Prompt's TechBlog
Crooks use BBC News stories to install keyloggers
31 March 2006
Posted by Elissa Fry
People are being warned that spam emails containing BBC News stories are being used to trick them into visiting malicious websites, which cybercrooks are using to install a type of software called a keylogger onto vulnerable PCs. It enables passwords to be stolen, so that crooks can access a web user's financial details.
The keylogger monitors financial activity and then sends what it has picked up back to the attacker. This latest breach of online security works by exploiting the "createTextRange()" vulnerability in IE, according to Websense's alert. The vulnerability has to do with how Internet Explorer handles the "createTextRange()" tag in Web pages.
This flaw can be further exploited to download trojan horses and spyware to PCs. Microsoft has said that it's working on finding a fix for the browser. However, eEye Digital Security and Determina both released unofficial fixes for the IE flaw earlier this week.
The keylogger monitors financial activity and then sends what it has picked up back to the attacker. This latest breach of online security works by exploiting the "createTextRange()" vulnerability in IE, according to Websense's alert. The vulnerability has to do with how Internet Explorer handles the "createTextRange()" tag in Web pages.
This flaw can be further exploited to download trojan horses and spyware to PCs. Microsoft has said that it's working on finding a fix for the browser. However, eEye Digital Security and Determina both released unofficial fixes for the IE flaw earlier this week.
Environmentally friendly bombs?
Posted by Sean McManus
According to New Scientist, US researchers have developed explosives that are more environmentally friendly than the existing ones that use lead. The story says that workers at an FBI gun range were found to have lead poisoning, which could be avoided by using the new chemicals. We confidently expect them to announce next that they've developed tanks that jump over flowers and have an 'I brake for toads' sticker on the turret.
Oooops! I think we took a wrong turning...
Posted by Elissa Fry
With technological advancements in onboard navigation and satellite precision, you would be forgiven for thinking that all planes, unless an emergency occurs, land at the right airport. However, Ryanair shows it is still possible to deposit passengers at the wrong airport.
Ryanair's scheduled flight from Liverpool to Derry in Northern Ireland, got somehow waylaid when the pilot ended up landing at a military base a few miles away from Derry. There was no apparent onboard emergency for the surprise landing, just a huge error in judgement by the pilot. According to Ryanair such a thing had never occurred before in its 20 year history.
Ryanair's scheduled flight from Liverpool to Derry in Northern Ireland, got somehow waylaid when the pilot ended up landing at a military base a few miles away from Derry. There was no apparent onboard emergency for the surprise landing, just a huge error in judgement by the pilot. According to Ryanair such a thing had never occurred before in its 20 year history.
Sorry. Am I boring you?
30 March 2006 Posted by Sean McManus
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a system for interpreting body language so that it can warn people if they're being boring, according to the BBC. A camera on a pair of glasses picks up images of how someone is responding to your conversation. If they're showing signs of boredom, a device in your hand vibrates. It has apparently been developed to assist those with autism, who can find it hard to interpret other people's feelings.
The BBC said it was right 64% of the time when tested on the general public, which is probably a technical triumph but some way from a system you could rely upon.
Before posting this story, I did double check the date in case I had lost a couple of days. Following yesterday's story about people being buried with mobile phones, and today's story about a personal computer that tells you if you're being boring, we can hardly wait to read the news on Saturday 1 April.
The BBC said it was right 64% of the time when tested on the general public, which is probably a technical triumph but some way from a system you could rely upon.
Before posting this story, I did double check the date in case I had lost a couple of days. Following yesterday's story about people being buried with mobile phones, and today's story about a personal computer that tells you if you're being boring, we can hardly wait to read the news on Saturday 1 April.
Finally... Video games are actually good for you!
29 March 2006 Posted by Elissa Fry
Those of us who are guilty of being glued to the TV screen all day and in danger of having 'square eyes' might console ourselves with the knowledge that new research has found that video games actually help lazy eyes!
