Michael J Much's Weblog

Thursday, December 11, 2003

RIAA hires guns, alcohol and smokes expert to fight piracy. Getting at the seedy underbelly of the US [The Register] 2:57:28 PM    comment []

IE glitch gives spoofers powerful tool. A newly discovered vulnerability in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser could be a powerful new tool for scammers, allowing them to convincingly mask the real origin of Web pages used to trick targets into revealing sensitive information. [InfoWorld: Top News] 2:57:09 PM    comment []

Evaluating opportunities: Moving data between storage tiers. Evaluator Group partner Randy Kerns discusses the best ways to use secondary storage, including intelligence-based policies and the reduction of administrative burdens. [Computerworld Networking News] 2:56:40 PM    comment []

Mozilla Readies Next Release. The open-source project releases a beta version of Mozilla 1.6 as it prepares for a full launch by January. The update adds greater security, particularly for enterprises, and greater integration with GNOME. [eWEEK Technology News] 2:56:23 PM    comment []

Denial-of-Service Attack Knocks SCO Group Offline. The SCO Group Inc.'s Web site was slammed Wednesday by a massive distributed denial-of-service attack that made the site completely unreachable for much of the day. [eWEEK Technology News] 2:56:10 PM    comment []

Smart Plug May Banish Cable Clutter. A small HDMI cable can replace all the audio and video cables needed to display a high-definition image on a screen. By Eric A. Taub. [New York Times: Technology] 2:55:41 PM    comment []

For Hearing Aids, a Lesson From a Fly on the Wall. A fly with extraordinarily sharp hearing inspires an advance in the technology of hearing aids. By Anne Eisenberg. [New York Times: Technology] 2:55:32 PM    comment []

Wednesday, December 10, 2003

No Christmas patches from Microsoft [IDG InfoWorld] 2:58:25 PM    comment []

'Poke your camera phone's eye out' - analyst. Businesses face new liabilities [The Register] 2:58:08 PM    comment []

First test of IPv6 network goes well. An early test of a multi-site, next-generation Internet, powered by IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) went well, and the coalition of groups working on the so-called Moonv6 project will conduct more comprehensive tests starting in February, said two people involved in the project Tuesday. [InfoWorld: Top News] 2:57:47 PM    comment []

U.S. agencies earn overall grade of D for computer security. A computer security report card issued by a House subcommittee on technology showed that many federal agencies still have a lot of work to do to protect their networks. [Computerworld News] 2:57:34 PM    comment []

WLAN shakeout ahead. New technologies call for careful planning in purchase of wireless gear. [Computerworld Networking News] 2:57:21 PM    comment []

National Semi Takes on Bluetooth with Low-Power Wi-Fi. A new low-power Wi-Fi technology unveiled this week could expand the use of the wireless standard in devices currently using the Bluetooth standard, National Semiconductor officials said. [eWEEK Technology News] 2:57:02 PM    comment []

Tuesday, December 09, 2003

Technical Summary of RAID [Bitpipe: Most Relevant] 4:43:34 PM    comment []

Microsoft to stop offering host of older products [IDG InfoWorld] 4:43:23 PM    comment []

Extreme switch hits 10G, adds mgmt.. Extreme Networks this week is expected to launch BlackDiamond 10K, a 10G Ethernet LAN switch that actually runs at 10G bit/sec, as opposed to the company's previous generation of switches, which topped out at 8G bit/sec. [Network World on LANs] 4:43:04 PM    comment []

Finding holes with Nessus. We've heard about a Linux tool for scanning Windows systems for vulnerabilities called Nessus. Is this another scanner like Nmap that just produces text output about open ports, or does it provide more help? [Networking how-to's] 4:42:54 PM    comment []

Spam bill headed to U.S. president. WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives has approved an amended version of a bill that will allow penalties of up to $6 million and five years in jail for sending some e-mail spam, the last step before the bill can be signed into law by President George W. Bush. [InfoWorld: Security] 4:42:41 PM    comment []

