No Holiday for China's Spam Fighters

23 February 2007

No Holiday for China's Spam FightersMSNBC - Feb 22, 2007

And that is the original sin from which the other problems arise, according to spam expert Suresh Ramasubramanian, head of anti-spam operations for Hong Kong-based e-mail provider Outblaze. Chinese PCs and servers running on fake software are tempting targets for would-be fraudsters searching for security weak spots worldwide that they can exploit remotely. "You have a bunch of pirated software with no anti-virus [applications] installed," he says. "That makes for a very dangerous combination."


Google sees video anti-piracy tools as priorityComputerworld, MA – Feb 22, 2007

February 22, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Google Inc., racing to head off a media industry backlash over its video Web site YouTube, will soon offer antipiracy technologies to help all copyright holders thwart unauthorized video sharing, its chief executive said yesterday.

"We are definitely committed to [offering copyright protection technologies]. It is one of the company's highest priorities," said Google CEO Eric Schmidt in an interview.

Google Sees Video Anti-Piracy Tools As PriorityInformationWeek, NY - Feb 22, 2007

To head off a media industry backlash against YouTube, Google will implement anti-piracy measures to thwart unauthorized video sharing.
SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc., racing to head off a media industry backlash over its video Web site YouTube, will soon offer anti-piracy technologies to help all copyright holders thwart unauthorized video sharing, its chief executive said Wednesday.

Google Continues To Gain Search Market ShareInformationWeek, NY - Feb 22, 2007

Google gained U.S. search market share again in January, capturing 47.5% of search queries, according to Internet metrics firm comScore Networks. That represents a 0.2 percentage point increase from the previous month.

Search scorecard: Google dominates, MSN up, Ask downZDNet - Feb 21, 2007

For those of you keeping score at home Google's search market share continues to be dominant but the share gains appear to be slowing. MSN is creeping up and Ask is off the pace a bit.

Vendor study: 90% of e-mails will be spam by year's endComputerworld, MA - February 22, 2007

Up to 90% of all e-mails will be spam by the end of this year, according to research released yesterday.

Security vendor Marshal Ltd.'s Threat Research and Content Engineering (TRACE) team monitored spam traffic from spots located across 18 countries and recorded a 30% increase over the past week, which smashed global record levels.

Spam reaches an all-time highPC World Canada, Canada - February 22, 2007

Up to 90 percent of all e-mails will be spam by the end of this year, according to research released Wednesday.Security vendor Marshal Ltd.'s Threat Research and Content Engineering (TRACE) team monitored spam traffic from spots located across 18 countries and recorded a 30 percent increase over the last week, which smashed global record levels.


Google sees video anti-piracy tools as priorityComputerworld, MA - 9 hours ago

February 22, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Google Inc., racing to head off a media industry backlash over its video Web site YouTube, will soon offer antipiracy technologies to help all copyright holders thwart unauthorized video sharing, its chief executive said yesterday.

"We are definitely committed to [offering copyright protection technologies]. It is one of the company's highest priorities," said Google CEO Eric Schmidt in an interview

Google Targets Microsoft With Launch Of Business Applications

22 February 2007

Google Targets Microsoft With Launch Of Business ApplicationsInformationWeek, NY – Feb 21, 2006

The search engine giant adopts a subscription model with its corporate software bundle to counter Microsoft Office and Windows Live.
Having won over millions of consumers with its online search and productivity tools, Google is now looking to displace Microsoft as the desktop application provider of choice in corporate America by offering a range of low-cost, zero maintenance software that office workers can access through the Internet

A Google Package Challenges MicrosoftNew York Times, NY – Feb 21 , 2006

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 21 — Google is taking aim at one of Microsoft’s most lucrative franchises.
On Thursday, Google, the Internet search giant, will unveil a package of communications and productivity software aimed at businesses, which overwhelmingly rely on Microsoft products for those functions.


AMD speeds up and cools down desktop processorsComputerworld, MA - Feb 20, 2007

February 20, 2007 (IDG News Service) -- Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) has pumped up the performance of its Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor and cooled down two single-core Athlon 64 processors.

The top-of-the-range AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor is now the 6000+, with a clock speed of 3 GHz and 2MB L2 cache. It sells for $464 in quantities of 1,000 or more. The previous fastest model, the 5600+ with a clock speed of 2.8 GHz, now sells for $326 in quantities of 1,000 or more.

AMD's CPUs OMG LOL IMHO (and pie HOWTO)Computerworld, MA - 18 hours ago.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) has pumped up the performance of its Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor and cooled down two single-core Athlon 64 processors. The top-of-the-range AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor is now the 6000+, with a clock speed of 3 GHz and 2MB L2 cache ... There's no speed boost for the single-core Athlon 64 processor, but AMD is now manufacturing the 3500+ and 3800+ models using a 65-nanometer production process ... The latest versions consume 45 watts, compared to 62 watts for the previous [90nm] generation ... Two weeks ago, AMD introduced new dual-core Opteron processors for servers that are either faster or consume less power than previous chips.

