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INTEREST: ripples continue from Sony/BMG rootkit fiasco
by billing 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

{QUICK REFRESHER ON} (from various sources including: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 2005_Sony_BMG_CD_copy_protection_scandal) In 2005 Sony/BMG Music began distributing audio CDs which included copy protection software. The CDs would not play on computers until some software had been installed from the CD onto the computer. The problems were that this "protection" software acted in the same manner as a rootkit - a type of program that hides itself from the user - and it also opened vulnerabilities in the Windows OS making it easier for viruses and other malware to infiltrate such a computer. "On November 16, 2005, US-CERT, part of the United States Department of Homeland Security, issued an advisory on XCP DRM. They said that XCP uses rootkit technology to hide certain files from the computer user, and that this technique is a security threat to computer users. They also said one of the uninstallation options provided by Sony BMG introduces further vulnerabilities to a system. US-CERT advised, 'Do not install software from sources that you do not expect to contain software, such as an audio CD.'" Further, some CD owners reported that removing this software ended up with a corrupted hard disk involving the loss of all data and needing the reinstallation of the operating system to make the computer usable again. The CDs were recalled, class-action lawsuits and other legal action followed in various locations, and "on January 30, 2007, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a settlement with Sony BMG on charges that their CD copy protection had violated Federal Law. The settlement requires Sony BMG to reimburse consumers up to $150 to repair damage that resulted directly from their attempts to remove the software installed without their consent. The settlement also requires them to provide clear and prominent disclosure on the packaging of future CDs of any limits on copying or restrictions on the use of playback devices, and bars the company from installing content protection software without obtaining consumers’ authorization. FTC chairwoman Deborah Platt Majoras added that, 'Installations of secret software that create security risks are intrusive and unlawful. Consumers' computers belong to them, and companies must adequately disclose unexpected limitations on the customary use of their products so consumers can make informed decisions regarding whether to purchase and install that content.'" {QUICK REFRESHER OFF} ...from: http://www.oto-online.com/index.php? option=com_content&task=view&id=516&Itemid=1 Sony sues anti-piracy company Wednesday, 18 July 2007 Following a class action settlement proposed in a lawsuit against Sony BMG Music Entertainment, SunnComm International, and First 4 Internet, Sony BMG is suing The Amergence Group Inc (formerly SunnComm), claiming that its technology was defective and cost the record company millions of dollars to settle consumer complaints and government investigations. The MediaMax CD copy protection caused an uproar amongst consumers, following the discovery that the software caused various problems, including playability issues. Sony BMG is trying to get about $12 million in damages from Amergence, accusing the company of negligence, unfair business practices and breaching the terms of its license agreement by delivering software that "did not perform as warranted". Amergence has countered by saying that it was "unexpectedly served with a summons in a civil lawsuit brought by Sony-BMG. The suit alleges, among other things, that SunnComm's CD copy protection component, called MediaMax, was defective and that the small Phoenix- based company has a contractual obligation to indemnify the entertainment giant against consumer actions which Amergence believes resulted primarily from 1) Sony's under-tested release of a competitor's technology, and 2) BMG's 'final authority' input in determining the functional specifications of the MediaMax copy protection."

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FYI: care and feeding of your Apple laptop battery: avoid heat!
by billing 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

