Tech News Blog
7.08.05
Florida to War Drivers: Just Say No
War drivers in Florida might want to find a new hobby now that the state has arrested a man for allegedly accessing someone’s wireless network, a felony violation in Florida according to a report from PC World. If you haven’t yet, activate your wireless router’s protection and you might consider disconnecting the router when you aren’t using it. For more on this subject surf to CNET:
FAQ: Wi-Fi mooching and the law
Is it legal to use another's network without asking? Is it OK to share your own network? It's not always clear. [CNET News.com]

Trojan Attacks on Rise
According to CNET, an Internet security watchdog has detected a significant increase in Trojan attacks. The Trojans are delivered via email and include attachments named: ‘Downloader.abc’ and ‘Downloader.xz’, sans quotation marks. If you open the attachment you will open a backdoor for a cracker, so just say NO to attachments.

Remove Your Annoyance
If you have an annoyance with your computer, let me help solve the issue. Please include as much information as possible regarding the situation, including what operating system you are using and when you last updated, anything you might have installed prior to the start of the problem, if you are logged on as the administrator when the issue occurs and any other information think might be even remotely related. It really helps to include your email address in the event that I need more background information to solve your problem, but you can submit your question anonymously to: contactus@multipleplatforms.com/.

Open Source Updates
Open source systems have a flaw in their zlib component and most of the following updates and those listed yesterday address this problem according to CNET. Secunia released the following bulletins for open source users: Debian (1, 2, 3, 4), Red Hat, OpenBSD, Conectiva, Mandriva, SuSE, and Fedora.

Tip of the Day From Multiple Platforms.com: Gmail account
I still have 25 more Gmail (see below for definition) invitations to share with readers of Multiple Platforms.com and if you would like a Gmail account all you need to do is send me an email to contactus@multipleplatforms.com/ and include the phrase: I want a Gmail account. I will extend an invitation to next 25 emails I receive.

What is Gmail?
This definition has been highlighted previously, but to clarify what Gmail is for new visitors to Multiple Platforms.com we look to Wikipedia: “Gmail is a free webmail service, currently in beta testing, offered by Google, Inc.
For more than a year after Gmail's initial release on March 31, 2004, access to the service was restricted to those who had received an invitation token from an existing account holder.
While Gmail is not entirely open to the general public yet, most Gmail users have many invites to spare, as Google has lately been giving quite a few of these out. Gmail invites are also given away at random through Google's home page.
The service is notable for providing over 2.3 gigabytes of storage space (increased from the original limit of 1.0 gigabyte). This change was announced on April Fool's Day 2005, and was made for the one-year anniversary of Gmail. The announcement was accompanied by a statement that Google would continue to increase storage until they reached the theoretical limit (infinity gigabytes) then give each user one more. All Google will say about this now is that it will keep increasing by the second as long as they have enough space on their servers. Gmail makes intensive use of modern browser features such as JavaScript and keyboard access keys, allowing for a richer user experience, while retaining the benefits of a web application (most importantly, immediate availability of the service on any computer with a supported browser). Gmail also offers 'Basic HTML view' to allow users to access the Gmail messages from almost any computer running almost any web browser, even old ones (not just Internet Explorer 5.5+, Mozilla Application Suite, and Safari).”

Tech News Blog
7.07.05
The Tech News seems to be in a summer slump, which is good news for end-users. The following items are news briefs that might be of interest to you.
Is This the Root of Evil?
Windows users are not taking advantage of the upgraded security offered by Microsoft’s Windows XP SP2 update. The problem is that these PCs are perfect targets for enlistment in the growing army of zombie computers:
XP owners shunning security update
Microsoft says only a third of Windows XP machines have the SP2 security update loaded, a Microsoft exec says. [CNET]

Spyware fears prompt changing net habits
Up to a point, Lord Copper… [The Register]

A safe browser? No longer in the lexicon
CERT security analyst Art Manion warns that all Web browsers now face similar threats--and some even share similar design features. [CNET News.com]

Exploit heightens risk from old Firefox flaw
Code that takes advantage of a security hole in older versions of the open-source Web browser could help an attacker take control of PCs. [CNET News.com]

Open Source Updates
Secunia’s bulletins for open source systems include the following: Debian, Gentoo (1, 2, 3, 4), FreeBSD, SuSE, Red Hat, Fedora, and Ubuntu.

