12.02.2008

IT News for 2008-12-02

McDonalds phish being dished out

A new phishing scheme is masquerading as a McDonald's member satisfaction survey, researchers warned on Monday.

http://www.scmagazineuk.com/McDonalds-phish-being-dished-out/article/121711/



US central command hit by malware

The United States central command was hit by an attack and affected computers in combat zones in the Middle East

http://www.scmagazineuk.com/US-central-command-hit-by-malware/article/121614/



Microsoft learns of successful RPC worm infections

Microsoft said a number of customers are infected with worms that successfully exploit the RPC flaw and download malware.

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid14_gci1340546,00.html



Malware Researchers Discover Rootkit HKTL-BRUDEVIC Similar to Sony CD Malware

You might remember the Sony BMG Rootkit fiasco back in 2006 when the whole Internet was up in arms about Sony installing a rootkit in the name of Digital Rights Management.

http://www.darknet.org.uk/2008/12/malware-researchers-discover-rootkit-hktl-brudevic-similar-to-sony-cd-malware/



Email Trojans threaten to block email accounts

The "account-rendered" Trojan is appearing in a new guise, alarming its recipients by threatening to close their accounts. So far, only a few virus scanners can recognize it

http://www.heise-online.co.uk/security/Email-Trojans-threaten-to-block-email-accounts--/news/112120



Botnet rises again

Srizbi, one of the largest known botnets, appears to be regaining strength. Following the loss of their main artery of communication, the bots have switched to a kind of emergency communication

http://www.heise-online.co.uk/security/Botnet-rises-again--/news/112118



Apple recommend anti-virus software [Update]

Apple suggests Mac users should install anti-virus software, but not because of any viral outbreak

http://www.heise-online.co.uk/security/Apple-recommend-anti-virus-software-Update--/news/112115



Microsoft, Yahoo coy as reports of new search deal surface

After the messy breakup between Microsoft and Yahoo, most observers never expected the two to get back together. But after a brief rebound fling with Google that eventually went sour, it seems as if Yahoo has been driven back into the comforting arms of Microsoft—at least according to the latest rumors. Over the weekend, news leaked that Microsoft was in new talks to buy Yahoo's search business for $20 billion, but the two companies aren't ready to discuss any possible deal just yet.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081201-microsoft-yahoo-coy-as-reports-of-new-search-deal-surface.html



Major e-stores malfunction on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Sears, Saks Fifth Avenue, Costco, Dell, Victoria's Secret, Bloomingdale's and Williams-Sonoma all saw their sites malfunction at some point between Friday and Monday, according to companies that monitor Web performance.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9121982&source=rss_news



New Windows worm builds massive botnet

The worm exploiting a critical Windows bug that Microsoft Corp. patched with an emergency fix in late October is being used to build a new botnet, a security researcher said today.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9121958&source=rss_news



Hackers boot Linux on iPhone

A new front has opened in the ongoing arms race between Apple and iPhone hackers, with one hacker group making the iPhone boot with a Linux 2.6 kernel.

http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-253200.html



Intel, Hitachi to develop solid-state drives

Intel will target solid-state drives for server computers in a tie up with Hitachi that was announced Monday night.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10110921-64.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20



Malware is Getting Smarter, CA Warns

Online attacks will be dominated by smarter malware and bots targeting Web users ranging from gamers and social network users to the elderly and unsuspecting parents.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20081202/tc_pcworld/malwareisgettingsmartercawarns



OneCare Was Not a Failure, Microsoft Exec Says

Critics asserting that Windows Live OneCare didn't succeed on its own have got it wrong, according to Microsoft's chief security advisor for the EMEA region. Roger Halbheer, in a blog posting on Monday, said it was "nonsense" for anyone to suggest that Microsoft's consumer antimalware security solution had somehow "failed."

http://redmondmag.com/news/rss.asp?editorialsid=10422



Server Revenues Down In Tough Economy

The sales drop in expensive servers was particularly felt by vendors of RISC-Itanium Unix servers.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/unix_linux/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212201274&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All



Intel Arms Lenovo ThinkPad Laptops with New Anti-theft Technology

Lenovo ThinkPad T400 series notebooks will be the first laptops to use new Intel anti-theft technology called Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection. This anti-theft technology, which Intel is building into the chip set, will work in conjunction with Lenovo ThinkPads that use the newer Intel Centrino 2 platform and Intel's vPro technology.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Intel-Arms-Lenovo-ThinkPad-Laptops-with-New-AntiTheft-Technology/?kc=rss



HP, IBM Watch Server Revenue Drop as Financial Crisis Continues

As the financial crisis continues and as the United States officially enters a recession, top server vendors Hewlett-Packard and IBM watched their revenue drop in the third quarter of 2008. In addition to HP and IBM, Dell and Sun Microsystems watched their server revenue fall in the third quarter. In terms of shipments, HP and Dell managed to increase their share.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Infrastructure/HP-IBM-Watch-Server-Revenue-Drop-as-Financial-Crisis-Continues/?kc=rss



