26th April 2007 Archive

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TJX finds self at bottom of 300-bank pig pile

'Negligent misrepresentation' in data handling has its costs

Associations representing almost 300 Northeastern banks in the US say they are suing TJX Companies to recover tens of millions of dollars in damages resulting from a data breach that may have exposed more than 45m credit and debit card numbers to thieves. Additional organizations from all over the country are likely to join the …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 01:06
A modern-day Gerstner is needed to cure all of Microsoft’s ills

Analysis Time for Ballmer to move on...

Later today (Thursday) Microsoft will release its figures for the past quarter, and there’s more than a good chance that financially speaking, things will be pretty much okay. But no better than that. Increasingly there is an opinion forming that Microsoft is nearing an inflexion point in its success and that both success and …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 06:02
Is the mainstream ready for SaaS?

Comment Yes, but IT departments must recognise this

In the world of IT, we are constantly debating the latest trends and developments. Usually, although granted unsurprisingly, these deliberations revolve almost exclusively around the features of a particular technology, more often than not taking the form of "is technology/solution XYZ ready for adoption by mainstream customers …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 09:21
0wning Vista from the boot

Interview The VBootkit authors speak out

Federico Biancuzzi interviews Nitin and Vipin Kumar, authors of VBootkit, a rootkit that is able to load from Windows Vista boot-sectors. They discuss the "features" of their code, the support of the various versions of Vista, the possibility to place it inside the BIOS (it needs around 1,500 bytes), and the chance to use it to …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 09:51
Trend Micro overhauls EMEA channel programme

Announces strong Q1 performance too

Trend Micro has shaken up its EMEA channel programme in the hope of simplifying the business and forging better partner relationships in that region. The security software firm, which today announced strong Q1 results, said the newly created Affinity Partner Program should offer increased value for its partners. It aims to …

IT Channel 26 Apr 2007, 10:51
Ass kickings abound as angry mob vents spleen

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A feel good moment We'll start with an obligatory pat on the back for the channel. Let's face it, if we don't tell you guys you're great, who will? And so we go to the news that worldwide PC shipments grew nine per cent in the first quarter of 2007. Dell held on to number one spot but HP shipments were up 28.7 per cent and …

Channel Reg Weekly 26 Apr 2007, 11:20
Hackers debut spam and virus sandwich

Stock spam points to drive-by download

Hackers have combined spam and malware together in a single email threat. Email security services firm MessageLabs has intercepted emails that are both spam and links to download viruses. Cyber-criminals have long used email viruses to create botnets to send spam, but this is the first time MessageLabs has seen virus links …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 12:06
Hitachi says it did ship 1TB HDD in Q1

Just in case you missed it...

You might not have realised it, but Hitachi did get its 7K1000 1TB hard drive out of the door during the first quarter of 2007, as it promised to do when it launched the product. But it admitted the product had not reached "critical mass" until this month. Indeed, of the online retailers we checked with today - all of whom …

Reg Hardware 26 Apr 2007, 12:11
IBM mainframe ties the knot with video game chip

Virtual 3D environments get souped up

Computer giant IBM is set to reveal a new project which will merge business mainframes with the microchip used in the latest Sony PlayStation. IBM and multiplayer online game firm Hoplon Infotainment have teamed up to integrate the Cell game console processor with Big Blue's mainframe computers, according to reports. The two …

PC Builder 26 Apr 2007, 12:57
Antarctica frozen out of internet revolution

Who's got the most interweb superhighways?

North America and Europe still dominate the internet, despite Asia's economic furnaces in China and India. Research by clumsily-named geolocation outfit IPligence found the US racked up more than 55 per cent of total global IP addresses. Europe tails it with about 21 per cent, while Asia, by far the biggest and most populous …

PC Builder 26 Apr 2007, 14:23
VMware goes public with $100m plea

Costs and CEO salary way up

VMware has titillated Wall Street once again with its plans to go public. The software maker today dished up its hopes to pull in $100m from an IPO. In February, EMC revealed plans to sell 10 per cent of VMware to commoners - or, more accurately, really rich guys working on Wall Street. VMware, a maker of server …

Enterprise 26 Apr 2007, 15:43
Pentagon 'hacker' questions US cost claims

Infosec Gary McKinnon pops down to Infosec

Accused Pentagon hacker Gary McKinnon appeared on a hackers' panel at the Infosec show on Thursday. McKinnon is continuing to fight against extradition to the US on hacking offences after losing an appeal last month. Only the Law Lords now stand between the Scot and a US trial for allegedly breaking into and damaging 97 US …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 16:08
HP clusters up blade boxes

One rack: made to order

HP's clusters-in-a-can now come equipped with cClass blades. Customers can purchase a Cluster Platform Express system with up to 48 nodes comprised of Xeon- and Opteron-based blade servers. HP also has both Infiniband and Gigabit Ethernet available for networking with these systems. HP, and its main rivals, have been selling …

Enterprise 26 Apr 2007, 17:53
Google glitch loses user data

Updated Malfunctioning personalized homepage has users fuming

[This story was updated on April 27 to indicate that Google says it has resolved the problem and was able to restore user settings. Users posting on Google discussion groups would seem to confirm this.] Google users are going ape crap after settings and data they've amassed over months have suddenly gone missing from their …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 19:00
North Carolina residents still want their $280m back from Dell

Challenge court's no-backsies ruling

The fight over a $280m-plus incentive package to lure Dell into North Carolina has entered the state's second-highest court. Attorneys have asked the N.C. Court of Appeals to reinstate a lawsuit over the legality of a massive golden handshake proffered by the state to the computer manufacturer. Under the state constitution, …

IT Channel 26 Apr 2007, 19:55
Websense buys Surf Control

Larded up with debt

Websense is bulking up to take on the big IT security vendors by buying Surf Control, the British censorware developer, for £201m ($400m) cash. It is also bulking up the debt side of its balance sheet, as it is borrowing money to help pay for Surf Control. Post-acquisition Websense expects to have $180m-$200m in debt and cash …

Software & Security 26 Apr 2007, 21:51
Microsoft feasts on Vista coupons for record quarter

Profits up 65 per cent

Microsoft posted a 65 per cent boost in its third-quarter net income thanks in large part to revenue from major new releases and upgrade coupons that promoted them. Both profit and sales for the period that ended in March surpassed analyst estimates. Shareholders welcomed the results by driving shares up almost five per cent …

IT Channel 26 Apr 2007, 21:59