Spyware

Once again, a big mess of security-related links compiled by ParetoLogic's Jeff Green to edify and entertain those interested in spyware and PC security.

If you're really interested in security and privacy, you might want to take a look at this new Wired blog on those two exact topics. (I gather that a 27B Stroke 6 is some kind of form. Is it an American thing?)

Spyware/Malware/Virus/Phishing:

U.S. junk e-mailers sent more spam than those in any other country during the first quarter, a security company recently reported, although China is hot on America's heels.

According to U.K.-based Sophos, U.S. senders accounted for 23.1 percent of the world's spam in 2006's first three months. Chinese spammers sent 21.9 percent of global junk mail during the same period.

http://www.techweb.com/wire/security/187001671

Cloudmark, a San Francisco-based e-mail security company, said it has seen two separate attacks this week. In both cases, the spammed message warns of a problem with a bank account and instructs the recipient to dial a phone number to resolve it, the company said in a statement published Wednesday.

http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,39355262,00.htm

Computer-based fraudsters are becoming ever-more sophisticated, using elegant tricks rather than technology to get at your money. [This is a nifty article. Good journalism, if you ask me  -Ed.]

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Banking/FinancialPrivacy/P149356.asp?GT1=8004

Internet users around the world send an estimated 60 billion e-mails every day and many of these are spam or scam attempts, business leaders said on Tuesday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12480457/

News Analysis: Some industry watchers contend that the threat of malware aimed at mobile handsets is over-hyped; others say enterprises preparing for such threats will be better off when attacks arrive.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1950790,00.asp

Parental Controls/Filtering:

Surprise, surprise…kids know how to outsmart web filters!

Last November, Ryan, a high-school sophomore, figured out a way to outsmart the Web filters on a school PC in order to visit the off-limits MySpace.com while doing "homework" in the computer lab.

http://news.com.com/Kids+outsmart+Web+filters/2009-1041_3-6062548.html?tag=nefd.lede

One of the people responsible for protecting children was recently accused of being a predator himself. A spokesperson for the Homeland Security Department was put on unpaid leave after being charged on April 4 with "preying on a child" through online sexual conversations with an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl.

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/50135.html

Legal/Mergers/Acquisitions:

A malware-for-sale ring used to distribute customized copies of a data-pilfering Trojan has been cracked by two computer security firms. Panda Software of Glendale, Calif., and RSA Security of Bedford, Mass., "neutralized" several Web sites that were providing information thieves with customized versions of the Briz.A Trojan, according to Panda.

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/EOEWqNIsZpOBNv/Security-Firms-Bust-Malware-for-Sale-Racketeers.xhtml

Security researchers and legal experts have voiced concern this week over the prosecution of an information technology professional for computer intrusion after he allegedly breached a university's online application system while researching a flaw without the school's permission.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/28/breach_suspect_prosecuted/

NEC Corp. acknowledged today that the company has been the victim of a large-scale piracy ring that has sold both counterfeit NEC goods as well as NEC-branded products that the company does not even manufacture.

http://www.computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/hardware/story/0,10801,110976,00.html

Health insurer Aetna on Wednesday said a laptop computer containing personal information on about 38,000 of its members was stolen from an employee's car.

http://news.com.com/Aetna+says+laptop+with+member+data+stolen/2100-1029_3-6066078.html?tag=cd.top

Windows XP/Vista:

Anti-virus firms at Infosec say they expect Vista and IE7 to change nothing for the industry. Microsoft used its presence at the show to laud the security features they've been busy building in the the upcoming software.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/27/av_on_ms/

Two patches released in Microsoft's April batch of security updates are causing system hangs, Windows crashes and the appearance of strange dialog boxes.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1950095,00.asp

Business:

For years, organizations of all sizes have suffered the hassles and unexpected costs that accompany deploying and maintaining a variety of traditional software applications that, ironically, were intended to make them more productive. Now a new breed of Web-based services are pushing legacy applications aside and finally giving users the business benefits they've been seeking.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2006/tc20060417_996365.htm?campaign_id=bier_tca

Clearware.org conducted an informal poll that indicates that 67% of respondants (66 so far) never or rarely completely read EULA’s (end user license agreements).  Clearware.org aims to make sense of software by proposing guidelines for vendors that would make them easy to understand in consumer friendly ways similar to care labels on clothes, food facts and hazardous materials.

http://www.clearware.org/

Misc:

And you thought your tax bill was high???

