NY Senator bids to outlaw spyware

A New York Senator has filed a bill in the State Senate which would outlaw spyware. The Bill by Senator Michael Balboni attempts to make the unauthorised uploading of spyware to a user's machine a crime but also attempts to place limits on 'legitimate' spyware. Under the term 'spyware' the Bill covers programs which monitor communications between a user's computer and the outside world, especially key-logging programs and transmits them to a third party without the user's knowledge. ...more

Credit card companies not responsible for content on websites

Credit card companies are not liable for damages if they process transactions from a website in breach of copyright a Californian court has ruled. An adult website 'Perfect 10' had sued Mastercard and Visa because they provided credit card services for websites which, it claimed, had stolen and reproduced its copyrighted material. In dismissing the case, Judge James Ware, ruled that whilst the credit card companies assisted in the business they weren't helping the site to infringe copyright in any way. ...more

IBM launches new 'ThinkCentre' range of desktop PCs

IBM has announced a new name and a new range for its desktop PCs. Now capitalising on the 'Think' brand the new ThinkCentre machines are based on the new Intel 865 (nee Springdale) chipset which supports the software hyperthreading capabilities of the Pentium 4. There are three basic models in the range: The ultra small ThinkCentre S50, the workhorse M50 and the multimedia specialist A50p. ...more

Early Mimail gets the worm

While attention is focused worldwide on MyDoom, another version of the venerable Mimail worm has resurfaced. And Inor-C (aka Dumaru) is not far behind. Mimail-M following the family pattern, by phishing for banking details. ...more

Scots to get electric Web

Two towns in Scotland are to take part in a pilot scheme which will use electricity power networks to deliver broadband Internet services in rural areas. The telecoms arm of Scottish and Southern Electricity plc, SSE Telecom is working with various partners to provide broadband in Crieff and Campbeltown, utilising funding made available by the government's DTI Broadband Fund. The services will be open to residential, business and public sector Internet users. ...more