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Tuesday the 19th of January 2010

Welcome to the Helpforce Daily Briefing, on Tuesday the 19th of January 2010

1. Virus Warnings
2. Daily Technology News
3. Latest Shareware and Freeware
4. FAQ for the day
5. Advice of the day
6. Internet Advice

This is a free service provided by Helpforce.com, to unsubscribe please visit http://www.helpforce.com
For free technical support, visit us at http://www.helpforce.com

1. Latest Virus Alerts From Sophos
---------------------------------------
Troj/FakeAV-AQQ on 19 January 2010 11:11:51 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/trojfakeavaqq.html?_log_from=rss
Troj/Zbot-LK on 19 January 2010 11:11:51 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/trojzbotlk.html?_log_from=rss
W32/Autoit-IE on 19 January 2010 11:11:51 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/w32autoitie.html?_log_from=rss
W32/VB-EMD on 19 January 2010 11:11:51 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/w32vbemd.html?_log_from=rss
Mal/Keylog-A on 19 January 2010 06:24:12 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/malkeyloga.html?_log_from=rss
Troj/Agent-MFB on 19 January 2010 06:24:12 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/trojagentmfb.html?_log_from=rss
Troj/Agent-MFC on 19 January 2010 06:24:12 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/trojagentmfc.html?_log_from=rss
Troj/FakeAV-AQM on 19 January 2010 06:24:12 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/trojfakeavaqm.html?_log_from=rss
W32/Autorun-AXV on 19 January 2010 06:24:12 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/w32autorunaxv.html?_log_from=rss
Troj/Agent-MEZ on 19 January 2010 02:50:14 Z
http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/trojagentmez.html?_log_from=rss