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has hit Symantec Corp. with a $1 billion tax bill for allegedly underreporting the value of intellectual property that the software vendor transferred to two Irish subsidiaries.

http://www.computerworld.com/governmenttopics/government/legalissues/story/0,10801,110617,00.html 

It sounds like the setup for a punch line: What do you get when you cross an ultra-Orthodox rabbi with a mobile phone? But the "kosher phone" is real and its developers are serious about looking beyond the religious enclaves of Israel. Some Arab companies even have inquired about the phone's main feature: keeping out sex lines and other worldly temptations.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060331.gtphonemar31/BNStory/Technology/

I found the opening scene to the 1991 movie sequel, Terminator 2, to be one of the most powerful SciFi film openings ever. There's a massive firestorm, chunky metal warriors waging war against humans, and then the camera zooms into a metal robot foot crushing a human skull. It’s very graphic. The world has been taken over by terminator robots, first created by man and now bent on destroying us. It's Skynet. What interested me most about this SciFi classic was how real and plausible this future could be, understanding the dark side of human nature that creates evil and some people's inherent need to cause harm. [FYI, this story is about botnets, not Schwarzenegger  -Ed.]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/20/war_against_botnets/

[spyware]  [security]

It's days like today that I'm proud to be a Canadian. I'll sit down and eat a stack of flapjacks doused in maple syrup, watch hockey and knock back a few Sleeman's, and then just wander around the neighbourhood saying "eh" to my fellow Canucks.

The cause for my national pride comes in the form of The Canadian Music Creators' Coalition (CMCC), who have established this nifty new website and spelled out their mission statement in a 5-page PDF document.  Essentially, this roguish troupe of Canadian musicians -- including Broken Social Scene, Stars, Our Lady Peace, The Weakerthans, Billy Talent and Sum 41 -- have decided that musicians should have a say in whether or not fans are sued for file-sharing and whether or not record companies should cripple CDs with frustrating DRM copy-protection technology, the likes of which Sony BMG paid dearly for.

Over at Spyware Confidential, you can read about some of the soul-crushing litigation against the public that's being wielded by the Recording Industry Association of America. This is the kind of stuff that Canadian artists want to avoid. From the PDF:

We do not want to sue our fans. We oppose any copyright reforms that would make it easier for record companies to do this. The labels have been suing our fans against our will, and laws enabling these suits cannot be justified in our names...

Fans who share music are not thieves or pirates. Sharing music has been happening for decades. It is hypocritical for labels to sue fans for something that everyone in the music industry has done him or herself. New technologies may have changed the way that fans share music, but they have not changed the fact that sharing helps artists’ careers.

Ever heard of a mix tape? What about before the advent of marvelous dual-cassette players, when music fans taped their favourite tunes off the radio? People have been sharing music since the dawn of recordable media, and before. It's insane to sue fans for utilising a specific technology to share music and not for using another. That is, regardless of how you're sharing music, it's not a crime, nor can the recording industry prove their losses in any specific case. If they could say, "This kid using Kazaa fleeced us out of $100,000," they might have a case. Otherwise, it's all bull.

Here's what the CMCC have to say about DRM and software copy protection (my most hated foe):

Artists do not support using digital locks to increase the labels’ control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music, let alone laws that would prohibit circumvention of such technological measures. Digital locks, and laws protecting them, are risky and counterproductive...

The major labels’ tactics are backfiring and hurting artists. The use of digital locks is decreasing consumer confidence in entertainment products and leading to resentment of the music industry as a whole. The labels that employ these tactics feel the backlash, but actual Canadian artists also suffer as a result. The recent incident concerning Sony BMG’s digital rights management systems illustrates the risks inherent in trying to control consumers through technology.

Technological restrictions on music are also counterproductive, because they disappoint fans. Taking away consumers’ choices will cause fewer fans to buy our music.

