The Technology blog and podcast

Are macs prone from viruses

Are Macs really virus-free? This is the question on the Kim Komando tip of the day for May 26, 2011. It talks about Mac Defender, a virus or worm that propogates as a fake antivirus program. Please take a read of this article so you can be prepared for your safety.

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Technology podcast 146 for May 26, 2011

Hi everyone, welcome to episode 146 of the technology blog and podcast. This podcast, we have an interesting take of myself

getting text messages about money, several hours before the supposed rapture which BTW never happened. Then, after that, we

have GRC’s Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte

> of Security Now, talk about a site called Last Pass which stores your passwords

very securely. Both links to Steve and Leo point to two different pages of Security Now for your Convenience. The episode

lasts 79 minutes, and you are more than welcome to leave your feedback on what you thought of it on my tech blog, or by

contacting me. Contact information is in the blog as well as in the podcast.

You may go to the RSS feed to pick up your copy and again, enjoy!

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Sen. Ron Wyden places a “hold” on the PROTECT IP Act

Sen. Ron Wyden places a “hold” on the PROTECT IP Act.

This is an interesting article. The protect IP act as they are calling it is being touted around by one site as very bad, and calling it a govermental thing, where they can control what we don’t want, and I guess this senator is seeing that which means someone cares. Get a load of this article and let me know what you think.

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podcast 145 repost

I’m reposting a notice about podcast 145 mainly because there was an error on getting the files. They weren’t in the RSS feed, and this has been fixed. The mp3 file is i now in the feed where it belongs and the text file includes the show notes which I’ve already posted. So, please now go get it and thanks to Shaun for pointing out this bug which was my fault. Happy listening.

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The end of the world does not mean to jeopardize your security

On May 21, 2011 it was rumored that it would be the end of the world. While it seems now to be in an hour as of the time i’m writing this, I want to remind my readers about the fact that it is no time to jeopardize your security.

On May 21, I’ve gotten two text messages, one of which said that I can get $1400 and to reply yes and I would get more info on what to do to get the money wired to my bank. The other, said that my card at some FCU in Los Angeles was cancelled, and of course I only have one credit card with a well known financial institution which I won’t disclose on the blog. I didn’t respond to either of these messages, even though one said to reply no to be removed. WTF are you text messaging me, I don’t know who you are, and messaging me for money is not the way to do it. My blog and podcast needs the donations, and I offer it securely, is your methods secure? Can I be guaranteed the money? I don’t know and I’m not about to find out. Just take me off the list of your text messages and be done.

My one question would be who got my cell phone number? I know its on my facebook cause i want to get messages on it, but I don’t remember if it is public. It isn’t published on any web site. Just be careful out there, and no worries, I do know what is going on.

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Technology podcast 145 for may 20, 2011: lets have some fun

On this edition of the podcast, Jared Rimer releases some news notes, and then Shaun Everiss comes along to have some fun. He teaches someone 1000 miles, a game which is part of the playroom and i personally enjoyed this podcast for a change of pace. More podcasts to come.

Go to the RSS to pick it up. Enjoy!

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bits from today’s cast

Hi.
This is my first email posting since the move.
Comments are below
Lastpass.
Sounds ok but then I have never trust automated services.
I have had sites I use say you need to load software to make it all
work, its probably for security in this case, but I have had software
loaded that then has spyware.
To get rid of it fully I need to reformat or something.

Soni is hacked again.
Its not the hacking I mind much

But its the fact soni is supposed to be one of the big companies.
We already had the dcss issue with their cds, now they are getting
hacked and all their gamesystems are online.
How are they supposed to compete with ms, nentendo and the like.
Being hacked is one thing.
But having your reputation tarnished is not good.

I am going to start telling people not to buy soni stuff if this
happens again because security obviously doesn’t mean much to them.
And thats not good.
Loads of users will not use their online system just because they
have a busted security record or will think so.

And for those that have got their stuff stolen, at worse they
will sue, at least they will simply not buy and will recomend people
to avoid soni like the plague.

Headsets and internet purchacing things.
Yeah, accessible sites needing you to turn off security is hmmm.
I blame this on the fact we spend to much time on outsourcing most of
our content.
Fine if it works but in this case and others its bad.

The blind org here in new zealand got a captcha on their system
because the company they were outsourcing to for shopping carts was hacked.
They had to switch, and worse these companies won’t back down just
for one client.

I have just yesterday talked to someone on msn, who got her id
stolen and had issues.
All from buying something online.
Probably because the company handling actual payment or shipping was hacked.

So yeah outsourcing is a bit of a catch 22.
Its convinient but if it bites you then you’re basically out of it for good.

As usual please read my journal for updates on what is going on
Laters

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Technology podcast 144 for May 18, 2011

Welcome to podcast 144.

