6th February 2003 Archive

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Slammer: Why security benefits from proof of concept code

Litchfield backs full disclosure

The UK security expert who discovered the flaw which was exploited by the Slammer worm has concluded it does more good than harm to publish proof of concept code. In a posting to BugTraq, David Litchfield of NGSSoftware expressed concerns that his proof of concept code was used as a template by unknown vandals in creating the …

Security 6 Feb 2003, 01:20
Perens throws hat into SPI ring

I wanna be elected

Software in the Public Interest (SPI), the entity that owns the Debian trademark, is holding elections and working to generate enough interest in said elections to actually elect some new board members. Ironically, the last "original" board member just resigned at the same time a former board member is getting re-acquainted …

Software 6 Feb 2003, 10:17
Business wants grants to help take-up broadband

Sling yer 'ook

Half of UK businesses want tax breaks or grants to encourage the take-up of broadband, according to a joint survey by the Institute of Directors (IoD) and Tiscali. The survey also found that a third of businesses thought that local councils should subsidise the adoption of broadband by running 'try before you buy' schemes. The …

Broadband 6 Feb 2003, 10:21
‘Slammer terror’ story sent to the, er, slammer

Normal service resumes later today...

"Terrorist group claims responsibility for Slammer worm", screams the ComputerWorld headline, so we tear straight over there. Only to find: "Computerworld has removed this story due to questions about its authenticity. We expect to post an update about this situation tomorrow."* Which we presume is now today, and as whatever it …

Security 6 Feb 2003, 11:27
So why do so few UK schools use Open Source?

Open Source in Education Conference 2003

Yes, it's the Open Source in Education Conference 2003, a "National Conference to explore the use of Open Source software in UK Primary and Secondary Education Institutions". The gig's organised by Anglia Polytechnic, the date is Friday, 4 April, the venue is in Danbury Conference Centre in Danbury, Essex, and the cost is £79+ …

Software 6 Feb 2003, 12:10
Lastminute slips into the red

2003 will be better

Dotcom darling Lastminute.com has slipped back into the red after posting its first pre-tax profit last year. In Q4 2002, the bucket travel outfit made a pre-tax profit of £300,000 making many people giddy with excitement at its achievement. Today, those high spirits could be dashed on the rocks of despair as lastminute.com …

Business 6 Feb 2003, 12:12
PCCW linked to £2.4bn bid for C&W

Rubbish! says PCCW

Cable & Wireless has rejected advances by Hong Kong telco PCCW that would have valued C&W at around £2.4bn. Talk of takeover offers between the two companies was supposed to have taken place last month, according to the FT, which reports that PCCW was prepared to cough up at least 100p a share for C&W. Last night C&W shares …

Business 6 Feb 2003, 12:14
If it's Thursday it must be IE patching day

Cumulative fix

Microsoft yesterday released a cumulative patch for Internet Explorer with rolls up previous fixes with a couple of extra damage limitation measures. Dubbed critical by Redmond, the patch includes fixes for two newly discovered vulnerabilities involving IE's cross-domain security model. The first of these two flaws arises …

Security 6 Feb 2003, 12:16
Insiders finger MS Shop as source of resale racket

Secondhand store found near scene of crime...

A couple of insiders have written with suggestions about what it might be that has triggered Microsoft's crackdown on staff reselling software. For some reason, the fabled Microsoft Store, which offers staff heavy discounts, seems to figure highly. This explanation, from Ian, has plausibility because it is just sooooo Microsoft …

Software 6 Feb 2003, 12:32
Nvidia and Microsoft are chums again

Xbox spat despatted

Microsoft and Nvidia are friends again, amicably settling their argument over prices for X-Box components. Actually it wasn't amicable for a long time: In April last year, Nvidia disclosed in an SEC filing that Microsoft was seeking to force it to supply graphic chips for less than it thought it had agreed. Terms of the …

Personal 6 Feb 2003, 12:49
SCH reigns in Spain

Buys GECITS Spain

Specialist Computer Holdings is bulking up in Spain, by acquiring the local reseller ops of GECITS for undisclosed terms. SCH will fold the business into its existing subsdiary InfoProducts Spain, and the enlarged group will trade under the new name SCC Spain from next month. According to SCH, the combined operations rank as …

Channel 6 Feb 2003, 13:10
30 per cent off PS2 Game Guides

Stuck in Vice City? IT-minds can help

If you treated yourself to a Playstation 2 for Xmas and are currently stuck somewhere in Vice City, Reg associate IT-minds.com can get you back on the move with tips, tricks and cheats to help you get through some of the best PS2 games available. PS2 Secret Codes reveals all the essential codes, cheats, hidden menus, and more …