Call of Duty: World at War--ATI vs. Nvidia

Our series looking at graphics performance in the hottest fall PC games continues, following our looks at Far Cry 2 and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2335760,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532



Panasonic, Samsung Invest in SiBeam

Wireless multimedia chip developer SiBeam said Monday that both Samsung and Panasonic have invested in the company, although the amount of the investment was not disclosed.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2335767,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532



Windows internet share drops below 90 per cent

The number of Windows users surfing the web fell below 90 per cent for the first time, making for Microsoft's biggest market share drop in the past two years, according to new statistics.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/02/windows_internet_user_shares_below_90/



Study spanks Adobe Flash for abuses of power

We've known for years that graphics based on Adobe Flash and other third-party programming software can be clunky, time-consuming affairs that put our security at risk. Now comes new research suggesting they needlessly consume more power too.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/02/green_browsing_study/



Apple swings DMCA at Hackintosh maker

Just two weeks after US District Judge William Alsup threw out wannabe Mac-clone vendor Psystar's countersuit against Apple, the One True Mac-Maker has un-holstered another weapon in its campaign to crush the Florida-based upstart.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/02/apple_psystar_dmca/



VMware to cut desktop storage by 80 per cent

VMware is rebranding its Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) technology as VMware View, and having virtual desktops built from a generic golden master and user-specific files that cut VDI storage space by up to 80 per cent.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/02/vmware_view_desktop_virtualisation_launch/



Pentagon Shoots $22 Million Into Guided-Bullet Tech

What if a sniper could fire a bullet that changed course in midflight, to hit its target? The Pentagon is handing out nearly $22 million to try to find out.

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/11/what-if-a-snipe.html



Top 5 Nintendo Wii Games of 2008

Nintendo's little console that could is shattering sales records left and right, and might just move more units in 2008 than any game system in history.

http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/12/best-of-2008-to.html



4,000 Electric Vehicles To Be Leased by US Army

Considering that many of its higher profile vehicles really suck fuel like there ’s no tomorrow, you may not think that the US military concerned itself much with reducing fuel usage, but based on a recent announcement that’s apparently not the case.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/4000-electric-vehicles-leased-by-army.php



Safari Tops 7% Of Browser Market Share, Mac OS X On The Rise

Apple's Safari web browser has crested 7% of worldwide browser market share according to online research firm Net Applications.While Safari's accomplishment is significant the biggest winner is clearly Mozilla's Firefox which crested 20% market share and climbed nearly an entire percentage point in one month.

http://www.macrumors.com/2008/12/01/safari-tops-7-of-browser-market-share-mac-os-x-on-the-rise/



Boeing Airborne Laser Weapon Fires for the First Time

Boeing and the US Air Force keep advancing in their airborne high-energy laser weapon, the modified 747-400F that is designed to shoot down missiles as they fly to their targets. Last week they fired the entire laser system for the first time ever at the Edwards Air Force Base in California.

http://gizmodo.com/5100377/boeing-airborne-laser-weapon-fires-for-the-first-time



Left 4 Dead carries Linux binaries

Though some will protest that its DRM system is detestable, Valve's Steam platform is by far one of the best compromises between publishers and gamers, and it's a key contributor to the overall health of PC gaming.

http://digg.com/linux_unix/Steam_Linux_on_the_way_Left_4_Dead_carries_Linux_binaries



Made in Korea: Lunar Lander Unveiled

Everybody wants to go to the moon! Scientists from Korea recently unveiled a spacecraft developed completely in-house that could potentially be used for robotic exploration of the Moon.

http://www.universetoday.com/2008/12/01/made-in-korea-lunar-lander-unveiled/



Just How Stupid And Poor Are MySpace Users, Exactly?

If you thought Randall Stross’ attack on Tesla yesterday was in poor taste, wait until you read what Michael Wolff has to say about MySpace.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/01/just-how-stupid-and-poor-are-myspace-users-exactly-a-look-at-the-data/



This Bear Market, Brought To You By Jack Daniels

File this one under “Unfortunate Ad Placements.” On a day that the Dow dropped 680 points (7.7 percent), MarketWatch ran the Jack Daniels banner ad in the screenshot above.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/01/this-bear-market-is-brought-to-you-by-jack-daniels/



Memories may be stored on your DNA

Remember your first kiss? Experiments in mice suggest that patterns of chemical "caps" on our DNA may be responsible for preserving such memories.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026845.000-memories-may-be-stored-on-your-dna.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news



Brains of autistic children slower at processing sound

Communication problems associated with autism may be explained by the discovery that the brains of autistic children are a fraction of a second slower to react to sounds than those of normal children.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16174-brains-of-autistic-children-slower-at-processing-sound.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

2 comments:

Adam said...

The latest IT news is that, Mahesh Sharma, TELSTRA is losing call-centre staff fed up with what they describe as a culture of bullying brought on by a new system.
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Adam

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DigitalCaffeine said...

Thanks, I appreciate it.