Archive for September, 2006
Trojan horses outnumber all other malware
ZDNet reports on an interview with Richard Wang, Director of Threat Research for the security firm Sophos. Statistics from Sophos confirm that criminal activity is now the major source of malware.
As a sure sign that crime ware is growing look at this number that Sophos reports. 60% of all malware is in the form of [...]
We need a better way to computer security
In my opinion, a new approach to computer security methods must happen sooner or later. In a longer discussion than is usual for my posts in this blog, I have outlined some thoughts on this matter. The discussion is on a separate page, A Better Way to Computer Security, which is linked in the sidebar [...]
A better way to computer security
You must have heard the story about the frog that sits in a pot of water that is gradually heated. The process is slow and the frog doesn’t notice as the temperature inches up, even when it gets quite hot. Finally, it is too late and the frog is boiled. Well, we are all frogs [...]
More security problems with Internet Explorer
A rather severe security exploit is being used to attack Internet Explorer (IE) users. Internet Week reports
An unpatched vulnerability in all editions of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser is being exploited, security researchers said Tuesday, with the attack dumping a broad range of adware, spyware, and Trojans onto PCs whose users simply surf to an infected [...]
A different approach to PC security: the sandbox
As I have said in a number of blog entries, I believe that the traditional reactive methods of defending our computers against malware are not sufficient and that a new paradigm in computer security is needed. A different approach that is promising is the use of a method called the “sandbox”. This technique is akin [...]
More history: 15 years of the world-wide web
This year there seem to be a lot of articles celebrating various anniversaries. This year marks 15 years for the Web and InternetWeek gives some history. Here’s how WWW began:
In late summer of 1991, an information technology consultant named Tim Berners-Lee posted an unassuming message to the alt.hypertext newsgroup, making public a project he had [...]
The 25 worst Web sites of all time
That’s the theme of this PC World article. The choices are a little idiosyncratic but you can be entertained by the list anyway. The pick for the number one worst site is MySpace.com, which is going to surprise a lot of people.
Guide to troubleshooting Microsoft Outlook
I do not personally use Outlook (not to be confused with Outlook Express) but, in spite of its many flaws, many other people do. A comprehensive guide to troubleshooting problems in Outlook can be found at this site.
A different approach to fighting malware
The reactive approach used in traditional anti-virus software has drawbacks and the need for a different approach is leading to the development of alternate tools. Some of these are discussed in a PC World article
The hard drive is 50 years old
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the advent of the hard drive. PC World has some interesting history. Here’s how it all began:
1956: IBM ships the first hard drive, the RAMAC 305, which holds 5MB of data at $10,000 a megabyte. It is as big as two refrigerators and uses 50 24-inch platters.
Little-known Web sites
In addition to the popular Web sites that everybody knows about, there are large numbers of useful sites that are relatively unknown. The Web is so vast and contains so much information that it is inevitable that much that is valuable gets overlooked. PC Magazine’s Top 99 Undiscovered Web Sites is one place to find [...]