Windows Update Hijacked!

Sorry for the continuing spate of alarming posts, but like the Linkedin password problem, this is potentially very bad news.  It appears that the Flame malware that's in the news lately can hijack the automatic Microsoft Windows Update mechanism that provides weekly updates to computers all over the planet.  A successful, widespread attack on Windows Update could infect and cause havoc on a very, very large number of computers.

Details can be found at this Security Week article.  The article doesn't make clear how dangerous the present attack is, but it appears that the infection can spread throughout a network from a single infected computer.  Make sure your security software is up-to-date, and watch for signs of unusual computer activity. 

More information on Flame can be found in the associated Wikipedia entry. 

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Linkedin Passwords Stolen! Time to Change Yours!

According to this article in Security Week, at least 6.5 million Linkedin passwords have been stolen and 300,000+ of them have been cracked so far.

To change your Linkedin password, log in to Linkedin and look for your name at the top right of the page.  Click on it to get a drop-down menu and click on Settings.  On the Settings page, look for words "Password change" below your Primary Email on the left hand side of the page.  Click on change to change your pass word. 

Linkedin's blog has a post with additional information about the tropic here.  

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Getting You Coming and Going

If you've purchased a Windows PC lately, you've probably noticed it's loaded with crapware, free trial and demo versions of various software installed by the OEM, such as anti-malware or video games.  Unfortunately, crapware can slow down your PC noticeably.  So now, Micro$oft offers a service to turn your PC into what they call a Signature edition, with all of the crapware removed and nearly every piece of Windows Live software ever made installed.  The cost?  A mere $99!

To quote from the article linked below, "The OEMs make money from installing crapware onto PCs, and now Microsoft is making money removing it. Makes you realize why more and more people are buying Apple hardware."  More here.

Jean-Louis Gassee on iTunes vs. Windows

Just ran across this blog post by former Macintosh and BeOS honcho Jean-Louis Gassee. In it, he offers insights on why iTunes is the way it is and why it can be such a pain to use, especially on Windows. For those interested in the origins of iTunes, take a look at this short Wikipedia article. Enjoy.

Watch Out for That Flash Update!

Interesting news from ZDNet about the latest Flash update from Adobe. No, the problem is not the update itself, but the attempt by one of Adobe's partners to scare you into downloading useless crapware. My advice: get the update; don't fall for the scam.

Also interesting: the tale of a Web startup that decided it wasn't going to pay the Microsoft Tax. I can remember when Internet Explorer was the dominant Web browser. Now, not so much.

Cheers!
Warren Lorente

How the WWW First Spread

Everybody who reads this should know that British physicist Tim Berners-Lee developed (actually was head of a team which developed) the World Wide Web in 1991 while at the European physics lab CERN. The article here tells the story of what came next and involves Bay Area physicists at Stanford.

IT Career Group Meeting, Wed., 2/8/2012

We welcome you to join us in the Northgate Mall Community Room between 9 AM and 11 AM. The Community Room is directly above the Subway in the Food Court. Take the elevator beyond the rest rooms off the Food Court and go to the 2nd Floor. Make a U-turn to the right as you come out of the elevator; the Community Room is through the double doors. See you there.

-Warren