Absolutely right. I've put down plenty of CDs when I noticed that little "this may not be compatible with iPods" warning on the case. Anything that I can't rip onto my PC and listen to in MP3 format, I won't buy. What's the point of having all this fancy digital technology  when the RIAA is shoving us back into the dark ages of the compact disc? I don't listen to anything on CD anymore. Rip it and play it in iTunes or Winamp or whatever. It's easier than swapping discs in and out, and it's made those absurd 50- or 100-CD changers that rich folk used to own seem utterly arcane.

The CMCC is making a whole lot of sense, trying to protect their own interests (not the interests of record labels and distributors) and make sure listeners are free to do whatever they want with the music they purchase. If you bought it, you should be allowed to do whatever you want with it, including sharing it on recordable media and ripping it into any digital format, on any device.

Check out the CMCC website here and download the PDF, "A New Voice: Policy Paper," here.

[spyware]  [security]

Over at eWeek, Ryan Naraine reports on a government-funded security firm called Komoku, Inc., who are busy working on both a hardware and software solution to rootkit detection.

Komoku President William Arbaugh describes the rootkit problem accurately:

"Security technologies depend on the correctness of the system they're actually checking," said Arbaugh..."If something changes the system at the operating system level, it can't be reliably detected via the OS itself or through applications running on the system," he said. "We have this notion of what the operating system is supposed to look like, and we look for deviations to that. We aren't initially looking for the rootkit — we look at the side effects of the infection."

Rootkits are indeed a tricky threat, since they function at the kernel level, undermining the operating system and other software and attacking core system function and boot procedures. That means a rootkit can hide itself from security tools very well, and any software used to detect and disable rootkits has its work cut out for it.

Komoku is currently working on a hardware solution to the rootkit problem for servers and large systems. The solution is a PCI card called Copilot, which monitors system memory and function at a hardware level. The company is also working on a software solution, Gamma, that will target rootkits on laptops and PCs. But, of course, any software solution to the rootkit problem is fallible.

Unfortunately, hardware solutions are scant and expensive; Komoku's only current client is the U.S. government, so don't expect to nab a Copilot card off the shelf at Circuit City any time soon. Their Gamma solution, while it may mimic some of Copilot's underlying technology, can't (by its very nature as software) provide the same level of detection and security. As such, Komoku has labeled it a "low assurance" solution.

As an aside, the company tested their hardware on Sony BMG's infamous DRM rootkit and detected it "in all its vectors, in real time."

But this all points to the true rootkit solution -- on-board protection; that is, rootkit protection built into motherboards or CPUs. Plug-in cards are all well and good, but what better way to head off an attack on the system than to develop a hard-coded method of protection?

Certainly, that's a broad statement, since protecting against rootkits as a whole is no easy task. Each one has its own attack vectors and functionality. That's why software is so much easier than hardware -- it can be updated and upgraded as quick as code can be written. A hardware fix is written in stone, tough to change without a hammer and chisel.

Regardless, if you're on the lookout for reliable and cost-effective rootkit protection, you might be in for a wait. Hardware offers the best protection, but unless you're a code-breaker for the Office of Homeland Security, you won't be getting your hands on Komoku's solution just yet. Keep your anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall tools active, and raise your hands in prayer for motherboard manufacturers and folks like Intel and AMD to get working on rootkit protection at the hardware level.

[spyware]  [security]

Recently, an executive at ParetoLogic discovered a link to a "crack" for XoftSpy. Crack files, on the rare occasion when they actually work, break through copy protection and give users free (and illegal) access to an application that other users pay for.

Cracks have commonly been linked to spyware, adware and viruses, and you can see for yourself (though I wouldn't recommend it) by punching in "crack" or "crackz" into the search engine of a file-sharing program like Kazaa or LimeWire. The results, more often than not, are blanketed with dangerous Trojan horse programs and other nasty bugs. That's because many worms and Trojan horses actually install fake crack files on infected PCs. These worms and Trojans spread by tricking users into downloading (via peer-to-peer file-sharing) a file named something like "Xoftspy crack.exe" or "Quake4crack.exe" -- files with names that suggest an easy path to free software, but that will more often than not load your PC with a dangerous bug or, more likely, a collection of bugs.

The crack file discovered at ParetoLogic downloaded a mob of dangerous programs onto the exec's machine, including SpyFalcon -- a rogue anti-spyware tool based on the prevalent and highly intrusive SpyAxe software.

