Colleges Need to Tighten Security 09/24/2008

State public higher education officials will consider whether to implement proposed safety and security measures at each of the 29 public campuses beginning this fall. In a report released earlier this year by the Department of Education, the agency called for its colleges and the University of Massachusetts to respond to the potential of serious violence on public school campuses. Though tragedies like the campus shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University are rare - 13 incidents since 1990 - bolstering campus security is needed for more prevalent crimes, such as sexual assaults and other violence, according to the department's report.

Technology In Way of Threats 09/23/2008

An al Qaeda video marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks has appeared on the Internet more than a week late due to technical problems. The delay of the much-touted 87-minute video, caused in part by the main Islamist websites crashing, has thwarted al Qaedas yearly celebration of its attacks on U.S. cities in 2001. Parts of the video -- a compilation of documentary footage and messages by al Qaeda leaders -- were aired on September 8 by Al Jazeera television, which did not say how it obtained it. But the full version hit websites on Friday, eight days after the anniversary.

Fake YouTube Malware 09/22/2008

Cybercriminals are getting more and more business-like. The latest examples involve a tool that automates the creation of fake YouTube Web sites that can be used to deliver malware and password-cracking services for sale. Panda Security said it has uncovered a tool circulating in underground hacking forums, dubbed YTFakeCreator, that enables anyone to easily create a fake YouTube page that surreptitiously installs a Trojan, virus, or adware on a visitor's computer, said Ryan Sherstobitoff, chief corporate evangelist of Panda Security.

Brokerage Firm Charged 09/20/2008

A brokerage firm has agreed to pay a $275,000 fine following a series of alleged online hacking incidents into customer accounts. The Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday that LPL Financial Services failed to protect its customers personal information, leaving at least 10,000 clients vulnerable to identity theft. The company, which has headquarters in Boston, Charlotte, N.C., and San Diego, will pay the fine without admitting or denying the allegations. An SEC order against the firm claims hackers accessed customers' accounts between July 2007 and early 2008, and attempted to place more than 200 unauthorized trades worth more than $700,000.

Countrywide Financial Data Sold 09/20/2008

Countrywide Financial Corp. is notifying mortgage holders of a possible security breach that could compromise the privacy of customer information. The FBI arrested a former Countrywide employee in August, accusing him of selling personal and financial data belonging to the lenders customers. The FBI contends Rene Rebollo Jr., 36, of Pasadena sold consumer data for as much as $70,000.

Chrome Vulnerabilities 09/19/2008

Google was keeping mum about a three-day-old security fix to its Chrome browser, but now the company has revealed details of two critical-risk vulnerabilities and some lesser issues it says are fixed. The critical patches relate to buffer overrun vulnerabilities that could have let a remote attacker execute arbitrary software on a Chrome users computer, said Mark Larson, a Google Chrome program manager, in a mailing list posting Monday afternoon. The first patch fixed a vulnerability in handling long file names, called the SaveAs vulnerability, and the second a vulnerability in dealing with the Web site addresses displayed in Chromes status area when the user hovers over a link.

Business Mistakes to Avoid 09/18/2008

Small businesses and entrepreneurs often repeat the same mistakes. If you are an entrepreneur, the following is a list of critical mistakes to avoid in your new venture: 1. Promising The World Entrepreneurs will commonly make bold promises that are often impossible to actually deliver. It is important that you stay grounded in reality, and only agree to things that you know you can actually deliver. 2. Lack Of Discipline Owning a business takes commitment and self-discipline. Since you are "the boss" you probably won't be disciplined for things like not showing up for work on time... but such things will have a negative impact on your business. It is important that entrepreneurs treat their business just like a real business, and not like a personal hobby. Act professional, charge for your services, and be accountable for the product or service provided. Self-discipline is critical to being self-employed. Business Mistakes to Avoid

Security Logos 09/17/2008

There have been a whole bunch of new security logos: All the security logos come in a wide variety of formats .gif, .jpg, .tif, .png, .bmp all for only $ 9.99

The Internet is Influencing the Political Race 09/16/2008

Can, and will, the next generation of politicians exploit the communication mediums available to them? Will the new communication mediums have the power to influence public opinion? Will politicians be the victims of technology, or will they use it to their benefit? Will one party benefit from the use of the technology more than another? All reasonable questions, considering the role technology plays in today's society. The staggering distribution numbers, through channels like iTunes, YouTube, or podcasting websites, indicate that technology could play a critical role in the upcoming elections. Technology could be the deciding factor in the 2008 US Presidential race, and while distribution has never before been as accessible as it is to todays politicians and political candidates, politicians have far less control over the news and media than their counterparts in previous years. The curious need not look any further than YouTube to find the latest political constituents being haunted by their own words and dogged by their past missteps. Todays politicians have far less control of the news media and messages associated with their candidacy. The Internet and technology is positioned to play a huge role in elections. Politics and Technology.

