Robert Lemos

…articles and musings of a technology and science journalist

Robert Lemos header image 4

Entries from July 2006

ActiveX security faces storm before calm

July 31st, 2006 · No Comments

A security researcher informs Microsoft of more than 100 flaws in ActiveX controls included with a default installation of Windows XP. Another reason to install Internet Explorer 7?
SecurityFocus

[Read more →]

Tags: Cybercrime · Security · SecurityFocus · Viruses and worms

SCADA system makers pushed toward security

July 26th, 2006 · No Comments

Companies that make distributed, real-time control systems–a key part of many nations’ critical infrastructure–may be forced by their customers to provide better security.
SecurityFocus

[Read more →]

Tags: Critical infrastructure · Government · Research · Security · SecurityFocus

Flaw finders lay siege to Microsoft Office

July 20th, 2006 · No Comments

Vulnerability researchers and hacker groups are inundating the software giant with flaws in its Office productivity suite, putting the product team on alert for almost an entire summer.
SecurityFocus

[Read more →]

Tags: Cybercrime · Security · SecurityFocus · Viruses and worms

Daily flaws ratchet up disclosure debate

July 14th, 2006 · No Comments

One researcher’s promise to release a browser bug every day during the month of July escalates the debate over the degree of openness that helps security.
SecurityFocus

[Read more →]

Tags: Open Source · Research · Security · SecurityFocus

COLUMN: Gangland Web Attacks

July 12th, 2006 · No Comments

The increasingly frequent attacks in cyberspace make the Web look a lot like the mob-infested cities of the 1920s. Through spam, phishing attacks, and merchant fraud, online criminals are making a lot of money on the Internet, and they don’t take kindly to anyone messing with their businesses.
PC Magazine

[Read more →]

Tags: Column · Consumer Tech · Cybercrime · PC Magazine · Security

NSA probably can do napkin math

July 10th, 2006 · No Comments

A brief analysis of the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping program using Bayes Theorem concluded that the program has no value for fighting terrorism, but seems to make the mistake of assuming the program operates in a vacuum.

[Read more →]

Tags: Blog · Critical infrastructure · Government · Privacy · Security

Researchers look to predict software flaws

July 7th, 2006 · No Comments

Want to know how many flaws will be in your next version? Using historical data, university researchers hope to be able to tell you.
SecurityFocus

[Read more →]

Tags: Open Source · Research · Security · SecurityFocus