Site News 6 Feb 2003, 13:12
Using DB2 Information Integrator

Briefing Note Three examples

Yesterday, I give a brief overview of some of the facilities offered by IBM's newly announced DB2 Information Integrator, writes Phil Howard. Based on federation and replication, Information Integrator is at odds with the approach advocated by Oracle, which is more slanted towards centralisation. However, we need to be clear …

Data Center 6 Feb 2003, 14:10
Daily Sport trials porn to mobile phone service

£1's worth of pigs trotters or similar for free

Last year we took the mickey out of Unix guru Ray Anderson's new career selling computer games. Now however the shameless hussy mails us intimating he's selling dirty pictures as well. The usual stuff - porn the great enabler, mobile phone networks need to find ways to make money out of GPRS, people will pay for filth delivered …

Mobile 6 Feb 2003, 14:13
MSN deliberately breaks Opera's browser, claims company

Dud style sheet fingered

Opera Software has accused Microsoft of deliberately engineering the MSN home page in order to make it look as if the Opera browser has a serious flaw in it. And the Norwegian company has published the results of an investigation which it says proves this. Although Opera is convinced it has been deliberately targeted, it seems …

Media 6 Feb 2003, 14:52
US and UK arrests in computer worm probe

THr34t-Krew taken down

Two UK men were arrested this morning following police raids in the UK and US aimed at dismantling an international hacker group believed to have created a virulent computer worm. Officers from the Durham Constabulary arrested a 19 year-old electrician and a 21 year-old unemployed man after seizing evidence related to computer …

Security 6 Feb 2003, 15:48
Bloomberg extortion, hacking case opens in New York

Only offering services

The trial of a Kazakhstan man accused of attempting to extort $200,000 from the founder of the Bloomberg financial news service began New York this week. Oleg Zezov, 29, allegedly hacked into Bloomberg's computer system, then emailed Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg threatening that the financial news service's reputation …

Security 6 Feb 2003, 15:52
Ericsson boss to retire

Time for his carriage clock

Kurt Hellström, 60, is retire in April and make way for a boss at mobile phone giant, Ericsson. He will be replaced by Carl-Henric Svanberg, currently the CEO for the international lock group Assa Abloy. Mr Svanberg will continue to control costs at Ericsson and try and steer the company into profit, the phone maker said in a …

Business 6 Feb 2003, 15:53
Tiscali in free ADSL modem promo

'Champion for the consumer'

Tiscali is handing out free modems in a bid to get punters to sign up to its broadband service. Combined with a free connection promo to its 512kbps service, punters could save £115 getting started. The time-limited offer runs until the end of March. Subscription to Tiscali's broadband service costs £27 a month. Explaining …

Broadband 6 Feb 2003, 15:55
Stolen formula torpedos big brand mobos

How not to commit commercial espionage

Has your motherboard been playing up lately? If you bought a new mobo or new PC in 2002, it could contain a cowboy part which has caused its failure, or will do so in the future. Step forward the guilty component, a humble aluminum electrolytic capacitor. But this is not your everyday cock-up, oh no, but the fault of a "a …

Channel 6 Feb 2003, 16:53
Floppy disks face extinction

Dell rings death knell

The death knell for the humble floppy drive may have been sounded, following Dell's decision to stop installing them on all new PCs. The Texas-based company has said it will no longer install the devices on its PCs, except as an optional extra, starting next month. Like eight-track tapes and even its 5-1/4 inch floppy cousin, …

Personal 6 Feb 2003, 17:07
Dyson cleans out her closet

ICANN. What? Who me?

Esther Dyson, one of the key figures in the development of the commercial Internet, advisor to Al Gore, promoter of the Net in Eastern Europe and poster woman for the dotcom millionaires, went to massive lengths today to distance herself from the failures of ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Despite …

Media 6 Feb 2003, 21:26
Forged cheque scam hits UK retailers

Funds clear, and then...

UK computer retailers are warned today of a sophisticated new scam involving counterfeit cheques. The fraud involves British cheques that are very good forgeries - not least because they use a cheque number sequence that is both valid and as yet unused. Online fraud prevention scheme Early Warning believes that these cheques …

Channel 6 Feb 2003, 21:46
I'm a Bastard Operator, Get Me Out of Here!

Episode 1 Intranet Survivor

BOFH 2003: Episode 1 "IT'S JUST A BIT OF FUN!" The PFY cries. "NO-ONE TAKES IT SERIOUSLY!" "I think the people concerned are taking it rather seriously," The Boss responds unhappily. "In fact, the number of complaints I've seen so far would indicate that EVERYONE involved is taking it seriously!" "I'm not taking it seriously …

BOFH 6 Feb 2003, 21:53