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Windows

Submission + - Vista Work-Around Highlights Security Flaws (pcworld.com)

Submitted by
eldavojohn
eldavojohn writes: "A simple trick has netted some developers the ability to load unsigned drivers by simply registering a tool that loads its own unsigned driver and allows any unsigned code to be placed as a driver in the kernel. And the tool is freely available. Probably more damaging that releasing this tool into the wild is what one of the developers had to say. He anonymously commented about this particular security feature of Vista and that it "doesn't prevent malware, it just prohibits freedom to choose. A signed file uniquely identifies the company that developed that file, but when companies can be created and registered in jurisdictions known for protecting the privacy of company founders and directors you have to ask what does driver signing actually represent? While driver signing certificates can be revoked, new certificates, with enough money, can be created faster than it takes to change a file's signature. If this is indeed the case, then it is the hobbyists and home user that end up paying the cost.""
Biotech

Submission + - Americans Clueless About Cancer Risks (cancer.org)

Submitted by
Invisible Pink Unicorn
Invisible Pink Unicorn writes: "A study conducted by the American Cancer Society found that a surprising number of Americans believe scientifically dubious claims concerning cancer, and that the groups with the greatest burden of cancer are the most likely to be misinformed. For example, the majority of survey respondents didn't think smoking was more likely to cause lung cancer than pollution — despite 87% of lung cancer cases being due to smoking. The most interesting finding was that people who described themselves as knowing the most about cancer were more likely to have false beliefs. Participants who labeled themselves as "very informed" about cancer were more likely to believe underwire bras cause breast cancer, or that quitting smoking did nothing to reduce cancer risks. The article abstract is availabe from the journal Cancer."
Privacy

Submission + - FBI Requires a Warrant to Install Spyware

Submitted by mrogers
mrogers writes: The FBI requires a warrant to install spyware on a suspect's computer, according to a new appeals court ruling. An earlier ruling had appeared to grant the FBI permission to install spyware under the weaker provisions applied to pen registers, which record the telephone numbers or IP addresses contacted by a suspect. However, yesterday's amendment made it clear that the pen register provisions only apply to equipment installed at the suspect's ISP.

The FBI recently used spyware to determine the source of a hoax bomb threat, as reported here and here.
Education

Submission + - All you wanted to know about Linux certification (itwire.com.au)

Submitted by
David Williams
David Williams writes: "All you wanted to know about Linux certification but were afraid to ask. Microsoft's MCSE is well-known but Linux is often seen as fragmented and without any equivalent. Yet ITWire explain why certification is good for you, how to get certified and what the leading Linux certs are today. This is must reading for anyone who wants to have independent verification of their Linux admin expertise. http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/13530/53/"
Security

Submission + - A Pilot on Airline Security (hotair.com)

Submitted by Paperweight
Paperweight writes: Dave Mackett, president of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance, recently wrote how unsafe and hole-ridden airline security still is, in spite of all the money being blown on it. There is simply no deployable technology that has a prayer of keeping a motivated, prepared terrorist out of the system. The US Transport Security Administration misses more than 90% of detectable weapons at passenger checkpoints even in their own tests. Until the mindset behind airline security is changed, using an airliner as a weapon of mass destruction is as easy today as ever.
Windows

Submission + - Mac Attack! Enterprise PC shop switches to Apple (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
jcatcw
jcatcw writes: "The largest full-service auto processing company in North America, Auto Warehousing Co, is switching from Microsoft to Apple. Over the next 60 days, AWC will begin systematically pulling the plug on all Windows-based PCs. They'll power up Macs for virtually all revenue-generating operations. The move comes on the heels of a quiet replacement of Windows-based servers for data storage and Web operations, which are now running on Apple Inc.'s Xserve RAID machines. The CIO, Dale Frantz, says "This stuff just works." Some might claim that this move is vengence for a spat with MS over licensing some years ago, but Computerworld's Don Tennant calls Frantz a hero and defends the decision as purely business based. Frantz is in good company. Michael Gartenberg has been there and has the Lessons Learned."
Television

