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Privacy

UK ISP Admitted to Spying on Customers 163

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the don't-worry-sir-we're-from-the-internet dept.
esocid writes "BT, an ISP located in the UK, tested secret spyware on tens of thousands of its broadband customers without their knowledge, it admitted yesterday. The scandal came to light only after some customers stumbled across tell-tale signs of spying. At first, they were wrongly told a software virus was to blame. BT said it randomly chose 36,000 broadband users for a 'small-scale technical trial' in 2006 and 2007. The monitoring system, developed by U.S. software company Phorm, formerly known as 121Media, known for being deeply involved in spyware, accesses information from a computer. It then scans every website a customer visits, silently checking for keywords and building up a unique picture of their interests. Executives insisted they had not broken the law and said no 'personally identifiable information' had been shared or divulged."
Privacy

Berners-Lee Rejects Tracking 155

Posted by CmdrTaco from the along-with-everyone-else dept.
kernowyon writes "The BBC has an interview with Sir Tim Berners-Lee during his visit to the UK on their website currently. In it, he voices his concern about the practice of tracking activity on the internet — with particular reference to Phorm. Quotes Sir Tim with regard to his data — "It's mine — you can't have it. If you want to use it for something, then you have to negotiate with me.""
Privacy

Submission + - G-archiver includes "stolen" code says DLL

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Pawel Lesnikowski, the author of mail.dll — a well respected .NET dll has put up a post on his website alleging that the author of G-archiver, John Terry stole his code. This follows the recent discovery by Dustin Brooks of G-Archiver Harvesting Google Mail Passwords. Commentators on the original coding horror blog posting have not only confirmed Dustin's discovery but have also highlighted John Terry's involvement with matemedia.com. John Terry himself is still denying any wrong doing.
Security

G-Archiver Harvesting Google Mail Passwords 462

Posted by kdawson from the change-password-now dept.
Thwomp writes "It appears that a popular Gmail backup utility, G-Archiver, has been harvesting users' Gmail passwords. This was discovered when a developer named Dustin Brooks took a look at the code using a decompiler. He discovered a Gmail account name and password embedded in the source code. Brooks logged in and found over 1,700 emails all with user account information — with his own at the top. According to a story in Informationweek, he deleted the emails, changed the account password, and notified Google. The creator of G-Archiver has pulled the software, stating that it was debug code and was unintentionally left in the product."
Security

Submission + - G-Archiver Harvesting Google Mail Passwords

Submitted by Thwomp
Thwomp writes: It appears that a popular GMail back up utility, named G-Archiver, has been harvesting users GMail passwords, this was discovered when a Dustin Brooks took a look at the code using a decompiler. He discovered that user's account information was being sent by e-mail to another GMail account. With that account's password embedded in the source code the developer logged in and found over 1700 e-mails all with user's account information! The creator of G-Archiver has pulled the software stating that it was debug code and was unintentionally left in by a developer.
Programming

Submission + - What can a programmer do? 5

Submitted by
ppaulin
ppaulin writes: "Maybe it's because I'm 40. Maybe it's because I'm sitting on my couch drinking scotch watching West Wing reruns. The bottom line is that I'm a programmer and I'm lucky to have some free time on my hands. I'm not a rich dot-com guy looking to create a foundation, just a programmer trying to figure out what to do with the next 20 years of my life. I'd like my kids to be proud of me. So I'm asking (and please hold the snark, it's too easy) — What can a programmer do?"
Censorship

Submission + - Wikileaks - CCHR Exposed As Scientology front (wikileaks.org) 2

Submitted by
Anonymous
Anonymous writes: "Wikileaks is now hosting a compressed archive of leaked emails that prove once and for all the "Citizens Commission on Human Rights" (CCHR), which mostly campaigns against Psychiatry, is a front of the Church of Scientology.

These files, submitted to Wikileaks by members of the 'Anonymous' group dedicated to peacefully protesting the Church of Scientology (CoS) organization, are internal e-mails sent to them from someone who formerly was, or maybe currently still is, on the inside of one of the organizations.

They reveal outlines of plans on how CCHR/CoS intend to distribute propaganda on the Internet, and compelling evidence that practice of 'Fair Game' in many forms is still alive and well, and aimed at not just critics but media establishments and members of the press. Though the term 'Fair Game' itself is no longer used by the organization, the intent is clear.

There is also potential evidence of the Scientologists often denied policy of "Disconnection" from families that was recently once again brought to light by the launching of exscientologykids by the ex scientologists Kendra Wiseman, Astra Woodcraft, and most damning of all Jenna Miscavige, the niece of the Chairman of the Board of the Church of Scientology.