In case you're hearing about rogue anti-spyware tools for the first time (this is an educational blog, afer all), you might want to look at the rogue anti-spyware shrine at SpywareWarrior.com. Rogues are security and anti-spyware tools that make claims to improving system security, but often cause more harm than good or, at the very least, do nothing at all but trick the user into spending money on a useless program. They're a deceptive and often convincing scam, and one that we're doing our best to combat by detecting and disabling as many rogue tools as we can.

New rogues are showing up all the time, but many of them are merely variants of existing programs. So you know what to avoid, here is a list of common and current rogue anti-spyware and security applications.

Adware.Punisher
Adware.Punisher (or Adware Punisher) is claims to remove spyware, adware and Internet threats, but will likely cause more harm than good. It is a variant of SpyAxe, another rogue anti-spyware application. (www.adwarepunisher[dot]com)

AlfaCleaner
AlfaCleaner claims to remove all spyware and “tune your PC to optimum performance,” but it will display fake security warnings and attempt to trick the user into purchasing the full retail version. (www.alfacleaner[dot]com)

BraveSentry
BraveSentry's free scan reports false positives in order to frighten the user into paying for the program. BraveSentry is known to be distributed through exploits that also download adware and spyware on to users' computers without notice or consent.(www.bravesentry[dot]com)

ErrorSafe
ErrorSafe claims to “fix computer problem,” but is of questionable utility and may be difficult to remove. (www.errorsafe[dot]com)

SpyAxe
SpyAxe is a well-known rogue anti-spyware tool, which users are often tricked into purchasing. Trojan horse programs may force installs of SpyAxe or make the application difficult to remove. (www.spyaxe[dot]com)

Spyblocs/eBlocs
Spyblocs/eBlocs claims to remove spyware, but is usually bundled with dangerous spyware and adware. It displays pop-up ads and is difficult to remove. (www.eblocs[dot]com)

SpyCut
SpyCut is distributed by means of misleading sponsored links that trick the user into believing his or her PC is infected with spyware then prompt the user to purchase a retail copy of SpyCut. SpyCut is known to be distributed through exploits that also download adware and spyware on to users’ computers without notice or consent. (www.spycut[dot]com)

SpyFalcon
SpyFalcon is a re-branded variant of SpyAxe, a well-known rogue anti-spyware tool, which users are often tricked into purchasing. Trojan horse programs may force installs of SpyAxe or make the application difficult to remove. (www.spyfalcon[dot]com)

SpySheriff
SpySheriff adware attempts to trick the user into purchasing a full version of the rogue anti-spyware tool. (www.spysheriff[dot]com)

SpyTrooper
SpyTrooper adware attempts to trick the user into purchasing a full version of the rogue anti-spyware tool. SpySheriff and SpyTrooper are identical in function and design; they differ in name only. (www.spytrooper[dot]com)

SpyShield
SpyShield is distributed by means of misleading sponsored links that trick the user into believing his or her PC is infected with spyware then prompt the user to purchase a retail copy of SpyShield. SpyShield  is known to be distributed through exploits that also download adware and spyware on to users’ computers without notice or consent. (www.spy-shield[dot]com)

SpywareAxe
SpywareAxe is a re-branded variant of SpyAxe, a well-known rogue anti-spyware tool, which users are often tricked into purchasing. Trojan horse programs may force installs of SpyAxe or make the application difficult to remove. (No website)

Spyware Disinfector
Spyware Disinfector is distributed by means of misleading sponsored links that trick the user into believing his or her PC is infected with spyware then prompt the user to purchase a retail copy of Spyware Disinfector. Spyware Disinfector is known to be distributed through exploits that also download adware and spyware on to users’ computers without notice or consent. (www.spywaredisinfector[dot]com)

SpywareQuake
SpywareQuake is a re-branded variant of SpyAxe, a well-known rogue anti-spyware tool, which users are often tricked into purchasing. Trojan horse programs may force installs of SpywareQuake or make the application difficult to remove. It can be distributed through exploits—particularly, the Vcodec vendor, which tricks users with Windows Media player codecs and forces an install. (www.spywarequake[dot]com)

