Have Laptop Will Travel

ZoneAlarm Spyware Free for just one day!

Originally posted on November 13, 2007 @ 10:10 pm

Here’s something that you should take advantage of if you read this early enough. ZoneAlarm will be offering its Anti Spyware suite for FREE but only for Tuesday. This software usually retails for $29.95.

It should be noted that this free version is not the full featured ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite. But even with that limitation it still contains its highly effective OSFirewall as well as the usual spyware detection and removal, blocking of suspected spy sites and a year’s worth of free updates.

If you want to get the free software just go to this link before 7 AM PST, November 14.

Windows Validation error irks PC users

Originally posted on August 28, 2007 @ 7:27 pm

One of my biggest beefs about the last two generations of the Windows operating system is the very annoying Windows Genuine Advantage carousel ride that all users have to go through periodically. It is irritating that a person who has legitimately bought a piece of software will regularly have to be made to feel like a criminal just to assuage the mind of Microsoft that they are not being duped. So much for giving the customer the best experience possible.

Last August 24, the Windows Genuine Advantage gave Microsoft a big headache when an error in processing validations erroneously tagged legitimate Windows owners as using pirated software. Microsoft’s help line were inundated with calls from irate customers and forums were flooded with messages that came short of calling for a lynch mob in front of the Microsoft Campus.

Microsoft claimed that the problem was immediately fixed and that only 12,000 systems were affected by the problem. But whether it is 12,000 or 12,000,000, the fact still remains that Windows Genuine Advantage sucks. Microsoft has to rethink of a better, more customer friendly way of proving the legitimacy of its software — or even scrapping that process altogether. It’s not like Microsoft is going bankrupt, right?

Firefox Update To Patch Port-Scanning Flaw

Originally posted on March 21, 2007 @ 8:23 am

Apparently Mozilla released an update to its Firefox browser late on Tuesday to patch a port scanning vulnerability.

The FTP PASV port-scanning flaw, which is rated a “low” risk, could enable a hacker to take a look around inside a victim’s machine.

An advisory on the Mozilla site warns that a malicious Web page hosted on a specially-coded FTP server could use the scanning feature to perform a rudimentary port-scan of machines inside a user’s firewall.

“By itself, this causes no harm, but information about an internal network may be useful to an attacker should there be other vulnerabilities present on the network,” Mozilla stated in the advisory.

The update – Firefox 2.0.0.3 – also deals with several Web compatibility regressions introduced with Firefox 2.0.0.2.

An update to address the same regressions for the Firefox 1.5 Branch, Firefox 1.5.0.11, also has been released.

WordPress 2.1.2 Released

Originally posted on March 2, 2007 @ 11:56 am

Heads up WordPress users, moments ago WordPress 2.1.2 was released.

It’s highly recommended for anyone running 2.1.1, or if you know someone who is, they should upgrade to 2.1.2 as soon as possible.

It’s now available for download on the official WordPress download page.

To find out why this is a very important release, check out the WordPress Development blog.

Four Fingered Biometrics

Originally posted on March 1, 2007 @ 8:15 am

A small UK startup has launched a new generation of biometric application it claims can totally replace login passwords on both standalone and networked Personal Computer’s.

fingerPIN: The world at your fingerprintsThe patented system, called MatchLogon, from newcomer FingerPIN, has been designed from the ground up to overcome the limitations of conventional biometric systems that have been found to be open to simple spoofing attacks.

Instead of using only a unique fingerprint to gain access to a network or PC, the system uses a sequence of such prints in a random order known only to the user.

To overcome the system, an attacker would need to have access not only to four or more of the user’s fingerprints, but would have to enter them in the correct sequence.

FingerPIN hopes that by using the multi-factor sequencing design of a PIN code in combination with a series of prints unique to an individual, it can convince its target audience in the financial and call center sectors to adopt software that greatly increases security over basic password management systems.

According to the company’s website, the chances of overcoming the print matching engine by chance are one in ten billion.

The software, which comes as a Windows Active Directory-compatible management server and client application, can be made to work with any third-party USB fingerprint reader, including one from Microsoft.