Posted by dan on: 2010-02-04 17:33:43 in category: Security [ 0 Comment(s) ]
Microsoft Security Advisory (980088)
Vulnerability in Internet Explorer Could Allow Information Disclosure
Microsoft is investigating a publicly reported vulnerability in Internet Explorer for customers running Windows XP or who have disabled Internet Explorer Protected Mode. This advisory contains information about which versions of Internet Explorer are vulnerable as well as workarounds and mitigations for this issue.
Our investigation so far has shown that if a user is using a version of Internet Explorer that is not running in Protected Mode an attacker may be able to access files with an already known filename and location. These versions include Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 4 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service 4; Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; and Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7, and Internet Explorer 8 on supported editions of Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP Service Pack 3, and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2. Protected Mode prevents exploitation of this vulnerability and is running by default for versions of Internet Explorer on Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008.
The vulnerability exists due to content being forced to render incorrectly from local files in such a way that information can be exposed to malicious websites.
At this time, we are unaware of any attacks attempting to use this vulnerability. We will continue to monitor the threat environment and update this advisory if this situation changes. On completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to protect our customers, which may include providing a solution through our monthly security update release process, or an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs.
We are actively working with partners in our Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) and our Microsoft Security Response Alliance (MSRA) programs to provide information that they can use to provide broader protections to customers. In addition, we are actively working with partners to monitor the threat landscape and take action against malicious sites that attempt to exploit this vulnerability.
Microsoft continues to encourage customers to follow the "Protect Your Computer" guidance of enabling a firewall, applying all software updates and installing anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Additional information can be found at Security at home.
February 3, 2010
Internet Explorer 8 Officially Becomes World’s Most-Used Browser
Posted by dan on: 2010-02-03 23:11:50 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
This week, Net Applications released their January browser market share report. Their report shows that Internet Explorer 8 is not only the most popular browser on Windows with 27.9% usage share, but that it now has 25.6% of market share across all OS’s on a worldwide-weighted usage share basis (data provided by Net Applications). We launched just less than a year ago, so it’s both humbling and thrilling to see so many people choose our product so quickly – making it the most popular browser of choice worldwide.
There are many reasons people choose which browser to use. Most people want to know and trust the company behind their browser. And people are looking a browser that protects them – and their privacy online.
Top Lithuanian BitTorrent site is being sued by Microsoft
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-28 18:06:36 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
In conjunction with Lithuanian anti-piracy outfit LANVA, software giant Microsoft has sued the alleged operator of the country’s largest BitTorrent site. Microsoft is demanding $43 million from the defendant and his company for assisting in the illegal distribution of Office 2003 and 2007.
In recent years we’ve seen plenty of legal action against the owners and operators of BitTorrent sites, mostly initiated by the movie and music industries.
This week, Microsoft joins the fight as the software company announces that it will pursue LinkoManija’s alleged operator Kestas Ermanas and his company in court.
The action against Lithuania’s largest BitTorrent site, which is in the top 10 of the most visited websites in the country, has been approved by the US headquarters of the software giant.
The defendant and his company are accused of facilitating copyright infringement of Microsoft’s Office 2003 and 2007 through their involvement with the BitTorrent tracker.
Microsoft releases tool to restore NTBackup files on Windows 7 and Windows Serve
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-28 18:01:03 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
This week Microsoft released an update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with a utility for restoring backups made on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 to computers that are running Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2.
This utility has been available for Windows Vista and Server 2008, but did not work on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-27 21:47:58 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
Today, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs took to the stage to introduce a new device named the Apple iPad.
Jobs began by revealing that Apple has reached 250 million iPod sales to date. He then revealed that "Apple is the largest mobile devices business in the world today." Moving on throughout Jobs speech he questioned whether there is room for a third category device in-between a laptop or a smart-phone. Jobs then mocked competitors for investing in netbooks and immediately revealed the iPad.
Jobs went on to demonstrate several features including browsing, Photos and built-in slideshows. The iTunes store is also built in and the usual suspects of a mail, contacts and calendar applications are available. Jobs also demonstrated the maps application and its location features.
YouTube HD support is also included and Jobs demonstrated various videos during his keynote. After the video demonstrations Jobs moved onto the specifications:
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-27 16:53:11 in category: Security [ 0 Comment(s) ]
A recent analysis of 32 million passwords, obtained in the RockYou.com hack, has revealed that the most commonly used password on the site was ‘123456,' according to database and application security vendor Imperva.
After analyzing the data, researchers at Imperva Application Defense Center determined that 290,731 individuals used ‘123456' as their password. The second most common password, used by 79,078 individuals was ‘12345,' and the third most popular password, used by more than 76,790 individuals, was ‘123456789.'
