http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080924111405982
UK: M&S appeal dropped as it encrypts laptops (follow-up)
Wednesday, September 24 2008 @ 11:14 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
An appeal by Marks and Spencer (M&S) against a decision by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) ordering the retail giant to encrypt all its laptops has been dropped for a strange reason - M&S has completed a laptop encryption programme.
The apparent confliction between the laptop encryption scheme and the decision to appeal the enforcement notice has been given different explanations by different sources.
Source - computing.co.uk
[From the article:
Computing was told by a source close to the case that M&S changed tack and decided to comply with the enforcement notice rather than appeal it because the retailer had originally over-estimated its legal position and did not think the ICO would pursue the case to court.
“Do as I say, not as I do.”
http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080924161637132
Possible security breach in New Haven
Wednesday, September 24 2008 @ 04:16 PM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
New Haven (WTNH) -- The personal information of people working at ports in Connecticut and across the country could be in jeopardy. Thieves have made off with vital equipment, leaving the Department of Homeland Security scrambling.
Two laptop computers were missing after the break-in. One was used to enter the personal information of applicants undergoing a background check.
DHS insists information in the lap tops is encrypted and the data is suppose to be deleted after it's transmitted to Washington.
Still, in a statement to News Channel 8, the FBI says the "Joint Terrorism Taskforce is assessing if there's been a breach in national security."
Source - WTNH.com
[From the article:
Today, truckers like John Rocchi showed up at the office to apply for an ID only to be turned away until new laptops arrive to replace the ones that were stolen. [Apparently there are no paper forms? Why laptops? Desktops are cheaper and less a target for thieves... Bob] Rocchi, like many others, wonders why such a sensitive office was placed in an inner city neighborhood.
... Who ever was responsible obviously broke in the front door but the office door for TWIC has no sign of forced entry. The office manager here believes that might mean someone had a key to get in. [...or the door was unlocked? Bob]
Related? Is this technology too expensive (free) or too complex for Homeland Security?
http://www.linux.com/feature/148197
Track your missing laptop with Adeona
By Nathan Willis on September 23, 2008 (9:00:00 PM)
... Adeona runs in the background, and works its magic by waking up at random intervals to record data about the equipment's location and status, which it encrypts and then silently uploads to off-site storage. If your laptop (or, for that matter, your co-located server) goes missing, you can retrieve its latest records from elsewhere, learning such information as its internal and external IP address, local network configuration, and more. Armed with that info, you can call John Law and take a big step toward recovering your goods.
Related? Security rules are occationaly followed...
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/019396.html
September 24, 2008
DOE IG: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Unclassified Cyber Security Program - 2008
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Unclassified Cyber Security Program - 2008, DOE/IG-0802 September 2008
"The Commission had taken action to improve cyber security practices and implemented protective measures designed to defend its networks against malicious attackers and other external threats. Our evaluation, however, disclosed that additional actions are needed to reduce the risk of compromise to the Commission's business information systems and data to an acceptable level."
Since our citizens object, we have no choice but to stop all public discussion of this database. Henceforth, this will fall under our “Double Secret Probation” classification.
http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=2008092506111137
UK.gov 'to drop' überdatabase from Communications Data Bill
Thursday, September 25 2008 @ 06:11 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
The government will drop plans for a massive central database to track UK citizens private communications from the forthcoming Communications Data Bill, but civil servants will proceed with the multi-billion project in the background instead.
Senior civil servants will discretely proceed with the project to swerve potential political opposition to a scheme which would retain details of every phone call, email, and web browsing session carried out by every UK citizen, sources have told The Register.
Source - The Register
“Security is as good as we can program it to be...” Scary thought.
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/09/20m_cameras_at.html
September 25, 2008
$20M Cameras at New York's Freedom Tower are Pretty Sophisticated
They're trying to detect anomalies:
If you have ever wondered how security guards can possibly keep an unfailingly vigilant watch on every single one of dozens of television monitors, each depicting a different scene, the answer seems to be (as you suspected): they can't.
Instead, they can now rely on computers to constantly analyze the patterns, sizes, speeds, angles and motion picked up by the camera and determine -- based on how they have been programmed -- whether this constitutes a possible threat. In which case, the computer alerts the security guard whose own eyes may have been momentarily diverted. Or shut.
An alarm can be raised, for instance, if the computer discerns a vehicle that has been standing still for too long (say, a van in the drop-off lane of an airport terminal) or a person who is loitering while everyone else is in motion. By the same token, it will spot the individual who is moving rapidly while everyone else is shuffling along. It can spot a package that has been left behind and identify which figure in the crowd abandoned it. Or pinpoint the individual who is moving the wrong way down a one-way corridor.
Because one person's "abnormal situation" is another person's "hot dog vendor attracting a small crowd," the computers can be programmed to discern between times of the day and days of the week.
