TechEye |  |
- Apple software exposes Windows PCs to risk
- Murdoch retreats on Sun’s pay wall
- Sharp trying to sell off LED unit
- Mexicans come up with “World’s Worst” internet law
| Apple software exposes Windows PCs to risk Posted: 02 Nov 2015 03:11 AM PST
A Secunia Research said that Apple’s multimedia program, QuickTime, and its iTunes software were ranked as some of the most “exposed” programs. To be fair it was not Apple's fault, although the company could do something to warn users that the software was out-of-date. More than 61 percent of computers detected running QuickTime did not have the latest version. With iTunes, 47 percent of the installations were outdated versions. Outdated software can potentially pose a security risk since unpatched vulnerabilities could be used by hackers to take over a computer. Over the last year, 18 vulnerabilities have been found in QuickTime. In September, Apple posted an advisory warning of several problems in QuickTime versions prior to 7.7.8 for Windows 7 and Vista after it had patched the problems about a month prior. One of the flaws could be exploited by crafting a malicious file, which “may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution,” Apple said. The extent of the problem put Apple above Adobe and Oracle as the provider of the exposed software to the masses. The top five most exposed programs included Adobe Reader X 10.x, Oracle Java JRE 1.8.x/8.x and Adobe Reader XI 11.x. |
| Murdoch retreats on Sun’s pay wall Posted: 02 Nov 2015 03:10 AM PST
It appears that the Current Bun's readers could not be bothered paying for the internet version and there was just not enough interest. The online subscription was introduced in 2013 and was the only one to be used by a British tabloid, and designed to rejuvenate the paper. It didn't of course. Getting rid of the paywall is the first strategic change from Rebekah Brooks since she returned to oversee the Current Bun and the Times after taking four years off to fight a court case where she was accused of criminal phone hacking. She was later cleared after jury accepted her defense that she didn't know anything. “I have every confidence that this digital evolution will ensure that the unique space the Sun occupies in British culture will be preserved – and enhanced,” Brooks said in a note to staff. The website will be free to read from November 30, although some paid-for products will be retained. The paper’s implicit admission that people were not willing to pay online for its journalism comes as the media industry is divided over whether paywalls or online advertising can sort out declining money from print revenue. The only papers that have made a success of online paywalls are financial orientated rags like the FT, and the Wall Street Journal. The Times of London does a little better and will keep the paywall. In September it had 1.1 million unique browsers a day, according to ABC data, far behind the Daily Mail on 13.4 million and the Mirror Group titles on 3.9 million. |
| Sharp trying to sell off LED unit Posted: 02 Nov 2015 03:08 AM PST
Apparently the banks are under pressure for Sharp to find a partner for the loss-making division. Sharp was given a $1.7 billion rescue in May but Sharp is struggling to make the investments it needs to keep its screen business competitive. Its main lenders want the company to find a buyer for all or part of its ailing LCD business. Chief Executive Kozo Takahashi told the press that he could not name names, but was in negotiations with multiple companies. He could not say when any deal would be finalised. Takahashi stressed that a direct investment into Sharp itself was not being discussed. Hon Hai Precision Industry has been suggested as a potential buyer and a state-backed fund is also considering a direct investment in Sharp or merging the company’s LCD unit with rival Japan Display. Sharp’s July-September operating profit fell 86 percent to $29 million from a year earlier, dragged down by falling prices of smartphone displays and slow progress in reducing inventory. |
| Mexicans come up with “World’s Worst” internet law Posted: 02 Nov 2015 03:07 AM PST
Typically laws drafted by politicians to deal with computer crime are based on a complete lack of knowledge about how the Internet works, but the “Fayad Law” has been hailed as one of the worst in Internet history. Senator Omar Fayad claimed he wrote the law in conjunction with the Federal Police but is so badly worded that it could effectively lock up any internet user in the country. For example you could be jailed for 15 years if you “disturb the functioning of a computer system” which could easily be interpreted as installing any program on the computer, or simply upgrade your operating system. Modifying a computer, is punishable by law, as well as destroying or disabling it. So if you do not comply with the terms of a web service or software product and install a new one on your computer (or modify), or don't use your real name and age anywhere you could be in trouble. Of course being a politician, Fayad could not resist slipping in a few laws that prevent people using their computers to have a go at him and his chums in the Mexican Senate. Basically you can be convicted of "Computer Terrorism” if you disseminate information via the internet (social networks) “with the aim of destabilising the public peace” and you are not allowed to "harass or intimidate anyone on the Internet." The way it is worded means that if you make a political joke against a Mexican politician, you can be banged up for two years as a terrorist. The police are allowed to shut down any site they claim "undermine public safety" that is criticise Fayad and his chums and penalise anyone posting an image or message to disseminate, publish, copy or display images that may "impair a person". Fortunately, the Fayad Law is unlikely to be approved but sits on the books as another reason why politicians should not be allowed to make internet laws. |
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