The medical condition amblyopia, or 'lazy eye', where one eye works harder then the other, is caused by the brain recognising the 'lazy eye' as being inferior, which in turn slowly makes it redundant so only the good eye is used. The problem with such a condition is not so much that the lazy eye is indeed 'lazy', but that as time gradually passes the neural connection between eye and brain is weakened through lack of use. This, in turn, could cause blindness in the amblyopic eye.
The treatment for such a problem has in the past been to wear a patch over the good eye, forcing the lazy one to work harder. More than 400 hours of patch wearing is needed before any real improvement can be detected. However, patching is not all it's cracked up to be. The patient might report a small amount of improvement in his/her lazy eye; but this improvement could be cancelled out by double vision resulting from the eyes not working together.
To combat such effects, which anyone else might put down to being partially intoxicated, researchers at Nottingham University have found that using virtual reality (VR) forces the 'lazy eye' to be active and for both eyes to work together.
So VR as well as being tons of fun can also have health benefits. "Fantastic!" I hear you cry. Well it sounds great, but is it truly VR in the strict sense? In a way it is: the patient is hooked up to the equipment and images flash in front of the eyes, creating the sense of a virtual reality. The difference is that where virtual reality is trying to create something realistic, researchers in Nottingham University create something unrealistic by bombarding each eye with a slightly different image. The eyes have to work together to understand it.
The medical condition amblyopia, or 'lazy eye', where one eye works harder then the other, is caused by the brain recognising the 'lazy eye' as being inferior, which in turn slowly makes it redundant so only the good eye is used. The problem with such a condition is not so much that the lazy eye is indeed 'lazy', but that as time gradually passes the neural connection between eye and brain is weakened through lack of use. This, in turn, could cause blindness in the amblyopic eye.
The treatment for such a problem has in the past been to wear a patch over the good eye, forcing the lazy one to work harder. More than 400 hours of patch wearing is needed before any real improvement can be detected. However, patching is not all it's cracked up to be. The patient might report a small amount of improvement in his/her lazy eye; but this improvement could be cancelled out by double vision resulting from the eyes not working together.
To combat such effects, which anyone else might put down to being partially intoxicated, researchers at Nottingham University have found that using virtual reality (VR) forces the 'lazy eye' to be active and for both eyes to work together.
So VR as well as being tons of fun can also have health benefits. "Fantastic!" I hear you cry. Well it sounds great, but is it truly VR in the strict sense? In a way it is: the patient is hooked up to the equipment and images flash in front of the eyes, creating the sense of a virtual reality. The difference is that where virtual reality is trying to create something realistic, researchers in Nottingham University create something unrealistic by bombarding each eye with a slightly different image. The eyes have to work together to understand it.
Blogging... A bad influence?
Posted by Annie - prompt
A recent estimate from the coffee company Boca Java claims that there are now more than 50 million blogs on the internet. The phenomenon of writing an online diary or having a place to rant about your pet hates or display your interesting hobbies has really taken off and it is now commonplace for someone to have a blog or just enjoy reading others'.
Boca Java has come up with a great marketing campaign by making coffee for bloggers. It has recently launched so-called 'bloggers blends' whereby bloggers can purchase, create and name new coffee blends. Each blogger-inspired blend has its own identity such as: "Bloggers' boot-up blend", "Bloggers' pajama passion" or "Late night log in". It's a bit of a gimmick but clever positioning by the company within the blogging community.
Although they may bring amusement to many and certainly do act as an easy way to waste away the hours, blogs appear to be an unwelcome activity for employers. A survey of 2,000 office workers by Thomas Cook has found that workers in the UK spend the equivalent of 75 days every year surfing the internet instead of working. This amounts to a third of each week being lost to workers skiving which leaves employers out of pocket.
Boca Java has come up with a great marketing campaign by making coffee for bloggers. It has recently launched so-called 'bloggers blends' whereby bloggers can purchase, create and name new coffee blends. Each blogger-inspired blend has its own identity such as: "Bloggers' boot-up blend", "Bloggers' pajama passion" or "Late night log in". It's a bit of a gimmick but clever positioning by the company within the blogging community.
