Microsoft buckles under EU pressure

In its stand-off with the European Union, Microsoft seems to have blinked first. Following threats of fines of up to €2 million a day for non compliance, Microsoft is to license all the Windows Server source code for the technologies covered by the European Commission's Decision of March 2004. Under that ruling, the European Union had decreed that Microsoft had kept certain aspects of Windows Server code to its own programmers so that, for example, Microsoft Office applications performed better than those of rival vendors. ...more

AOL targets three phishing gangs

AOL has filed lawsuits against three phishing gangs in a bid to tackle the growing problem of identity theft and other online scams at the heart of phishing attacks. The suits have been filed in Virginia, whose state laws contain provisions for the prosecution of such attacks. The suits also cite US Federal law covering trademark abuse and spamming and seek damages of $18m. ...more

iPod owners could be gaoled under new Australian law

Australians could end up in gaol simply for owning an iPod under proposed new copyright laws, a civil liberties group has warned. Electronic Frontiers Australia notes that the Copyright Amendment Bill would create a criminal offence, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $A65,000, to possess a 'device' such as a VCR, an iPod, an MP3 player or a computer 'with intent to use it to make an infringing copy'. The EFA says that this is a blatant attempt to target 'everyday' Australians. ...more

Roadmap 2005

At this time of year everyone publishes their predictions which generally end up being totally wrong. Nevertheless, having spent December plying key industry figures with drink to discover their plans of the coming year, we have to justify our expenses claim somehow. So here we present our roadmap for 2005. ...more

Sober worm infections cue up January attack

Security company iDefense claims a further attack triggered by Sober worm infections will occur 6 January 2006, based on code within the last variant unleashed at the end of last month. The US company says that it reverse-engineered and decrypted elements of the worm's code and discovered that it is scheduled to download further code from the Internet on that date - a date which coincides with the 87th anniversary of the founding of the Nazi party. Past variants of the Sober worm have also included Nazi messages. ...more