My interview on Moscow's Radio Sputnik World  Service on a new US bill that would task the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with conducting a threat assessment for terrorists using virtual currencies like bitcoin to fund their operations.

If passed, the bill would task DHS to work with other federal agencies to investigate whether terrorists use virtual currencies, or receive funding with them.  They believe that Virtual currencies are fast and efficient and there's a greater degree of anonymity, and the transactions can often be difficult for law enforcement to track and these factors likely appeal to terrorist organizations like ISIS, 

Claims that ISIS has received millions in bitcoin funding have been debunked as unverifiable, and the most credible examples of ISIS-tied bitcoin use seem to amount to a couple thousand dollars. According to previous reports, ISIS rakes in millions of dollars per day through more traditional avenues like oil. It seems they still prefer real money.

Radio Sputnik World Service Moscow - Bitcoin & terrorism

My interview on Highland radio about snapchat snapmap feature, illegal downloads and Facebook.

Highland Radio - Shaun Doherty Show - Snap Map, Illegal downloads & Facebook Terrorist Postings

My interview on Highland Radio Shaun Doherty show about the 10 year anniversary of the iPhone.

Highland Radio Shaun Doherty Show - Apple iPhone 10 year Anniversary

My interview on BBC Radio Foyle's Mark Patterson Show about Snapchat's new Snap Map feature, leaving messages from beyond the grave, Donald Trump's Violent Tweets and Robots extracting venom from Scorpions.

BBC Radio Foyle - Tech Corner on Snap Maps, Venom sucking robots, Donald Trump Tweets

My interview on BBC Radio Foyle Breakfast Show about 200 internet companies and activist groups coming together this week to mobilize their users into opposing US government plans to scrap net neutrality protections.

The internet-wide day of action, scheduled for Wednesday 12 July, will see companies including Facebook, Google, Amazon, Vimeo, Spotify, Reddit and Pornhub notify their users that net neutrality – a founding principle of the open internet – is under attack. The Trump administration is trying to overturn Obama-era regulation that protected net neutrality, and there is less than a week left for people to object.

Many websites will on Wednesday feature a prominent message on their homepage, showing visitors what the web would look like without net neutrality and urging them to contact Congress. But what exactly is net neutrality, why is it under threat, and what can individuals do to protect it?

Net neutrality is the idea that internet service providers (ISPs) treat everyone’s data equally – whether that’s an email from your mother, a bank transfer or a streamed episode of The Handmaid’s Tale. It means that ISPs don’t get to choose which data is sent more quickly, and which sites get blocked or throttled (for example, slowing the delivery of a TV show because it is streamed by a video company that competes with a subsidiary of the ISP) and who has to pay extra. For this reason, some have described net neutrality as the “first amendment of the internet”.

BBC Radio - The Breakfast Show - Net Neutrality

My interview on BBC Radio Foyle in the wake of new rules will make it easier for people to generate their own power with solar panels, store it in batteries and sell it to the National Grid. If they work, consumers will save £17bn to £40bn by 2050, according to the government and energy regulator Ofgem. The rules are due to come into effect over the next year. They will reduce costs for someone who allows their washing machine to be turned on by the internet to maximise use of cheap solar power on a sunny afternoon and they will even support people who agree to have their freezers switched off for a few minutes to smooth demand at peak times. They'll also benefit a business that allows its air-conditioning to be turned down briefly to help balance a spell of peak energy demand on the National Grid.

Among the first to gain from the rule changes will be people with solar panels and battery storage. At the moment they are charged tariffs when they import electricity into their home or export it back to the grid. The government has realised that this rule must change because it deters people from using power more flexibly in a way that will benefit everyone.

BBC Radio Foyle Mark Patterson Show - Solar Panels and Home Automation

My interview on BBC Radio Foyle about O2 admitting to deliberately slowing down customers’ mobile internet speeds. The mobile operator has been throttling network bandwidth for people roaming in the EU. Roaming charges were scrapped in the EU on 15 June, meaning you can use your phone as you would at home, without being hit with enormous bills.  However, since then, O2 has been making it harder for phone users to actually do anything online while they're abroad.