Certainly interesting.
The “Big-Brotherhood” is growing... Any chance we will see a similar headline in this country?
http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080925061722578
Norway signs over the personal data of its citizens to the US
Thursday, September 25 2008 @ 06:17 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
In a historic deal, the United States and Norway are set to sign an agreement to share the personal data of each other’s citizens. A similar deal has just been struck between the US and the EU, allowing for everything from personal web surfing information to mobile phone numbers and email addresses to be exchanged between the government bodies.
Source - IceNews
Big Brother has great big eyes...
http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=2008092506314079
AU: Councils spy with Google eye
Thursday, September 25 2008 @ 06:31 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
Thinking of extending the kitchen but want to avoid council red tape and building permits? Maybe you have forgotten to register the family pet or failed to fence off the pool?
Be careful, Big Brother could be watching, with several Victorian councils using Google Earth and Google Street View to identify illegal building activity and breaches of local government laws.
Source - The Sydney Morning Herald Thanks to Brian Honan for the link.
The price of SPAM?
http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080925063020313
Timberland pays $7m to settle SMS spam lawsuit
Thursday, September 25 2008 @ 06:30 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
Outdoor gear firm Timberland has agreed to pay $7m to settle a text message spam class-action lawsuit in the US.
Recipients of unsolicited SMS messages punting the rappers' favourite stand to collect up to $150 in compensation from the fund, under the terms of a preliminary agreement.
Source - The Register Thanks to Brian Honan for the link.
A new legal term?
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/25/0311207&from=rss
DOJ Opposes Extending DOJ Copyright Authority
Posted by samzenpus on Thursday September 25, @07:57AM from the not-our-problem dept.
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes
"The White House has opposed the bipartisan bill that would create copyright cops on the grounds that it would cause the Department of Justice to end up 'serving as pro bono lawyers for private copyright holders.' And while they do occasionally prosecute criminal copyright infringement, they have no intention of dabbling with civil cases because, 'taxpayer-supported department lawyers would pursue lawsuits for copyright holders, with monetary recovery going to industry.' At this rate, the discovery of winged suiformes [Flying pigs? Bob] would appear to be immanent."
“We like our public records to be public—just not too public.” I like it!
http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/24/181233&from=rss
Chicago Law Firm Sues Over Hyperlink To Trademarked Name
Posted by timothy on Wednesday September 24, @02:32PM from the quick-don't-ever-mention-any-company-names dept. The Internet The Courts
TheSpoom writes
"Large Chicago law firm Jones Day are suing internet startup BlockShopper over the issue of whether linking to a business with their trademarked name should be legal. It would seem they are using trademark dilution as a tool to get BlockShopper to cease linking to their website. The EFF has filed an amicus curiae, as might be expected. If Jones Day wins this suit, anyone linking using a trademarked name may be in legal hot water."
Music lovers don't tend to fight the RIAA, but never mess with the gamer crowd...
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/24/1939256&from=rss
EA Hit By Class-Action Suit Over Spore DRM
Posted by Soulskill on Wednesday September 24, @04:02PM from the was-it-worth-the-hassle? dept.
The ever-growing unrest caused by the DRM involved with EA's launch of Spore came to a head on Monday. A woman named Melissa Thomas filed a class-action lawsuit against EA for their inclusion of the SecuROM copy-protection software with Spore. This comes after protests of the game's DRM ranged from a bombardment of poor Amazon reviews to in-game designs decrying EA and its policies. Some of those policies were eased, but EA has also threatened to ban players for even discussing SecuROM on their forums. The court documents (PDF) allege:
"What purchasers are not told is that, included in the purchase, installation, and operation of Spore is a second, undisclosed program. The name of the second program is SecuROM ... Consumers are given no control, rights, or options over SecuROM. ... Electronic Arts intentionally did not disclose to any such purchasers that the Spore game disk also possessed a second, hidden program which secretly installed to the command and control center of the computer."
Hacker response: Change your userid every 30 seconds...
http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/24/1941221&from=rss
Comcast Outlines New Broadband Policy
Posted by timothy on Wednesday September 24, @04:49PM from the knowledge-is-power dept. The Internet
Slatterz writes
"US cable provider Comcast has presented its long-term solution for managing broadband traffic. The new system is set at putting to bed a minor scandal that erupted around the company when it was found that Comcast deliberately limited traffic for certain applications. The company said that under its new system, traffic will be analyzed every fifteen minutes. Users who are found to be occupying large amounts of bandwidth will be placed at a lower priority for network access behind users with less bandwidth-intensive traffic. The new system will not replace or be related to the company's earlier installment of bandwidth caps, which limited a user's data intake to 250GB per month."
Related? What happens when everyone is using the Internet rather than cable. Satellite or broadcast to get their TV?