2. Latest Technology News From Slashdot
-----------------------------------------------

-- The Fourth Amendment and the Cloud
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/iSVt4DDDDT4/The-Fourth-Amendment-and-the-Cloud)
CNET has up a blog post examining the question: does the Fourth Amendment apply to data stored in the Cloud? The US constitutional amendment forbidding unreasonable searches and seizures is well settled in regard to the physical world, but its application to electronic communications and computing lags behind. The post's argument outlines a law review article (PDF) from a University of Minnesota law student, David A. Couillard. "Hypothetically, if a briefcase is locked with a combination lock, the government could attempt to guess the combination until the briefcase unlocked; but because the briefcase is opaque, there is still a reasonable expectation of privacy in the unlocked container. In the context of virtual containers in the cloud...encryption is not simply a virtual lock and key; it is virtual opacity. ... [T]he service provider has a copy of the keys to a user's cloud 'storage unit,' much like a landlord or storage locker owner has keys to a tenant's space, a bank has the keys to a safe deposit box, and a postal carrier has the keys to a mailbox. Yet that does not give law enforcement the authority to use those third parties as a means to enter a private space. The same rationale should apply to the cloud." We might wish that the courts interpreted Fourth Amendment rights in this way, but so far they have not.Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Blizzard Adds Timestamps To WoW Armory
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/n5QoDh_J3Bw/Blizzard-Adds-Timestamps-To-emWoWem-Armory)
Kharny writes "In a move that could cause serious privacy problems for players of World of Warcraft, Blizzard has added timestamps and an RSS feed to the game's online armory site. This new feature will mean that anyone can follow 'real-time' developments in a World of Warcraft character, which display the exact time and date, so that others can see that person's playing habits. Many players have already complained about the fact that there is no opt-out setting, and this opens very big possibilities for online stalking."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- The Year of the E-Bicycle
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/YDWAPSwDlrA/The-Year-of-the-E-Bicycle)
theodp writes "Electric bicycles have been around for more than a century, but they have never quite captured the imagination of auto-obsessed Americans. That may be about to change. At CES this month, Sanyo showed off its sleek, lightweight Eneloop Hybrid Bicycle. Priced at $2,300, the e-bike sports a black lithium-ion battery strapped to the frame beneath the seat. Press a button on the left handlebar, and a 250-watt motor kicks in, providing about twice as much power as your own pedaling. Some basic e-bike models, like the Ezip Trailz can be had for as low as $500. Both Trek and Schwinn began selling e-bikes last year, and Best Buy is offering e-bikes in three test markets: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland, OR."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Modern Warfare 2 Surpasses $1 Billion Mark; Dedicated Servers What?
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/_0bOEeMZxug/emModern-Warfare-2em-Surpasses-1-Billion-Mark-Dedicated-Servers-What)
The Opposable Thumbs blog is running an interesting article contrasting everything Activision did "wrong" in creating and marketing Modern Warfare 2 with the game's unqualified success. Despite price hikes, somewhat shady review practices, exploit frustrations, and the dedicated server fiasco, the game has raked in over a billion dollars in sales. "There was only one way to review Modern Warfare 2: on the Xbox 360, in Santa Barbara, under the watchful eye of Activision. Accepting the paid trip, along with room and board, was the only way you were going to get a review before launch. Joystiq noted that this broke their ethics policy, but they went anyway. Who can say no to a review destined to bring in traffic? Shacknews refused to call their coverage a 'review' because of the ethical issues inherent in the situation, but that stance was unique. The vast majority of news outlets didn't disclose how the review was conducted, or added a disclaimer after the nature of the review was made public. This proved to Activision that if you're big enough, you can dictate the exact terms of any review, and no ethics policy will make news outlets turn you down."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Willow Garage To Give Away 10 Open Source Robots
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/aLa9vCKerdY/Willow-Garage-To-Give-Away-10-Open-Source-Robots)
kkleiner writes "Open source robotics received a huge momentum boost last Friday. Willow Garage, one of the driving forces behind the Robot Operating System, announced that it would be giving away ten of its new and extraordinary PR2 Beta Robots. Willow Garage has an open call for proposals, so that any research group can apply to receive one of the PR2 Betas free of charge. Applicants will have to release their research with the PR2 freely and under standard open source agreements. In this way, Willow Garage is accelerating the field of robotics, not just by making their PR2 Betas available, but by encouraging the shared development of robots and advocating an open source approach."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- D-Link Warns of Vulnerable Routers
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/0cJmUmMiIq8/D-Link-Warns-of-Vulnerable-Routers)
wiedzmin sends in news of a vulnerability in some D-Link home routers. The company has made new firmware available for download. "D-Link announced today that the problem, discovered by security researchers SourceSec, affects three of its wireless routers: DIR-855 (hardware version A2), DIR-655 (versions A1 to A4), and DIR-635 (version B). The problem lies in D-Link's implementation of Cisco's Home Network Administration Protocol, which allows remote router configuration. The scope of the vulnerability is greatly reduced by the fact that these router models were not shipped with the affected firmware by default, so only customers who updated their firmware are potentially affected. Or at least this was indicated in the company's response to the SourceSac claim that all D-Link routers sold since 2006 were affected." SourceSec apparently made their research available, including an exploitation tool, without ever contacting D-Link.Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Raw Therapee 3 Is Now Free Software
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/4NJX3PJkNfs/Raw-Therapee-3-Is-Now-Free-Software)
kantier writes "The only (as far as I know) usable and free (as in beer) program for processing RAW photos outside Windows or OS X is now also free as in freedom. From version 3 onwards, the code is licensed under the GPL v3. The main developer's reasons for opening up the program are a lack of time/resources for full dedication, and a lack of interest in some parts of the program (likes to fiddle with image-processing algorithms, not so much the GUI part) — so the F/OSS model seems to be a perfect fit for this project."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- The Weird Science of Tossing Stones Into a Lake
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/uhWSL6Fvd5A/The-Weird-Science-of-Tossing-Stones-Into-a-Lake)
Interoperable writes "Researchers in Spain and the Netherlands add another piece to a centuries-old puzzle in physics: the dynamics of an object falling into water. This common occurrence has a complex anatomy that includes a thin 'crown splash' around the perimeter of the impact, a deep cavity of air following the impactor, and a high, narrow jet of water that results from the collapse of the cavity. The new research, recently published in Physical Review Letters, demonstrates that airflow through the neck of the collapsing cavity reaches supersonic speeds despite low relative pressures between the air in the cavity and ambient pressure. Such an effect has no analogue in aerospace engineering or other sciences because of the highly dynamic nature of the collapsing nozzle structure." It's funny that the APS wants to charge non-subscribers $25 to download what is available for free on the arXiv.Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Iceland's Data Center Push Finally Gets Traction
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/0dfDXSLfufI/Icelands-Data-Center-Push-Finally-Gets-Traction)
miller60 writes "Iceland is poised for the completion of its first major international data center project, after years of marketing itself as a potential data center mecca. Iceland offers an ample supply of geothermal energy and an ideal environment for fresh air cooling, but its ambitions were slowed by the global financial collapse. But now the huge UK charity Wellcome Trust has provided funding to complete a new data center in a former NATO facility in Keflavik."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Video Game Music Recognition Gets a Boost
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/o41YievX2s4/Video-Game-Music-Recognition-Gets-a-Boost)
kghapa writes to tell us that for the first time ever, video game music is getting a much higher level of recognition through inclusion in this year's Ivor Novello Awards in London. "With the growing recognition of the immense detail and complex music compositions that are dedicated to video games, it seemed only a matter of time until game music was given some rightful spotlight. As the huge success and popularity of the fully orchestrated 'Video Games Live' concert has proved, modern and even classic games of days past have truly awe-inspiring musical scores. This concert alone has sold up to half a million tickets and featured music from a wide variety of games and gaming eras, from World of Warcraft to Zelda."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- France Tells Its Citizens To Abandon IE, Others Disagree
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/nUXsGdwUD4c/France-Tells-Its-Citizens-To-Abandon-IE-Others-Disagree)
Freistoss writes "Microsoft still has not released a patch for a major zero-day flaw in IE6 that was used by Chinese hackers to attack Google. After sample code was posted on a website, calls began for Microsoft to release an out-of-cycle patch. Now, France has joined Germany in recommending its citizens abandon IE altogether, rather than waiting for a patch. Microsoft still insists IE8 is the 'most secure browser on the market' and that they believe IE6 is the only browser susceptible to the flaw. However, security researchers warned that could soon change, and recommended considering alternative browsers as well." PCWorld seems to be taking the opposite stance arguing that blaming IE for attacks is a dangerous approach that could cause a false sense of security.Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Newton's Apple Story Goes Online
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/FXtgv07CrEs/Newtons-Apple-Story-Goes-Online)
Hugh Pickens writes "Although many historians are skeptical of the story, Rev. William Stukeley, a physician, cleric, and prominent antiquarian, wrote that he was once enjoying afternoon tea with Sir Isaac Newton amid the Woolsthorpe apple trees when the mathematician reminisced that he was just in the same situation as when the notion of gravitation came into his mind. It was occasioned by the fall of an apple, as he sat in contemplative mood. The original version of the story of Sir Isaac Newton and the falling apple first appeared in Stukeley's 1752 biography, Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton's Life. Now BBC reports that UK's Royal Society has converted the fragile manuscript into an electronic book, which anybody with internet access will now be able to read and decide for themselves. 'The story of Newton and the apple, which had gradually become debunked over the years. It is now clear, it is based on a conversation between Newton and Stukeley,' says Martin Kemp, emeritus professor of the history of art at Oxford University's Trinity College. 'We needn't believe that the apple hit his head, but sitting in the orchard and seeing the apple fall triggered that work. It was a chance event that got him engaged with something he might have otherwise have shelved.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- ReactOS Being Rewritten, Gets Wine Infusion
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/D4HPcFaIXog/ReactOS-Being-Rewritten-Gets-Wine-Infusion)
xlotlu writes "ReactOS was meant as a free and open-source operating system, binary-compatible with Microsoft Windows. But after 11 years in development it never reached a satisfactory level of usability. Due to lack of developers, reimplementing the Win32 subsystem proved to be a much too complex task, holding the project back. Given the deficiencies of the current implementation, developer Aleksey Bragin decided to rewrite it from scratch, drawing heavily from the Wine project. Bragin's announcement on the ReactOS mailing list makes a compelling argument for this decision."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- Nano-Scale Robot Arm Moves Atoms With 100% Accuracy
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/bSpIHW4X-go/Nano-Scale-Robot-Arm-Moves-Atoms-With-100-Accuracy)
destinyland writes "A New York professor has built a two-armed nanorobotic device with the ability to place specific atoms and molecules where scientists want them. The nano-scopic device is just 150 x 50 x 8 nanometers in size — over a million could fit inside a single red blood cell. But because of its size, it's able to build nanoscale structures and machines — including a nanoscale walking biped and even sequence-dependent molecular switch arrays!"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

