22nd December 2009 Archive

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Intel patches critical security bug in vPro software

Silicon-based bypass

Intel has released a patch for its series of silicon-based security protections after researchers from Poland identified flaws that allowed them to completely bypass the extensions. The implementation errors in Intel's TXT, or trusted execution technology, mean the feature can't be counted on as advertised to protect sensitive …

Software & Security 22 Dec 00:03
UK etailer calls self 'the last place you want to go'

Dixons does a Ratner

Dixons, the UK electronics etailer, has a new tagline. "Dixons," its homepage reads, "the last place you want to go." See for yourself: Countless Reg readers are questioning whether the site has been hacked - or defaced by a disgruntled employee. But the company insists the change is intentional. "It is a tongue in cheek …

IT Channel 22 Dec 00:08
iPhone worms can create mobile botnets

Paranoid, and not just about Android

A detailed analysis of the most malign in a recent spate of iPhone worms points to future mobile botnet risks. The IKee-B (Duh) iPhone worm, released in late November, exploited default root passwords on jailbroken iPhones to turn the smartphones into botnet clients under the control of a server based in Lithuania. The worm …

Software & Security 22 Dec 13:32
Italian project examines data centre energy use

Energ-IT goes down, you better be ready

A Milan-based project, Energ-IT, has been set up by Milan Polytechnic and Neptuny to develop ways of reducing data centre power consumption. The project's aims are to identify so-called green re-engineering actions that can be applied to legacy systems in a data centre and assess the resulting energy savings. It will set up a …

Enterprise 22 Dec 14:50
Essex leaps into bed with IBM

The future's bright and the future's blue, say Tories

Essex County Council has confirmed it is outsourcing a big slice of services to IBM in a massive deal, despite union fears that this will cost jobs. Big Blue was named as preferred bidder for the multi-billion pound contract back in June and confirmed in early December. The story has hit the news today with a puff piece in The …

Enterprise 22 Dec 15:36
Microsoft loses appeal on Word injunction

Must remove XML tech by January 11

Microsoft must remove custom-XML editing from Word or face a permanent injunction barring the company from selling recent versions of the software, a federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a $290m patent infringement judgment against Microsoft, won by Toronto-based …

Software & Security 22 Dec 19:10
Red Hat has a jolly Q3

Except for that lawsuit settlement

Commercial Linux distributor and platform wannabe Red Hat ended the year with a peachy quarter. For the third quarter of fiscal 2010, ended November 30, sales jumped 17.5 per cent to $194.3m. But the company is having trouble growing its profits, and even if you want to be kind and ignore an $8.75m charge to settle a class …

Software & Security 22 Dec 22:50