Although they may bring amusement to many and certainly do act as an easy way to waste away the hours, blogs appear to be an unwelcome activity for employers. A survey of 2,000 office workers by Thomas Cook has found that workers in the UK spend the equivalent of 75 days every year surfing the internet instead of working. This amounts to a third of each week being lost to workers skiving which leaves employers out of pocket.
More Xbox 360 consoles and game titles on their way
28 March 2006
Posted by Kate Boulby
Microsoft is planning to boost shipments of its Xbox 360 games console by two to three times this week in order to meet shortages being faced by the games industry, TechWeb reports.
In the first week of release, Xboxes were being whisked off the shelves at a rate of one every 13 seconds! Ebayers (as always) were quick to cash in on this shortage, at one stage selling consoles intended for retail from $299 (£209) depending on model, for an average of $718.
In the first week of release, Xboxes were being whisked off the shelves at a rate of one every 13 seconds! Ebayers (as always) were quick to cash in on this shortage, at one stage selling consoles intended for retail from $299 (£209) depending on model, for an average of $718.
Microsoft is also planning to expand its games portfolio, with 80 new titles scheduled to be available by June.
Global mobile foible
Posted by Dave Wilby
New EU proposals could soon lead to cheaper fees for mobile phone owners making and receiving calls abroad, according to the BBC, and myriad other sources today.
These roaming charges may currently account for a massive 15 per cent of leading mobile operator income, but they also represent a sizeable hidden expenditure for businesses with mobile workforces, and can often make it prohibitively costly for holiday-makers to even turn their phones on while out of the country. After months of warnings, EU Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding has now called for legislation to slash "unjustifiable" roaming charges to levels consistent with calls made between different networks.
The BBC has reported the mobile industry's global trade body, the GSM Association, as saying any new regulation on roaming would increase uncertainty and may put at risk further investment and development of new services. Draft legislation due to be announced on Tuesday will then be considered by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
Any resulting recommendations for operator actions are expected to be finalised within months, so there might well be one less excuse for a mobile-free, completely disconnected fortnight in the sun for us all come the summer.
tags: roaming
These roaming charges may currently account for a massive 15 per cent of leading mobile operator income, but they also represent a sizeable hidden expenditure for businesses with mobile workforces, and can often make it prohibitively costly for holiday-makers to even turn their phones on while out of the country. After months of warnings, EU Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding has now called for legislation to slash "unjustifiable" roaming charges to levels consistent with calls made between different networks.
The BBC has reported the mobile industry's global trade body, the GSM Association, as saying any new regulation on roaming would increase uncertainty and may put at risk further investment and development of new services. Draft legislation due to be announced on Tuesday will then be considered by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
Any resulting recommendations for operator actions are expected to be finalised within months, so there might well be one less excuse for a mobile-free, completely disconnected fortnight in the sun for us all come the summer.
tags: roaming
Waiting for working high definition DVDs? Holding breath not advised.
Posted by LC
The next generation high definition DVD format war: Blu-ray versus HD-DVD - it's going to be like VHS versus Betamax all over again. Only this time round it's a bit more complicated and there are going to be a lot more confused and frustrated consumers. For a start, although the formats are incompatible the disks look pretty much identical and as if that's not going to cause enough confusion, it turns out that most of the high definition TVs already on the market will not be fully compatible with either format. And then there's the whole DRM issue, trying to get your head around that is like opening a can of worms whilst sitting in a nest of vipers.
Business Week has the full story, and it's not pretty.
Business Week has the full story, and it's not pretty.
Microsoft postpones Vista. Again.
22 March 2006 Posted by Sean McManus
After all the excitement and marketing hype we've been enduring, Microsoft has postponed the consumer release of its forthcoming Vista operating system until next year. VNU reports that Microsoft claims hardware manufacturers are asking for more time to test their hardware with Vista. The operating system was first expected in 2003, and was most recently promised in time for Christmas 2006. PC World - the magazine, not the shop - speculates that this will give Apple a big boost in the Christmas shopping season. Even so, Apple has a lot of ground to make up and is unlikely to steal a significant proportion of Microsoft's upgrade business.
Ubiquitous technology leads to toilets 'crashing'
15 March 2006 Posted by Dave Wilby
There's an excellent article in The San Francisco Chronicle today, warning of the everyday perils we're likely to face when technology finally takes over every facet of our lives.
