srspg3_05

"Dixie" KCNET NEWSLETTER
05/01/05
TECHNICAL PAGE

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
VIRUS AND OTHER STINKY STUFF
INTERESTING SITES

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING:

Scheme preys on people who mistype 'Google.com' By Matt Hines Staff Writer, CNET News.com April 27, 2005
Security researchers have discovered an attack aimed at would-be visitors to Google.com, one that attempts to download malicious programs onto the computers of people who simply mistype the search giant's Web address.

According to security specialist F-Secure, unsuspecting Web surfers may be bombarded with various types of Trojan horse threats, spyware and backdoors when they go to "Googkle.com." The scheme is meant to take advantage of sloppy or hurried typists, given that on most keyboards the letter "k" key sits next to the "l" needed to type "Google."

Google representatives said the company had no comment on the matter for the time being.

In the past, the company appears to have made moves to protect its users against mistyping errors. If a person puts an extra "o" in Google's URL, they are simply redirected to the company's homepage. On the other hand, if someone mistakenly adds a fourth "o" to Google, they are directed to USseek.com, a Web portal that offers pop-up advertising for an online casino.

In an advisory, F-Secure strongly advises people not to go to Googkle.com. People who do so will see two pop-ups linked to Web sites that install the Trojan programs. One of the programs is a phishing-style Trojan that attempts to garner individuals' online banking information, while another drops phony antivirus alerts on the victim's desktop that attempt to lure people to other infected Web sites.
Show-and-tell

While relatively low-tech in terms of its social engineering, the URL mistype attack is an approach that has long been incorporated by many different kinds of Internet opportunists, from legitimate companies trying to steal traffic from their rivals or simply piggyback on the success of larger companies, to criminals looking to misrepresent themselves and trick consumers into handing over personal data.

In one of the most famous instances of URL deception, the site hosted at Whitehouse.com for several years was an advertisement for pornography, not a link to the office of the president, whose official site is Whitehouse.gov.

********************************************************************************************************************** Caps Lock Alarm This is a rerun by request. This is one of the most helpful tips I've installed.
Don't you hate it when you accidentally hit the Caps Lock key? Sometimes I have a whole sentence typed in before I realize my mistake! (I know, GASP!)
What if you could set your computer up so it alerts you when your pinky finger wanders off and taps the Caps Lock key? With this tip, I'll show you how to make your computer beep & flash the next time it happens.
The first thing you'll need to do is get the computer to beep when you hit the Caps Lock key. Here's how:
1. Click the Start button, Settings, Control Panel (XP Users, hit the Start button, Control Panel). Open the Accessibility Options Icon.

2. On the Keyboard tab, click the "Use Toggle Keys" checkbox.

That's it for the beeping part.
Next, we need to get your screen to flash you, err, flash at you. Here's how:
1. From the Accessibility Options screen, click the Sound tab and check the "Use SoundSentry" checkbox.

2. Next click the Settings button and select "Flash active window" from the "Warning for windowed programs" drop down box.