Tip of the Day From Multiple Platforms.com: Music for Free
Don’t forget to download your free iTunes song of the week. A new song is available for Multiple Platforms every Tuesday and you can get your tune by clicking on the iTunes Music store logo to the left. If aren’t an iTunes user yet, I have also provided a link for you to download iTunes application.

What is iTunes?
Wikipedia provides this definition for iTunes: “iTunes is a media player, written by Apple Computer, for playing and organizing digital music, video files, and purchasing digital music files in the FairPlay digital rights management format. The iTunes Music Store (also sometimes referred to simply as "iTunes" or "iTMS") is the component of iTunes through which users can purchase digital music files from within iTunes.
The player has gained and maintained a reputation as being easy to use, while still allowing users precisely to organize their music (for example, features such as the smart playlist). iTunes is used to fill Apple's popular digital audio player iPod with songs. The program is freely downloadable and is also supplied with Mac OS X as well as Apple's iLife home-application suite.
iTunes is compatible with computers running Mac OS X, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 operating systems. Previously iTunes supported Mac OS 9, however OS 9 support was removed with version 3.”

Tech News Blog
7.06.05
Issues With iTunes Continue
MacFixIt continues to receive reports of problems with the latest update from Apple, iTunes 4.9 and today a new symptom has been included in the list, a loss of the iTunes library. If you are having trouble transferring songs to your iPod or iTunes annoyances post-installation of the latest update you should visit MacFixIt to learn about your options.

More on Internet Explorer Flaw
According to PC World, Microsoft has released software you can use to address the latest flaw discovered in Internet Explorer. The software disables the ‘Javaprxy.dll’ registry file. PC World notes that the aforementioned file is used by Internet Exploder to run the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine. As noted yesterday in this space, Secunia has rated this flaw ‘extremely critical’ (see 7.05.05 Tech News below for more background).

Crackers Today: No Lonely Geeks Need Apply
Yesterday I mocked surprise when confronted with the news that the crackers of today might be linked to organized syndicates and today that thread is continued in an article on a similar topic from CNET: Cracking for Dollars. According to the article, lonely geeks need not apply and the typical cracker today is a “white-collar criminal …”or a “… criminal from a foreign country”. The cracker of today is looking for big bucks, not fame and fortune and a popular method of cracking for dollars is to capture your PC and enlist it in a zombie army. Then your PC becomes a virtual mercenary as the crackers have found a new virtual market for your computer.

Open Source Updates – Adobe 5.x is rated ‘highly critical’
Secunia has these bulletins for open source systems: Conectiva (1, 2, 3, 4) and Debian (1, 2, 3). Secunia also announced a ‘highly critical’ flaw has been identified in Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.x and Secunia recommends that you update to a later version available from Adobe.

Tip of the Day From Multiple Platforms.com: Feel the Thunder
The Tip of the Day regards email clients and for Multiple Platforms users, Thunderbird is made to order. The performance of the spam filter exceeds Apple’s offering in the category of false positives. The email client also includes RSS support, privacy protection and more. You can download Thunderbird from Mozilla.org and the price is right, free.

What is RSS?
Wikipedia has this to say about RSS: “RSS provides short descriptions of web content together with links to the full versions of the content. This information is delivered as an XML file called RSS feed, webfeed, RSS stream, or RSS channel. In addition to facilitating syndication, RSS allows a website's frequent readers to track updates on the site using a news aggregator.
RSS is widely used by the weblog community to share the latest entries' headlines or their full text, and even attached multimedia files. (See podcasting, broadcatching and MP3 blogs.)
In 2004 and 2005, after several years of use by early adopters, use of RSS spread to many major news organizations, including Reuters and the Associated Press. Under various usage agreements, providers allow other websites to incorporate their "syndicated" headline or headline-and-short-summary feeds.
A program known as a feed reader or aggregator can check RSS-enabled webpages on behalf of a user and display any updated articles that it finds. It is now common to find RSS feeds on major web sites, as well as many smaller ones.
Client-side readers and aggregators are typically constructed as standalone programs or extensions to existing programs like web browsers. See List of news aggregators for a list of clients for various operating systems.
Web-based feed readers and news aggregators require no software installation and make the user's "feeds" available on any computer with Web access. Some aggregators syndicate (combine) RSS feeds into new feeds, e.g. take all football related items from several sports feeds and provide a new football feed. There are also search engines for RSS feeds like Feedster, Technorati, Pluck or Plazoo.
RSS feeds are typically linked to with an orange rectangle with the letters XML or RSS.”