The article was spurred by a speech by tech author Adam Greenfield given at a Texan geekcon called South by Southwest Interactive. Greenfield is best known for his new book 'Everywhere' in which he discusses ubiquitous technology, such as 'smart toilets' and 'intelligent bandages. It's all either very scary or very cool, depending on your own personal geek quotient.
It's easy to be calm about a toilet or a bandage that keeps track of your health by analysing your escaping fluids, until you actually find the things in your own bathroom. I mean, what if they start crashing when you need them most, like every other piece of technology ever known to man ever, from the first fragile stone age wheels to the US space programme?
Some things are sacred, and shouldn't be fixed unless very, very broken indeed. For now, I draw my own personal techy line in the silicon just shy of my humble, common or garden Crapper.
The article was spurred by a speech by tech author Adam Greenfield given at a Texan geekcon called South by Southwest Interactive. Greenfield is best known for his new book 'Everywhere' in which he discusses ubiquitous technology, such as 'smart toilets' and 'intelligent bandages. It's all either very scary or very cool, depending on your own personal geek quotient.
It's easy to be calm about a toilet or a bandage that keeps track of your health by analysing your escaping fluids, until you actually find the things in your own bathroom. I mean, what if they start crashing when you need them most, like every other piece of technology ever known to man ever, from the first fragile stone age wheels to the US space programme?
Some things are sacred, and shouldn't be fixed unless very, very broken indeed. For now, I draw my own personal techy line in the silicon just shy of my humble, common or garden Crapper.
Does your cat have a computer virus?
Posted by Sean McManus
A new research paper (PDF) says that it's possible computer viruses could be spread using RFID tags. RFID tags are used to trace goods through supply chains and have been injected into family pets to enable them to be identified if lost. The paper says that despite the small memory capacity of an RFID tag, it is possible to include malicious code in them. Here's an interesting article about it, and there's more information at rfidvirus.org.
Bobbies told not to blog
13 March 2006 Posted by Annie - prompt
The Metropolitan Police has issued a warning to its staff about blogging - although it would actually like it to be seen as 'guidance' rather than a 'warning'. As a result, a number of police workers who blog have already stopped updating their websites.
There was me thinking that we lived in a liberal country where freedom of expression was inherent in the legal system. But it seems this may not be the case, especially if you're a police officer, surprisingly.
The advice from the Metropolitan Police to its members is that although it cannot stop officers from blogging it would like them to "consider the impact of expressing views and opinions that... bring the organisation into disrepute."
Surely what police officers do in their spare time, as long as it is legal and not infringing on their professional ethics and regulations, is their own business? Isn't issuing guidance on personal blogs just a little outrageous?
This comment from The Policeman's Blog perhaps provides backing for both sides of the debate over the Met's warning: "I can't help thinking that by issuing this guidance the Met is trying to wrestle with a problem that simply doesn't exist. For one thing, hardly anyone who calls the police on a regular basis is able to read, so there's no chance of regular customers not dialling 999 because of something they read in a blog. Secondly, hardly anyone reads blogs, despite what the media says. Thirdly, most police bloggers could give official police press officers a lesson or two in connecting with the public."
Despite the guidance there are currently still numerous interesting police blogs out there, including: The Thin Blue Line, The Special Constable's blog and Blog of blogs. Visit them while you can!
There was me thinking that we lived in a liberal country where freedom of expression was inherent in the legal system. But it seems this may not be the case, especially if you're a police officer, surprisingly.
The advice from the Metropolitan Police to its members is that although it cannot stop officers from blogging it would like them to "consider the impact of expressing views and opinions that... bring the organisation into disrepute."
Surely what police officers do in their spare time, as long as it is legal and not infringing on their professional ethics and regulations, is their own business? Isn't issuing guidance on personal blogs just a little outrageous?
