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.

Contractor Violated Security Rules 08/28/2008

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has blamed a private contractor for losing the details of thousands of criminals, held on a computer memory stick. Ms Smith said the government had held the data securely but PA Consulting appeared to have downloaded it, contrary to the rules of its contract.

Staying Safe While Shopping Online 08/28/2008

One of the biggest risks of shopping online is clicking on a link to what appears to be a legitimate site that turns out to be a forgery run by criminals interested in your credit-card number. An estimated $3.2 billion was lost to such phishing sites in the U.S. last year, according to a survey by Gartner Inc. Watching for fraudulent sites is the crucial first step in a secure online-shopping experience. The key in most cases is to type in the Web sites address independently, and not to follow links sent in e-mails, as those often can be malicious spam sent by the creators of the bogus sites. Most Web browsers will alert you when you are navigating to known phishing sites or those serving up viruses, but the key word there is known. Many harmful sites are set up and dismantled within 24 hours, so it's often a cat-and-mouse game to identify and block them before the criminals have a chance to inflict too much damage.

Copyright Infringement Laws Violated 08/27/2008

Three defendants pleaded guilty today to selling counterfeit computer software on the Internet in violation of criminal copyright infringement laws, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Johnny Sutton and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent-in-Charge in San Antonio Jerry Robinette announced. Thomas C. Rushing III, 24, of Wichita Falls, Texas, and Brian C. Rue, 29, of Denton, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count each of criminal copyright infringement before U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks in Austin, Texas. William Lance Partridge, 24, of Royse City, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal copyright infringement before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew W. Austin, in Austin. Rushing, Rue and Partridge each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release. Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2008.

Looking for Emergency Vehicles 08/26/2008

The federal government is telling emergency managers to be on the lookout for fake emergency and commercial vehicles, as security tightens in the two cities hosting this years presidential conventions. Terrorists could used these cloned vehicles to conduct surveillance or to carry out an attack, according to an Aug. 21 bulletin from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Defcon Exploit 08/26/2008

Just over a week ago, security researcher Mike Perry presented information at the DEFCON security conference about a vulnerability that affects many SSL-secured Web sites, including Amazon, Facebook, Gmail, addons.mozilla.org, most Drupal sites, and many online merchants and banks. The attack works something like this: As Perry explained at DEFCON, a Gmail user might login to Gmail using the ostensibly secure URL. If subsequently surfing CNN.com, for example, via an open wireless connection, an attacker could inject a Gmail image URL and prompt the users browser to transmit an unprotected Gmail GX cookie in conjunction with the image fetch operation. The attacker could then sniff the unprotected cookie and later use that file to access the victims Gmail account.

Homeland Security Hacker 08/25/2008

A hacker broke into a Homeland Security Department telephone system over the weekend and racked up about $12,000 in calls to the Middle East and Asia. The hacker made more than 400 calls on a Federal Emergency Management Agency voicemail system in Emmitsburg, Md., on Saturday and Sunday, according to FEMA spokesman Tom Olshanski.

China Holding Americans 08/24/2008

At least eight American blogger-activists and several other foreigners have been detained in Beijing as the government intensifies a crackdown on pro-Tibetan protests in the home stretch of the Olympics, rights groups said on Wednesday. Students for a Free Tibet earlier said authorities detained five self-styled citizen journalists who were in Beijing to promote Tibetan freedom on Tuesday. The New York-based group said activist-artist James Powderly had also been nabbed.

Security Contractors in Iraq Get More Rules 08/24/2008

The Defense Department has further tightened the rules for its almost 6,000 armed security contractors in Iraq, a move that appears to shift more risk to hired guards and is intended to avoid shooting incidents that could jeopardize U.S.-Iraqi relations. The issue is crucial to negotiations between the U.S. and Iraq over the continued presence of American forces in the country. The Pentagon relies on security contractors to augment U.S. forces in Iraq, assigning them roles that range from protecting supply convoys to manning checkpoints.

Obama Still Struggling With Security 08/23/2008

The poll show that a majority of Americans thought McCain would be better than Barack in handling the Georgian situation. Even a large minority of Dems thought McCain would be better.

