security flaw

While Google markets its Chrome OS based computers as safe because of cloud information storage compared to traditional PCs where the information is stored on hard drives, researchers have found some vulnerabilities that allow hackers successfully steal users’ data the same way they do when hijacking websites.

Several versions of Microsoft Windows operating system have vulnerabilities that may be exploited by hackers to remotely take control of a personal computer.

This week Microsoft warned of the bug in a special alert saying that it has yet to develop software to plug the hole in Windows or to figure out a workaround to the problem.

The Redmond reports that it does not know any attacks to date that tried to exploit the flaw which involves the way Windows renders graphics on versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008.

Biggest ever security update was released by Microsoft this week which includes repairs of Windows operating system along with Internet browser bugs. The update was launched to address the security flaws that could be exploited by cyber crooks to infect and take control of users’ PCs. The fixes include the infamous virus Stuxnet that attacked Iranian nuclear plant.

According to the statement made by the Redmond the new patches are of the highest priority and should be deployed immediately to protect users from potential criminal attacks on the Windows operating systems.

Vodafone is showing extreme generosity giving away the email addresses of any of its customers.

The password reminder feature on the company website in the “My account” section allows anyone to learn others’ email address. All you have to do is enter the phone number of the person you're interested in. If he's got an online account, Vodafone gladly gives up his email address.

Mozilla reports that the cash it offers to individuals who find security bugs as a bounty is often rejected. The bug bounty program launched by Mozilla is already six years old. It was introduced to encourage tech savvy persons to help the open source company find bugs in its product.

A popular Internet microblogging service Twitter has agreed to a settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission over counts of putting its users at risk of identity theft by failing to protect their private information.

Under the terms of the settlement Twitter is creating an independently audited security program, among other measures.

The data published by the AT Internet Institute the use of the ever popular web browser Internet Explorer has sharply dropped to under 60% of visits in Europe. It is expected that in view of the recent security flaw widely covered by mass media and steps taken by Microsoft’s rivals the decline of IE’s popularity will further continue.

"Out of the 23 countries that were studied, Internet Explorer experienced the largest decline in visit shares for websites in Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece and Czech Republic," the firm notes.

 A PayPal account of an independent security researcher Moxie Marlinspike, an author of thoughtcrime.org website, was suspended by the online payments company on the grounds he used their services for accepting payments for “items that show the personal information of third parties in violation of applicable law”. The suspension came after someone used his research into website authentication to publish a counterfeit certificate for the online payment processor.

As almost every Internet user knows the Trojan horse is a computer malware that is concealed in the programs or applications supposed to perform useful functions but in fact these install a malicious code or a script into your PC. Trojans can save their files on the user's computers and enable their creators to watch user's screen and control the computer.