A company that makes security software for Mac computers is warning that copies of Apple's iWork productivity software that are available for download from peer-to-peer file-sharing networks may be infected with a Trojan horse program. The malicious software appears to be designed to enlist infected systems in a bot army that is targeting Web sites with so much junk traffic they can no longer accommodate legitimate visitors.
Credit Card Processor Admits Intrusion by Hackers
Heartland Payment Systems disclosed that intruders hacked into the computers it uses to process 100 million payment card transactions per month for 175,000 merchants. Robert Baldwin, Heartland's president and CFO, said that the intruders had access to Heartland's system for "longer than weeks" in late 2008.
Supreme Court Won't Revisit Child Online Protection Act
The Supreme Court refused to consider attempts to revive a 1998 law intended to protect children from Internet pornography, ending a legal conflict dating to the administration of President Bill Clinton. The Child Online Protection Act has been the subject of court battles since Congress enacted it in 1998, and it has never taken effect.
New White House Website Not Without Bugs
Barack Obama's new White House site has its bugs. The site administrators posted an entry saying Obama "was sworn in" before that happened; another post titled "Read the Inaugural Address" was blank an hour after Obama finished giving it; some photo captions were incorrect; and the search option didn't work reliably.
IBM Faces Antitrust Accusations in Europe
International Business Machines Corp. will face accusations for a second time that it's abusing its market dominance in mainframe computers to shut out rival products in violation of European Union antitrust rules. T3 Technologies Inc. said in a statement that it will file a complaint today with the European Commission, the EU's antitrust authority in Brussels, over claims IBM prevents the sale of competing mainframe hardware products by tying the sale of its operating system to its mainframe hardware.
Court Blocks Kentucky's Attempt to Seize Domain Names
Kentucky may not seize 141 online casinos' Internet domain names in an attempt to block them from operating within the state's borders, an appeals panel ruled. In a 2-1 opinion, a three-judge panel of the Kentucky Court of Appeals said an Internet domain name is not a gambling device.
Security Experts Warn of Obama-Themed Phishing Scam
Security experts are warning about a new "phishing" scam that aims to inflict dangerous malware on unsuspecting computer users by enticing them with an e-mail link that promises surprising news about Barack Obama. The unsolicited e-mails contain the unlikely suggestion that Obama has decided not to go through with the inauguration.
White House Website Revised with Obama, Blog
To the keys to the nuclear arsenal, we now add one more technological weapon that is handed over to the incoming president at exactly noon every Inauguration Day: the root password to WhiteHouse.gov. Before Barack Obama even finished taking the oath of office, the White House site switched over to the Obama administration’s version.
Obama Indictaes He May Keep His BlackBerry
President-elect Barack Obama told CNN he thinks he may be able to "hang onto"his BlackBerry after all. In an interview, he talked about the privacy issues that threaten his ability to maintain normal communications -- and his optimism that, unlike his predecessor, he's going to be able to keep using e-mail after he enters the Oval Office.
EU Files Action Against Microsoft Over Explorer
The European Commission said it has begun legal action against Microsoft Corp. saying the American software giant's practice of linking its Internet Explorer web browser to its Windows operating system violates European Union antitrust rules. "Microsoft's tying of Internet Explorer to the Windows operating system harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice," the EU executive said in a statement.
FCC Investigating Comcast Over Net Phone Services
Comcast Corp., the nation's biggest cable TV operator, is being investigated by the Federal Communications Commission over concerns that it is giving preferential treatment to its phone service at the expense of similar services from competitors. In a letter to Comcast, the FCC asked Comcast to justify this "disparate treatment."
ITC Investigating Claims Against BlackBerry, Others
A patent-holding company from Texas is seeking to bar six companies -- including BlackBerry maker Research in Motion, Palm, and Nokia -- from importing handheld devices into the U.S. for allegedly violating its patents. Saxon Innovations, based in Tyler, Texas, filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Dec. 19, and now the ITC has voted to investigate the complaint.
Virus Spreading Quickly But Causing No Damage
A computer virus that may leave Microsoft Windows users vulnerable to digital hijacking is spreading through companies in the U.S., Europe and Asia, already infecting close to 9 million machines, according to a private online security firm. Fortunately, however, it may be a dud.
Public Broadcasting Gets Agreement for Streaming Music
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and a group that collects royalties for artists and recording copyright owners said they've agreed on payment terms for streaming music online. The agreement between CPB and SoundExchange establishes the royalties that will be paid on behalf of the public radio system for streaming sound recordings on a variety of public radio Web sites from Jan. 1, 2005, through Dec. 31, 2010.
British Hacker's Extradition to U.S. Put on Hold
Gary McKinnon's potential extradition to the U.S. for hacking military systems is on hold for the next few weeks, McKinnon's lawyer has told ZDNet UK. McKinnon appeared at the High Court in London for an oral hearing about his extradition.
British Law Would Take Action Against File-Sharing
British ministers intend to pass regulations on Internet piracy requiring service providers to tell customers they suspect of illegally downloading films and music that they are breaking the law, says the draft report by Lord Carter. It would also make them collect data on serious and repeated infringers of copyright law, which would then be made available to music companies or other rights-holders who can produce a court order for them to be handed over.
Thai Man Arrested for Insulting Monarchy Online
A Thai man has been arrested on charges of insulting the monarchy and could face up to 15 years in prison under a harsh lese majeste law that is being used with more frequency, police said. Suwicha Thakhor was arrested for allegedly posting messages insulting the monarchy on the Internet, but the suspect denied the allegation, said Police Maj. Gen. Thawi Sodsong, director general of the Department of Special Investigation.
Consumer-Rating Service Sues Rival for Stealing Files
Consumer-rating service Angie's List is suing a rival startup, claiming its founder stole thousands of files from Angie's List Web service in an effort to start his own company. The suit alleges that Christopher "Kit" Cody -- the founder of Washington, D.C.-based Trustys.com -- joined Angie's List as a regular member, then used an automated "bot" software program to harvest service-provider reports, ratings and other information then used for Trustys.com.
Obama Expected to Use Internet to Communicate
As the first president-elect with a Facebook page and a YouTube channel, Barack Obama is poised to use the Internet to communicate directly with Americans in a way unknown to previous presidents. Judging by Obama's savvy use of social-networking sites during his campaign and the interactive nature of his transition team's Web site, Americans can expect a president who bypasses the traditional media's filters while reaching out to citizens for input, observers say.
Man Claims $150,000 Loss to E-mail Scam Artists
A southern Ontario man says he now owes his friends and family $150,000 after international e-mail scam artists bilked him of the funds by convincing him he was about to inherit a fortune. John Rempel, who is unemployed, lives with his Mennonite parents in a simple wartime home in Leamington, about 50 kilometres southeast of Windsor.
