My Ramblings and experiments

First Mac OS X worm detected

First Mac OS X worm detected

Global cyber security experts this week discovered the first virus, called Leap-A, for the Apple Mac OS X platform, which spreads via the iChat instant messaging system.advertisement
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SophosLabs explains that the worm forwards itself as a file called latestpics.tgz to contacts on an infected user’s “buddy” list. When opened on a computer, the file disguises itself with a JPEG graphic icon in an attempt to fool users that it’s harmless.

The worm, says SophosLabs, uses the text “oompa” as an infection marker in the resource forks of infected programs to prevent it from re-infecting the same files.

Brett Myroff, CEO of local Sophos distributor Netxactics, says the increased uptake of the Mac OS X platform has prompted it to be targeted by malware, and urges users of all operating systems not to be complacent.

“Leap-A shows that the malware threat on Mac OS X is real,” he says.

Pffft, it is not a true virus. Bloody stoopid South African journalists.

RIAA aims to ban CD ripping – vnunet.com

RIAA aims to ban CD ripping – vnunet.com

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has reversed its position on CD ripping and now wants the practice outlawed.In a filing to the US government concerning digital rights management the RIAA and other copyright industry associations said the fact that CD ripping is widespread does not make it legal.

“Nor does the fact that permission to make a copy in particular circumstances is often or even routinely granted necessarily establish that the copying is a fair use when the copyright owner withholds that authorisation,” the filing stated.

“In this regard, the statement attributed to counsel for copyright owners in the MGM v. Grokster case is simply a statement about authorisation, not about fair use.”

This is a complete reversal of the RIAA’s previous policy. In last year’s Supreme Court MGM v. Grokster case a representative of the RIAA described ripping a CD and putting it on an iPod as “perfectly lawful”.

“It is no secret that the entertainment ‘oligopolists’ are not happy about space-shifting and format-shifting,” said the Electronic Frontier Foundation in a statement. “But surely ripping your own CDs to your own iPod passes muster. “

Techdirt:RIAA Says It's Granting You A Favor In Letting You Use Your iPod

Techdirt:RIAA Says It’s Granting You A Favor In Letting You Use Your iPod

The recording industry has made it clear in the past that they feel they deserve money for every iPod sold, even though they fought the development of MP3 players every step of the way, claiming (oh, that again?) that it would destroy the music business. Of course, they seem to ignore that the success of the iPod alone has allowed them to start to build up a business in digital music sales. The latest move, however, is to suggest that the fact you can transfer (some) songs from CDs (that don’t have copy protection) to your iPod has nothing to do with fair use (which they like to pretend doesn’t exist) and is simply a gracious favor that the recording industry offers everyone by choice. As part of a petition they’ve filed with the government concerning the latest DMCA rule-making, they make it clear that the government should recognize transferring music to an iPod is because they alone have said it’s okay, and does not show that copying a song to another device is fair use in any manner.

Microsoft driver flaw saps battery strength | CNET News.com

Microsoft driver flaw saps battery strength | CNET News.com
Microsoft has confirmed the existence of a flaw in its USB 2.0 drivers for Windows XP Service Pack 2 that can cause a notebook to consume power at a faster-than-expected rate when using a peripheral device.

The issue, first uncovered by Tom’s Hardware two weeks ago, appears to affect certain Intel-based notebooks running Windows XP Service Pack 2. When a peripheral device was connected to a USB (universal serial bus) 2.0 port, the notebook’s battery life plunged at a greater rate than would normally be expected from the use of a peripheral such as a mouse or storage key. At the time that details of the flaw were published, Intel denied its processors or chipsets were the responsible for the issue. And Microsoft refused to confirm to CNET News.com until yesterday that the software company was responsible for the battery performance problem .