The following procedure is specifically intended for "smart" Lithium- Ion batteries so, really what is being addressed is not the battery so much as the battery's microprocessor, the bit of the battery that is responsible for tracking the power remaining in the battery. Over time (on the scale of years rather than months) Li-Ion batteries see their maximum charge levels drop (around 10-2-%). This is not the "memory" that the previous NiCad batteries encountered but just a gradual reduction of the max charge. The following procedure does not "condition" the battery it merely allows the on-battery microprocessor to discover the new "maximum charge" if it has changed. As such, this procedure would benefit any Li-Ion battery that has "smarts" added to it (such as iPod or iPhone) and so would be applicable to any such device not only Apple's laptops. If the device in question does not have these "smarts" the following procedure does nothing for the Li-Ion battery. This procedure is not so much "conditioning the battery" as "recalculating the maximum power estimate". Every source I was able to find seems to agree that the worst thing for Li-Ion battery life is excess heat. The caution on Apple's iPhone page, for example, says: "Paying attention to just a few commonsense pointers will pay off with a longer battery lifespan and battery life for your iPhone. The most important thing is to keep your iPhone out of the sun or a hot car (even the glove box). Heat will degrade your battery’s performance the most." The same would be true of any Li-Ion battery such as your iPod. Wayne ...from: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86284 Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance You can calibrate your iBook, PowerBook, MacBook or MacBook Pro computer's lithium ion battery for best performance. The battery has an internal microprocessor that provides an estimate of the amount of energy in the battery as it charges and discharges. The battery needs to be recalibrated from time to time to keep the onscreen battery time and percent display accurate. With all iBooks and PowerBook G4 computers except the aluminum PowerBook G4 (15-inch Double-Layer SD), you should perform this procedure when you first use your computer and then every few months thereafter. iBooks and PowerBook G4s other than the PowerBook G4 (15-inch Double- Layer SD) Plug the power adapter in and fully charge your computer's battery until the battery indicator lights turn off and the adapter plug light goes from amber to green, which indicates that the battery is fully charged. Disconnect the power adapter and use your iBook or PowerBook. When your battery gets low, you will see the low battery warning dialog on the screen. Continue to use your computer until it goes to sleep. At that point the battery has been sufficiently drained for calibration. Connect the power adapter and leave it connected until the battery is fully charged again. You have to fully charge and then discharge your battery only once to calibrate it. After that, you can connect and disconnect the power adapter when the battery is at any charge level. Tip: When the battery reaches "empty", the computer is forced into sleep mode. The battery actually keeps back a reserve beyond "empty", to maintain the computer in sleep for a period of time. Once the battery is truly exhausted, the computer is forced to shut down. At this point, any open files could be lost. Therefore, it is important that you find an electrical outlet and connect the adapter before the forced shutdown occurs. PowerBook G4 (15-inch Double-Layer SD), MacBook (all models), MacBook Pro (all models), and MacBook Pro (17-inch) (all models) The battery calibration for the PowerBook G4 (15-inch Double-Layer SD) and any model of MacBook or MacBook Pro has been updated because of a new battery released with this computer. With these computers, follow these steps to calibrate your battery: Plug in the power adapter and fully charge your PowerBook's battery until the light ring or LED on the power adapter plug changes to green and the onscreen meter in the menu bar indicates that the battery is fully charged. Allow the battery to rest in the fully charged state for at least two hours. You may use your computer during this time as long as the adapter is plugged in. Disconnect the power adapter with the computer still on and start running the computer off battery power. You may use your computer during this time. When your battery gets low, you will see the low battery warning dialog on the screen. Continue to keep your computer on until it goes to sleep. Save all your work and close all applications when the battery gets very low, before the computer goes to sleep. Turn off the computer or allow it to sleep for five hours or more. Connect the power adapter and leave it connected until the battery is fully charged again. Tip: When the battery reaches "empty", the computer is forced into sleep mode. The battery actually keeps back a reserve beyond "empty", to maintain the computer in sleep for a period of time. Once the battery is truly exhausted, the computer is forced to shut down. At this point, with the safe sleep function introduced in the PowerBook G4 (15-inch Double-Layer SD) computers, the computer's memory contents have been saved to the hard drive. When power is restored, the computer returns itself to its pre-sleep state using the safe sleep image on the hard drive. If you're not sure which model of PowerBook you have, see article 88248 to figure out which model you have. - - - - - - - - - - For battery saving tips for your iPod or iPhone (when it comes) see: http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipods.html http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html

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FYI: Critical MS Excel flaw dings Mac users
by billing 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

...from: http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=379&tag=nl.e622 July 13th, 2007 Critical MS Excel flaw dings Mac users Posted by Ryan Naraine @ 12:34 pm Microsoft has re-released the critical MS07-036 bulletin to add protection for Mac OS X users. When the bulletin was originally released in this month’s Patch Tuesday batch, there was no mention of Mac users being at risk but the bulletin was reissued late Thursday night with a note that all three vulnerabilities affect the Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac software. The Office 2004 for Mac portion of the bulletin is rated “important” across the board for all three flaws. A successful attack could lead to remote code execution on the affected system. The reissued bulletin also includes updated File Manifest information for Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007. http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx?pid=download&location=/ mac/download/Office2004/Office2004_1136.xml or http://preview.tinyurl.com/2cjvfb

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Aperture - Free Seminars from Apple
by Doug Hamilton 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

Hello to All: Apple has just announced two free seminars in Winnipeg on August 15, 2007, on their Aperture digital photography workflow application. The seminar topics and related links are For the Wedding and Event Photography from 9am to 12pm http://www.seminars.apple.com/goToEvent.html?id=64752 Streamlining your RAW Photography Workflow from 7pm to 9pm http://www.seminars.apple.com/goToEvent.html?id=64852 Please forward this message on to anyone whom you think would be interested. For those of you working at or attending PrairieView School of Photography, could you please forward this message on to other students or staff you think would be interested. I am aware that Don's Photo is partnering with Apple on this one, but if you have any friends/contacts at PhotoCentral please feel free to send this information to them. Regards, Doug ------------- Doug Hamilton, BA, MA, APP Senior Computer Consultant Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba 204-474-6196 (Ph.) 204-474-7556 (Fax) http://www.umanitoba.ca/bookstore/