That's it. Hit OK until you're clear of property and settings screens. Open your favorite word processor and hit your Caps Lock key.
Cool huh?
P.S. If you don't have an Accessibility Options icon in your Control Panel, you may not have it installed.
To install, hit your Start button, Settings, Control Panel. Open the Add / Remove programs icon and click the Windows Setup tab. You'll be able to add components from there. Keep in mind you'll need your Windows CD! ********************************************************************************************************************** Big media ain't going anywhere By Molly Wood, senior editor, CNET.com, April 14, 2005
We're at a media crossroads. People-powered information is surging, from blogs to podcasts to videocasts to open-source browsers with a million user-created plug-ins to open-access academic journals. Heck, even TalkBack is a vibrant form of self-publishing (um, when it's working), which changes the way every columnist here at CNET relates to his or her audience. Information will be free, as never before. So this should be the part where I predict the death of big media. But I won't. I don't think institutionalized, professional media is going anywhere--in fact, I don't think it should.
Let's look at a few of the emerging threats.
Blogs   I can't even count the number of articles I've read about why blogging is superior to/more interesting than/more trustworthy than traditional media, or why it's a publishing revolution, or how it's changing the way we receive and share information during terrorist attacks, elections, and international crises. I'm not trying to be dismissive--and for the most part, I agree. But I think we've already heard the arguments for blogs taking down newspapers, magazines, books, and other traditional media, so let's move on to the next phases of the revolution.
Podcasting   A recent report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project suggested that about 6 million people are listening to podcasts, or audiocasts that are published online and syndicated via RSS. (There was some question about the veracity of this number, but all parties agree, podcasting is catching on like wildfire.) We just started one podcast at CNET, and I expect more will follow. But more noteworthy, of course, are the tens or hundreds or more individuals recording podcasts and putting them out there for daily consumption.
Adam Curry, creator of the podcast aggregator iPodder (and yeah, the MTV guy), told the BBC he thinks podcasting will "kill the business model of radio," because the open distribution model (and other online outlets for music or commentary) means the next generation won't bother listening to station-manager-controlled radio stations with all their attendant advertising.
The video wars   So after newspapers and radio, what's the next target? TV. Google just launched a beta of a video upload program that lets you upload your personal videos to Google, where they'll become part of the search engine's vast repository of results. As BetaNews put it, "Content owners will be able to control distribution rights themselves, even setting a price for their video clips. Eventually, users will be able to search, preview, purchase, and play videos directly from within Google."
There is more to this topic worth reading.
http://www.cnet.com/4520-6033_1-6207734-1.html?tag=nl.e501 ********************************************************************************************************************** Activating Windows Here is your Microsoft Windows eTip Pete Griffin sent this. I hd forgotten about this fact.
Here's a big secret: You don't really own Windows XP. Even when you buy Windows at the store, or it comes preinstalled on your new computer, it's not yours. No, the fine print says that only Microsoft owns Windows. You only own a license -- permission -- to run Windows on your computer. Worse than that, you're only granted permission to run Windows on a single computer.
In the past, many people bought one version of Windows -- one for both their desktop computer and for their laptop. And why not? They either used their desktop computer or their laptop -- they never used them both at the same time.
Windows XP changes that with its new Activation feature. When you install Windows XP, an annoying window pops up, asking you to "activate" your version of Windows. When you click the Activate button, Windows XP takes a "picture" of your computer's components, links them to the serial number on your copy of Windows XP, and sends that information to Microsoft over the Internet.
Then, if you or anybody else ever tries to install that same version of Windows on a different computer, Windows XP says you're using somebody else's version of Windows XP, and it won't work.
    * Okay, what happens if you don't bother to "activate" a copy of Windows XP? It simply stops working after 30 days. The new Activation feature ensures that each copy of Windows XP will only work on a single computer. Even if Windows XP came preinstalled on your new computer, you can't take the bundled Windows XP CD and install it on another computer.
    * No Internet connection? Then you must call Microsoft's toll-free number, talk to a customer service representative, and activate your copy of Windows by typing in a 25-number password.
    * If you want to install Windows XP on several computers, it might be cheaper to purchase a special multi-version license, called a Microsoft License Pak.
    * If you upgrade your computer -- adding lots of new parts -- Windows XP might think it's been installed on a new computer and stop working. The solution? You must call Microsoft's toll-free number and convince those folks that you're not trying to steal their software. **********************************************************************************************************************

VIRUS AND OTHER STINKY STUFF:

THE TALLY:
Thursday, April 14 -- Thursday, April 21
According to Sophos, a leader in Anti Virus Software development, 14 new/improved viruses, which required Anti Virus upgrades were released into cyberspace via email.
&
KCnet's anti virus program caught and "defanged" 4.753 email viruses in addition to
refusing 195,762 spam messages. There were 177,499 non spam and
non virus messages delivered to KCnet subscribers.

Have you updated your anti virus program lately?
If not, may I recommend that you do it now?

**********************************************************************************************************************

Free Anti Virus programs for download. Quite a few KCnet members use these programs and like them.
Be careful if you download a virus program and you already have one installed on your computer. You need to at least disable the program already installed.

TRY ETRUST BY COMPUTER ASSOCIATES (Ken Condo found this link-thanks Ken)
1 year free trial of eTrust or 2 years for $19.95.
http://home.ca.com/dr/v2/ec_main.entry25?page=PYPCTrialPage&client=ComputerAssociates&sid=35715&CID=185351

AVG Free
AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements).
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5

Avast
Avast has been "anti virusing" for quite awhile. The following info comes from their download page: Avast! Home is now free of charge for HOME users for NON-COMMERCIAL use. You can find more info here.
http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html
Note: This product is free for home non-commercial use after registration!
HINTS: Click on the English Version Link and download the installation file. Then click on the installation file and follow the directions. You will need to return to the download page and click on the link to get the registration key. It will be sent to you in an email after you provide some registration information. This will give you 14 months of coverage including any updates which can be set to auto download. You can reregister for additional free coverage at the end of the 14 months.
You will want to browse around and choose from the many options available for operation. This process will take some time and digging.

Another good free program is:
http://www.free-av.com/
This one installs a bit easier than Avast.

**********************************************************************************************************************

Top 5 Viruses for April 15 to April 21 from Trend Micro.

   1. TROJ_BAGLE.BH
   2. SPYW_INVKEY12.A
   3. HTML_NETSKY.P
   4. HKTL_BRUTFORCE.A
   5. WORM_NETSKY.P

True Viruses and Warning Letters of Impending Doom.
Believe it or not, the amount of harm done by sending false computer virus alarms and letters of impending doom to your thousand closest friends can be just as damaging as the alleged virus (if it even exists!); if you remember the story of the boy who cried wolf, you understand why.
If you think you've got the scoop on the latest new devastating virus or latest doom warning, check it out at the Web sites below before taking it on yourself to alert the world. If the virus is as terrible as you think it is, odds are the virus fighters already know about it and -- good news here! -- your anti virus software provider probably knows about it too and already has an update for it.
Sophos supplies this current information about actual hoaxes. Look at them. Read about them. If you are sent one of them, delete it.

