Submission + - 47 Feeds.com | A bird's eye view of India (47feeds.com)
sgcet writes: 47Feeds.com is a SPA or a Single Page Aggregator or your own Personal News DashBoard which displays the latest news specific to India.
Submission + - Critical .mdb flaw Found - Microsoft may Never fix (beskerming.com) 4
SkiifGeek writes: "When independent security researcher cocoruder found a critical bug with the JET engine, via the .mdb (Access) file format, he reported it to Microsoft, but Microsoft's response came as a surprise to him — it appears that Microsoft are not inclined to fix a critical arbitrary code execution vulnerability with a data technology that is at the heart of a large number of essential business and hobby applications.
Where should vendors be required to draw the line when supporting deprecated file formats and technology? In this case, leaving a serious vulnerability active in a deprecated technology could have serious effects if an exploit were to target it, but it is a matter of finding the right balance of security and usability such that Microsoft's users are not exposed to too great a danger for continuing to use Microsoft products."
Where should vendors be required to draw the line when supporting deprecated file formats and technology? In this case, leaving a serious vulnerability active in a deprecated technology could have serious effects if an exploit were to target it, but it is a matter of finding the right balance of security and usability such that Microsoft's users are not exposed to too great a danger for continuing to use Microsoft products."
Submission + - Backdoor concern over US crypto standard (vnunetblogs.com)
Kurtz'sKompund writes: The possibility that there is a backdoor in one of the officially recommended random number generators (RNGs) used to create encryption keys, has caused two well-known encryption experts to declare the scheme to be useless.
http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsid=10683
Submission + - MIT Hackers Remember the Fifth of November (lewrockwell.com)
qrad writes: "Early this morning MIT hackers celebrated Guy Fawkes day by unveiling huge banners over building 10. They read "Remember Remember the Fifth of November" and "Ron Paul Revolution." See this site for pictures!"
Submission + - U.S. Airport Screeners Are Watching What You Read (wired.com)
boarder8925 writes: "Be careful what you read when you fly in the United States. What you read is being monitored by airport screeners and stored in a government database for years.
"Privacy advocates obtained database records showing that the government routinely records the race of people pulled aside for extra screening as they enter the country, along with cursory answers given to U.S. border inspectors about their purpose in traveling. In one case, the records note Electronic Frontier Foundation co-founder John Gilmore's choice of reading material, and worry over the number of small flashlights he'd packed for the trip. The breadth of the information obtained by the Gilmore-funded Identity Project (using a Privacy Act request) shows the government's screening program at the border is actually a "surveillance dragnet," according to the group's spokesman Bill Scannell. "There is so much sensitive information in the documents that it is clear that Homeland Security is not playing straight with the American people," Scannell said.
Submission + - $1 US == $1 CAD (canoe.ca)
boxlight writes: "US dollar and Canadian dollar are now equal; on par for the first time since 1976.
This is actually bad for the profits of Canadian corporations that sell their products to the US for US dollars (Canada sells far more to the US that the US sells to Canada); but it's pretty cool from a perception level.
It also means us Canucks will get cheaper Macs as the Canadian prices get closer to US prices with every new release. ;)"
This is actually bad for the profits of Canadian corporations that sell their products to the US for US dollars (Canada sells far more to the US that the US sells to Canada); but it's pretty cool from a perception level.
It also means us Canucks will get cheaper Macs as the Canadian prices get closer to US prices with every new release.
Submission + - Gates Foundation donates to Aboriginal communities (smh.com.au)
Aussie Osbourne writes: As the (Australian) Federal Government's spending commitments in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities soared to more than $1 billion yesterday, the former richest man in the world was backing another solution to indigenous economic deprivation: computers.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated US$1.22 million ($1.46 million) to the Northern Territory Library, to extend a program that provides computers for communities and helps them to build skills and preserve their culture.
The Sydney morning herald article, all text from the article is on this page, (except for the photo caption and weird title).
The foundation said the Libraries and Knowledge Centres program "opens up a world of information and knowledge that can help improve people's lives".
"Computers and the internet are powerful tools that offer unprecedented access to information of all kinds, and provide opportunities for people to improve their social and economic well-being," said Martha Choe, the director of the foundation's Global Libraries initiative.
Many of the NT Library's computers provide the only internet connection within a radius of hundreds of kilometres in remote communities where services such as telephones, schools, bookshops and post offices are limited.They have introduced the modern wonders of online news and banking, email and up-to-the-minute footy scores.
The NT Library is also building the Our Story database, where communities archive digital recordings of photographs, songs, dances, art and oral histories.
The Greens senator Kerry Nettle said the donation was an example of meaningful philanthropy.
"Corporate social responsibility needs to mean more than sponsoring sports carnivals. New forms of marketing to communities that lack basic services cannot be dressed up as corporate social responsibility."
Some of the funding will be used to meet the strict new reporting requirements on all public computers in the Territory's indigenous communities.
Under the Federal Government's intervention, the person responsible for a computer has to record details of all users. They can be charged with an offence if they do not make it clear to users that the computers cannot be used to send or access communications that are "slanderous, libellous or defamatory", "offensive or obscene" or "abusive".
Joel Gibson Indigenous Affairs Reporter
September 19, 2007
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated US$1.22 million ($1.46 million) to the Northern Territory Library, to extend a program that provides computers for communities and helps them to build skills and preserve their culture.
The Sydney morning herald article, all text from the article is on this page, (except for the photo caption and weird title).
The foundation said the Libraries and Knowledge Centres program "opens up a world of information and knowledge that can help improve people's lives".
"Computers and the internet are powerful tools that offer unprecedented access to information of all kinds, and provide opportunities for people to improve their social and economic well-being," said Martha Choe, the director of the foundation's Global Libraries initiative.
