Nightly Tech Reading - tech
(hx) 04:31 AM CEST - Jun,09 2004
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- Microsoft Patches New Windows Flaws - Microsoft released
software updates for versions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and
warned customers about a security vulnerability in a Windows component called
IDirectPlay4, which is used to support multiplayer network games. The security
hole,
if successfully exploited, could allow a remote attacker to cause a
Windows application using the affected component to fail, creating a denial of
service attack. IDirectPlay4 is one of three application programming
interfaces that make up Microsoft DirectPlay, a protocol that provides
networking services for networks based on TCP/IP and IPX. DirectPlay is
frequently used to support multiplayer games.
The second patch solves a security problem with the Crystal Reports Web
Viewer, a third-party product included with Visual Studio .Net 2003, Outlook
2003 with Business Contact Manager, and Microsoft Business Solutions CRM 1.2..
- DirectX Security Update - A security issue has been
identified that could allow an attacker to cause DirectX, or applications
using DirectX, to become unresponsive. Download fix for
WinXP,
Windows 2003.
- Two Critical Bugs found in MSIE - Two vulnerabilities have been
reported in Internet Explorer, which in combination with other known issues
can be exploited by malicious people to compromise a user's system. 1) A
variant of the "Location:" local resource access vulnerability can be
exploited via a specially crafted URL in the "Location:" HTTP header to open
local files. Example: "Location:
URL:ms-its:C:WINDOWSHelpiexplore.chm::/iegetsrt.htm" 2) A cross-zone
scripting error can be exploited to execute files in the "Local Machine"
security zone.
Secunia has confirmed the vulnerabilities in a fully patched system with
Internet Explorer 6.0. It has been reported that the preliminary SP2 prevents
exploitation by denying access.
Successful exploitation requires that a user can be tricked into following a
link or view a malicious HTML document.
- Greedy hackers can hog Wi-Fi bandwidth - Greedy computer hackers
using open-source Linux machines could steal more than
their fair share of bandwidth from Wi-Fi hotspots, Swiss computer
scientists have warned. At the MobiSys 2004 conference in Boston,
Massachusetts on Monday, Imad Aad, of the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology in Lausanne, outlined how changing just one line of code in the
Linux operating system could allow hackers to monopolise the bandwidth at
hotspots using the 802.11 standard. As some hotels charge up to a $1 per
minute for Wi-Fi access, the problem could become unfairly expensive for users
who do not cheat, he says.
- OS Security: It's in the Chips - Microsoft's Windows XP Service
Pack 2 and the next version of Red Hat's Enterprise Linux 3
will support new CPU-based security protections designed to stop incoming
malicious executable code from being triggered.
- IFPI sues 24 P2P users in Denmark - On Tuesday, the International
Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said that it
will sue 24 individuals in Denmark for trading music files online and that
Britain, France and Sweden could be added to the list of target countries.
- Various crashs and fun in Race Driver 1.20 - If a server receives
a message packet
with a length identifier of 0 it will crash immediately after the access to a
NULL pointer. All the attached clients will crash too. Actually this game is
no longer supported due to the release of Race Driver 2 in April 2004. (thanks
http://aluigi.altervista.org)
- ACON4: American whups Russian butt in wargame final - In the final,
we had a sort of a cold war situation where America played post communist
Russia and won again.
The
American whizz kid won both of the matches.
- Ray tracing engine for Quake III Arena produced - Slashdot.org has
the scoop on an interesting project that's produced
a real-time 3D ray tracing engine compatible with Quake III Arena. The
engine offers some interesting visuals, including a plethora of real-time
shadows and some very nice glass effects.
- Nanotube Non-Volatile Memory Entering Production -
Nantero, Inc.
announced today that it is teaming with LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE: LSI)
to develop semiconductor process technology, expediting the effective
utilization of carbon nanotubes in CMOS fabrication. The joint development
project is taking place at LSI Logic’s Gresham (Oregon)manufacturing campus,
which is capable of process R&D down to the 65nm node.
- DVD-RAM Hits Surprising Speeds -
A new 5X DVD-RAM standard speed was recently unveiled by the RAM Promotion
Group. It's not vaporware: Readying 5X DVD-RAM drives are Hitachi-LG, which
expects a release in June, and Panasonic, shipping in August. Maxell will have
5X DVD-RAM media in June as well. Previously, DVD-RAM maxed out at a mere 3X,
while +/-RW managed 4X.
- 6-Megapixel Shooters round-up - These user-friendly
point-and-shoots can be had for as little as $500.
PCMag tests three of the latest - Casio Exilim EX-P600 $499, Kodak
EasyShare DX7630 $427 and Olympus Camedia C-60 Zoom.
- THG's 15-Case Power Tower Round-Up - A new crop of PC cases
offers some sleek designs, but how do their utility, safety and upgradeability
measure up?
THG gives you the low-down on what to expect.
- PHP 5.0 RC3 -
The third
(and hopefully final) Release Candidate of PHP 5 is now available.
- Archetype BETA 3 -
Archetype (download)
is a Personal Blog & Photo Album Management System. It will make having a web
journal (weblog or blog) and photo album easier to have and maintain for
anyone.
- MAME 0.83b - A new version of MAME is available for
download.
- Creature House Expression 3 -
Creature House Expression 3 (download)
is an innovative vector-based illustration and graphics tool that provides
exciting creative capabilities for designers working in print, web, video, and
interactive mediums.
- HWiNFO32 v1.43 -
HWiNFO32 is a professional hardware information and diagnostic tool
supporting latest components, industry technologies and standards.
- Nvidia driver close to WHQL -
TheInquirer is reporting that Nvidia's driver, the 6x.xx, is very close to
release. Now Nvidia is waiting to get a WHQL certificate (beta can be found
here) but still hasn't released the driver.
- Sateira Burner version 1.4 -
Sateira Software
has yesterday released version 1.4 of their CD&DVD Burner software
- Nvidia ForceWare 61.40 Beta -
The files (10.7MB) are dated 05/19/2004 and will work with all ranges of
Nvidia cards
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Updated:12:47 AM CEST Jun,04
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