Thursday, June 29, 2006
Increased viruses activity at the end of the financial year.
Its true that we all have a tax headache but virus producers often make it more difficult at this time. The virus creators know that they can completely destroy the sanity of small business operators at this time of the year. Especially, the ones that have not backed there tax and financial data for a long time.
Anti virus manufacturers have raised their Threatcon Levels to 2 (Yellow) medium warning people that there is an elevated level of virus activities around. ThreatCon Level 2 applies when knowledge or the expectation of attack activity is present, without specific events occurring or when malicious code reaches a moderate risk rating. Under this condition, a careful examination of vulnerable and exposed systems is appropriate, security applications should be updated with new signatures and/or rules as soon as they become available and careful monitoring of logs is recommended. Changes to the security infrastructure are not required.
Symantec Corperation’s DeepSight Threat Analyst Team is maintaining the ThreatCon at level 2. Attackers have found a vulnerability in Excel that allows them to execute arbitrary code when a maliciously crafted Excel document is opened. Microsoft is aware of this issue and is working on creating a patch. Currently this vulnerability is known to have been used only in a single targeted attack. Administrators are advised to refer to the Unpatched Microsoft Excel Vulnerability Discovered threat alert for details.
Source: Symantec.com
Anti virus manufacturers have raised their Threatcon Levels to 2 (Yellow) medium warning people that there is an elevated level of virus activities around. ThreatCon Level 2 applies when knowledge or the expectation of attack activity is present, without specific events occurring or when malicious code reaches a moderate risk rating. Under this condition, a careful examination of vulnerable and exposed systems is appropriate, security applications should be updated with new signatures and/or rules as soon as they become available and careful monitoring of logs is recommended. Changes to the security infrastructure are not required.
Symantec Corperation’s DeepSight Threat Analyst Team is maintaining the ThreatCon at level 2. Attackers have found a vulnerability in Excel that allows them to execute arbitrary code when a maliciously crafted Excel document is opened. Microsoft is aware of this issue and is working on creating a patch. Currently this vulnerability is known to have been used only in a single targeted attack. Administrators are advised to refer to the Unpatched Microsoft Excel Vulnerability Discovered threat alert for details.
Source: Symantec.com
Laptops Break More Easily
News agency Reuters reports that whilst computer have become more reliable in recent years as manufacturers have improved designs, but one in every six new laptops still needs to be repaired within a year after purchase.Failure rates of both desktop and portable notebook computers have improved in the 2005-06 period compared with 2003-04. However, it appears that five per cent of desktop computers need to have a component replaced within the first year, compared with 7 per cent two years ago. Four years after purchase the chance that a desktop computer needs to be repaired is 12 per cent, compared with 15 per cent in 2003-04 and for or laptops the first year failure rate was 15 per cent, compared with 20 per cent two years earlier.
It does appears that for notebooks, screen breakage used to be the single-largest source of failure. However, it seems over the time the notebook manufacturers have improved design significantly to reduce screen breakage by adding structural rigidity to the notebook casing and screen bezel, as well as by providing a greater clearance between the screen and the keyboard when the system is closed.
The main problems with laptops were now motherboards and hard drives, which together made up nearly 50 per cent of all failures.
It does appears that for notebooks, screen breakage used to be the single-largest source of failure. However, it seems over the time the notebook manufacturers have improved design significantly to reduce screen breakage by adding structural rigidity to the notebook casing and screen bezel, as well as by providing a greater clearance between the screen and the keyboard when the system is closed.
The main problems with laptops were now motherboards and hard drives, which together made up nearly 50 per cent of all failures.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Free software to block inapropriate materials
ABOUT 2.5 million families are expected to take up the Government's offer of free software to stop children from accessing internet pornography.
The offer is part of a $117 million plan aimed at beefing up the Government's family values credentials, including an $18 million television advertising and mail-out blitz.
The software will allow parents to customise internet access for each of their children. This could include blocking specific websites or chat rooms, banning credit-card transactions, nominating words that cannot be typed into search engines or restricting the amount of time children spend online.
The scheme is expected to be operating by the end of the year.
Parents can already buy the software for about $50, and internet service providers must make it available under laws first introduced in 2000. But yesterday's announcement means the software will be free. The filters will also be made available to public libraries.
As part of the plan, the Government will give its internet security advisory body, NetAlert, an extra $5 million.
The opposition have claimed that this plan does not go far enough and blocking should be done at the ISP end. Many internet censorship critics have likened the labor party alternative policy to the internet censorship regime in china.