Spyware Soft Stop
Spyware Soft Stop falsely claims to remove spyware. Its free scan reports multiple false positives in order to trick the user into buying a full version of the program. Performing several consecutive scans shows that the program fabricates results, often assigning different threat names to the same file. Spyware Soft Stop is of questionable use as a security or anti-spyware tool. (www.spywaresoftstop[dot]com)

SpywareStrike
SpywareStrike is a re-branded variant of SpyAxe, a well-known rogue anti-spyware tool, which users are often tricked into purchasing. Trojan horse programs may force installs of SpyAxe or make the application difficult to remove. (www.spywarestrike[dot]com)

Ultimate Defender
Ultimate Defender is a frustrating rogue security tool that claims to find and remove spyware, Trojan horses and other security risks, but will merely prompt the user to purchase the full version, which has little value as a security tool. Ultimate Defender displays incorrect scan results, inventing threats and failing to disclose their location on the user’s PC. Its scan results are unreliable, used mainly to trick users into purchasing the full version of this prevalent shareware application. (www.udefender[dot]com)

WinAntiSpyWare 2006
WinAntiSpyWare 2006 claims to remove all spyware, but it will display fake security warnings and attempt to trick the user into purchasing the full retail version. (www.winantispyware[dot]com)

WinFixer
WinFixer is a prevalent and frustrating rogue security tool that claims to find and remove Windows errors and security risks, but will merely prompt the user to purchase the full version, which has little value as a security or optimization tool. (www.winfixer[dot]com)

WinHound
WinHound is a re-branded variant of AlfaCleaner that claims to remove all spyware, but will display fake security warnings and attempt to trick the user into purchasing the full retail version. (www.winhound[dot]com)

---

There are more rogues showing up every week, but those listed above comprise the most common and dangerous as of this writing. Keep an eye out for rogue security scams, and don't let yourself be fooled by pop-up ads telling you that "your system has been compromised" or that "your PC is infected with spyware right now." If you're not sure about an application's validity or reputation, check SpywareWarrior's rogue list before you dispose of any hard-earned cash.

[spyware]  [security]

You've read and loved it three times before, so here it is for a fourth time -- a big mess of security-related links. These rather orderly messes are compiled by ParetoLogic's Jeff Green to edify and entertain those interested in spyware and PC security.

As an aside, if you've e-mailed SpywareDaily[at]ParetoLogic[dot]com in the past couple of weeks, chances are we didn't receive your message due to a mind-melting supernova of spam. We'll clean it up and get back to you as soon as we can. For other ParetoLogic contact info, look here.

Spyware/Malware/Virus/Phishing/etc:

In a rare discussion on the severity of the Windows malware scourge, a Microsoft security official said businesses should consider investing in an automated process to wipe hard drives and reinstall operating systems as a practical way to recover from malware infestation.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1945808,00.asp

Security company McAfee has acquired SiteAdvisor in a move to fortify defenses for people before they browse potentially malicious Web sites.

http://news.com.com/McAfee+buys+search-warning+company/2100-7350_3-6057923.html?tag=nefd.top

The antivirus provider said Tuesday that as profits from cybercrime grew in 2005, criminals increasingly tried to prevent antivirus providers from developing protection against the latest threats. "Honeypots," or lightly protected systems set up to collect samples of malicious software for antivirus companies, were a prime target, Kaspersky said.

http://news.com.com/Cybercrooks+ramp+up+against+antivirus+firms--and+each+other/2100-7349_3-6057654.html?tag=nefd.top

It's easy to create malicious code, penetrate firewalls, and steal personal and financial information. "Ethical hacker" Andrew Whitaker can show you how

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2006/tc20060403_499982.htm?campaign_id=bier_tca

The confrontation between virus writers and the anti-virus industry is escalating, with malware authors also going after fellow VXers.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/05/vxers_at_war/

Anti-spyware activist Ben Edelman has flagged a spyware-powered click-fraud scam using Yahoo's Overture advertising service to fleece advertisers.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1946001,00.asp

Hai Nam Luke has discovered a vulnerability in Internet Explorer, which can be exploited by malicious people to conduct phishing attacks.