MIT Students Crack Charlie Cards 08/21/2008

A federal judge Tuesday lifted a gag order on three MIT students who were barred from talking publicly about security flaws they discovered in the state' automated mass transit fare system, even as a lawyer for the agency acknowledged the system was compromised. U.S. District Judge George OToole Jr. rejected a request by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to impose a five-month injunction blocking the students from revealing anything about the security system. OToole also dissolved a temporary restraining order that had prohibited the students from speaking about their findings this month at DefCon, an annual computer hackers convention in Las Vegas. The MBTA plans to continue with its lawsuit against MIT and the three students, who are all undergraduates and did not attend the hearing Tuesday. The MBTA claims the students violated the federal Computer Fraud & Abuse Act.

Russia blocks draft Security Council Resolution on Georgia Crisis 08/21/2008

Russia has rejected a draft resolution circulated at the UN Security Council calling for an immediate withdrawal of its forces from Georgia, which Moscow said goes against the terms of a previous cease fire agreement. Russia has insisted its forces began leaving Georgian territory on Tuesday, following a cessation of fierce fighting that started on Aug. 7. But Moscow said any UN declaration should include the initial six-point plan brokered by France last week. Georgian officials have accused Moscow of ignoring its obligations under a French-brokered agreement that both sides withdraw to positions held before fighting began 11 days ago when Georgian forces moved to retake control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia.

Deal of the Day Websites 08/10/2008

With the economy in a questionable state, everyone is looking for a good deal. Savvy business owners have jumped at the opportunity to carve out a niche for themselves in the struggling economy. Coupon and Deal-Of-The-Day websites have become extremely popular. Everyone is getting into the action, from large conglomerate websites to small specialty shops, and many now have some sort of Deal-Of-The-Day special where an item is offered at a significant discount for a specified and limited period of time. While the Deal-Of-The-Day websites were originally designed to capture impulse purchasers, many financially-conscious penny-pinching shoppers are now monitoring these sites regularly, in search of good deals on products they might need. Everybody loves a bargain! Where should you look for a bargain? Deal of the Day Websites

Encrypt Data in China 08/09/2008

Experts are encouraging those that visit China to encrypt their data. A computer security expert said that visitors to Beijing also needed to protect their data from prying eyes. People who are going to China should take a clean computer, one with no data at all, said Phil Dunkelberger, chief executive of security software firm PGP Corp.

Staying Ahead of the Competition 08/08/2008

Staying ahead of the competition can be an on-going struggle. While it is not healthy for a company to focus too much time and attention on the competition, it is important to stay abreast of what your competition is doing. When evaluating the competition, assess the industry giants and companies closest to your space. But be sure that you don't exclude the small companies in your assessments. Sometimes a small competitor can have innovative ideas or marketing concepts, but may lack the capital to really benefit from the concept. This may present you with an opportunity. When evaluating the competition pay attention to the following: Tips to Stay Ahead of the Competition

Software to Combat Chinese Censorship 08/07/2008

The Global Internet Freedom Consortium (GIFC) announced that its anti-censorship software tools are ready to help journalists and tourists during the Olympics, to circumvent Chinas Internet blockade. The software, which is available free of charge, can be downloaded onto a hard drive or USB drive to safely and effectively overcome the Internet censorship in China.

Contextual Ads Under Scrutiny 08/06/2008

U.S. lawmakers are questioning the biggest U.S. Internet companies about whether they track their customers visits online and use the information to tailor Internet advertisements for them. Senior members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee wrote to broadband Internet providers and other online companies on Friday, asking whether they have tailored, or facilitated the tailoring of, Internet advertising based on consumers Internet search, surfing, or other use.

Security Conferences Underway 08/05/2008

Security news dominated last week, and that will undoubtedly be the case this week as well, with the Black Hat and Defcon conferences under way in Las Vegas.

China Censorship 08/05/2008

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge made no deal with Beijing Olympic organisers over Internet censorship, a senior IOC official said. Kevan Gosper, an IOC executive board member, said he had been personally assured in a meeting with Rogge that no deal to block controversial websites had ever been agreed.

Security PowerPoint Templates 08/04/2008

This is a new website with all types of PowerPoint templates, there is even a section on PowerPoint Security Templates. Individual templates are available for $19.95 or a 90 day subscription for all PowerPoint templates can be purchased. The PowerPoint Templates can be used with any version of Microsoft PowerPoint.

Be Vigilant 08/03/2008

The Homeland Security Department will soon tell its employees to review security and emergency plans as the country enters into a period of heightened alert lasting until next summer because of the Olympics and U.S. presidential election.