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INTEREST: Microsoft/Hotmail suing spammers
by billing 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

...from: http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/05/25/stock/index.php Microsoft sues alleged stock scammers By Robert McMillan, IDG News Service Hoping to tackle the growing problem of pump-and-dump stock scams Microsoft has quietly filed lawsuits against at least three alleged perpetrators who it says used its MSN Hotmail networks to promote stocks. Hotmail has “received large volumes of unsolicited commercial e-mail messages” promoting stocks for companies such as Distributed Power, TGC Ventures, China Biolife Enterprises, and Irwin Resources, according to court documents filed during April and May in King County Superior Court in Seattle. Microsoft charges the defendants with violating the federal CAN-SPAM act as well as Washington state consumer protection laws, and is seeking unspecified damages, according to the filings. Pump-and-dump e-mail scams are a form of fraud where the criminals purchase stock in a company — typically an inexpensive penny stock — and then promote the equity in millions of unsolicited email messages. The technique is one of the more lucrative spamming practices, and has been “the fastest growing area in spam” over the past few months, said Craig Schmugar, a threat research manager with McAfee’s Avert Labs. Pump-and-dump spam has not only taken up resources and threatened the smooth functioning of Hotmail, but it “continues to result in significant costs to Microsoft,” the court filings state. Microsoft executives were not immediately available to comment for this story. Because Microsoft does not know the name of the spammers behind the unsolicited e-mails, it has filed the lawsuits as “John Doe” cases, giving it the power to subpoena information in the case and ultimately name the parties responsible when they are uncovered. It’s the latest move in the cat and mouse game between pump-and-dump spammers and the technology companies trying to stop them. Pump-and-dump scams are gaining more attention from criminals and companies like Microsoft for one simple reason: they work. Researchers at Purdue and Oxford Universities recently examined] the dynamics of pump-and-dump and found that spammers could realize 5 percent returns in a single day. Because these scams are so lucrative, they’ve attracted some of the most technically competent spammers to develop new techniques, said Adam O’Donnell, a senior research scientist at Cloudmark. “The pump and dump schemes are basically driving spam research and development,” he said. [...] With the jump in pump-and-dump e-mail, O’Donnell said it’s no surprise that Microsoft has brought the lawsuits. “Hotmail is heavily used and is viewed by the Web community as one of the most challenging spam environments right now,” he said.

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INTEREST: Microsoft to spend $1.15B on -$6B sales of XBOX 360
by billing 06 Jul '07

06 Jul '07

...from: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/business/06soft.html? th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1183781121-q74ntW7AImNEg5Ocy39D3w OR http://preview.tinyurl.com/29pzvl Microsoft to Spend $1.15 Billion for Xbox Repairs By ERIC A. TAUB Published: July 6, 2007 LOS ANGELES, July 5 — 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. While the company would not say how many units were failing, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, said that there have been an “unacceptable high number of repairs.” The majority of Xbox 360 owners, he said, have not experienced hardware failure. Company officials said that Microsoft had sold 11.6 million Xbox 360 units by the end of June, shy of the 12 million units the company had predicted. The Xbox 360, which first went of sale in November 2005, is currently the best-selling game machine in the United States, according to NPD, a market research firm. The size of the anticipated repair bill suggests that a third to as many as half of the machines are flawed. Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., said it would take a charge of $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion against earnings in the quarter ended June 30. Consumers know they have a problem if three red flashing lights appear on the console. Gamers on online forums have been referring to the event as “the Red Ring of Death” because the machine then shuts down. The company declined to explain the nature of the failure, but said that it was not caused by a single problem in the console, which it said contained 1,700 components and 500 million transistors. The company also said there were no health or safety concerns involved. The problem began to appear over the last three to four months, Mr. Bach said, after “significant usage” of the consoles. He said the company has taken steps to correct the problem in new devices. 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, while Xbox 360 units sold in Europe had a two-year warranty. In addition, customers who have had their consoles repaired because of the “three flashing lights” problem will be reimbursed for the cost of the repairs. Microsoft has succeeded in establishing the Xbox brand against the better known Sony PlayStation and other game machines. The Xbox and its successor, the Xbox 360, was the software maker’s first major foray into hardware. Although sales are small relative to the rest of Microsoft’s revenue, the Xbox has been an important venture for the company and was viewed by many analysts as Microsoft’s attempt to compete with the likes of Sony and Apple for control of electronics and entertainment within homes. The device can be used to access the Internet and view movies. Microsoft said its entertainment and devices division reported an operating loss of $315 million on $929 million in revenue for the three-month period that ended in March, and analysts have estimated that the company lost about $6 billion getting a foothold in the game machine industry. A new Xbox 360 with a 20-gigabyte hard drive sells for about $400, but other versions cost about $300. The announcement comes on the eve of the E3 Media and Business Summit, the video-game industry’s major trade show, to be held next week in Los Angeles. “This is bound to affect discussions between Microsoft and its developers and retailers,” said Richard Doherty, a partner in the research company Envisioneering Group.