http://secunia.com/advisories/19521/

A NSW Police blunder has led to a database of email passwords - including those of the anti-terrorism chief and hundreds of journalists - published on the internet.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/police-secret-password-blunder/2006/04/05/1143916566038.html%5D

A rogue anti-spyware application is falsely identifying popular security products and file system tools as spyware. Security firm SurfControl advises users not to touch the application, UnSpyPC, with a barge pole

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/07/unspypc/

Security:

Hewlett-Packard acknowledged this week that software used to control two of its color printers could be exploited by attackers to remotely steal files from Windows PCs.

http://www.techweb.com/wire/security/184429355;jsessionid=EZ0OMLZO02CDGQSNDBECKHSCJUMEKJVN

Legal (Big Week):

'Star Wars Kid' cuts a deal with his tormentors.  Case settled out of court in what would have been the first case of cyber-bullying.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060407.wxstarwars07/BNStory/National/home Here’s the video for anyone who missed it over the last few years… http://www.guzer.com/videos/starwarskid.php

Rocky Delgadillo's office charged three officers of Enternet Media with criminally distributing spyware to some 18 million computers ...

http://www.lavoice.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1654

And now for Direct-Revenue:

New York's attorney general sued another Internet pop-up advertising company Tuesday, accusing it of secretly installing malicious programs on personal computers and sending ads through "spyware" that is already installed.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SPITZER_SPYWARE?SITE=CADIU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

And here’s the official press release which includes a link to the 76 page affirmation (statement of case and charges): Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today sued one of the most elusive internet spyware companies, alleging that the firm surreptitiously installed millions of pop-up ad programs on consumers' computers.

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2006/apr/apr04a_06.html

German federal police on Tuesday arrested seven members of a suspected phishing gang on fraud charges after a three-month investigation.

http://www.techweb.com/wire/security/184428438;jsessionid=FQLSLC2Y4UFVQQSNDBECKHSCJUMEKJVN

In sharing information about an undercover federal investigation of Web frauds involving credit cards and stolen tax refunds, the Secret Service demonstrated that it can adapt with the times. The seven initial arrests stemming from what the Secret Service has dubbed "Operation Rolling Stone" show that federal investigators have started to learn how to crack through deceptive IP addresses and encrypted IM communications.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1946230,00.asp

Misc:

Microsoft has urged UK PC vendors not to give customers the opportunity to buy a PC without a pre-installed operating system.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39261437,00.htm

Vehicles that are able to parallel park themselves while drivers sit and relax behind the wheel are coming to the United States, according to a Local 6 News report.

http://www.local6.com/technology/8458908/detail.html

Somewhere on a shelf in a cavernous warehouse in Alabama rests the life-like noggin of Philip K. Dick, quietly dreaming of electric sheep. Or maybe the robotic head of the legendary sci-fi author got blown up. These are among the possible explanations for the bizarre disappearance of an artist's homage to Dick. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. This tale of loss should start from the beginning.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.04/posts.html?pg=2

A few weeks back, a hack surfaced on the Internet that let users of Apple's new Intel-based computers install Microsoft Windows XP. It was probably more trouble than it was worth for most users, but Apple has come around with its own, much smoother pathway to Windows.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1946733,00.asp

Opinion:

Is it possible for a Mac to catch a Windows disease? Yes, though it's not likely.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1947255,00.asp

Yes…it’s official…thanks to Boot Camp from Apple, you can now dual boot and run Windows XP on your new Intel based Mac!!!  Here are some screen shots of people that have!

http://www.eng.bu.edu/~anc/macosx_bluescreen/blue2.jpg
http://www.dealcatcher.com/forums/m_402248/tm.htm

Humour:

Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) chairman Dan Glickman and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) president Cary Sherman today announced the historic merger of the two organizations. The newly-created entity is being called the Music And Film Industry Association of America, Inc. The announcement, made today at the MPAA headquarters in Los Angeles, CA has been a long time coming, according to Glickman.

http://mafiaa.org/press_room/

Almost sounds like a real version of Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit! Pity if you will the poor burghers of the Northumberland village of Felton - living as they are under a palpable pall of fear provoked by the attentions of a monstrous, allotment-menacing devil rabbit.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/07/devil_rabbit/

[spyware]  [security]