Evening Tech Reading - tech
(hx) 12:21 AM CET - Feb,06 2004
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- Microsoft IE patch leaves users locked out - A critical security
patch released this week that fixes vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer has
left many users unable to access certain Web sites and Internet
resources.Microsoft's latest IE update, which was released outside the monthly
patching cycle, stops the company's browser from being used to transfer
malicious code to a user's PC and fixes the URL spoofing flaw, but it also
stops URLs from being used to access password-protected Internet resources, a
feature that many companies employ.
- Web applications wide open to hackers -
The vast majority
of web applications are wide open to attacks by hackers, a four-year
testing programme has revealed. According to vulnerability assessments
conducted by the Application Defense Center of security firm WebCohort, at
least 92 per cent of web applications are vulnerable to some form of hacker
attack.
- Cable modem hackers conquer the co-ax - A small and diverse band of
hobbyists steeped in the obscure languages of embedded systems has
released its
own custom firmware for a popular brand of cable modem, along with a
technique for loading it -- a development that's already made life easier for
uncappers and service squatters, and threatens to topple long-held assumptions
about the privacy of cable modem communications. The program, called
Sigma, was released in its final version last month, and has reportedly been
downloaded 350 to 400 times a day ever since. It's designed to be flashed into
the non-volatile memory of certain models of Motorola's Surfboard line, where
it runs in parallel with the device's normal functionality. It gives users
almost complete control of their cable modem -- a privilege previously
reserved for the service provider.
- Windows XP's Big Security Fix -
PCWorld tested a beta of XP SP2 and came away impressed: With a simple
installation, much-needed security enhancements, and a friendlier front-end to
wireless networking, XP SP2 is shaping up as a must-have upgrade for all
Windows XP users. Service Pack 2 will be free, but Microsoft hasn't yet said
how it will distribute the pack.
- Microsoft's IIS Serves More High-Traffic Sites than Apache - In
stark contrast to statistics released by Netcraft, a survey conducted by San
Diego-based Port80 Software indicates that Microsoft's Internet Information
Services (IIS) server is used by more high-traffic Web sites than the rival
Apache server. Netcraft's Web server findings, based on a survey of more than
47 million Web sites, have consistently indicated that Microsoft's IIS server
garners about 20 percent of the Web server market, trailing the Apache
open-source server's 67 percent. Port80 Software, however, polled the 1,000
most-visited Web sites on the Internet and found that
IIS serves more than 43 percent of those high-traffic sites, while Apache
accounts for slightly less than 40 percent of that market segment.
- Xbox to go online in Asia - Microsoft will unveil its
Xbox online gaming service in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore this April,
a year and a half after its U.S. debut. In a statement, Microsoft said it will
launch Xbox Live in those locations in two months' time but declined to offer
pricing.
- IBM ThinkPad X40 First Look - With the arrival of the best-in-class
IBM ThinkPad X40 (1GHz Pentium M / 512MB RAM), other ultraportables have a
lot of catching up to do. Even with a system weight of just 2.7 pounds, the
X40 still has the features serious road warriors demand-notably that
wonderful-feeling, full-size IBM keyboard. Best of all, IBM has priced the X40
very competitively: Prices start at $1,499 direct. It will be available
worldwide as of February 24.
- Saint Valentine's Day Screensaver - This is a
screensaver for Windows which celebrates Valentine's Day.
- Port Knocking (Linux) -
Port knocking (download)
can generalize beyond protection of ports to transfer of data across closed
ports. It need not be the case that the monitoring daemon open ports upon
reception of information. It can store the information, manipulate the
information and carry out some action, pass the information on, etc. Although
slow, a form of IP over closed ports could be developed.
- GNOME 2.4.2 (Linux) -
The GNOME Linux desktop
environment (download),
an intuitive and attractive desktop for end-users, users, and the GNOME
development platform, an extensive framework for building applications that
integrate into the rest of the desktop.
- HyperSnap-DX 5.50.00 (SHW) -
HyperSnap-DX 5 (download)
is a screen capture and image editing tool for MS Windows. It captures screens
from standard desktop programs and even those hard-to-grab DirectX, Direct3D,
3Dfx Voodoo and Glide mode games.
- Cacheman XP 1.0.1.1 -
CachemanXP (download)
is a system service designed to improve the performance of your computer by
optimizing several caches, auto-recovering RAM and fine tuning a number of
system settings.
- Logitech MouseWare v9.80 - Logitech's FTP has offers new
Mouseware
drivers v9.80 for its mouse, trackball, etc. products.
- NVIDIA ForceWare 53.06 Windows 2k/XP BETA - Guru3D has posted
a
new ForceWare drivers (originally from Leadtek). The .inf file has been
modified to support all NVIDIA graphics cards. This is build 53.06 for Windows
2k/XP. Try only at your own risk.
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Updated:03:04 PM CEST Jun,20
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