China Spying 08/02/2008

China has installed Internet-spying equipment in all the major hotel chains serving the 2008 Summer Olympics, Sen. Sam Brownback charged Tuesday. Brownback, citing hotel documents he received, said journalists, athletes families and others attending the Olympics next month will be subjected to invasive intelligence-gathering by China's Public Security Bureau. One document said, In order to ensure the smooth opening of Olympic in Beijing and the Expo in Shanghai in 2010, safeguard the security of Internet network and the information thereon in the hotels . . . it is required that your company install and run the Security Management System.

Tianamen Square Security 08/01/2008

Tourists visiting Beijing Tiananmen Square, site of the 1989 violent crackdown on student demonstrators, will have to pass through a security check, a government official said Wednesday. The boost in security checks at the iconic square comes as more visitors arrive for the Olympic Games, said Jia Yingting, deputy director of the Tiananmen Square management committee. His comments were from a transcript of a news conference posted on the Web site of the Beijing International Media Center.

Security Experts Help Thieves 07/31/2008

Security researchers should stop publishing vulnerabilities in the traditional way because cyber-criminals are using the code to generate zero-day exploits at record speeds, says a recent report.

Cybergang Chain of Command 07/19/2008

The chain of command of a cybercrime gang is not unlike the Mafia, an evolution that shows how online crime is becoming a broad, well-organized endeavor. The latest research from Web security company Finjan, outlines a pyramid of hackers, data sellers, managers and malicious programmers, all working in a fluid management structure in order to profit from cybercrime.

Domain Security 07/18/2008

Domain Name System, or DNS, administrators around the world are racing to patch their systems for a critical flaw that could leave millions at risk. Although the technology for a more secure DNS has been available for years, it has not yet been widely deployed. DNSSEC or DNS Security Extensions provides a form of signed verification for DNS information, which is intended to assure DNS authenticity.

Ratproxy from Google 07/17/2008

Google has given its application security assessment tool that it uses internally its independence. It has made Ratproxy open source code to help developers of Web applications assess their codes security profile. Ratproxy was developed by Google security expert Michl Zalewski, who will continue to help maintain it. In a July 1 blog posting, Zalewski said Google had made Ratproxy available for free   as an open source code . Unlike some security tools that determine the security of an application by firing test penetrations, Ratproxy operates passively, inspecting the application for security exposures.

FBI Building Said To Be Vulnerable 07/17/2008

Despite being one of the nations core intelligence agencies assigned to protect the country from terror attacks and intelligence breaches, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has not done an adequate job of securing itself, according to a new Senate report. The report, part of the 2009 appropriations bill, says that FBI Headquarters, the J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington DC, lacks adequate security features as well as criteria for handling the massive loads of classified and sensitive material.

Security Breaches are Up 07/16/2008

Businesses, governments and universities reported a 69 percent increase in data breaches in the first half of 2008 compared with a similar period in 2007, according to a study by a non-profit fraud-prevention group. The Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego tracked 342 data-breach reports from Jan. 1 to June 27 that involved almost 17 million consumer records. More than one-third of the reports came from businesses in the first half of this year, a 27 percent increase over total breaches in 2007.

Coast Guard Ship With Punch 07/15/2008

The Coast Guard just rolled out the most sophisticated ship it has ever commissioned, packed with new technology to help in the hunt for drug smugglers and terrorists. The cutter Bertholf — 418 feet from stem to stern — is set to patrol the Pacific from California to Ecuador — a patch of ocean as large as the United States.

Spy Drones Over Olympics 07/14/2008

China plans to use unmanned security drones to patrol the skies over the Olympic sailing venue of Qingdao, state media reported Friday. The drones were tested for the first time during a drill Wednesday in Jinan, the capital of eastern Shandong province, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. They are intended to scout out suspicious activity and transmit photos and videos back to a command station.

