Ransomware scammers push panic button with bogus claims

No sign that newest cyber extortion racket wipes Windows PCs' hard drives, says Symantec Cyber extortionists shilling "ransomware" have upped the ante by pushing users' panic buttons with claims that their malware will wipe hard drives, a security firm said Monday. The claim is bogus, said Symantec, and is simply a ploy by scammers preying on people's fears. "This is an attempt to extort money from computer users by taking advantage of human weakness when under panic and pressure," wrote Symantec researcher Jeet Morparia in a Dec. 24...

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Researchers find malware targeting Java HTTP servers

The malware has backdoor functionality and runs as a JavaServer Page (JSP) file Security researchers from antivirus vendor Trend Micro have uncovered a piece of backdoor-type malware that infects Java-based HTTP servers and allows attackers to execute malicious commands on the underlying systems. The threat, known as BKDR_JAVAWAR.JG, comes in the form of a JavaServer Page (JSP), a type of Web page that can only be deployed and served from a specialized Web server with a Java servlet container, such as Apache Tomcat. Once this page is...

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Drones, phones and other 2012 privacy threats

New law enforcement and marketing tools and technologies keep privacy advocates on their toes Verizon's attempt -- unsuccessful so far -- to secure a patent for a so-called 'snooping technology,' which in this case would let television advertisers target individual viewers based on what they're doing or saying in front of their sets, capped another challenging year for privacy advocates. Verizon's snooping technology and TV ads The Verizon technology, which includes a sensor/camera housed in a set-top box, would determine the activities...

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Switch your databases to Flash storage. Now. Or you're doing it wrong.

Why flash rules for databases The economics of flash memory are staggering. If you’re not using SSD, you are doing it wrong.  Not quite true, but close. Some small applications fit entirely in memory – less than 100GB – great for in-memory solutions. There’s a place for rotational drives (HDD) in massive streaming analytics and petabytes of data. But for the vast space between, flash has become the only sensible option.  For example,...

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Samsung Galaxy Flaw Lets Hackers Tunnel Into RAM

A flaw in the kernel of the Samsung processor at the heart of several Galaxy series devices allows access to the phone's RAM. It looks as if Samsung downplayed security in setting up permissions for kernel access, said Carl Howe, research vice president at the Yankee Group.  "That's a bit concerning because it means that this may only be one of many vulnerabilities." A new security flaw has been discovered in Samsung's vulnerability-plagued...

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Instagram says it now has the right to sell your photos

Instagram said today that it has the perpetual right to sell users' photographs without payment or notification, a dramatic policy shift that quickly sparked a public outcry. The new intellectual property policy, which takes effect on January 16, comes three months after Facebook completed its acquisition of the popular photo-sharing site. Unless Instagram users delete their accounts before the January deadline, they cannot opt out. Under...

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Computers Will Smell Your Breath in Five Years, and Other IBM Predictions

IBM lays out five predictions that will change computing in the next five years. Within the next five years, PCs and cell phones will know if you're coming down with a cold or other illness, IBM says. Tiny embedded sensors will analyze orders, biomarkers, and thousands of molecules in your breath, giving doctors help in diagnosing and monitoring certain diseases and ailments, even diabetes. That's just one of five predictions IBM made as part...

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Editorial: Does Windows Phone even have a chance without Google?

Go ahead -- lambaste me for even mentioning it. I'll wait. Now, how's about we look beyond the surface -- the beautified tile regime and the whimsical animations -- and focus on what actually matters when looking at a smartphone platform. You don't have to look far to get a solid grasp on which platforms are soaring, which are hanging tough and which have one foot in the proverbial grave. Gartner's latest worldwide mobile report shows ...

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WCIT treaty includes controversial Internet proposal, keeps content out

IDG News Service - The final treaty of the World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai includes a new provision that does not address content-related aspects of telecommunications, but retains a controversial proposal on fostering the growth of the Internet. The U.S., U.K., and its allies will not sign the treaty, said Terry Kramer, the head of the U.S. delegation to WCIT, on Thursday. The U.S. and other countries have tried to keep the Internet out of the treaty, alleging that member countries of the International Telecommunications...

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End mind-numbing repetition

Once again, you find yourself sitting in front of your computer, eyes glazing over as you press the same sequence of buttons over and over to get something done. Maybe you had to create a complex folder hierarchy for a set of projects. Or maybe you had to copy, paste, and format the same sort of data multiple times. Whatever the task was, it probably wasn't much fun. The good news is that you can code your way out of such busywork, even...

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How Windows 8 rewrites the rules of PC gaming

PC gaming is primed for a renaissance—or at least a reinvention—like we haven’t seen since the advent of 3D acceleration in the late 1990s. For this, we can thank the mobile revolution and all its attendant technologies. Game developers can now tap into accelerometers, touchscreens, and the cloud to add new features and gameplay scenarios. And even Microsoft’s comprehensive approach to Windows—merging desktops, tablets, and smartphones under...

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