http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5387380.html

A Trojan horse that exploits a recent critical flaw in Microsoft Windows' handling of JPEG images has been posted to several newsgroups, but it has no way to spread, security experts said Tuesday.

Though the code only threatens visitors to the newsgroups where the malicious programs--hidden in images--are posted, antivirus experts continue to warn that it's a short step from such code to an effective computer virus.

"We are getting closer and closer to an exploit that could be turned into a worm," said Oliver Friedrichs, senior manager with security-software maker Symantec's incident response group.

The posting of the code hidden in a JPEG graphic is the latest in a series of events that security experts have widely predicted: A serious flaw in the widespread Microsoft Windows operating system and software was found; code that showed how to take advantage of the flaw has been published; and a tool to automatically create malicious JPEG images is continually being refined, Friedrichs said

That could put a damper on Riley's career. That aside -- read the piece and don't fathom at all what a casual user/surfer such as moi is supposed to do or not do.

*&%damn hacker bastages.

That is one type of crime that would be vastly shortcircuited were its perps caught, prosecuted & imprisoned.

Maybe if the big evil corps took out a contract on a couple things might mellow out. I wouldn't mourn a couple hacker deaths if it sent the right message. It's like they're robbing all of us, and ransacking the house extra just for fun.

I'd ruther see their scrawny carcasses serving dual duty in jail: warning to the outside and food for the regular crew.

I'm ready to lobby for some draconian sentences for big time hackers. Even more important is money to fund prosecutions.



I'm thinking bounty money here.

Damn. Methinks you're onto something, SpaceDude. I know that as a property crime victim, I've been told that cases aren't pursued because DA's don't prosecute because judges don't sentence because jails are already full. And resources -- except at the last? -- allegedly short all around.

But you could definitely make the first two hurdles, and it could be funded by the very businesses who are losing so much by it now.

Unless -- as I have also heard -- it is true that the powers that be like the hackers because they can sell more software. Which I find rather silly, but then what do I know.

I think you've got a good campaign -- just need some mouths & money behind it. This problem is getting only larger it would seem.

Grumble, grumble. Pute probs on board ..... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Also, I cannot access "the Kitchen" board. May just be me.

I was just there and it worked. They have a server setting that precludes overloads somehow. A couple times I've gotten a message about that saying try back in at least 20 seconds. But only a couple times out of hundreds of clicks.

I think it's just me, AV. Bloody computer crappe.

It's really odd. In "the Kitchen" I get a single half page -- like posts 241-249, and no page #s or arrows at bottom following.

My entire system is functioning like cr@ppe for no reason that I can discern. Stuff's cleaned, defragmented, rebooted, etc.

I could blame Bill Gates but that got me into serious trouble once.

Oh, dear, lil bart. Sorry to hear that. What kind of system do you have? I have heard that the Windows XP does not function completely on certain systems...

Have you tried hitting "refresh?"

I know the site is quirky, maybe try relogging on?

Yep, Windows XP, though that's prob'ly what most here have. Beebs told me I shoulda gotta Mac & Beebs was "prolly" right, like the kids 'n Californians say.

Tried everything, and that's no lie nor even exaggeration. It's the golldurndest.

I looked at the settings and didn't see anything special about the kitchen. I have XP and no prob. Didn't see any topic about it on their admin forums. haven't heard anything from anyone else here. Don't see any settings on the member side that might be doing it.

In short I am totally stumped.

All the other forums and topics work?

If I recollect correctly, you have a Dell. Yes? Could be the problem. Dells are just not good products...

It's a stumper. It's a total stumper. Happens only on that one board, and only here. It's gotta somehow be "me," AV. Well, since it just "appeared," maybe it will just be "disappeared" someday.

I ain't gonna worry about it and neither should you. I'll play around as time allows -- gonna be gone a fair bit the next couple/few weeks, so maybe it will disappear when I do.

Be safe. Watch out for St. Helen

That ornery ole volcano! Sumpin's s'posed to happen but it's not s'posed to be too bad.

So, I've heard. Still it is not an exact science....word to the wise.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/3d592eb4-15f0-11d...000e2511c8.html

N Korea’s computer hackers target South and US
By Anna Fifield in Seoul
Published: October 4 2004 11:30 | Last updated: October 4 2004 11:30

North Korea has trained as many as 600 computer hackers to be capable of launching a cyber-war on South Korea, the US or Japan, South Korea’s defence ministry said on Monday.


Coming amid intelligence reports that Pyongyang might be preparing to test a ballistic missile, the report will exacerbate jitters over the extent of the communist state’s destructive ability.

“North Korea’s intelligence warfare capability is estimated to have reached the level of advanced countries,” the ministry said in a report to the National Assembly’s national defence committee.

