You might already have mince pies on the mind as we countdown to Christmas, but cybercrime doesn't sleep and neither should your security solutions. With that in mind, here is this week's security review – our recap of the biggest, most interesting stories and opinions from the past seven days.

Wearables: Where's the risk?

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ESET's senior security researcher Stephen Cobb recently spoke at a conference on "the future of wearables", and he now sums up his presentation for We Live Security. With over 70 million devices said to have been shipped in 2015, Mr. Cobb looks at the risks of exposing personally identifiable information and why security should always be built into product planning. The full presentation is also available to read on SlideShare.

Safe, secure online shopping at home and on the go

Christmas

There are still ten shopping days until Christmas, and – according to a new ESET survey – secure online shopping is increasingly interesting for consumers. The study not only shows how people are shopping online more and more regularly, but also how their behavior is changing – from the devices used to the type of goods purchased.

Games with millions of users: How much do you really know?

Minecraft

It's no secret that online games are phenomenally popular with kids – Minecraft, for instance, has over 100 million registered users. But how much do we really know about these games? In Ondrej Kubovič's view, it's important that parents understand the risks so they can advise and protect their kids accordingly.

Copyright and social media

copyright and social media

Copyright law on social media is confusing, and, at times, it feels like everybody is breaking it. ESET’s senior research fellow David Harley explores this legal minefield, discussing creative commons, plagiarism, fair use and more.

New campaign helps teens make right #CyberChoices

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The National Crime Agency has unveiled a new cybercrime prevention campaign aimed at parents and teenagers, after a recent analysis of cybercrime investigations found the average age of suspects to be 17. The #CyberChoices campaign is about educating the parents of 12-15 year-old boys particularly, helping them to ensure their children make the right choices online. Watch the campaign video here.

UK government could access and use smart toys to spy on suspects

smart toys

Smart toys are expected to be a bit hit this Christmas, as connected technology increasingly finds it's way into our homes. These devices can however present new security threats, including – according to TechUK CEO Anthony Walker – from the UK government under the contentious Investigative Powers Bill. Walker was speaking at the UK's Science and Technology committee, and We Live Security has the full story.