IBM hails nano chip-making method. IBM says self-assembly molecules could soon be used to make chip components even smaller. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition] 4:42:20 PM    comment []

VMware connects with storage companies. The company, which makes software designed to make server computers more efficient, says its code is compatible with data storage gear from several corporations. [CNET News.com - Enterprise Hardware] 4:41:40 PM    comment []

Hackers Steal From Pirates, to No Good End. The tactic that made music pirating programs so effective is now spreading to rogue programs that take over computers from afar. By John Schwartz. [New York Times: Technology] 4:41:27 PM    comment []

Foes of Bush Enlist Google to Make Point. There is another example of a form of cyber-graffiti known as "Google bombing." By Saul Hansell. [New York Times: Technology] 4:41:10 PM    comment []

Monday, December 08, 2003

Single Sign-On through Federated Identity: Introducing NetPoint SHAREid [Bitpipe: Most Relevant] 1:53:57 PM    comment []

Big Brother latest: Now your phone can be used to track you down. Observer Dec 6 2003 8:12PM ET... [Meerkat: An Open Wire Service] 1:53:37 PM    comment []

Las Vegas schools mix IP, digital communications. Looking to boost communications capabilities and cut costs, the Clark County School District is installing an IP-ready metropolitan-area network and about 27,000 phones that operate in both digital and IP modes. [Computerworld Networking News] 1:53:23 PM    comment []

War games lure players. A raft of new games based on World War II reflects continuing interest in the conflict. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition] 1:53:10 PM    comment []

Top 10 Personal Computers, Revised [Slashdot] 1:52:50 PM    comment []

SCO Loses First Legal Round in Linux Battle. A federal judge told SCO it has 30 days to respond to IBM's demands for details about the Linux code SCO claims encroaches on its intellectual property. [eWEEK Technology News] 1:52:28 PM    comment []

The Guts of a New Machine. The iPod became an instant classic by combining high design and powerful technology. But as Apple has learned before, that formula alone doesn't keep you on top. By Rob Walker. [New York Times: Technology] 1:52:18 PM    comment []

The File-Sharing Debates By David Pogue. [New York Times: Technology] 1:52:08 PM    comment []

Saturday, December 06, 2003

Shhh! You've Got Mail, Comrade. North Korea may remain the most politically isolated country on earth, but e-mail is making inroads. And it's happening with the official blessing of no less than Kim Jong Il himself. [Wired News] 11:53:00 AM    comment []

FCC asks AT&T Wireless about phone number porting snags. It's reportedly having the most trouble of any carrier in complying with the FCC's wireless number portability rules, which went into effect last week. [Computerworld News] 11:51:35 AM    comment []

CEO Darl McBride continues SCO's Linux attack. The CEO of The SCO Group is accusing free software advocates of threatening the intellectual property protections provided by U.S. and European law. [Computerworld News] 11:51:23 AM    comment []

Japanese 'file-swappers' arrested. Two men are arrested in Japan for allegedly distributing films and games over the internet. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition] 11:51:05 AM    comment []

US Broadband ISPs Expect Price Cuts [Slashdot] 11:50:35 AM    comment []

Microsoft to Junk Flagship Products, Cites Java Settlement. December 15 will be D-day for a number of Microsoft's established products, which the company is removing from its sales channels as a result of its legal settlement with Sun over Java. [eWEEK Technology News] 11:50:14 AM    comment []

Sun sets up European RFID test center. Amid some privacy concerns, the Java advocate enters the retail-tracking game in Europe by opening a center where companies can test their radio frequency identification systems. [CNET News.com - Enterprise Hardware] 11:49:53 AM    comment []

Friday, December 05, 2003

Former Intel exec sets Wi-Fi crowd straight. SAN JOSE, CALIF. - Vendors of wireless LAN (WLAN) equipment must work much harder to make their products more user friendly and to improve security features, a former Intel Corp. executive said Wednesday. [InfoWorld: Top News] 2:06:55 PM    comment []

