Internet Security Threat Report

Some key findings in Symantec's Internet Security Threat Report include:

• The major malicious software thrust is stealing your money.
• Over 5,200 Denial of Service (DoS) attacks per day.
• The bad guys are attacking medium-risk vulnerabilities as a way to run more attacks.
• Attackers are increasingly attacking multiple vulnerabilities at once, not just exploiting one vulnerability.

Some key links:

• Symantec Internet Security Threat Report (March, 2007)
• Symantec's Cybercrime stories. Think you're safe? Read these stories.
• Internet Security Threat Report X: Home Users (Podcast)

Microsoft leads patch pack

Symantec has issued its semi-annual report on Internet Security Threat Trends for the last half of 2006. One finding is that Microsoft offers patches for vulnerabilities faster than the other four vendors checked.

In decreasing order of fast response (1 = best, 5 = worst), they are:

1. Microsoft
2. Red Hat
3. HP
4. Apple
5. Sun

Google enhances maps

Google has quietly added some nice features to Google Maps. The latest additions I noticed are:

• "Traffic" button. If Google has the data, you get a "mashup" that shows freeways and red, yellow, or green status for various freeway sections. The Traffic button is an on/off toggle, unlike the Maps, Satellite, and Hybrid buttons.
  Example: Sacramento, CA
• Building shapes. At the closest two zoom views, the Maps view now shows buildings for some major cities. It looks like Google used the Satellite view to derive the building shapes.
  Example: Boston, MA

User Agent String Utility gives IE7 access

Some web sites don't respond well to Internet Explorer 7. That's usually because they have hard-coded various browser versions into their web page code and have not updated it to add IE7 to the list.

So though many (most?) web sites have updated their code or never hard-coded the browser versions to start with, some present challenges. On the other hand, I have not run into any public web pages with this problem yet.

As a temporary workaround (until those sites fix their code), you can use Microsoft's special User Agent String Utility to let IE7 access sites that currently block it.

Workers at computers face blood clots

A new Zealand study of office workers has found that people who work for hours while sitting down have a higher risk of blots clots from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than airline passengers.

Many of us spend hours at a computer at work. Then a lot of us then work or "play" on a computer after getting home. This study, with results that we perhaps expected anyway, is a reminder that most of us need more exercise, especially of the legs and thighs, to help avoid DVT.

You can take simple steps to reduce your risk as well as feel more refreshed at work, though.

• Get up and walk away from your computer at least once an hour. That helps exercise the leg and thigh muscles. It also helps your eyes, which focus at a very short range while you work at a computer.
• While you sit at a computer, clench your butt, leg, and thigh muscles every now and then. That helps squeeze the blood along in your veins. It's low impact exercise and helps blood flow.
• Lift your feet off the floor, straighten your legs if possible in your work area, then rotate your feet front and back and all around (... sorry if that caused you to flash on the Hokey-Pokey). This mini-massage stretches the muscles around your ankles and feet. Try it; you'll like it.
• While you're at it, take a stretch break opportunity to clasp your hands behind your back and stretch your arm muscles too.
• Expend your arms above your head and wiggle your fingers. Many of us have poor typing skills and tend to pound away at the keys in awkward hand positions and much harder than we should. Give your hands a massage and help reduce carpal tunnel injuries.

Java version tester

Java versions seem to come out faster than new bottles of flavored water. Keeping up can be hard.

Want to find out what the latest versions are and what you actually have? Go to Java Tester. Just click on the test link and read the results. Scroll down to see the version you have, but read the rest of the stuff too.

Comodo offers free security suite

Comodo offers several free security-related software products to protect your PC:

• Comodo Firewall Pro. Comodo Personal Firewall 2.0 got the PC Magazine "Editor's Choice" award in 2006.
• Comodo Antivirus
• Comodo AntiSpam
• Comodo iVault (protect passwords to various programs and web sites, credit card information, and more.

I use the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite. And free programs rarely rate as high as ones you pay for. But it appears that Comodo is a decent choice if you need to save cash.

Genius chemist forgotten

Doctor Percy Julian. Chemist. Brilliant. Determined. Forgotten. Black.

Black History Month is an appropriate time for networks to feature shows about significant contributions of Blacks, whether American or not. But I wish these didn't seem timed for Black History Month. How about just working on a good project and releasing it when ready? Let's not limit recognition of the significant contributions of African Americans and other Blacks to February, shall we? A great show about a great person is a welcomed change from most TV drivel (that, sadly, I watch).

That said, I missed a really good PBS piece on Dr. Percy the first time around. The Nova show site for "Forgotten Genius" refers to him as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century. The site has very good sidebar pieces plus the ability to watch online. I picked up on this while doing a late read of Angela Gunn's Tech_Space blog at USA Today. I did manage to locate a reshowing of this excellent piece late at night on February 7th. Fascinating, yet it will pluck your heartstrings with the agony he went through.

Do it. Do it now. You'll be glad you did.

Adobe Reader 8 - get it

Adobe has released Adobe Reader 8.0. Adobe considers it a critical update to version 7 for security reasons.

Get Adobe Reader 8.0.

Caution – Adobe will install Yahoo! Toolbar by default unless you specifically deselect (disable) that. I do choose not install Yahoo! Toolbar or Google Toolbar. I use IE7 and avoid the extra "overhead" that the toolbars introduce, to say nothing about possible glitches or conflicts.

After you install it, select "Edit", then "Preferences" from the menu bar and check every single option. Many options are now located in different places from the prior versions. For example, you can choose to set the default display of a "document" to single page, continuous. I prefer that to the unnatural page "jump" that happens by default when you reach the bottom of a PDF's page.

Also, a toolbar button for copying text in a PDF is not present by default. Check out each option. Experiment. You can always change it back.

Safer Internet Day

Today, February 6, is Safer Internet Day, observed by over 40 countries. This year's focus is on mobile phones and child safety. The European Union (EU) has a special ins@fe site, which features a special worldwide blogathon for Safer Internet Day.

Among U.S. sites, the U.S. Department of Justice sponsors iSafe, with an iLearn section that aims at several groups: teachers, over-50, parents, students, and even law enforcement and prosecutors. The site also contains tips for parents and tips for students. A series of "Dig Deeper" articles seems sure to grow over time. It already includes downloadable PDF format files ranging in topic from Copyright basics to the Perils of Blogging (I'd better read that one).

Other resources:

• The FBI offers a "Parent's Guide to Internet Safety".
• At the NetSmartz Workshop, Dr. Sharon offers advice via several 2+ minutes online videos.
• Online security company McAfee offers an online guide for parents.
• Security company Symantec joins with iKeepSafe.org to present an online video, "10 Common questions about Internet safety."
• Microsoft has a whole "Protect your family" section.
• Google offers "OneKey," the kid-safe search engine use Google and filters.
• Keeping Children Safe Online (US-CERT)
• WiredSafety.org
• Keeping Internet Kids Safe (KIKS)
• Google Directory: Internet/Child Safety
• McGruff: Internet Safety tips and cons for kids
• Panel addresses net threats to kids