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-27 16:50:17 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
Google has released a web version of its Google Voice app for the Iphone, which will allow users to make cheap mobile calls using the Internet and bypass some other services provided by telco operators.
Last time Apple chucked its toys out of the pram when Google tried to release a similar application and refused to approve it. This triggered an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission, the US government's telecommunications regulator, and culminated in the resignation of Google chief executive Eric Schmidt from the Apple board.
At the time Apple said the app contravened its terms and conditions by replacing the Iphone's "core mobile-telephone functionality and Apple user interface with Google's own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging, and voice mail."
However this new version of the Google Voice web app can be accessed via a browser and can bypass the vetting procedures necessary to gain admission to Apple's Iphone App Store.
Relations have not been good between Apple and Google lately. Apparently Apple is so miffed at its former best mate Google that it is considering signing up for Microsoft's Bing search engine, including on its new tablet.
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-27 16:47:23 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
Software giant Microsoft issued a set patches Monday night for its latest desktop operating system, Windows 7.
The updates are stability and reliability fixes rather than security patches, so they don’t address any of the continuing vulnerability problems that hackers exploited in Internet Exploder, much to Google's chagrin.
The patches are available in a selection of flavours - Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit, Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit and Windows Server 2008 R2 for Intel's Itanic systems.
The Microsoft Support Service outlines the stability and reliability problems fixed by the patches:
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-26 17:16:18 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
Google has released version 4.0 its Chrome web browser, which it claims has more than 1,500 new features.
It only works under Windows of course, so Apple and Linux users will have to wait about a year before the Chrome browser on their machines is up to speed.
Actually the 1,500 features are file extensions that are created by developers to add functionality to Chrome. Goodness knows how many of these Firefox has and no one considered them as the highlight of a browser release before.
While the extensions are useful but not really anything spectacular, bookmark sync is probably more useful. It means you can share your bookmarks between multiple computers without needing to recreate your bookmarks or copy them from system to system every time you switch machines.
Worldwide PC Microprocessor Unit Shipments Rise 31.3% Year Over Year in Q4: IDC
Posted by dan on: 2010-01-26 16:41:47 in category: General [ 0 Comment(s) ]
Worldwide PC microprocessor shipments in the fourth calendar quarter of 2009 (4Q09) rose modestly, compared to 3Q09, but still achieved all-time record levels for a single quarter, according to IDC's latest PC processor study. Notably, when compared to 4Q08, shipments in 4Q09 rose 31.3%. For the full year 2009, total PC processor unit shipments grew 2.5%, while revenue declined 7.1% to $28.6 billion.
"Compared to 3Q09, the modest rise in shipments in 4Q09 indicates that the market is returning to normal seasonal patterns," said Shane Rau, director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC. "Compared to 4Q08, the huge rise in shipments indicates that the market has put the recession behind it. Both comparisons indicate that the PC industry anticipates improvement in PC end demand in 2010."
Looking at market performance by PC form factor, both mobile PC processors and PC server processors grew well. Mobile PC processors, which include Intel's Atom processors for mininotebooks (also known as netbooks), increased 11.7% in 4Q09 compared to 3Q09. x86 server processors grew 14.1% quarter over quarter. Desktop processors grew 4.8% quarter over quarter.
On the client side—mobile and desktop—IDC notes that mainstream and performance processors rose modestly as a percentage of the total mix compared to value processors, which caused the overall market average selling price of processors to rise 6.7% quarter over quarter.
"The sequential rise in mainstream and high-end client processors points to the new products, like Core i5 and Athlon II, that Intel and AMD were shipping into the market for the holiday buying season in the fourth quarter," said Rau. "What's interesting there is that consumers were there to buy systems based on them and that OEMs were investing in them for future builds. At the same time, the sequential rise in server processors indicates that server OEMs are starting to see corporations come off the sidelines."
Microsoft Security Advisory (980088)
This week, Net Applications released their January browser market share report. Their report shows that Internet Explorer 8 is not only the most popular browser on Windows with 27.9% usage share, but that it now has 25.6% of market share across all OS’s on a worldwide-weighted usage share basis (data provided by Net Applications). We launched just less than a year ago, so it’s both humbling and thrilling to see so many people choose our product so quickly – making it the most popular browser of choice worldwide.
In conjunction with Lithuanian anti-piracy outfit LANVA, software giant Microsoft has sued the alleged operator of the country’s largest BitTorrent site. Microsoft is demanding $43 million from the defendant and his company for assisting in the illegal distribution of Office 2003 and 2007.
This week Microsoft released an update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with a utility for restoring backups made on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 to computers that are running Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2.
Google has released a web version of its Google Voice app for the Iphone, which will allow users to make cheap mobile calls using the Internet and bypass some other services provided by telco operators.