Whilst some ISP providers provide a KIDS friendly only networks using separate infrastructure, that people can opt into for a couple of dollars extra per month, it doesn’t guarantee to block everything, and in fact, the filtering software on the user end computers won’t guarantee of 100% blocking. Nothing will do the better job that supervision by a parent and keeping an eye on what your kids are doing.
The Internet Industry Association welcomed the move and I feel that it can only be a positive move.
The offer is part of a $117 million plan aimed at beefing up the Government's family values credentials, including an $18 million television advertising and mail-out blitz.
The software will allow parents to customise internet access for each of their children. This could include blocking specific websites or chat rooms, banning credit-card transactions, nominating words that cannot be typed into search engines or restricting the amount of time children spend online.
The scheme is expected to be operating by the end of the year.
Parents can already buy the software for about $50, and internet service providers must make it available under laws first introduced in 2000. But yesterday's announcement means the software will be free. The filters will also be made available to public libraries.
As part of the plan, the Government will give its internet security advisory body, NetAlert, an extra $5 million.
The opposition have claimed that this plan does not go far enough and blocking should be done at the ISP end. Many internet censorship critics have likened the labor party alternative policy to the internet censorship regime in china.
Whilst some ISP providers provide a KIDS friendly only networks using separate infrastructure, that people can opt into for a couple of dollars extra per month, it doesn’t guarantee to block everything, and in fact, the filtering software on the user end computers won’t guarantee of 100% blocking. Nothing will do the better job that supervision by a parent and keeping an eye on what your kids are doing.
The Internet Industry Association welcomed the move and I feel that it can only be a positive move.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
FIle Sharing & P2P
What is P2P?
According to the website webopedia P2P is often referred to simply as peer-to-peer, or abbreviated P2P, a type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities. This differs from client/server architectures, in which some computers are dedicated to serving the others. Peer-to-peer networks are generally simpler, but they usually do not offer the same performance under heavy loads.
However, of late the term P2P has been given to a series of programs that do a similar thing by connecting a specially selected directory on the hard drives of many internet connected computers running the P2P file sharing software.
There are a number of P2P file sharing programs available on the internet for download, some you must pay for and some you can get for free. But there are some things you need to know about using these types of programs before you rush out and install them.
Advantages of Peer 2 Peer file sharing:
It allows the users of these programs to access a large store of files on hard drives around the world; this means they have access to documents, music, videos and programs for downloading. It has been embraced by some software makers and music producers as a legitimate way to get their free products out there.
Legal and social implications of Peer 2 Peer file sharing:
Whilst this is a great medium for people to access content, there would appear to be and is a number of both ethical and legal reasons why this software is frowned upon in today society. One of the biggest objections to using file sharing software of this nature is that there is an access to sharing copyrighted software, music, video and documentation. The peak bodies of Recording Industry of both America and Australia have constantly issued law suits against creators of such software in a hope the shut down these file sharing services. They claim that these services erode legitimate income from the sales of music CD’s and DVD’s because people are downloading copies of the internet for nothing. Legal cases including the creators Napster and the current owners of Kazaa have highlighted the concerns of the recording industry.
Disadvantages of Peer To Peer file sharing software:
Despite the legal aspects of using a peer 2 peer file sharer, there are other issues you need to understand that could also be a disadvantage to using the programs.
Allowing others to access your hard drive:
Having someone access files on your machine could be a concern. Not only for you but for other people using the network. If your computer becomes infected with a virus then you can via the p2p file sharing service spread that to others instantly.
Viruses:
It often unscrupulous people will put up files that can be downloaded full of viruses and these are some of the pit falls you need to be careful of. Spyware, adware and malware are often the biggest concerns on such networks.
Conclusion:
By all means use file sharing but do so knowing that you expose your machine to viruses, spyware and malware, As well as that remember there could be a number of legal issues as well.
According to the website webopedia P2P is often referred to simply as peer-to-peer, or abbreviated P2P, a type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities. This differs from client/server architectures, in which some computers are dedicated to serving the others. Peer-to-peer networks are generally simpler, but they usually do not offer the same performance under heavy loads.
However, of late the term P2P has been given to a series of programs that do a similar thing by connecting a specially selected directory on the hard drives of many internet connected computers running the P2P file sharing software.
There are a number of P2P file sharing programs available on the internet for download, some you must pay for and some you can get for free. But there are some things you need to know about using these types of programs before you rush out and install them.
Advantages of Peer 2 Peer file sharing:
It allows the users of these programs to access a large store of files on hard drives around the world; this means they have access to documents, music, videos and programs for downloading. It has been embraced by some software makers and music producers as a legitimate way to get their free products out there.
