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German Govt. Recommends Alternative Browser to Internet Explorer

TechiePost — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 10:04:06 +0000

German government warns web surfers to find alternative browser to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer after the firm admitted that IE was used to hack Chinese Human Rights Activists’ Gmail accounts. The BBC reports that the warning comes from Federal Office for Information Security.

However, Microsoft, as usual, rejected the warning saying that the risk was not so high that users have to switch. It said, the risk is low and the browser’s increased security setting would prevent any serious risk. However, German authorities still recommends finding alternative.

When the fact about IE’s role in hacking search giant’s system came, Microsoft Spokesman in Germany said that the particular hack was made by “highly motivated people with a very specific agenda”. The company claims that there were no attacks against general users or consumers, as the BBC reported.

Microsoft recommends settings browser’s security zone to “high” to stay fully safe, however, this removes some functionality and blocks many sites. As a result, users’ surfing will be interrupted if the Internet Explorer’s security settings is set “High”.

The warning includes version 6, 7, and 8 of Microsoft Internet Explorer. German government said that it is hoping that Microsoft will as soon as possible release important security patches to fix the problem of its browsers. But this is not easy. Patches may fix the existing problem creating some new ones. Also, it may not work on all computers. It is a very difficult challenge for Microsoft to release patches for all three versions. To avoid releasing patches, Microsoft said to upgrade to IE’s latest version as it says that the risk is ‘lower’ with more recent versions of the browser.

Have your Say

Did you notice Microsoft has never said that any of its IE’s version is not risky? That means, as long as you’re surfing through Microsoft Internet Explorer, you’re unsafe. So, tell us what you’re thinking. Do you use Internet Explorer? Do you plan to switch? What’s your alternative choice to Internet Explorer? Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, or Mozilla Firefox?

Internet Explorer Used to Hack Google’s System : Microsoft

TechiePost — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 09:40:21 +0000

Recently Google went tough with Chinese government saying that it will no longer censor its search results and, if necessary, they will pull out its business from the country. That was all because of what Google calls ‘sophisticated and targeted attack into its corporate infrastructure’ originated from China. And now, Microsoft has admitted that its web browser, Internet Explorer, was used to break Google’s mail system.

The company said in a blog post that the vulnerability in its browser could allow hackers to remotely run programs on infected machines. The BBC reported that Microsoft is formally working to resolve this security flaw in Internet Browser which caused break in Gmail accounts of Chinese Human Rights Activists for what Google threatened that it may no longer run business in China.

Microsoft’s director of security response Mike Reavey said the following in the blog post published on the issue:

“Based upon our investigations, we have determined that Internet Explorer was one of the vectors used in targeted and sophisticated attacks against Google and possibly other corporate networks.”

“Unfortunately cyber crime and cyber attacks are daily occurrences in the online world. Obviously, it is unfortunate that our product is being used in the pursuit of criminal activity. We will continue to work with Google, industry leaders and the appropriate authorities to investigate this situation.”

Google was not the only target in recent attack originated from China. Allegedly, twenty to thirty more companies including Adobe were hit by the attack, made using Microsoft’s flawed browser, Internet Explorer.

Google Goes Tough in China

TechiePost — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:55:49 +0000

Chinese Google users leaving flowers outside the Google headquarters in China as the company declared possibility of leaving the country.

The online giant Google has taken a tough decision of providing unfiltered search results to the Chinese people. In a blog post, it said that when it launched Google in china, it clearly stated that it will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If it is determined that Google is unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China.

That’s what Google has done lately. It is taking all censorship off its search result pages in China though the Chinese government requires opposite. Google in that post also said that it will shut down its business in China if it isn’t allowed to continue providing uncensored result to its users in China.

The Beginning

Google has come up with what Chinese rival Baidu calls “Hypocritical” decision following a cyber attack on Chinese human rights activists’ gmail accounts. Google said that the attack was sophisticated and targeted originating from China. The statement from Google reads:

In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google.

Following the incident, Google has made a tough decision not to provide censored search result anymore. Google said that it recognizes the potential of shutting down its Chinese offices as well as Google.cn (Google’s Chinese homepage).