Here are a few sites of many that can help you determine if an email is a hoax or real.

http://www.quatloos.com/
http://www.snopes.com/
http://vil.nai.com/VIL/hoaxes.asp
http://kumite.com/myths/
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
http://www.scambusters.org/VirusHoaxes.html
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/hoaxes/
http://www.truthorfiction.com/
WATERMELON ART AT ITS BEST.

INTERESTING SITES:
Cloud lovers delight.
This site features actual photos of cloud formations that were snapped by lucky photo takers. They are so real that a defination is not necessary.
Sky watchers will delight at the actual photos. There are hundreds.
http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/3content/gallery/gallery1_lookalikes.html
The home page urges folks to become Cloud Appreciators. There are a ton of clouds with no identifiable formation, just clouds.
http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/index.html

RARE, EXOTIC WATERMELONS PIX
I was shocked (SHOCKED, I tell you) to learn that some watermelons contain incredible images when cut open a certain way. Nature astounds us once again!
This is better art than the comedian that smashes watermelons for laughs.
http://www.americade.info/melons2.htm

REAL-TIME STATISTICS for the REST OF US Neat site for the numbers folks.
I was shocked at the realtime clocks showing gallons of oil consumed this year down to the second.
RealityClock takes all those government-collected stats and dumbs them down for us into highly entertaining categories. They know how many pizzas you've eaten SO FAR this year.
The Reality Clock offers a broad range of real-time statistics that reflect the issues facing society and the world today, from the most serious to the mundane and the absurd.
USA clock catagory statistics include:
Business and The Economy
Cost of Living, Marketing and Advertising, Government Spending, Retail Sales...
Health and Wellness
Diseases, Substance Abuse, Autism, Mental Illness...
Local and Regional
California, New York, Texas, Florida...
Recreation and Travel
Bicycling, Boating, Skiing, Entertainment...
Science and Nature
Environment, Energy, Endangered Species, Weather...
Society and Social Issues
Crime, Sex Crimes, Politics, Accidental Deaths...
Technology and the Internet
Computer...
Youth and Family Issues
Missing Children, Divorce, Suicide, Teen Pregnancy...
http://www.realityclock.com

The Hans Christian Anderson Center This one from Amanda.
Learn all about the life and works of Hans Christian Anderson with this site. On the side bar you'll see the navigation system. The sections are: Life, Works, Miscellaneous, Research, Titles Translated, Links, and About the Center.
Life — Who was Hans Christian Anderson? Well if you read the short biography you'll learn he was more than just a writer. Or you can check out the timetable of his day to events, or you can check out the links to some more great biographies.
Works — Here you can find the Index of his Works, you can check out his Danish poetry, and much, much more. This is where you will find the written works of Hans Christian Anderson.
Miscellaneous — This is where you will find the information that didn't really fit in any of their other categories. My favorite part of this section is the Illustrations gallery where you can find the drawings from children depicting the works of Hans Christian Anderson.
Research — this section holds some very interesting gems. Like reviews of Hans Christian Anderson's work in his own time, this is a great research section.
Titles Translated — this section lets you translate titles of his works, or see both the original and the translation, or get information on the translations.
Links — Interested in more Hans Christian Anderson—this section can point you in the right direction.
About the Center — Learn all about the Hans Christian Anderson Center and their goals.
An excellent site dedicated to one of the men who have brought us fairy tales that have lasted through the years.
http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/index_e.html

The Museum of Online Museums This one from Amanda.
This is like the archive of all archives and the museum of all museums. Here you will find great links to new and exciting exhibits online in the Museum Campus section. The links in this section take you directly to the museum or exhibit in the title link.
Below this are the Permanent Collections. This section has some really unique and interesting galleries like the Grocery List Collection, or Fading Billboards. These are linked directly to their permanent location—so if a link is bad you may want to let the museum know so they can remove it. What's really cool is that after you've viewed a collection and click back over to the Museum of Online Museums, it will be checked off the list. You won't have to guess which sites you've been to—isn't that great?
Below this are the Galleries, Exhibits, and Shows. Again with the great check mark system and some really interesting galleries. Like the Museum of Seventies Matchbox Cars, or the Burnt Food Museum . Or one of my favorites, the Gallery of Museum of Monster Toys, or the Catalogue of Lesser-Known Superheroes, make sure to check those out they are really neat.
All in all, my favorite Online Museum site! There are way too many cool links on here to spend all day chatting about them, so you'll just have to explore them all at your own pace. Enjoy!
http://www.coudal.com/moom.php

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