Legal and social implications of Peer 2 Peer file sharing:
Whilst this is a great medium for people to access content, there would appear to be and is a number of both ethical and legal reasons why this software is frowned upon in today society. One of the biggest objections to using file sharing software of this nature is that there is an access to sharing copyrighted software, music, video and documentation. The peak bodies of Recording Industry of both America and Australia have constantly issued law suits against creators of such software in a hope the shut down these file sharing services. They claim that these services erode legitimate income from the sales of music CD’s and DVD’s because people are downloading copies of the internet for nothing. Legal cases including the creators Napster and the current owners of Kazaa have highlighted the concerns of the recording industry.
Disadvantages of Peer To Peer file sharing software:
Despite the legal aspects of using a peer 2 peer file sharer, there are other issues you need to understand that could also be a disadvantage to using the programs.
Allowing others to access your hard drive:
Having someone access files on your machine could be a concern. Not only for you but for other people using the network. If your computer becomes infected with a virus then you can via the p2p file sharing service spread that to others instantly.
Viruses:
It often unscrupulous people will put up files that can be downloaded full of viruses and these are some of the pit falls you need to be careful of. Spyware, adware and malware are often the biggest concerns on such networks.
Conclusion:
By all means use file sharing but do so knowing that you expose your machine to viruses, spyware and malware, As well as that remember there could be a number of legal issues as well.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Skype to be used for ebay communications
eBay who US$2.6 billion acquisition of Skype by allowing buyers and sellers to communicate directly using the internet telephony and instant messaging system.They will be a launching a pilot program only nine months after its Skype acquisition to allow sellers of high value products across 14 categories to add a "Skype Me" button to their advertisements. The button will automatically connect buyers who are users of the free Skype application to the sellers, allowing them to have voice and messaging conversations.While it is not yet clear exactly how the addition of a Skype button to eBay listings will create more revenue for the online auction company, many observers believe that idea will be popular among both buyers and sellers, especially for items that require additional explanation that can only be conveyed in a real-time conversation.
Google Set To Blast Off
According to stories appearing in the media, GOOGLE is secretly developing what is thought to be one of the most powerful supercomputers in an ambitious bid to outstrip rivals Yahoo! and Microsoft.
Google is building a complex the size of two football pitches with cooling towers four floors high on a remote stretch of land in Oregon.
The centre is set to house two data centres and thousands of servers that will power the billions of search queries it handles daily, as well as an expanding range of other services that google already offer such as their highly successful google talk and gmail software plus their mapping like Google Earth and Google Mars.
Microsoft and Yahoo have announced they are building big data centres to the north, in Washington State.
The design and nature of the new outpost has been a closely guarded secret.
Google is building a complex the size of two football pitches with cooling towers four floors high on a remote stretch of land in Oregon.
The centre is set to house two data centres and thousands of servers that will power the billions of search queries it handles daily, as well as an expanding range of other services that google already offer such as their highly successful google talk and gmail software plus their mapping like Google Earth and Google Mars.
Microsoft and Yahoo have announced they are building big data centres to the north, in Washington State.
The design and nature of the new outpost has been a closely guarded secret.
Gates to leave Microsoft
Bill Gates is giant in a number of ways, but non so more importantly in his charity work in providing vaccinations for third world countries around the world via his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gates, 50, has decided that its time to exit Microsoft’s hands on work and stay as the companies chairman. Microsoft in recent years has gone a spending spree of purchasing companies who have the staff with appropriate skill sets to provide them with further opportunities to remain market leaders in computing technology.
Windows, Microsoft’s flagship product is the operating system of choice by computer users and is run on over 90% of the world computers and servers. The only threat to Microsoft is the constant upsurge in Open Source software for both windows and linux operating systems.
When Microsoft purchased Groovey Networks recently it was to gain the skill set of a very important employee of Groovey Networks, Mr Ray Ozzie who was the original creator of the IBM’s Lotus Notes office communication software. Microsoft has through this deal installed Ray Ozzie as the chief technical officer.
This was the roll was the roll that Bill Gates was holding until the announcement yesterday, Gates, will remain in this role along side Ozzie in a transition period lasting 16 months.
Gates is confident that he will be leaving a great team that will be able to handle his departure from the day to day running of the company successfully and step up to provide a successful and smooth transition.
Gates says that all his energy will be devoted to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which hands out grants of more than US$1 billion annually, predominantly to the fight against diseases such as polio, malaria and AIDS.
Gates, 50, set up the company in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen, who quit the business six years ago. The pair steered Microsoft's Windows operating system to its dominant position in the software world.