The move was all on a sudden that almost shakes the technology world.

Millions of Mobiles Blocked in India

TechiePost — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:33:42 +0000

India has blocked about 25 million mobile phone sets due to security issues on account of having no IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) serial number.

Indian Intelligence agencies say that mobile phones having no IMEI serial number are being used for terrorism and other illegal purposes such as threatening over phone call. These handsets, usually non-branded and relatively cheaper, are widely popular among abusers because calls made using these handsets can never be traced.

Cell phone is vastly used by people of all level in India.

Whenever a call is made, operator can see the IMEI number as well as the mobile number (phone number) of the caller. Using both of these numbers, it is easy to trace the caller and find out more details about the call. Even if the caller changes his SIM card (phone number), operators can still track him detecting the IMEI number of the handset the caller is using.

But as long as the IMEI number is absent, no action can be taken as the caller remains anonymous.

To avoid anonymous threats over phone, handsets with no IMEI number cannot be used anymore in India. It is estimated that about 30% of total cellular sales in India is of these non-branded handsets. People prefer to buy it for its cheap price and extended facilities. In India, there are about 488 million mobile subscribers; and the number is going up every month with several millions added to the list.

However, some say that the market may drop on account of blocking those cheaper handsets having no IMEI, as those were the best choice for poor subscribers in India and other countries.

Japanese Got Married With A Video Game Character

TechiePost — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:07:49 +0000

A Japanese gamer has married a Nintendo DS game character Nene Anegasaki in real life.

Sources said, the gamer fell in real love with the character of the Nintendo DS video game — Love Plus — where he was supposed to date artificially as well as virtually.

As reported in Telegraph:

The Japanese man has “married” his video game girlfriend – an anime character who lives inside a Nintendo DS.

Virtual Bride

The gamer was identified by only his username, Sal9000.

Reportedly, his marriage ceremony was held in a technology festival in middle of a huge public gathering where a real-life priest was present and has overseen the ceremony. However, the priest thinks that the marriage was not official and it has no legal binding.

Gamers play these types of dating simulation games just to make virtual love. These virtual characters change their behavior according to how they are treated by the gamer. Gamers can buy them flowers or gifts using in-game money, also knows as virtual money, and take them out for date. They can also make future plans with them. But this is the first time somebody got married with one of those virtual girls, named Nene Anegasaki.

President Obama Never Used Twitter, But Thinks that Chinese Should be Unblocked From

TechiePost — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:36:48 +0000

US President Barack Obama said at an event in Sanghai Hall Town in response to a Chinese college student that he has never used twitter. This answer has shaken the twitter users as there has been an account of him on twitter which has over 2.6 million followers.

Twitter says that the account is verified; though that means that the account can be controlled by anyone on behalf of that person — Barack Obama. This revealed the truth that Obama’s twitter account is actually being updated by a team of the White House.

Since the revelation, people has been criticizing both twitter and the account controller — the White House team — for updating status on Obama’s name. People used to be interested in following Obama’s twitter account to see updates from himself; not on behalf of him by officials. Plus, a status “Humbled” was updated after the announcement of Nobel Peace Prize this year has made the fact worse. The question is: How does the White House team know the feeling of Obama?

The criticized tweet, "Humbled" on barack obama's twitter account.

The Chinese Restriction to Internet Access

The event was streamed live on the White House website and Obama’s facebook fan page altogether from the Hall Town, Sanghai, China. When a student of the hand-picked gatherings asked the president about twitter, he replied that he has never used twitter.

The questioner also wanted to know if the president knows about the restrictions of twitter’s usage in China. In response, the president said: “I’m an advocate of Technology and not restricting Internet access”.

Chinese people are far away from those online services, social medias, and others without what we cannot do any single day. Through the answer, the president expressed indirectly that he doesn’t support the restrictions in internet access. We hope that now the Chinese government will let its people access to all parts of the web.

TechiePost » Regional

German Govt. Recommends Alternative Browser to Internet Explorer

Have your Say

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