IBM continues to try and reinvent itself. Having lost the PC war and selling its PC and server business, and with the reputation of its services arm suffering some massive issues such as being embroiled in Sweden's massive data leak and issues like #censusfail locally, the company is focussing on building credibility in the security business. A new patent that uses the physical structure of circuit boards to protect cryptographic keys is another step in that direction.

Cryptography is a massive subject, but one that's becoming increasingly important for the average web developer. While you probably don't need to know the intricate details of ciphers or Transport Layer Security (TLS), it can't hurt to be a least somewhat educated. Enter "Crypto 101" -- an online, "pre-release" book that will guide you through both the basic and advanced concepts of cryptography.

You might not think that an academic computer science course could be classified as an export of military technology. But under the Defence Trade Controls Act -- which passed into law in April, and will come into force next year -- there is a real possibility that even seemingly innocuous educational and research activities could fall foul of Australian defence export control laws.

Security relies upon good programming and correct adherence to well-designed standards. If the standards are sloppy, then security has been compromised from the outset.

When checking your email over a secure connection, or making a purchase from an online retailer, have you ever wondered how your private information or credit card data is kept secure?

Interest in cryptographic pioneer Alan Turing has seen a resurgence via the movie The Imitation Game about his life. To mark its recent release, here are some pictures of Bletchley Park, where Turing worked as part of the UK Government Code & Cypher School team.