Many of the NT Library's computers provide the only internet connection within a radius of hundreds of kilometres in remote communities where services such as telephones, schools, bookshops and post offices are limited.They have introduced the modern wonders of online news and banking, email and up-to-the-minute footy scores.
The NT Library is also building the Our Story database, where communities archive digital recordings of photographs, songs, dances, art and oral histories.
The Greens senator Kerry Nettle said the donation was an example of meaningful philanthropy.
"Corporate social responsibility needs to mean more than sponsoring sports carnivals. New forms of marketing to communities that lack basic services cannot be dressed up as corporate social responsibility."
Some of the funding will be used to meet the strict new reporting requirements on all public computers in the Territory's indigenous communities.
Under the Federal Government's intervention, the person responsible for a computer has to record details of all users. They can be charged with an offence if they do not make it clear to users that the computers cannot be used to send or access communications that are "slanderous, libellous or defamatory", "offensive or obscene" or "abusive".
Joel Gibson Indigenous Affairs Reporter
September 19, 2007
Submission + - AES may be breakable (and/or have a trapdoor!) (iacr.org)
nodrog writes: A preprint at the International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR) claims that AES may be susceptible to a new cryptanalysis technique. From the article abstract: — We describe a new simple but more powerful form of linear cryptanalysis. It appears to break AES (and undoubtably other cryptosystems too, e.g. SKIPJACK). The break is "nonconstructive," i.e. we make it plausible (e.g. prove it in certain approximate probabilistic models) that a small algorithm for quickly determining AES-256 keys from plaintext-ciphertext pairs exists — but without constructing the algorithm.
Even if this break breaks due to the underlying models inadequately approximating the real world, we explain how AES still could contain "trapdoors" which would make cryptanalysis unexpectedly easy for anybody who knew the trapdoor. If AES's designers had inserted such a trapdoor, it could be very easy for them to convince us of that. But if none exist, then it is probably infeasibly difficult for them to convince us of that.
Submission + - How the iPhone will impact corporate IT depts. (networkperformancedaily.com)
boyko.at.netqos writes: "Network Performance Daily takes a look at the impact that the iPhone will have on the corporate network in a series of three articles. The first one deals with the security of adding what are essentially mobile computers to the network, the second with how the lack of third party development except through Web apps may mean IT departments have to recode their Web apps for Safari, and how traffic on the network may increase. The third article deals with preparedness and scale — these issues are not unique to iPhone, but it is the fact that the iPhone is likely to become ubiquitous that makes this a concern to the IT department.
From the article: 'The iPod uses Safari for Internet browsing; yet very few enterprise apps are coded with Safari in mind. (Which may be another reason that Safari was released for Windows.) If they're coded with cross-platform compatibility at all, they may be coded for IE and Firefox for those employees who use Linux or Mac at home. Few people would even consider coding for Safari — but with the iPhone, Safari is the only choice, and will likely remain the only choice. Employees who use the iPhone may be locked out of receiving mobile data.... There's also the consideration that until the iPhone — and indeed, possibly even after the iPhone, there really hasn't been a standard implementation of the Web on the multitude of mobile devices — Blackberrys, Trios and the like — that application developers can really use. It's bad enough coding for both IE and Firefox; it's worse to consider every possible revision of every possible Web browser cooked up in the labs of mobile equipment manufacturers, which may or may not adhere to standards.'"
From the article: 'The iPod uses Safari for Internet browsing; yet very few enterprise apps are coded with Safari in mind. (Which may be another reason that Safari was released for Windows.) If they're coded with cross-platform compatibility at all, they may be coded for IE and Firefox for those employees who use Linux or Mac at home. Few people would even consider coding for Safari — but with the iPhone, Safari is the only choice, and will likely remain the only choice. Employees who use the iPhone may be locked out of receiving mobile data.... There's also the consideration that until the iPhone — and indeed, possibly even after the iPhone, there really hasn't been a standard implementation of the Web on the multitude of mobile devices — Blackberrys, Trios and the like — that application developers can really use. It's bad enough coding for both IE and Firefox; it's worse to consider every possible revision of every possible Web browser cooked up in the labs of mobile equipment manufacturers, which may or may not adhere to standards.'"
Submission + - Automobile engine the size of a basketball (angellabsllc.com)
Trystan365 writes: Revolutionary doesn't begin to cover this. I want one of these retro-fitted into my car right now! This little tiny engine,about the same size as a basketball, has more power than my 3.0 litre engine and can be scaled up to power a freight train or semi-truck. From the main site, "The MYT(TM) Engine has the potential to replace all the existing internal combustion engines and jet engines. With 40 times higher power to weight ratio, low parts count, low maintenance, high mechanical efficienty, and low pollution, the MYT(TM) Engine will benefit airplane, big ship, 18 wheeler, SUV, passenger car, even down to carry on power generator applications. The MYT(TM) Engine as a pump/compressor also exceeds exisiting pumps/compressors in providing massive pressure, volume, and flow, all in one unit."
Make sure you check out the videos located here. This engine can even run on plain old air!
Make sure you check out the videos located here. This engine can even run on plain old air!
Submission + - NC man fined for using vegetable oil as fuel (newsobserver.com)
mdsolar writes: "The News and Observer reports on an Charlotte, NC driver who has been fined $1000 for
not paying a fuel tax when he fills his tank with vegetable oil. Perhaps the funniest quote is this one:
since the field is so plainly tilted against Arab oil interests.""With the high cost of fuel right now, the department does recognize that a lot of people are looking for relief," said Reggie Little, assistant director of the motor fuel taxes division. "We're not here to hurt the small guy, we're just trying to make sure that the playing field is level."