I use NetNewsWire to check several hundred news sources daily for the tech news found on this page.

Tech News Blog
7.5.05
Gone in Sixty Seconds?
According to realtechnews.com/, it now takes only twelve minutes for your unprotected PC to become compromised by a cracker; somewhat longer than the 60 seconds it takes to steal a car, but remember that 12 minutes in the average and your PC could be gone in sixty seconds without the proper precautions. The basis for the report is a study conducted by Sophos, a security firm (see below). Leo Laporte (host of Call For Help and The Tech Guy on KFI) has provided directions for safely installing Windows and connecting your PC to the Internet.

Increase in Malware Equals Organized Effort?
A CNET article citing the same security firm named in the lead story today states that organized crime maybe behind the skyrocketing increase in computer based attacks. REALLY!?! I just thought that it was because there are an ever increasing number of geeks that want to be crackers and steal from people for a living. The bad news is the attacks are now being deployed on all platforms and aren’t restricted to Microsoft products.

Internet Explorer Bug Will Be Patched
PC World has a report regarding the latest bug affecting Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and the bottom line is a patch will be forthcoming; just don’t hold your breath. A Microsoft spokesperson has acknowledged the issue and security experts expect Microsoft to issue a patch “within a few weeks”. Exhale…

Issues With iTunes Update
MacFixIt reports that the latest iTunes update from Apple is creating headaches for some Apple users. Some of the issues noted include inability to move songs to your iPod, individual track problems and more. If you are experiencing any of these problems, visit MacFixIt for directions on reverting to a previous version of iTunes.

Thanks For The Boost
I maintain this site as a labor of love; I have to because no one has offered to pay me, and it is nice boost when my inbox includes messages like the following one:
“Hey sorry just have to say thank you so much, I was trying to install itunes and i found your guide, saved me an early stroke!
Thanks!!!
Keep up the good work”
Thank you Mr. S! Helping people is my goal as a biology teacher and web master at Multiple Platforms.com (and Californiafairsandfestivals.com/) and I really have fun solving problems, even if I mess up my computers and iPods in the process. So, if something has been annoying you send me an email at contactus@multipleplatforms.com/.

Open Source Updates
Secunia has released the following bulletins over the past several days: Trustix Linux, NetBSD, Ubuntu, and Gentoo (1, 2, 3).

Tip of the Day From Multiple Platforms.com: iBook Conundrum
I have an iBook that is 26 months old with ten months remaining on the extended warranty. Since my little iBook and I have been together, it has had to go back for repairs six times. Twice for logic board replacement, once each for a corrupt operating system, malfunctioning CD drive, and last week for a new hard drive. The problems started after month three and throughout it all I have been patient and occasionally impressed with the speed that my laptop was repaired. All that goodwill ended after the iBook came back this last time. The problem is it no longer functions, at all … My question: How much is enough? Have any of you returned, or know someone that has returned their iBook for many repairs so often? Has anyone had success with getting Apple to replace a product that is obviously substandard? Let me know about your experiences with Apple and issues like this at: contactus@multipleplatforms.com/.

What is Sophos?
Wikipedia provides the following information on Sophos: “Sophos is a company that specializes in protecting businesses with anti-virus software and products against spam.
Founded in 1985, Sophos is a privately-owned company, with its global headquarters based in Abingdon Science Park in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in the UK. The company has subsidiaries in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Singapore.
Sophos provides solutions to deal with viruses and spam in the form of Sophos Anti-Virus, PureMessage and MailMonitor.
Over 900 people work for Sophos worldwide. Over 35 million users from organizations of all sizes use its software and 24/7 technical support.”