Analysis: Printing's secret service

According to US counterfeiting experts: 'Globalisation of counterfeiting is the biggest problem we face today,' but does that justify technology that enables secret snooping on just about every colour laser printer owner in the world? The digital rights campaigner Electronic Freedom Frontier (EFF) recently cracked a secret code embedded in pages printed on Xerox's high-end DocuColor laser printer, confirming the suspicion that technology companies were working alongside governments to track the way we use technology. 'We've found that the dots from at least one line of printers encode the date and time your document was printed, as well as the serial number of the printer,' said EFF technologist Seth David Schoen. 'So far, we've only broken the code for Xerox DocuColor printers, but we believe that other models from other manufacturers include the same personally identifiable information in their tracking dots. ...more

Eclipse tops ADSL speed league

Eclipse Internet has ended Nildram's' seven-month reign at the top of ADSL Guide's Fastest Broadband ISPs table. As in all recent months, April's figures reflect a gradual increase in the 512K ADSL broadband performance levels provided by all the major ISPs, as equipment is upgraded and more overall bandwidth made available. Eclipse Internet is a case in point, having upgraded its core routing equipment, implemented more Gigabit Ethernet links and improved Internet transit connections. ...more

Record domestic PC shipments in Japan

A Japanese technology association has reported that domestic PC shipments reached record levels in the last half-year of April to September. This is despite more sluggish consumer spending in Japan as a whole. The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association said 5. ...more

Virus Bulletin Conference: Security expert warns against online banking

Users should stop banking online, as it is too difficult to detect pharming and phishing attacks, a top security expert says. David Perry, global director of education at Trend Micro, spoke out about his complete distrust of online banking at the Virus Bulletin Conference in Dublin yesterday. 'I avoid banking online, you just cannot tell if you are experiencing a pharming attack,' he said, 'I would say to people "stop online banking". ...more

BBC writes back to the competition

In an open letter, the BBC has defended itself against rival networks and others that have accused it of being anti-competitive in its plans to advertise on its BBC Online service. The Corporation has said that only sites for users overseas would carry advertising, ensuring that "UK licence payers are not subsidising the rest of the world's Internet users attracted by the quality and integrity [of BBC Online]." However, it did not rule out the possibility of advertising on UK sites. ...more