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INTEREST: UCBerkeley CIO on digital demands and challenges of protecting data in an open institution
by billing 05 Jul '07

05 Jul '07

...from: http://video.zdnet.com/CIOSessions/?p=170 Technology challenges in academia In this wide-ranging interview, Shelton Waggener, the CIO of the University of California at Berkeley, talks about meeting the digital demands of its tech-savvy student population, the challenges of protecting data in an open institution, and innovative technologies being developed on campus.

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INTEREST: How to get all your telephones (or none) to ring at the same time... Now from Google.
by billing 05 Jul '07

05 Jul '07

...from: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Google/?p=627&tag=nl.e622 July 2nd, 2007 Grand Central acquired by Google for $50 million? Posted by Garett Rogers @ 2:28 pm Michael Arrington was right when he heard GrandCentral was either in talks, or has already been acquired by Google. Today Google announced the acquisition on their official blog, though the terms have not yet been disclosed. If Arrington was correct, it’s safe to presume it was around the $50 million dollar mark. What does this mean? Well, we can only speculate, but it could have a huge impact in several areas for Google. First, imagine having a single, always-on, always-ready, forever available, telephone number that is tied to every phone number you currently have. By signing up, you will have simplified your life and that of anybody else who tries to contact you. Now imagine having that single phone number tied to your Google Talk instant messenger and Gmail. You can receive phone calls directly on your computer from anyone and listen to voicemail right in Gmail — the latter of which, interestingly enough, can already be used today. The service is currently now in private beta — you will need an invitation to set up a new account now. You will also find that it only works for American phone numbers so far. There is no word on upcoming features or plans to expand to other countries at this time. What is GRAND CENTRAL? (from: http://www.grandcentral.com/support/ howitworks/) Screen Callers Know who's calling and screen unknown callers ListenIn Hear why someone is calling before taking the call Call Record Record calls on the fly and access recordings online Block Callers Unwanted callers won't be able to reach you anymore Notifications Receive voicemail notifications via email or SMS Ring Different Phones One number that rings different phones based on who's calling Greetings Personalize your voicemail greetings by caller or group RingShare Go beyond the ring and choose ringback tones for your callers WebCall Button Let people call you from a web page without showing your number CallSwitch Switch phones in the middle of a call Click2Call Call from your addressbook and save your typing Mobile Access Visual voicemail for your mobile phone What does GRAND CENTRAL look like? (from: http://www.grandcentral.com/ howitworks/mobile_inbx) Wayne I wonder what it will look like on an iPhone? ::-)

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INTEREST: monthly iPhone costs; Rogers not carrying iPhone
by billing 19 Jun '07

