Facebook, A Worm’s Best Friend?

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into Facebook, the Koobface worm returns. Version 28 (and you thought rabbits were prolific) of the worm spreads via a message from a Facebook friend that includes a link to what looks like a video.

After being downloaded on a PC, the worm will send information to a remote server. The information sent may contain log in information which then allows an attacker to impersonate a legitimate Facebook user. To complete the cycle, the worm will then sent similar messages to the friends of the infected user.

Facebook has been hit by several rouge applications and worms recently, prompting some security experts to quip that as an attack platform, it has come of age. All this in spite of an application verification service which...

Cnet.com

Is That a Mac in Your Company or are You Just Happy to See Me?

More and more Apple products are showing up in the enterprise, and they are not just iPods and iPhones or relegated to the design department.

Forrester research indicates that Macs account for 4 and a half percent of the computers in large organizations while IDC and Garter show that over 9 percent of PCs sold to individuals are now Macs.

Apple's attention to everything from packaging to interfaces to hardware components has always won it the respect of users. The ubiquity of the Apple iDevice as well as changes to an information technology environment that has become increasingly webified, virtualized and interoperable has made Macs more acceptable to both end users and the folks that have to support them.

A recent trip to Best Buy showcased a Mac running Vista in...

InfoWorld

I’ll Be Phoning in My Order

We've all been trained to check the browser tool bar for a padlock (or some other ‘safe' indicator) before entering sensitive data like credit card numbers, health information or financial data on a website. But does that padlock really mean you are safe?

Researchers were able to crack the algorithm that is used to ensure a site's certificate isn't forged (known as an MD5 hash) using a super computer comprised of 200 Sony Playstation 3s in about 3 days. And you thought all that computing power was wasted on the gamers! Turns out, the PS3 is cheaper than a traditional computer and can do operations like password cracking (or in this case collision construction) faster than standard Intel based machines.

When used in conjunction with sophisticated phishing attacks, a...

Gizmodo

iPod Concept Aims For Music To Look Good On You

As if it's not hard enough trying pull together the perfect accessories to get your look just so, designer Isamu Sanada adds to the madness with concept pictures of an iPod shuffle bracelet.

Sure, it fits in with the Apple's simple, sleek and sophisticated style. But I could see this as tech fashion for the small-wristed.

iPhone Savior

Japan Post Goes Green: Over 20,000 Electric Cars To Deliver Mail

So last year, Japan Post spent over $105 million dollars on gas to deliver mail.

Now, the company is making plans to switch to electric vehicles, over 20,000 in all, by 2016.

Japan Post plans to roll out two test drives soon. The Mitsubishi "i MiEV" will be used for two months for client visits and the Fuji Heavy Industries "Subaru Plug-in Stella Concept" will be on the streets for a year for delivery and collection.

CrunchGear

Can an Apple Tarnish?

Remember back in the day when Apple had this mythical status? Their software was the best you could get, their computers weren't just well made, they were like the Rolls Royce of desktop computing, and Steve Jobs bore more similarities to Zeus (that thunderbolt tossin' god on Mt. Olympus) than he did to his CEO peers. But, now that the country is clearly sliding into a recession, much of that legendary stature's fading. For the first time this year, Apple PC sales have slowed 1%, while the rest of the market rose 2%. Ouch.

For what it's worth, I understand where Mr. Jobs is coming from - he doesn't want to come across as just another discount computer brand like HP, Dell or Acer. That can be commended. Yet, while he may think his Cupertino-based company are the designers of...

The Wall Street Journal

Hold the Spam Please

You may have heard about the recent bust of McColo, a San Jose email spam factory. The company was reportedly involved in as much as 70% of the spam emails floating around the internet. However, if you've been missing the junk pharmacy, pirated software and anatomical enlargement ads, never fear, they will be back soon.

A recent study out of University of California, Berkeley and UC, San Diego (UCSD) indicates why. It seems that one out of every 12.5 million or so spam emails is actually answered by someone. At response rates like that you wouldn't think it would be worth doing; but remember, the sender isn't paying for postage, paper or design costs so even this small response is worth it.

And for all of you that think all this spam is originating from other parts of...

Washington PostTech RadarSpamHaus