Welcome to podcast 144 for May 18, 2011. We have Last Pass, commentary on Sony’s hacks, Adorama purchase thoughts and

analysis, and an emergency alert system thing of interest, although it does not say where to go and sign up. Our sponsors

start the podcast, and lasts 46 minutes. Enjoy!

We’re Go to our RSS to pick up a copy. We hope you enjoy!

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Fearing Destruction, Researcher Cancels Disclosure of New Siemens SCADA Holes

I just read this article entitled: Fearing Destruction, Researcher Cancels Disclosure of New Siemens SCADA Holes and it sounds bad. We already knew stuxnet was a big deal, but i think this was a good decision not to disclose the vulnerabilities right away. Thoughts are welcome.

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Google’s Prediction API Could Optimize Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency : TreeHugger

I don’t comment too much and don’t see too much on this stuff, but I thought this article would be a good one to see for my readers. I feel the electric car is coming very soon, although full electric, charging and all. The hybrids we have now are gjust the beginning.

Google’s Prediction API Could Optimize Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency : TreeHugger.

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stuxnet-how-it-happened-and-how-your-enterprise-can-avoid-similar-attacks.htm… – StumbleUpon

stuxnet-how-it-happened-and-how-your-enterprise-can-avoid-similar-attacks.htm… – StumbleUpon.

This was an interesting article on stuxnet. It was written yesterday, but I thought my readers should read this one. What do you think of this article and do we need to really be concerned? I urge comments. Enjoy the read.

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new google access

Hi all.
This is an article from flyingblind the ones that produce or rather
carry the tidbits newsletter.
This looks interesting to say the least.
We can finally use the calindar of google.
Better still its a local company in my own country.
Makes me proud to be a kiwi that we can make this stuff.
Most blind tech is in europe or the us so yeah.

>Povidi Releases “My Accessible Google”, Non-Visual Access to
>Google’s Calendar Application!
>
>Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2011
>
>For Immediate Release: Povidi Releases “My Accessible Google”,
>Non-Visual Access to Google’s Calendar application!! – Christchurch,
>New Zealand – Cleveland, OH USA – PR Web
>
>Today, Povidi LTD announced that for the first time users who are
>visually impaired will now be able to access Google’s Calendar
>Application. Up until now, this robust, online means of organizing
>one’s calendar has been virtually inaccessible to persons who are
>blind or visually impaired. But no longer thanks to the development
>efforts of Povidi, a New Zealand-based development firm committed to
>providing orientation and navigation solutions as well as intuitive
>access to otherwise relatively inaccessible web-based applications
>by persons who are blind or visually impaired.
>
>Povidi has created a user interface to Google’s Calendar Application
>that can be freely utilized by visiting http://www.povidi.com/mag/.
>Users must first have a Google account; once they sign in and grant
>this application access to their Google calendar, users may create,
>store, and review appointments in the same manner as their sighted
>peers. Povidi was able to accomplish this milestone in the wake of a
>tragic earthquake that has decimated Christchurch.
>
>”We’re delighted with this breakthrough,” stated Darryl Sherwood,
>founder of Povidi. “We’re seeing a trend whereby vision impaired
>computer users are expected to manage and access information in a
>similar fashion to their sighted peers, and we’re keen to explore
>ways to give them the tools they need to accomplish the tasks they
>are expected to independently complete.”
>
>Flying Blind, LLC is a strategic partner and minority shareholder in
>Povidi. “I’m ecstatic about the work that Darryl and his team have
>completed on the Google Calendar,” stated Larry Lewis, President of
>Flying Blind, LLC. “It’s a tremendous follow-up effort to Povidi’s
>access on the YouTube front, and I’m confident that we’ll find ways
>to bring Povidi’s problem solving skills to a number of other
>inaccessible applications on the web as well.”
>
>The staff at Povidi and Flying Blind, LLC are encouraging all of
>their customers to give “My Accessible Google” a try and to provide
>their feedback. For more information about “My Accessible Google”,
>please contact:
>
>Darryl Sherwood, Founder
>Povidi LTD
>
>http://www.povidi.com
>
>Larry Lewis, President
>Flying Blind LLC
>
>http://www.flying-blind.com
>

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Microsoft to Announce Skype Acquisition Early Tomorrow Morning | Kara Swisher | BoomTown | AllThingsD

Microsoft to Announce Skype Acquisition Early Tomorrow Morning | Kara Swisher | BoomTown | AllThingsD.

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eRumor Alert: President Obama Hesitated and was overruled on Bin Laden mission

To: TruthOrFiction Subscribers
From: TruthOrFiction.com Team
RE: eRumor Alert: President Obama Hesitated and was overruled on Bin Laden mission

President Obama Hesitated to Give Order to Kill Osama Bin Laden-Fiction!