Serious flaw in Google Desktop gets fixCNET News.com, CA - Feb 21, 2007

Several flaws in the popular Google Desktop software could open PCs up to intruders and possible data theft, a security company has warned.
The search giant has released patches for the issues, which were reported by Watchfire in a paper published Wednesday (PDF and demonstration). One of the problems is a cross-site scripting flaw that could let an outsider look through files on a compromised machine.


Big patch for big hole in Google DesktopComputerworld, MA – Feb 21, 2007
February 21, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Google Inc. has closed a potentially major cross-site scripting vulnerability in its Google Desktop software that could have allowed remote attackers to take control of a victim's computer and its contents.

Google Desktop allows users to search and index the contents of their PCs in the same way that Google.com does on the Web. The flaw was discovered by Waltham, Mass.-based Web application security vendor Watchfire Inc. and reported to Google on Jan 4.


AOL Tacks Ad to Bottom of E-Mail
The Associated Press February 21, 2007

Short text advertisements touting AOL products and services are now being tacked to the bottom of e-mail messages sent from some AOL accounts.

The change, which began Tuesday, affects e-mails sent from AOL accounts using the internet provider's AOL 9.0 software, which is available to AOL's 13 million paid subscribers and others who have downloaded the program.

AOL Tacks Ads on E-MailPC World – Feb 21, 2007

If you pay an ISP for an e-mail account, is it reasonable for the company to tack ads onto the bottom of your e-mails a la free Webmail providers such as Yahoo Mail? Most of us, I'm guessing, would not have to give that question much thought before answering "No way!"
But not, apparently, AOL.

Viacom in Licensing Deal With Joost

21 February 2007

Viacom in Licensing Deal With JoostForbes, NY - 3 hours ago

Media conglomerate Viacom Inc. agreed Tuesday to license television shows and movies to Joost, the new online video distribution channel launched by the founders of Kazaa and Skype.


Cold to Google, Viacom partners with JoostiT News, Australia - 3 hours ago
Joost, a downloadable video playback application, uses peer-to-peer technology to distribute video files in a secure environment.

Viacom today announced a content distribution partnership with Internet TV startup Joost, just weeks after the media giant's relationship with Google fell apart.


Cisco says 77 of its routers open to 'drive-by pharming'Computerworld, MA - 4 hours ago
February 20, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Cisco Systems Inc. is warning users that nearly 80 of its routers are vulnerable to a hack tactic that got play last week.

Dubbed "drive-by pharming" by Symantec Corp. and university researchers who first publicized the danger in a paper, the attack involves luring users to malicious sites where a device's default password is used to redirect them to bogus sites. Once they are at those sites, their identities could be stolen or malware could be force-fed to their computers.

Millions Vulnerable to New Hack AttackSci-Tech Today - Feb 19, 2007
Drive-by pharming is dangerous not only because it directs users to malicious sites, but also because an attacker can permanently change router settings, exposing unwitting victims to ongoing attacks. Symantec recommends that users change their /default router passwords and employ a multilayered security strategy.

Service Pack 2 for SQL Server arrivesCNET News.com, CA - 8 hours ago
Microsoft has released a second free service pack for its popular SQL Server 2005 database application.

SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2--a large, recommended bundle of tweaks--aims to make the database software compatible with Microsoft's new Windows Vista operating system and Office 2007 suite. The update, released Monday, also adds a number of data compression, manageability and interoperability enhancements.


SP2 for SQL Server arrivesZDNet - 9 hours ago

Microsoft has released a second free service pack for its popular SQL Server 2005 database application.

SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2--a large, recommended bundle of tweaks--aims to make the database software compatible with Microsoft's new Windows Vista operating system and Office 2007 suite. The update, released Monday, also adds a number of data compression, manageability and interoperability enhancements.


Webmail.us Launches Two SolutionsWeb Host Industry Review - Feb 19, 2007

February 19, 2007 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Email hosting email provider Webmail.us (webmail.us) announced on Friday that it has added two new solutions: Bcc Archiving in the control panel and Webmail 6.2.

Bcc Archiving in the control panel, offered to new small business customers who sign-up online, enables email administrators to archive all incoming and outgoing emails for specific domains and email accounts by routing all messages to a specified email account.

Adobe Ships Photoshop LightroomPC World - Feb 19, 2007

Adobe has released the first commercial version of its Photoshop Lightroom photographic software.

The software costs initially $199 in the U.S., rising to $299 after April 30. Adobe has said that Lightroom will not be included in the current or next versions of the Creative Suite.

Adobe Lightroom 1.0 out of darkroom at lastiTWire, Australia - 15 hours ago

Not to be outdone by Apple’s Aperture software for Macs, Adobe’s new Photoshop Lightroom 1.0 has been processed, developed and is ready for pickup!

Need more photo management grunt than iPhoto can deliver? Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom is for you, enabling photographers to import, select, develop and present large volumes of digital photographs, with the express aim of letting photographers spend less time sorting and organizing images so they can spend more time what they love doing most – taking photos.