IPTV subscriptions to grow 64 percent in 2008: Gartner
Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:00am EDT
A “Cloud Computing” question for my Computer Lawyer friends: If my applications are stored “in the cloud” and vendors like IBM dynamically move them from center to center to balance the load, how will you word a subpoena? Will “located in the cloud” be sufficient?
IBM launches four new cloud computing centers
IBM now has 13 cloud computing centers worldwide to let enterprises, universities, and governments test Web-based services and applications
By John Ribeiro, IDG News Service September 24, 2008
IBM opened up cloud computing centers in four countries on Wednesday to let enterprises, universities, and governments test Web-based services and applications.
The new cloud computing centers are in Bangalore, India; Hanoi, Vietnam; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Seoul, South Korea. The company now has 13 cloud computing centers worldwide.
Interesting when you think about it. This must include a majority of blue collar workers too.
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/019395.html
September 24, 2008
Pew Report: Most working Americans now use the internet or email at their jobs
News release: "A new national survey shows that 62% of adults who are currently employed use the internet or email at work and they have mixed views about the impact of technology on their work lives. [Imagine that! Bob] On the one hand, they cite the benefits of increased connectivity and flexibility that the internet and all of their various gadgets afford them at work. On the other hand, many workers say these tools have added stress and new demands to their lives."
Networked Workers: Most workers use the internet or email at their jobs, but they say these technologies are a mixed blessing for them, September 24, 2008
Related Does this explain the previous article?
http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/25/1314251&from=rss
Quarter of Workers' Time Online Is Personal
Posted by CmdrTaco on Thursday September 25, @10:03AM from the this-is-why-we-created-the-idle-section dept. The Internet
sloit writes
"Most people spend more than 25 per cent of their time online at work on personal activities. And 80 per cent of emails sent by volume in the workplace are personal. Bosses often have no way of tracking Internet activity or policies to define what staff can and cannot do. Paul Hortop, who reviews company network security for consultancy Voco, said the most common websites visited by personal web surfers were online trading sites, instant messaging/chat services and peer-to-peer sharing sites (allowing movie, music and software sharing)."
"Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things."
"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
Alice in Wonderland.
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/25/036232&from=rss
Studies Say Ideology Trumps Facts
Posted by samzenpus on Thursday September 25, @02:54AM from the water-still-wet dept. Science
Anti-Globalism writes
"We like to think that people will be well informed before making important decisions, such as who to vote for, but the truth is that's not always the case. Being uninformed is one thing, but having a population that's actively misinformed presents problems when it comes to participating in the national debate, or the democratic process. If the findings of some political scientists are right, attempting to correct misinformation might do nothing more than reinforce the false belief."
Related: Oxymoron alert! “Political Facts” (At 6:10AM MDT the link doesn't work. Has Homeland Security been busy?)
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/019403.html
September 24, 2008
New on LLRX.com - The Government Domain: Political Fact-Checking Websites
The Government Domain: Political Fact-Checking Websites - Peggy Garvin's well-timed article identifies and evaluates key websites that monitor the accuracy of statements and representations made by political candidates and their respective campaigns.
For those of us who care...
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/019400.html
September 24, 2008
State of the Blogosphere - 2008
"Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere 2008 report...will be released in five consecutive daily segments. Since 2004, our annual study has unearthed and analyzed the trends and themes of blogging, but for the 2008 study, we resolved to go beyond the numbers of the Technorati Index to deliver even deeper insights into the blogging mind. For the first time, we surveyed bloggers directly about the role of blogging in their lives, the tools, time, and resources used to produce their blogs, and how blogging has impacted them personally, professionally, and financially."
[From the article:
Blogs are Profitable
The majority of bloggers we surveyed currently have advertising on their blogs. Among those with advertising, the mean annual investment in their blog is $1,800, but it’s paying off. The mean annual revenue is $6,000 with $75K+ in revenue for those with 100,000 or more unique visitors per month.
Definitely something for my students!
http://www.killerstartups.com/Web-App-Tools/ebook-x-com-download-e-books-for-free
Ebook-X.com - Download E-books For Free
Are you looking for computer-related books online and can’t seem to find what you need? If that happens to be the case, then a visit to the Ebook-X website is more than likely to set you going. The site collects together computer books ranging far and wide, and the database is constantly updated. A menu located on the left-hand side of the main page will let you find what you need in an uncomplicated manner. This menu is broken in categories such as “Free programming e-books”, “Free database e-books” and “Operating Systems” to name but three. Other category that merits a mention is the one entitled “Free video training”, where you can find out how to hone your skills online. Featured books are highlighted on the main page, and a brief description of each title is provided. This description showcases how each book is structured, and the different chapters are enumerated. In addition to that, miscellaneous books that are going to be of interest to computer enthusiasts the world over dealing with aspects such as Internet security and so forth can be procured online in a similar fashion.
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