Windows ATMs raise security concerns. Recent ATM network worm infections highlight threat as industry moves from OS/2 to Windows. [Computerworld Networking News] 2:06:34 PM    comment []

Sobig virus tops charts for 2003. The Sobig e-mail worm that clogged in-boxes in August was the most prolific virus of 2003, according to a top ten list of viruses published by antivirus software vendor Sophos PLC. [InfoWorld: Security] 2:06:21 PM    comment []

Update: Yahoo Instant Messenger contains security flaw. Security researchers are warning of a security hole in Yahoo Inc.'s Messenger that could allow attackers to run their own code on computers using the instant messaging program. [InfoWorld: Security] 2:06:03 PM    comment []

Copper 10 Gig inches closer to market. The two groups in the IEEE working on making 10 Gigabit Ethernet over copper wiring a reality - and a standard - continue to make great strides. [Network World on LANs] 2:05:46 PM    comment []

IBM launches 64-bit blades. IBM recently introduced its first blade server to be based on a 64-bit RISC processor. [Network World on LANs] 2:05:36 PM    comment []

Court denies request to stop phone number switch. San Francisco Chronicle Dec 4 2003 5:44PM ET... [Meerkat: An Open Wire Service] 2:05:19 PM    comment []

IT giants fingered over links to China. 'Responsible for the plight of China's embattled Internet users', apparently [The Register] 2:05:05 PM    comment []

Fiber to the People, Right On. When customers own the network, everyone wins. A commentary by Lawrence Lessig from Wired magazine about the economic benefits of socialist networks. [Wired News] 2:04:44 PM    comment []

Study: Carbon nanotubes make the best semiconductors [IDG InfoWorld] 2:04:08 PM    comment []

Thursday, December 04, 2003

Asian pirates take on Microsoft. Pirated versions of Microsoft's next operating system are on sale in Malaysia well before the official release date. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition] 1:53:08 PM    comment []

Electronics firm to create 200 jobs. An electronics firm is to take on 200 more staff to cope with the rising demand for flat-screen televisions. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition] 1:52:50 PM    comment []

Nanotechnology: Are Molecular Assemblers Possible? [Slashdot] 1:52:22 PM    comment []

Appeal of DVD Hacker's Acquittal Begins. The appeal of a Norwegian acquitted of piracy for making available a program that cracked DVD security codes started Tuesday in a trial observers called a key test of the country's computer protection laws. [eWEEK Technology News] 1:51:48 PM    comment []

Sun's Scheme for Desktop Domination. Sun Microsystems Inc. on Wednesday will announce a partnership with Electronic Data Systems Corp., in which the Plano, Texas, IT outsourcing firm will provide migration services, training, help-desk and call center desktop services for Sun's Java Desktop System. [eWEEK Technology News] 1:51:41 PM    comment []

NetApp announces products, partnerships. Growing data storage company Network Appliance unveils new products, along with joint efforts with Veritas Software and Cisco Systems. [CNET News.com - Enterprise Hardware] 1:51:30 PM    comment []

AMD chips, Linux line up for Sun blades. Sun Microsystems begins selling its first blade server that can run Linux, a move that tightens the company's ties with chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices. [CNET News.com - Enterprise Hardware] 1:51:14 PM    comment []

Automotive Bluetooth - a market on the move [Market Analysis: Industry Intelligence, Financial, E-business News] 1:50:42 PM    comment []

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

EMC, Nortel team on data recovery services. EMC Corp. and Nortel Networks Ltd. have banded together to deliver a joint business continuity service to their respective customers. [Computerworld Network LAN/WAN News] 12:57:37 PM    comment []

Gangs Extort Companies With DDoS Attacks [Slashdot] 12:56:57 PM    comment []

Microsoft Proclaims Death of Free Software Model [Slashdot] 12:56:40 PM    comment []

Extortionists target technology. Online blackmailers are sabotaging commercial internet sites, then demanding money to prevent them from repeating the action. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition] 12:56:21 PM    comment []