and only 82% know of the existence of antivirus security technology, a survey shows. [ + ]

Experts have criticised eBay for its response to a hack designed to steal users' credentials; Ellison steps down as CEO, but stays as CTO and executive chairman; and Australian authorities requested more information on Google users in the first half of 2014 than in the same period in 2013. [ + ]

Network functions virtualisation (NFV) is far more complicated than server virtualisation and it can't stand alone. It needs a full ecosystem of partner technology to enable successful adoption. [ + ]

The ADF has launched - and is rolling out nationwide - an integrated e-health system that will provide all ADF members with a single record throughout their careers. [ + ]

Boeing will boost its ability to deal with cybersecurity challenges in the Asia-Pacific region with the establishment of a cyber analytics centre in Singapore, the first of its kind for the company outside of the US. [ + ]