The emails concerning their propaganda campaign may prove that the CCHR is guilty of breaking US laws against illegal lobbying, "The intent of these laws is to keep rich lobbying interests from looking bigger than they are. So that a small group of people (who may be pushing a particular piece of legislation) can make it look like there is a groundswell of public support (or opposition) when there is in fact no such thing."

Finally, if even $1 is proved to have transferred between the CCHR and the CoS, it is highly illegal, and should bring about the downfall of the Church of Scientology's US Tax exemption from the IRS and these emails certainly give cause for an investigation into their accounts."
Wii

Submission + - Does the Wii Alienate You? (computerandvideogames.com)

Submitted by
eldavojohn
eldavojohn writes: "I'm still unable to find a Wii and it's been out for quite sometime. But I found an interesting article about Sega claiming the Wii has been inappropriately written off as being not for 'hardcore' gamers. So I would like to ask Slashdot if they, as members of a gaming community, feel that the Wii is inaccessible because it doesn't offer the time consuming grind of achievements (like the XBox 360) or even the endless single player RPG (like the PS3)? Is it seen as a system purely for the 'casual gamer' and not someone who wants to dump a whole Saturday into progress? Is it's popularity based on this image? I remember the backbreaking days I put into Gauntlet & Bionic Commando, has Nintendo forgotten the games that require hours and hours of practice and finesse? Is this a side effect of the occasionally glitchy and not too precise wiimote?"
Portables (Apple)

Submission + - What Would you Ask Steve Jobs?

Submitted by
Pickens
Pickens writes: "Chris Howard has an interesting post at Apple Matters where he posits the hypothetical: what would you say to Steve Jobs if you had five minutes with him? Howard says he would first thank Jobs for holding on to the vision that good design is important in computer hardware and software but then he's ask for more USB ports on the back of Macs, an ergonomic keyboard, and a more affordable iPhone plan. "You might want to talk about the '70s, life in the wilderness, Pixar, his top five management secrets or whatever, but, despite my best intentions, I guess I'd probably just babble on like an average user," adds Howard. What would you ask Steve Jobs if you had five, or maybe ten minutes with him?"
The Media

Submission + - Technology Journalist Exposed as Plagiarist (jasonunger.com) 2

Submitted by
cheatersneverprosper
cheatersneverprosper writes: "David Richards, the editor and publisher of Australian-based technology site SmartHouse, has been exposed as a plagiarist. Richards copied stories from American technology publications like TWICE, PC World and CE Pro, but claims he didn't do it. His excuse? "Hackers" looking to discredit him have been posting stories under his byline ... since 2006. And he just found out about it in February 2008."
Microsoft

Submission + - Brussels to probe votes on Microsoft standard

Submitted by spectrokid
spectrokid writes: Officials at the European Commission's competition directorate have written to members of the International Organisation for Standardisation, asking how they prepared for votes in September and this month on acceptance of Microsoft's OOXML document format as a worldwide standard. Without ISO acceptance, Microsoft could stand to lose business, particularly with government clients, some of which are becoming increasingly keen to use only ISO-certified software.
The Courts

Should RIAA Investigators Have To Disclose Evidence? 216

Posted by Zonk from the special-rules-for-special-people dept.
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "A technology battle is raging in UMG v. Lindor, a court case in Brooklyn. The issue at hand is whether the RIAA's investigator SafeNet (the company that acquired MediaSentry) now needs to disclose its digital files, validation methodology, testing procedures, failure rates, software manuals, protocols, packet logs, source code, and other materials, so that the validity of its methods can be evaluated by the defense. SafeNet and the RIAA say no, claiming that the information is 'proprietary and confidential'. Ms. Lindor says yes, if you're going to testify in federal court the other side has a right to test your evidence. A list of what is being sought (pdf) is available online. MediaSentry has produced 'none of the above'. 'Put up or shut up' says one commentator to SafeNet."
Programming

Submission + - What are the best programming blogs?

Submitted by
anthroguy
anthroguy writes: "I've been reading Slashdot for years and enjoy it as a cross-reference for nerdy news, but I'm wondering something: what are the best blogs on programming — or otherwise — on the internet at the moment that we should all be reading (to submit to Slashdot, if worthy, of course)?"

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"More software projects have gone awry for lack of calendar time than for all other causes combined." -- Fred Brooks, Jr., _The Mythical Man Month_

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