Taking Website Usability to the Next Level 07/12/2008

Website usability is more than just a good navigational structure. A large number of people have visual or hearing disabilities, so you should design your website in ways that allow those with either minor or significant impairments to view and navigate your web content. Taking Website Usability to the Next Level

PC Booster Discounted on Software Deal of the Day 07/11/2008

If you are like most PC users, you may feel that your PC is slow or unstable. You can not run many applications or your PC will slowdown. Or you have to reboot frequently due to crashes or application freezes. With PC Booster you can turn your PC into a stable, productive and speedy machine, by simply clicking a few buttons. If you can surf to this website, you can easily tune up your PC in Minutes - and without being a PC expert! 40% off for 24 hours! PC Booster

Business Mistakes to Avoid 07/10/2008

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: Business Mistakes to Avoid

Red Sox Security 07/09/2008

The Red Sox and Major League Baseball have dispatched security teams to St. Petersburg, Fla., for the next three days due to a recent threat made against the clubs players. According to sources, the Sox recently received a mailed threat, believed to be postmarked in Memphis, Tenn., which targeted black and Latin players, citing at least two by name. The named players have been informed about the threats and will likely have security accompaniment away from Tropicana Field, including at the teams hotel in St. Petersburg.

Beijing Security Checks 07/08/2008

Thousands of security personnel checked Beijing subway passengers for explosives and other banned items on Sunday, the first day of a three-month campaign to guarantee Olympic security, state media said. China has said terrorism is the biggest threat to the Olympic Games opening on Aug. 8, and has introduced a flurry of measures in recent months to boost security.

Deal of the Day Websites 07/07/2008

With the economy in a questionable state, everyone is looking for a good deal. Savvy business owners have jumped at the opportunity to carve out a niche for themselves in the struggling economy. Coupon and Deal-Of-The-Day websites have become extremely popular. Everyone is getting into the action, from large conglomerate websites to small specialty shops, and many now have some sort of Deal-Of-The-Day special where an item is offered at a significant discount for a specified and limited period of time. While the Deal-Of-The-Day websites were originally designed to capture impulse purchasers, many financially-conscious penny-pinching shoppers are now monitoring these sites regularly, in search of good deals on products they might need. Everybody loves a bargain! Where should you look for a bargain? Be sure to check out the new Software Deal of the Day Website.

Tracking Internet Usage 07/06/2008

Although a large Internet service provider has backed away from technology that tracks subscribers Web use in order to deliver personalized advertising, two other broadband companies said Wednesday they are still considering whether to deploy it. The largest U.S. Internet provider that had been actively looking at Web tracking, Charter Communications Inc., announced Tuesday that it had canceled its planned test because customers had raised concerns. The technology gathers data on the interests of Web surfers by looking at the sites they visit. It passes the information to online advertising companies, without revealing a surfer's identity, so they can display more relevant ads on Web sites. For instance, a surfer who visits sites about dogs might see more banner ads for dog food.

5 Big Names Team Up for Security 07/05/2008

Five of the biggest names in the technology industry have teamed up for a new security initiative. Known as the Industry Consortium for Advancement of Security on the Internet (ICASI), the group will examine ways in which multiple companies can respond to a single security threat. Founding members of the nonprofit group include Cisco, Intel, IBM and Juniper Networks. The aim of the project is to deal with security threats that may affect multiple companies. The group plans to seek out better ways to cooperate with one another and notify users in the event of an attack.

EU and US to Share Personal Data 07/04/2008

The United States and the European Union are moving toward agreement on sharing personal information on individuals for law enforcement and security purposes. The agreement would allow law enforcement and security agencies to obtain information -- including credit card transactions, travel histories and Internet browsing habits -- about most people in Europe and the United States.

Why Use Web Templates? 07/03/2008

Web templates offer webmasters a great opportunity to minimize development time and get new sites on the web sooner rather than later. The structure of web templates allow webmasters to focus on the proprietary content development, and optimizing the website for search engines, rather than struggling with layout and graphics. Why Use Web Templates

Software Industry Conference - Learn How to Protect Software 07/02/2008

There are 2 educational sessions one about software protection another about online fraud at this years Software Industry Conference. The Software Industry Conference is coming to Boston July 17th through 19th, 2008. This exciting event, now in its 18th year, will be held at the Boston Marriott Quincy in Quincy MA. The Software Industry Conference features three days of informative sessions that cover a wide range of subjects of interest to software developers. There will be sessions on marketing, foreign markets, ecommerce, outsourcing development, copyrights and trademarks, and much more. The Software Industry Conference provides lots of time to network with other attendees. Registration is only $249.00 for the 3 day conference!

Take Website Usability to the Next Level 07/01/2008

Website usability is more than just a good navigational structure. A large number of people have visual or hearing disabilities, so you should design your website in ways that allow those with either minor or significant impairments to view and navigate your web content. The following tips will help expand your websites usability so that all users, regardless of their sensory perception and abilities, are able to take advantage of your web content... Take Website Usability to the Next Level

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