North Korea’s military command has 500 to 600 hacking staff who have undertaken a five-year university programme, the report said. Their main task is to gather intelligence from - or launch a cyber attack on - the US, Japan and South Korea.

In a wave of attacks earlier this year, nearly 300 South Korean government computers at departments including the National Assembly and an atomic energy research institute were infected with viruses capable of stealing passwords and other sensitive information.

South Korea is particularly vulnerable to cyber-crime because it has the world’s highest usage of broadband services and relatively poor levels of internet security.

The South Korean intelligence traced the hackers to China, although it was unclear whether they were based in China or just using a Chinese network.

The defence ministry’s report comes as Pyongyang’s relations with Washington, Seoul and Tokyo deteriorate.

North Korea is refusing to return to the diplomatic table for the latest round of six-party talks between the countries, as well as China and Russia. The talks have reached an impasse owing to what Pyongyang calls the US’s “hostile policies” towards North Korea.

The process has been further complicated by recent revelations that South Korea has enriched a small amount of uranium and separated plutonium in secret experiments during the past 22 years.

Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on Monday held talks in Seoul with Lee Hun-jai, the South Korean prime minister, as part of the agency’s investigation into the experiments.

Cyber War

Knew that was coming.

This is interesting. For kickers sometimes I "trace" some of my "incoming attempted security" links -- and a whole lot of them lately trace to China. Not that that necessarily means anything, or that I would understand if it did, but interesting nonetheless.

Smart peeps get Macs, methinks.

They're probably looking to outsource through your puter.

I found this really interesting piece on global economics:

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=3219358

Comprehensible & sensible for the most part.

Good and mercifullly short article, lil.

"And to keep its exchange rate pegged to the dollar, China has been buying vast amounts of American Treasury bonds, which has helped to depress bond yields and mortgage rates, fuelling America's property boom."

China can wreak havoc with the US without firing a shot.

China doesn't want to hurt our consumers because it will hurt their producers. The added benefit of trade is it's more profitable than war.

America has been wreaking havoc with itself, no? At this point our thinking as well as our economics and politics seems irredeemably screwed up. But then I have for a while been predicting a victorious Chinese rise in the 21st century, bloodless.

The downside is they're driving. (Ie: billions & coming billions of automobiles.)

As the article suggests about the "property boom," this is all price rearrangement, not productivity. I don't trust it, never have -- or liked it, either. You're in an epicenter.

Speaking of disasters, much go check magma, ash & explosion forecast.

Yup. In addition to our government running huge deficits, consumers are living on refinanced housing equity and relying on a retirement system which will require further deficit spending to pay out.

btw, lil, if you promise to stop using the term "epicenter", I'll promise to avoid using the phrase, "change in prevailing winds".

Do I use this word frequently? Let's have a trite-phrase contest sometime. You down with that, homey?

My proposal is based on regional sensitivity, not triteness or frequency of use.

Ah so, mi amigo. Hell's bells, mon, Mt. St. Helens is epicenter as we live & write! Yes, please do pray for no change in prevailing winds -- though I read that others are praying they head straight for Olympia, which was thoroughly unready and unhelpful, they say, last go-round.

Volcanic ash is a world o' hurt away from forest fire ash -- so I am learning.

Much of that refi has been due to lower interest rates, hence lower payments, resulting in more spendable cash.

Which is worse? My guess-- PROLLY volcanic.

WAY worse. Both in terms of property destruction and toxicity.

Go away, volcano. Shut UP!

Yea, we are talking about aerosol rocks being sucked into the combustion chamber of automobile engines. Not good.

And into jet engines - Hello Portland and Sea-Tac! During the last major Mt. St. Helens the USAF grounded the C-130s at McChord AFB to prevent such damage. FYI.

For the Bee (and maybe bds)

Just ordered a new G5 iMac off the Apple Educational Store (wife's a tutor at a local school). Will let you know how I like it when it gets here (coupla weeks so they say). Can't wait to get my hands on with Panther - and some real speed after 5 years w/my trusty Blueberry iMac which is starting to show its age, as evidenced by its last trip to the hospital. Kids'll get that one once scrubbed of the apps and data they don't need. Gonna get a new Canon PIXMA i5000 printer too.

Kewl, Russ. I pay attention. Wanna hear my panther knock-knock joke? It's only a few decades old.

Sure.

Knock knock.

(this is gonna take a while.)

Who's there for cryin' out loud?

Panther (ya don't have to get grumpy. )

Panther who?

Panther or no panth, I'm goin' thwimmin'!

....that was SO worth the wait!

It's all about the anticipation.