-- US Blocking Costa Rican Sugar Trade To Force IP Laws
(http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/z4-4_U7HPsA/US-Blocking-Costa-Rican-Sugar-Trade-To-Force-IP-Laws)
For the last couple of days news has been trickling in about how the US is trying to ram IP laws down Costa Rica's throat by blocking their access to the US sugar market. Techdirt has a good summary of the various commentaries and a related scoop in the Bahamas where the US is also applying IP pressure. "The first is in Costa Rica, which is included in the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Yet like with other free trade agreements that the US has agreed to elsewhere, this one includes draconian intellectual property law requirements. I still cannot understand why intellectual monopoly protectionism — the exact opposite of 'free trade' — gets included in free trade agreements. At least in Costa Rica, a lot of people started protesting these rules, pointing out that it would be harmful for the economy, for education and for healthcare. So the Costa Rican government has not moved forward with such laws. How has the US responded? It's blocking access to the US market of Costa Rican sugar until Costa Rica approves new copyright laws."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

3. Latest Shareware from Planet-Shareware
-----------------------------------------------

4. FAQ of the day from Helpforce
-----------------------------------------------

-- I have lost my BIOS password - Help!
(http://www.helpforce.com)

Question: I have windows2000 [pro]I can't remember the password for BIOS Setup - I can't get my keyboard etc to work without the password.HELP!!!!

Answer: I assume you have a desktop tower.If i read your post correct, it is the bios password you cannot remember.Dig out your system documentation.Somewhere in the mb docs will be a section on clearing your cmos. this will get rid of any passwords.If you have a laptop, like a Toshiba or a Dell, this is a anti-theft protection. You can't clear the password. You muxst call the manufacturer with all the pertinent info.Post your MB type, make and model. Through this we can help get rid of the bios password.George

5. Advice of the Day from ask-leo
-----------------------------------------------

6. Internet Advice
-----------------------------------------------

-- The Best Internet Radio(http://netforbeginners.about.com/b/a/257931.htm)

If you have highspeed Internet, and can afford the bandwidth, then you definitely want to try streaming Internet radio. Unlike the boring local stations you might be used used to,...

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