Gates, 50, has decided that its time to exit Microsoft’s hands on work and stay as the companies chairman. Microsoft in recent years has gone a spending spree of purchasing companies who have the staff with appropriate skill sets to provide them with further opportunities to remain market leaders in computing technology.
Windows, Microsoft’s flagship product is the operating system of choice by computer users and is run on over 90% of the world computers and servers. The only threat to Microsoft is the constant upsurge in Open Source software for both windows and linux operating systems.
When Microsoft purchased Groovey Networks recently it was to gain the skill set of a very important employee of Groovey Networks, Mr Ray Ozzie who was the original creator of the IBM’s Lotus Notes office communication software. Microsoft has through this deal installed Ray Ozzie as the chief technical officer.
This was the roll was the roll that Bill Gates was holding until the announcement yesterday, Gates, will remain in this role along side Ozzie in a transition period lasting 16 months.
Gates is confident that he will be leaving a great team that will be able to handle his departure from the day to day running of the company successfully and step up to provide a successful and smooth transition.
Gates says that all his energy will be devoted to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which hands out grants of more than US$1 billion annually, predominantly to the fight against diseases such as polio, malaria and AIDS.
Gates, 50, set up the company in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen, who quit the business six years ago. The pair steered Microsoft's Windows operating system to its dominant position in the software world.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Bogus Microsoft Security Emails
The worlds major PC virus experts are warning of a spammed email campaign which claims to be security advice from Microsoft, but actually tries to encourage users to install a keylogger onto their computers. The spammed emails, which purport to come from patch@microsoft.com, claim that a vulnerability has been found 'in the Microsoft WinLogon Service' and could 'allow a hacker to gain access to an unpatched computer'. Recipients are advised to click on a link in the email to download the patch. However, the link really points to a non-Microsoft website and initiates the download of the BeastPWS-C Trojan horse, which is capable of spying on the infected user and stealing passwords. When first installed the Trojan horse displays a bogus message, which reads: 'Microsoft WinLogon Service successfully patched'. In actual fact, the malware is secretly logging keystrokes and sending them to an email address belonging to the hacker. Find our more from http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=4009
EDITORS NOTE: MICROSOFT WILL NEVER SEND YOU AN EMAIL OF THIS NATURE ALL UPDATES TO SECURITY FLAWS ARE DONE BY http://update.microsoft.com
EDITORS NOTE: MICROSOFT WILL NEVER SEND YOU AN EMAIL OF THIS NATURE ALL UPDATES TO SECURITY FLAWS ARE DONE BY http://update.microsoft.com
IE 7 Beta 3 comming August
Microsoft released IE 7 Beta 1 to the public in January. Quite a lot of users were perplexed by the bizarre user interface arrangement—specifically, the menu bar being sandwiched between the address bar and the tab bar. Some felt that the browser was still playing catch-up to competitors such as Firefox.
Beta 2 went public in April, after Microsoft announced that the layout and rendering engine for IE 7 was "feature complete" and that no new changes, other than bug fixes, would be made outside of the user interface.
Now Microsoft is preparing a third beta, to be released some time in August. The extended beta period seems to have been prompted by compatibility issues that users have found with the first two IE 7 betas.
Read the full article at http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060602-6978.html
Beta 2 went public in April, after Microsoft announced that the layout and rendering engine for IE 7 was "feature complete" and that no new changes, other than bug fixes, would be made outside of the user interface.
Now Microsoft is preparing a third beta, to be released some time in August. The extended beta period seems to have been prompted by compatibility issues that users have found with the first two IE 7 betas.
Read the full article at http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060602-6978.html
Microsoft One Care Live Launched
Microsoft which is the worlds largest software manufacturer is often blamed for its vulnerabilities to computer virus attacks in its Windows family of products. However, the company is taking a leaf out of its book in launching a long-awaited security and maintenance software.
Windows Live OneCare, which costs $49.95 US for an annual subscription, includes antivirus and spyware protection, performance and maintenance tools, and file backup support for the Windows operating system. The software giant back in the days of its DOS operating System had basic antivirus program created by Symantec Corporation, who are the makers the Norton range of products.
Windows Live OneCare runs in the background of Windows and performs many security and maintenance functions without constant monitoring by the user. The company is positioning OneCare for customers who need a simple but comprehensive product to keep their computers running.
Microsoft's first major foray into security and maintenance software pits it against many security software companies like Symantec and McAfee, which together own about 75 percent of the $5.5 billion worldwide market. The companies, which in the past each partnered with Microsoft, are also planning upgrades in the coming months.