Security PowerPoint Templates 09/15/2008

If you are presenting at a security conference or need material for an educational presentation on security check out these Security PowerPoint Templates. Each theme includes 18 slides and the templates work with any version of PowerPoint.

Prepare for Emergency 09/14/2008

We found this new website focussed on Preparing for Emergencies.

Medical Evacuation Lessons in Storms 09/13/2008

As Hurricane Gustav approached the southern Louisiana coastline last weekend, an estimated 10,000 hospital, nursing home and home-based special needs patients were moved by plane, helicopter, bus, car, ambulance and train to areas farther north. Local, state and federal officials coordinated with each other and with private groups to accomplish the evacuation. It was the largest pre-storm medical evacuation in American history. But when anticipated safe harbors such as Baton Rouge were hit harder than New Orleans, all that planning hit a snag. Dozens of hospitals and nursing homes lost power and are still being partially or fully evacuated. Some patients found themselves being transferred twice.

Never Forget - September 11th 09/11/2008

9-11-2001 Never Forget

San Francisco Violence on the Increase 09/10/2008

Police in San Francisco is strengthening security in a downtown district, where a surge of violence has left at least six dead in the past two weeks. More uniformed and plainclothes officers will be deployed in downtown San Francisco's Mission District, especially in areas where drugs are sold and gang members are known to gather, police chief Heather Fong said Friday.

Security Flaws in Google Chrome 09/09/2008

Vietnamese security company Bach Khoa Internet Security (BKIS) has found a flaw in Google Chrome 0.2.149.27 and posted details on its Web site. The company says the problem is a critical buffer-overflow vulnerability that could allow a hacker to perform a remote attack and take complete control of the affected system.

Smuggling Immigrants at LAX 09/08/2008

Airport officials and federal authorities said Thursday that they have tightened security at Los Angeles International Airport because of the recent arrest of an elevator mechanic suspected of smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States. Officials for LAX and U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the measures included security adjustments at the federal inspection area inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Hurricane Preparation 09/07/2008

This handbook has been designed to help you prepare your family and your home for the potentially devastating effects of a hurricane or tropical storm. By planning ahead you can minimize the dangers of these storms. By planning now you also reduce the discomforts of recovery and the time required to return your life to normal. Prepare for Hurricanes

Spy Software Caught Sex Offender 09/08/2008

A father has told how he installed spy software on his 15-year-old daughters computer to find out her ice hockey coach was having sex with her. Nicholas Lovell, 38, from Guildford, Surrey, was convicted of five counts of sexual activity with a child and jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Barclays Offer Free Complete Online Security Software to all Customers 09/07/2008

Barclays has become the first UK bank to offer all its two million online banking customers free internet security software covering not only anti-virus software but also spyware, adware, firewalls, parental controls and spam filters. The offer is available to all Barclays customers who sign up for its online banking .

Mercedes Benz Recalls Car Due to Software Bugs 09/06/2008

Mercedes-Benz China has decided to recall vehicles that might be given incorrect software calibration number (SCN) coding in recent visit to workshops. The error could cause various problems in different automobile models. It might disable fuel pumps reaction to car crash, when it was designed to cut off fuel supply. Other problems include ineffective speed limit and fuel meter mistakes.

Teddy Bear Catches Thief 08/30/2008

A forensic science graduate and her father caught his terminally ill mothers care assistant stealing by putting a camera in a teddy bear's eye. Robert Sampson, 46, and Emma, 21, fixed the tiny camera in the Liverpool home of his mother Thelma Sampson, 75.

Robot Contest To Help Defense 08/29/2008

The Ministry of Defence today announced the winners of its Grand Challenge, a contest to identify promising battlefield robot technologies. The contest began in 2006, with a shortlist of seven contestants battling it out 16-18 August. The final phase included sniffing out a range of threats placed in a mock battle theatre. Saturn, the winner, included integrated ground and aerial robots with visual, thermal, and radar sensors.

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