Saturday, March 4, 2006

A load of C.R.A.P. - At The Whiteboard - ZDNet ZDNet Executive Editor David Berlind suggests that CRAP or Content, Restriction, Annulment, and Protection, is a catchier phrase than DRM - Digital Rights Management. Why does he think this technology is crap? Once you've bought music or other content to play on one device, it won't play on any other device because of the proprietary layer of CRAP. Host: David Berlind, executive editor, ZDNet Length: 00:03:00 9:14:22 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Apple Fixes Critical Safari Bug, 16 Other Flaws (TechWeb). Apple Fixes Critical Safari Bug, 16 Other Flaws (TechWeb). TechWeb - Apple Computer releases its first security update of 2006 to patch 17 bugs, including a critical flaw in the Safari browser and a gaffe in iChat that was used by the first Mac OS X worm to infect Macintosh machines. [Yahoo! News: Apple/Macintosh News] 1:29:26 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Phil Blank: Identity at ADP: Discovering the True You. Phil Blank: Identity at ADP: Discovering the True You. Identity management is a concept that many enterprises are considering as a way to streamline internal processes, but there are many challenges to starting this process. At the Burton Group's 2005 Catalyst conference, Phil Blank, VP of Information Technology at ADP, explains the steps they undertook to move from a flawed and difficult system to a new identity management solution.  [ITC: All Programs] 1:22:05 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

IT Conversations: Cory Doctorow - Europe's Coming Broadcast Flag The motion picture and television industries have seemingly declared global war on copyright infringement. This is understandable, of course, most of us want the creators of works to be able to enjoy their rights and profit from their efforts. But in the enduring battle for stricter restrictions on usage, the rights to create technology that's potentially infringing is caught in the crossfire. Cory Doctorow argues that these battles have little to do with the real intent of copyright and stresses that open source developers have a real stake in the outcome of this battle. European mandates such as the Digital Video Broadcasting organization's Content Protection & Copy Management are similar to the American broadcast flag but possibly more draconian in scope. Doctorow argues that digital rights management (DRM) is based on the notion that you can design a safe "so strong you can leave it in the robber's living room" and that DRM technologies treat users as attackers. According to Doctorow, DRM does little to protect copyright and is not a contract, as some might argue. At stake, he believes, is the open source community's ability to write software, understand and improve technology, and disrupt markets with new and better way to create or distribute creative works. An active question and answer period follows Cory's talk. 12:45:57 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

KEYC Television, Mankato, MN - Proposal to Protect Minnesotan's Personal Information With the alarming number of Minnesotans having their identity stolen governor Pawlenty has announced a series of proposals to protect personal privacy and improve the way state government handles personal data. There's been concern over the year for many years, in Minnesota about people who are able to access data through the government data base and use it for various proposes. The governor outlined a four point plan. He wants to make driver's license data private, protect personal phone records, including cell phone records, limit the use of social security numbers, and reform Minnesota's data practices act. Contains link to video news clip of story. 10:48:05 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []

SiLive.com: NewsFlash - Assemblyman pushing for new privacy protections ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, a candidate for state attorney general, said Friday "the privacy of New Yorkers is under assault from every quarter" and needs to be better protected by government. Citing President Bush's authorization of a domestic wiretapping program, identity security breaches at credit card companies and banks, and the proliferation of computer invasions, Brodsky said he'd start a department in the Attorney General's office to prosecute violations of privacy law. He'd also work with other departments to enhance privacy rights. "The right of privacy has been eroded from every angle -- the government, corporations, technology," said Brodsky, one of six Democrats running for attorney general. "The assumptions people have about their privacy isn't warranted anymore. The people's chief lawyer has to step up and find ways to protect them." 10:45:00 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Vendor waited six weeks to notify Ohio officials of data breach - Computerworld The Ohio state attorney general's office is investigating the terms of a contract between the state Department of Administrative Services and a New Jersey-based prescription drug benefits provider after a laptop computer containing the unencrypted Social Security numbers and birth dates of about 4,300 state workers and 300 of their dependents was stolen in late December. The theft wasn't reported to the state until last month. Ben Piscitelli, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), said the laptop was stolen Dec. 28 from the home of an employee of Medco Health Solutions Inc., which handles prescription drug benefits for state employees. Medco officials waited until Feb. 8 to inform the state about the theft. 10:41:32 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Q&A: Legislation won't end data breaches, says former FTC member - Computerworld 'There's no new law, there's no new technology ... to solve this problem,' says Orson Swindle [...] Swindle talked with Computerworld about some of the privacy challenges facing corporate America. Editor: While a notification law won't stop the problem in and of itself. It can let us know who to stay away from due to poor security. 10:38:31 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []

James Bond Is a Fake. James Bond Is a Fake. Who comes to mind first when you hear the word "spy"? James Bond, of course, and that's an insult to spies the world over. The tech gadgetry we associate with 007 turns him into a mere cartoon. It's time for George Smiley to come in from the cold. Commentary by Tony Long. [Wired News: Top Stories] 12:17:58 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []

House vote is last bar to Patriot Act renewal - U.S. Security - MSNBC.com With the Senate voting Thursday to renew the USA Patriot Act, the measure moves to the House, which is expected to pass the legislation next week. On or before March 10, President Bush is expected to renew the law that broadens the power of the U.S. government to obtain private records and to conduct wiretaps and searches, despite the deep bipartisan misgivings of some in Congress. The Senate voted, 89-10, to renew the Act after adding new privacy protections designed to strike a better balance between privacy rights and the government's power to hunt down terrorists. 12:07:21 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Senate Passes Patriot Act Renewal. Senate Passes Patriot Act Renewal. IAmTheDave writes "The Senate has passed a renewal of the Patriot act, 89-10, after two extensions caused by months of negotiations. The only thing standing in the way of a full renewal is a House vote, expected to pass next week. The renewal comes with some privacy protections attached, however, some worry they are only cosmetic. Some lawmakers who voted for the package acknowledged deep reservations about the power it would grant to any president. "Our support for the Patriot Act does not mean a blank check for the president," said Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who voted to pass the bill package. Certain lawmakers supported passing the bill even though they were still wary about it - Arlen Specter urged his colleagues to pass it even as he promised to introduce a new measure and hold hearings on how to fix it. Terrorism aside, the bill also includes new legislation that has almost nothing to do with terrorism, like one measure, which would make it harder for illicit labs to obtain ingredients for methamphetamine by requiring pharmacies to sell nonprescription cold medicines only from behind the counter. I know that people like Arlen Specter promise further hearings - but why pass what you know is flawed?" [Slashdot: Your Rights Online] 12:04:31 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []

ID Theft Victims Sue NCSoft in South Korea. ID Theft Victims Sue NCSoft in South Korea. greyfeld writes "South Korean lawyers have filed a class action lawsuit against NCSoft related to the identity theft of 230,000 people whose information was then used to register accounts on Lineage and Lineage2. From the Vnunet article: 'Most of the identify thefts took place over the past six months as underground gaming syndicates stole victims' official Korean ID numbers in hacking attacks and used them to register hundreds of thousands of Lineage accounts...the new accounts were then 'farmed' by low paid workers in Chinese gaming sweatshops to generate 'gold' and other game-world items that could be sold for real world cash.'" [Slashdot: Your Rights Online] 12:01:02 AM  PermaLink   / trackback []