Submission + - Mercedes-Benz Refuses to Help Police Nab Suspect

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: I found myself yelling at the TV over a broadcast this morning by KNBC Los Angeles. The story is here. The article talks about how the Glendale Police Department cannot believe that Mercedes-Benz of America is refusing to comply with an order they obtain to help find the driver of a hit and run accident. What the web version of the story does not say was what the Glendale police department was asking Mercedes-Benz to do was to turn on the the car's GPS tracking system so that they could help locate the suspect. I say kudos to Mercedes-Benz of America for refusing to do so.
Privacy

Submission + - N.H. Gov. signs bill that rejects federal Real ID (computerworld.com)

Submitted by jcatcw
jcatcw writes: New Hampshire is part of a trend to oppose the federal Real ID act. The governor this week signed a bill that forbids state agencies from complying with the controversial federal regulation. The Real ID law, first passed by Congress in 2005, currently requires that all state driver's licenses and other identification cards include a digital photograph and a bar code that can be scanned by electronic readers. Such a federally approved ID card or document would be required for people entering a federal building, nuclear power plant and commercial airplane. The New Hampshire bill, which labeled the Real ID Act as "contrary and repugnant" to the New Hampshire and U.S. Constitutions, was passed in the state Senate by a 24-0 vote in late May.
Privacy

Submission + - internet privacy ruling (blogspot.com)

Submitted by ecoshift
ecoshift writes: Now it's official...

SAN FRANCISCO / Judges OK warrantless monitoring of Web use / Privacy rules don't apply to Internet messages, court says "Federal agents do not need a search warrant to monitor a suspect's computer use and determine the e-mail addresses and Web pages the suspect is contacting, a federal appeals court ruled Friday."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2 007/07/07/BAGMNQSJDA1.DTL&feed=rss.news
Operating Systems

Submission + - Slackware 12.0 Review (shiftbackspace.com)

Submitted by
antiprophet
antiprophet writes: "Slackware Linux 12.0 was formally released on July 1, 2007. I have been looking forward to reviewing Slackware for a few weeks and now that the official release of version 12.0 has occurred, I cannot think of a better time to review it. Slackware has existed for nearly 14 years as version 1.0 was released in 1993; making Slackware one of the oldest Linux distributions in existence. Slackware is known for releasing very tight and well-test distributions making me quite happy that they do not rely on fixed release schedules where new full versions are released every few months. According to the Slackware website, the Slackware Linux Project is "aimed at producing the most 'UNIX-like' Linux distribution" available while maintaining Linux standards."
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft to Spend $1.15 Billion for Xbox Repairs

Submitted by paro12
paro12 writes: From the NY Times article:

In what may be one of the costliest consumer warranty repairs in history, Microsoft announced on Thursday that it would spend up to $1.15 billion to repair failing Xbox 360 game machine consoles. ...Microsoft said it would extend the warranty of the game console to three years to customers worldwide. Previously, products sold in the United States were covered by a one-year warranty
The Courts

Submission + - Granny Sues RIAA for Using Unlicensed Investigator 1

Submitted by
NewYorkCountryLawyer
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes: "An elderly, non-filesharing grandmother from East Texas, who had been sued by the RIAA after being displaced by Hurricane Rita, has sought leave to file counterclaims against the RIAA record companies for using unlicensed investigators. In her counterclaims (pdf) Ms. Crain claims that the record companies "entered into an agreement with a private investigations company to provide investigative services which led to the production of evidence to be used in court against counterclaim plaintiff, including the identification of an IP address on the basis of which counterclaim defendants filed their suit.... [They] were at the time of this agreement aware that the aforementioned private investigations company was unlicensed to conduct investigations in the State of Texas specifically, and in other states as well.....[T]hey agreed between themselves and understood that unlicensed and unlawful investigations would take place in order to provide evidence for this lawsuit, as well as thousands of others as part of a mass litigation campaign....[T]he private investigations company hired by plaintiffs engaged in one or more overt acts of unlawful private investigation.... Such actions constitute civil conspiracy under Texas common law. Ins. Co. of North America v. Morris, 981 S.W.2d 667, 675 (Tex. 1998).""

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