O2 confirmed that it has been throttling speeds. “We have put temporary measures in place to protect the service experience for customers roaming in the EU. We are working to have these controls removed within the coming weeks,” a spokesperson said.

BBC Radio Foyle Mark Patterson Show - 02 admits slowing down customers Internet speeds when roaming

My interview on Radio Sputnik about the new data protection bill will hand individuals vastly increased powers over the way their personal data are collected and processed, with big fines for organisations that fail to comply. The bill will bring into UK law the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, the most sweeping overhaul of regulations governing personal data for more than two decades.

Radio Sputnik - UK data bill to bring more protection and bigger fines

My interview on BBC Radio Foyle News at One about latest iPhone launch in Cupertino and what to expect.

BBC Radio Foyle News at One - Apples latest iPhone launch predictions

My interview on the BBC Radio Foyle Mark Patterson show about Broadband in Northern Ireland which is an essential service these days for many businesses - but for many, too slow. It is holding back their businesses. Ofcom says just over half of premises in rural parts of Northern Ireland have the best fast connections.  This piece discusses.

BBC Radio Foyle Mark Patterson Show - Rural Areas affected by poor broadband in Northern Ireland

My interview on BBC Radio about Facebook having over one billion users, and yet, more than 10,000 of them die everyday. So accounts belonging to the dead will outnumber those of the living by 2065.  30 million Facebook users died in the first eight years of its existence. In fact, 428 of them die every hour and every day, these dormant accounts receive friend requests, get tagged in photos, and sometimes, they’re even wished a happy birthday.

In most cases your privacy is protected even after your death. Your data cannot be accessed unless a legal order is obtained or you authorise access prior to your passing.

BBC Radio Foyle - Mark Patterson Show - Facebook Dead Vs Living Users

My interview on Highland Radio about the Musgrave hack. The company operating Centra, Mace and Supervalu stores in Ireland was hit by a cyber-attack. They confirmed that hackers tried to steal credit and debit card numbers and expiry dates. It said that its network across the island of Ireland had been affected.

Highland Radio Ten to One Show - Musgrave Cyber Attack

My interview on BBC Radio Foyle on modern gadgets we cannot live without.

BBC Radio Foyle Breakfast Show - What products can you not live without

Kevin Curran BSc (Hons), PhD, SMIEEE, FBCS CITP, SMACM, FHEA is a Professor in Cyber Security at Ulster University and group leader for the Ambient Intelligence Research Group. His achievements include winning and managing UK & European Framework projects and Technology Transfer Schemes. Dr Curran has made significant contributions to advancing the knowledge and understanding of computer networking and systems, evidenced by over 800 published works. He is perhaps most well-known for his work on location positioning within indoor environments, pervasive computing and Internet security. His expertise has been acknowledged by invitations to present his work at international conferences, overseas universities and research laboratories.  He is a regular contributor to print, online, radio & TV news on computing & security issues. He was the recipient of an Engineering and Technology Board Visiting Lectureship for Exceptional Engineers and is an IEEE Technical Expert for Internet/Security matters since 2008. He is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College. 
	
He is a fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS), a senior member of the Association for Computing Machinery (SMACM), a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (SMIEEE) and a fellow of the higher education academy (FHEA). Dr. Curran’s stature and authority in the international community is demonstrated by his influence, particularly in relation to the direction of research in computer science. He has chaired sessions and participated in the organising committees for many highly-respected international conferences and workshops. He was the founding Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Ambient Computing and Intelligence and is also a member of numerous Journal Editorial boards and international conference organising committees. He has authored a number of books and  is the recipient of various patents. He has served as an advisor to the British Computer Society in regard to the computer industry standards and is a member of BCS and IEEE Technology Specialist Groups and various other professional bodies.

Professor Kevin Curran

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