The Last Watchdog

on Internet security by Byron Acohido

For consumers

Zscaler researcher finds scanning flaw in HP all-in-one printers
September 1, 2010

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A cybersecurity researcher has discovered an easy way for a hacker to swipe copies of documents scanned by Hewlett-Packard all-in-one printers widely used in workplace settings.

Michael Sutton, Vice President of Security Research at Zscaler Labs, outlines in this blog post how a feature, called WebScan, that’s enabled by default on countless HP all-in-one printers, can be activated remotely to transmit copies of a scanned document over the …More

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Spanair crash shows deadly result of using tainted USB stick
August 22, 2010

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A virus-carrying USB thumb drive has been implicated in the 2008 crash of a Spanish jetliner, the deadliest air disaster in Spanish history.

Packed with vacationers,   Spanair Flight JK5022 smashed into the ground shortly after takeoff from Madrid’s Barajas international airport, bound for the Canary Islands. The Aug. 20, 2008 tragedy killed 154 of 172 souls on board the Boeing MD-80 jetliner.

El Pais cites a 12,000-page …More

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Shifting dynamics trigger Intel’s McAfee acquistion; is Symantec next?
August 20, 2010

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The 60% share-price premium McAfee CEO Dave DeWalt got Intel to pay to acquire McAfee doubled the share-price premium DeWalt garnered the last time he flipped a mid-sized tech company to a giant corporation.

In 2003, DeWalt, then CEO of Documentum, sold the content management firm to EMC, for $1.9 billion, at a share price that translated into a 29% premium, says Daniel Ives, tech industry analyst at …More

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Google, Verizon clash with the FCC over reshaping the Internet
August 10, 2010

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Now begins the protracted chess match, pitting Google and the telecom industry against the Federal Communications Commission.

At stake: say so over whether there will be one tier, or multiple tiers, of Internet service for PCs and mobile devices moving forward.

That’s the upshot of Google and Verizon teaming up this week to suggest a new framework of federal laws governing “net neutrality,” the notion that all Web sites …More

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Google-Verizon call for Congressional ban on Net Neutrality for mobile devices
August 10, 2010

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CEO Eric Schmidt

Google on Monday reversed its long-held support of Net Neutrality — the notion that all Web sites should be equally available to all persons — and joined forces with Verizon calling for new federal laws that would reshape the Internet. Howls of protest instantly erupted from consumer advocacy groups.

MoveOn.Org Civic Action, Credo Action, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, ColorofChange.org and Free Press …More

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Will Apple’s patch be in time to stem iPhone, iPad malicious attacks?
August 7, 2010

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LastWatchdog has confirmed that Apple  has now  completed a patch for a milestone security flaw that makes it possible to remotely hack —or jailbreak — iOS, the operating system for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch.

But company spokeswoman Natalie Kerris told LW late Friday that  she could give no hints about when the patch would go into wide public release.

“With regard to what you’re asking about, we’re aware …More

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Microsoft issues emergency patch for “million dollar” Windows LNK flaw
August 2, 2010

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Microsoft today rushed out an emergency patch for Windows Vista and Windows 7 PCs just eight days before its next Patch Tuesday.

The software giant issues security patches on the second Tuesday of each month, and only rarely issues so-called out-of-band patches. The company has never issued an emergency patch this close to Patch Tuesday, says Jason Miller, data and security team leader at patch management firm, Shavlik …More

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