Edited from original web story at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/01/BUG7RJ5F1R1.DTL
Windows Live OneCare, which costs $49.95 US for an annual subscription, includes antivirus and spyware protection, performance and maintenance tools, and file backup support for the Windows operating system. The software giant back in the days of its DOS operating System had basic antivirus program created by Symantec Corporation, who are the makers the Norton range of products.
Windows Live OneCare runs in the background of Windows and performs many security and maintenance functions without constant monitoring by the user. The company is positioning OneCare for customers who need a simple but comprehensive product to keep their computers running.
Microsoft's first major foray into security and maintenance software pits it against many security software companies like Symantec and McAfee, which together own about 75 percent of the $5.5 billion worldwide market. The companies, which in the past each partnered with Microsoft, are also planning upgrades in the coming months.
Edited from original web story at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/01/BUG7RJ5F1R1.DTL
Pirates get nagged by Microsoft!
From June 1, 2006 Microsoft starting nagging pirate Windows XP users around the world to pay up for a genuine copy or suffer the consequences of continual annoying pop-up balloons.The pop-ups are part of Microsoft's clever Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) program which, by the end of the year, will be extended to include most countries around the world. Under the program, WGA software will be downloaded to Windows XP computers with service updates, which then checks to see of the Windows copy installed is genuine. If it isn't, users can expect to get continually nagged by pop-up boxes until they click a "Get Genuine" button and pay the going rate for their country for genuine copy of Windows XP. The pirate users needn't worry about being carted off to jail. Microsoft has gone to pains to assure users that it does not intend to collect personal contact information about users.Original Story from http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/4498/53/
Friday, June 02, 2006
Spam filters slap down emails with erection!
Spam filters are good but occasionally they can block legitimate emails.
Large corporations are employing spam filtration software on their mail servers to stop the many thousands of nuisance advertising and unsolicited emails from arriving in the email boxes of their employees. .
A lot of spam filters base their filtration techniques on a combination words, however, some of the cheaper spam filters often will only look for one word before it scraps the email. In the UK this type of email filter caused a stir when an errant e-mail filter caused Rochdale Council to ignore an objection to a planning application because it contained the word "erection".
A constituent had sent three e-mails outlining his objections to a neighbour's proposed house extension. However, the first two e-mails were automatically blocked by the council's security software, apparently because he described the planned work as an "erection" and by the time his third e-mail arrived, he was informed that permission had already been given for the extension.
So what happened? Well it would seem the council use a word based spam filtering software that did not employ integrated heuristics (meaning it learns about the types of emails its blocking) nor did it use a combination of words to cross check if it should filter it out. The council's IT staff are investigating, and have corrected the filter so e-mails that contain "erection" alongside terms such as "planning application" will no longer be blocked. However, this measure may not be the solution. Many spam filters on email servers actually delete the unwanted email before it even comes into the mail sorting section of the server, this is done to free up system resources on the email server. However, it appears it might be necessary for this council to set their email filters to channel emails containing words that could be used in building and planning that could also appear in spam emails to go to holding folder for it staff to check daily.
This is a timely reminder that we need to check the configuration of our own personal spam filters and occasionally check out what is landing in our junk mail folders.
Original story on ZDNET
Large corporations are employing spam filtration software on their mail servers to stop the many thousands of nuisance advertising and unsolicited emails from arriving in the email boxes of their employees. .
A lot of spam filters base their filtration techniques on a combination words, however, some of the cheaper spam filters often will only look for one word before it scraps the email. In the UK this type of email filter caused a stir when an errant e-mail filter caused Rochdale Council to ignore an objection to a planning application because it contained the word "erection".
A constituent had sent three e-mails outlining his objections to a neighbour's proposed house extension. However, the first two e-mails were automatically blocked by the council's security software, apparently because he described the planned work as an "erection" and by the time his third e-mail arrived, he was informed that permission had already been given for the extension.
So what happened? Well it would seem the council use a word based spam filtering software that did not employ integrated heuristics (meaning it learns about the types of emails its blocking) nor did it use a combination of words to cross check if it should filter it out. The council's IT staff are investigating, and have corrected the filter so e-mails that contain "erection" alongside terms such as "planning application" will no longer be blocked. However, this measure may not be the solution. Many spam filters on email servers actually delete the unwanted email before it even comes into the mail sorting section of the server, this is done to free up system resources on the email server. However, it appears it might be necessary for this council to set their email filters to channel emails containing words that could be used in building and planning that could also appear in spam emails to go to holding folder for it staff to check daily.
This is a timely reminder that we need to check the configuration of our own personal spam filters and occasionally check out what is landing in our junk mail folders.
Original story on ZDNET