This comment from The Policeman's Blog perhaps provides backing for both sides of the debate over the Met's warning: "I can't help thinking that by issuing this guidance the Met is trying to wrestle with a problem that simply doesn't exist. For one thing, hardly anyone who calls the police on a regular basis is able to read, so there's no chance of regular customers not dialling 999 because of something they read in a blog. Secondly, hardly anyone reads blogs, despite what the media says. Thirdly, most police bloggers could give official police press officers a lesson or two in connecting with the public."
Despite the guidance there are currently still numerous interesting police blogs out there, including: The Thin Blue Line, The Special Constable's blog and Blog of blogs. Visit them while you can!
Crawling up the walls
09 March 2006 Posted by Dave Wilby
Excerpt and video clip from YouTube. Not recommended for anybody scared of creepy-crawlies, global domination by robots, or both:
"RiSE is a small six-legged robot that climbs vertical terrain such as walls, trees and fences. RiSE's feet have claws, micro-claws or sticky material, depending on the climbing surface. RiSE changes posture to conform to the curvature of the climbing surface and a fixed tail helps RiSE balance on steep ascents. RiSE is about 0.25m long, weighs 2Kg, and travels 0.3m/s.
Each of RiSE's six legs is powered by two electric motors. An onboard computer controls leg motion, manages communications, and services a variety of sensors. The sensors include an inertial measurement unit, joint position sensors for each leg, leg strain sensors and foot contact sensors.
Future versions of RiSE will use dry adhesion to climb sheer vertical surfaces such as glass and metal. RiSE is being developed in conjunction with researchers at University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley, Stanford, and Lewis and Clark University. RiSE is funded by the DARPA Defense Sciences Office."
tags: You Tube
"RiSE is a small six-legged robot that climbs vertical terrain such as walls, trees and fences. RiSE's feet have claws, micro-claws or sticky material, depending on the climbing surface. RiSE changes posture to conform to the curvature of the climbing surface and a fixed tail helps RiSE balance on steep ascents. RiSE is about 0.25m long, weighs 2Kg, and travels 0.3m/s.
Each of RiSE's six legs is powered by two electric motors. An onboard computer controls leg motion, manages communications, and services a variety of sensors. The sensors include an inertial measurement unit, joint position sensors for each leg, leg strain sensors and foot contact sensors.
Future versions of RiSE will use dry adhesion to climb sheer vertical surfaces such as glass and metal. RiSE is being developed in conjunction with researchers at University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley, Stanford, and Lewis and Clark University. RiSE is funded by the DARPA Defense Sciences Office."
tags: You Tube
Beware fake flash drives
07 March 2006 Posted by Sean McManus
We've come across this report on counterfeit Sony USB keys (PDF). The report, from the secretary of the Seoul Computer Club, claims that Chinese manufacturers are relabelling 64MB USB keys as 8GB drives and selling them on. They're said to be using software that makes Windows believe the drive capacity is 8GB, but the report says the keys are damaged if an attempt is made to load that much data on them. The report looks pretty thorough, although we can't vouch for its accuracy. For now, you might want to strike USB keys off your Ebay shopping list.
Introducing the iPope
06 March 2006 Posted by Sean McManus
The Pope has an iPod Nano, according to The Catholic News Service. He was given it as a gift by Vatican Radio employees. To get him off to a good start, it has been loaded with classical music, a documentary on Mozart and most bizarrely news snippets about the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of the current Pope. Pope Benedict is said to have said: "Computer technology is the future."
We think they missed a trick here. Computer technology is the future, and classical music has its place. But surely pop and rock music are the future (or at least part of it) too. We think his iPod should have been pre-loaded with Angels by Robbie Williams and God Only Knows by the Beach Boys. And the whole thing should have been kicked off with a new version of M's 80s hit: New York, London, Paris, Munich, everybody talk about... Pope Music.
We think they missed a trick here. Computer technology is the future, and classical music has its place. But surely pop and rock music are the future (or at least part of it) too. We think his iPod should have been pre-loaded with Angels by Robbie Williams and God Only Knows by the Beach Boys. And the whole thing should have been kicked off with a new version of M's 80s hit: New York, London, Paris, Munich, everybody talk about... Pope Music.