19 Jun '07

Apple has already announced the US pricing for the iPhone (US$499 for the 4MB model, and US$599 for the 8MB) but what would the monthly operating costs be. A journalist has put together his approximation: If purchased from ATT/Cingular, the monthly iPhone costs have been estimated to be: - AT&T 450 minute individual plan - US$39.99/month (There may be a minimum required voice plan to get the iPhone.) - Unlimited data plan - US$39.99 (final data price still unknown for iPhone) - Estimated monthly taxes and fees - US$15 - Total cost of montly services - US$94.98 Just for comparison, similar service from Rogers Communications in Winnipeg would be: - Rogers Business Plan 500 (500 minutes) - C$50 - Unlimited data plan - doesn't seem to exist. They do have 5MB/month for $5.00 and 10MB/month for $10.00 (each additional MB costs 3 ¢ with, it seems, no cap on the charges. There is also a BlackBerry plan for $95 with 350 Weekday + Unlimited Evenings & Weekends and 50 MB/month. Each MB over the initial 50 is $7 with, apparently, no cap on the charges. Sources for the above information: ATT pricing: http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=400 Rogers pricing: - cell phone plan: http://www.shoprogers.com/business/wireless/ plans_services/business_plans.asp? shopperID=RGS2RJ6DGNUV9PKNXF1ER64K99GC4PNF&plan=business&cat=1&typ=1? shopperID=Q0VQA923PLXQ8KCF85F84UA1LX88DHK0& - OR the tinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/yoe4fg - mobile internet plan: http://www.shoprogers.com/store/wireless/ services/voice/navigate-mobile-internet.asp? shopperID=3GGLJL1KL8VJ9ME6N2GJ7RQELEKU8UCD - OR the tinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/ysr3pm BlackBerry plan pricing: http://www.shoprogers.com/business/wireless/ plans_services/business_plans.asp? shopperID=W6053CQGDAC99N2WPV9HXM3UBU2SAD30&plan=blackberryvoicenemail&ca t=3&typ=2 - OR the tinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/ywj4xz = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ...from: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM. 20070617.wiphone0617/BNStory/Technology/home Why you can't buy Apple's new phone (in Canada) CATHERINE MCLEAN Globe and Mail Update June 17, 2007 at 9:06 PM EDT The most hyped consumer electronics device in years will make its debut on June 29, but Apple Inc. [AAPL-Q]'s iPhone will be conspicuously absent from Canadian store shelves. Sold out? No — just not for sale. [...] Rogers Communications Inc. [RCI.B-T], recently admitted little was happening on that front. "The truth is we aren't very far with Apple," Bill Linton, Rogers' chief financial officer, told a conference last month. "They're concentrating on this launch and the U.S., and when they decide to turn their mind to other markets, we'll be in line." [...]

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FYI: FBI "Operation Bot Roast" (no joke) identifies botnets > 1 million machines
by billing 18 Jun '07

18 Jun '07

...from: http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel07/botnet061307.htm Over 1 Million Potential Victims of Botnet Cyber Crime Today the Department of Justice and FBI announced the results of an ongoing cyber crime initiative to disrupt and dismantle “bot- herders” and elevate the public’s cyber security awareness of botnets. OPERATION BOT ROAST is a national initiative and ongoing investigations have identified over 1 million victim computer IP addresses. The FBI is working with our industry partners, including the CERT Coordination Center at Carnegie Mellon University, to notify the victim owners of the computers. Through this process the FBI may uncover additional incidents in which botnets have been used to facilitate other criminal activity. A botnet is a collection of compromised computers under the remote command and control of a criminal “botherder.” Most owners of the compromised computers are unknowing and unwitting victims. They have unintentionally allowed unauthorized access and use of their computers as a vehicle to facilitate other crimes, such as identity theft, denial of service attacks, phishing, click fraud, and the mass distribution of spam and spyware. Because of their widely distributed capabilities, botnets are a growing threat to national security, the national information infrastructure, and the economy. “The majority of victims are not even aware that their computer has been compromised or their personal information exploited,” said FBI Assistant Director for the Cyber Division James Finch. “An attacker gains control by infecting the computer with a virus or other malicious code and the computer continues to operate normally. Citizens can protect themselves from botnets and the associated schemes by practicing strong computer security habits to reduce the risk that your computer will be compromised.” The FBI also wants to thank our industry partners, such as the Microsoft Corporation and the Botnet Task Force, in referring criminal botnet activity to law enforcement. Cyber security tips include updating anti‑virus software, installing a firewall, using strong passwords, practicing good email and web security practices. Although this will not necessarily identify or remove a botnet currently on the system, this can help to prevent future botnet attacks. More information on botnets and tips for cyber crime prevention can be found online at www.fbi.gov. The FBI will not contact you online and request your personal information so be wary of fraud schemes that request this type of information, especially via unsolicited emails. To report fraudulent activity or financial scams, contact the nearest FBI office or police department, and file a complaint online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, www.ic3.gov. To date, the following subjects have been charged or arrested in this operation with computer fraud and abuse in violation of Title 18 USC 1030, including: James C. Brewer of Arlington, Texas, is alleged to have operated a botnet that infected Chicago area hospitals. This botnet infected tens of thousands of computers worldwide. (FBI Chicago); Jason Michael Downey of Covington, Kentucky, is charged with an Information with using botnets to send a high volume of traffic to intended recipients to cause damage by impairing the availability of such systems. (FBI Detroit); and Robert Alan Soloway of Seattle, Washington, is alleged to have used a large botnet network and spammed tens of millions of unsolicited email messages to advertise his website from which he offered services and products. (FBI Seattle) The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate individuals that conduct cyber criminal acts. | Press Releases | FBI Home Page |

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