An eRumor exploded on the Internet this weekend about a Washington insider’s account alleging that President Obama hesitated to give the kill order in the situation room
during the May 1, 2011 mission to capture or kill the terrorist Osama Bin Laden. Various versions say that the President was overruled by Director of the Central Intelligence,
Leon Panetta, who really issued the kill order.

We have not found any evidence to substantiate this and all official statements indicate that the order was given to Panetta on the Thursday prior to the mission. The President
and his staff were in the situation room in the White House monitoring the events that took place but the order to kill Bin Laden had already been issued.

For more details, links to video and transcripts please go to: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/o/Obama-hesitated.htm

We’re putting this on the blog for your fyi, and for you to know about what is going on. Since this could be sent through E-mail and other facilities that spread information, we thought that people should know from what is happening. We’ve already been hit with viral E-mail with suspicious videos, which I posted about last week, this is something that could be taken out of context, and so I thought we should post this.

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riaa and other things

You may be interested to know that bareshare and imesh are showing as spyware
thats all

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riaa, file sharing and interesting things

Hi all.
Last week file sharing laws came into force, well the actual date is september.
3 strikes and you g3et 15000 fine and banned from the net for 6 months I think.

Anyway You all know the opinion I have on this.
go and check out my livejournal at http://compguru-1.livejournal.com
or http://m.livejournal.com/read/user/compguru-1.
or _1 I am not sure on what lj does to things.

Anyway you will probably gather I think its a step backwards.

However I now find that law is to be a bit shakey.
If you go to www.riaa.com and check out their legal sites amongst yahoo, aol, and amazon you find.
Bareshare, imesh and youtube.

Excuse me?
Hold on, downloading is alegal yet these are free.
Youtube obviously has other content free besides music so maybe thats why its free.
But the rest.
Imesh and Bearshare are both file shareing networks.
Hold on riaa you mean I can download all I want from imesh and bareshare and its ok, or zune or youtube and its ok.
If this is the case then you have lost.
Oh myspace music is also free mostly.
I don’t get where you stand.
Its alegal to get stuff from sharing networks.
But I now can say when I get a notice I got stuff from bareshare.
This defeats the law totally.
There is no way you can legally have control over a couple networks which are previding free legal songs and stop the rest.
Heck I could set my own pirated network up and say it was all legal and free and it would probably be accepted.
If you are gona do it then fucking do it right!
I hope this is not to strong but really I now wander what it is all about.
They acknowledge that digital downloads exist from some networks but still want to sell their cds.
When this law comes up I plan to signup to one of these so called legal networks and see what happens.
I am on zune as it is.

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Net neutrality: The Difference Engine: Download dilemma | The Economist

We’ve covered net neutrality on our blog and podcast before, and this is going to be a big blow. I did see the E-mail from ATT, but I don’t watch a whole lot of video. Maybe broadcasting as a whole may have to come to an end full time. Or something. Only time will tell. Here’s the latest.

Net neutrality: The Difference Engine: Download dilemma | The Economist.

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iPad news apps lack accessibility and usability | Poynter.

This is a great article I think people should read. Talks about how the companies of news sites could make their programs more accessible to the disabled. What do you guys think of this? Leave your comments by registoring and leaving a comment right here.

iPad news apps lack accessibility and usability | Poynter..

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eRumor Alert: After Death Photo of Osama Bin Laden

To: TruthOrFiction Subscribers
From: TruthOrFiction.com Team
RE: After Death Photo of Osama Bin Laden

Photo of the Dead Osama Bin Laden-Fiction! and Possible Virus!

A Photo of terrorist Osama Bin Laden allegedly taken by members of the Navy Seal Team 6 moments after his death is now circulating on the Internet.

This photo is a digital manipulation of a photo taken years ago of the Al Queda leader and could possibly be infected with malware.

This serves as a reminder to all of us to make sure that virus protection software is up to date and to never open email attachments from people that we do not know.

For more details go to: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/o/dead-osama-bin-laden.htm

In a related post, F-Secure 10 hours ago at the time of this writing, posted Bin Laden Video Is a Virus, FBI Warns which I and other security people have said was a possibility. Even Steve Gibson of of Gibson Research Corp talks about the reminder of the fact we should not open links from people we don’t know, or suspicious things that look too good to be true (i.e. the dead photos of Bin Ladin.) We just want to pass this along to the readers of the blog.

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Exclusive: Third attack against Sony planned | Circuit Breaker – CNET News

You all should take a look at the following article.

Exclusive: Third attack against Sony planned | Circuit Breaker – CNET News.

In this article, it says two things, anonymous is and is not responsible. You can learn more on the Security Now program from Twit in the last few podcasts, 297-299. If there are going to be attacks, Soni, you better wtatch out. Keep stuff offline if you need to.

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