Free calls all over the house: Skype to launch Bluetooth handset
03 March 2006 Posted by Annie - prompt
Skype is set to launch a Bluetooth handset that will work up to 100 metres away from your PC. This new device is going to be named the Trendset Clearsky, TVP-SP1BK, and it will be available for all Skype enthusiasts soon through Elite devices.
It is expected to cost about £100. The handset supports all the newest functions that Skype offers but means that now you can make your free VOIP calls from all over your home/office - not just from in front of the computer.
The handset uses the latest version of Bluetooth 2.0 and to make sure that the service works properly, users get the Bluetooth 2.0 dongle included. Furthermore, the Clearsky cordless handset connects to both fixed line telephony services and to Skype via the PC's broadband connection.
I must admit I was rather sceptical of Skype and those who believe that fixed line telephony will become obsolete in the future with VOIP taking to the floor. I would rather sit chatting on my phone curled up on the sofa than sat in front of a computer screen. However, this latest offering which allows you to wander around with the handset and roam freely away from the computer may entice me to start investigating Skype further. Who knows? Maybe even I may convert!
It is expected to cost about £100. The handset supports all the newest functions that Skype offers but means that now you can make your free VOIP calls from all over your home/office - not just from in front of the computer.
The handset uses the latest version of Bluetooth 2.0 and to make sure that the service works properly, users get the Bluetooth 2.0 dongle included. Furthermore, the Clearsky cordless handset connects to both fixed line telephony services and to Skype via the PC's broadband connection.
I must admit I was rather sceptical of Skype and those who believe that fixed line telephony will become obsolete in the future with VOIP taking to the floor. I would rather sit chatting on my phone curled up on the sofa than sat in front of a computer screen. However, this latest offering which allows you to wander around with the handset and roam freely away from the computer may entice me to start investigating Skype further. Who knows? Maybe even I may convert!
We're all doomed, doomed I tell you!
Posted by LC
Chip manufacturer Intel has lowered it's revenue forecasts for the first quarter of this year, by about half a billion dollars. Being something of a barometer for the entire tech industry, this has sent the stock market wheeler dealers into something of a froth and we've already seen Intel lose 2.5% of its share value since the news was announced.
But how important is it really? To put it into context, the revenue guidance fell from $9.1-$9.7 billion down to $8.7-$9.1 billion, hardly the end of the world. But the stock market is a notoriously panicky beast, and the accompanying news that last quarter's profits jumped by 25% did little to sooth anybodies nerves. That's right kids - marginally falling revenues tomorrow are much bigger news that yesterday's massive profits. Intel's chips may work on logic, but the stock market certainly doesn't.
But how important is it really? To put it into context, the revenue guidance fell from $9.1-$9.7 billion down to $8.7-$9.1 billion, hardly the end of the world. But the stock market is a notoriously panicky beast, and the accompanying news that last quarter's profits jumped by 25% did little to sooth anybodies nerves. That's right kids - marginally falling revenues tomorrow are much bigger news that yesterday's massive profits. Intel's chips may work on logic, but the stock market certainly doesn't.
Free money
02 March 2006 Posted by Sean McManus
Free as in 'liberated', of course. That's the idea behind Prosper, a community site that enables people to borrow money off each other. It uses an Ebay-like reputation and bidding system. Someone says they want to borrow money, and others then bid, specifying how much of it they're prepared to lend and what interest rate they want in return. Prosper transfers the money, and makes regular payments from the borrowers to the lenders. There's a very real risk that the borrowers default and the lenders lose their cash, so we're not sure this is going to take off in the long run. The only sanction appears to be negative feedback.
Ebay works well because the risk is normally pretty low. There have been some high profile scams, but most of the transactions are for fairly low value items. I can't see Prosper being effective in increments of less than $100, and to be honest, I would be nervous about spending that amount on Ebay.
It's good to see that dotcom spirit is still alive and new ideas are coming out, though!
Ebay works well because the risk is normally pretty low. There have been some high profile scams, but most of the transactions are for fairly low value items. I can't see Prosper being effective in increments of less than $100, and to be honest, I would be nervous about spending that amount on Ebay.
It's good to see that dotcom spirit is still alive and new ideas are coming out, though!