Pre-release version of Windows 7 released.

The replacement for Windows Vista is ready made. Since Thursday, developers can almost finished version, which Microsoft promises many new features. Normal users must still wait for a few days.

 

Redmond / Munich - Microsoft on Thursday launched the draft version of the Vista successor
Windows 7 released for download - but initially only for professional users and developers. Starting next Tuesday, the 5th May be the new operating system as a so-called "Release Candidate" for everyone to download is available, Microsoft announced officially on Thursday. Since the first beta version of the software that the company had published in early January, several new features were added.

Thus even with the new operating system older programs can be used now, Microsoft offers an emulator, which the old Windows XP on a so-called virtual machine is simulated. Instead of the newer XP, Vista is still in many applications. Unlike some industry observers expected, this emulation solution, however, not integrated into the operating system, but as a separate software package for Windows, version 7 Professional, and Windows 7 Ultimate offered.

In the next Tuesday at the available version of Windows 7 including a feature that allows you from any computer on the home PC can access stored media.

Also, the search and the command bar will once again have been improved. In the current version supports Windows 7 now features such as drag and drop for computers that are on a touch screen controlled.

In the Release Candidate, it is still not the finished software, says Microsoft and advises caution. The best should be the operating system only on test machines are used where no other data or programs affected will be downgraded.

Binoculars Snap-on handbag.

Small body, huge focal length: Cheap compact cameras with extreme zoom motifs get closer than ever. has the blogs ONLINE Zoom miracle of Kodak, Olympus and Pentax tried.

 

To the expensive 350 euros, half a kilo of heavy and as big as a Coke can - the new compact cameras Ultrazoom the major manufacturers are in a class by itself. They create with their fixed lenses used up a 24 - or 26-fold zoom, but also lightweight wide-angle shots.

About this design with a variety SLR wants, drags with several kilos of equipment, must be between two or three lenses to change and make sure more than a thousand euros to pay.

With the new freedom to the camera manufacturers lure buyers. The argument: wide lens for little money. Such models, many companies in this spring out: Kodak (Z980), Olympus (SP-590UZ), Pentax (X70) and Nikon (P90). They make these cheap digital cameras zooming their own competition, you might say. Finally, it was yet another argument for SLR cameras, the wide range of focal lengths with the interchangeable lenses.

Large focal length for relatively little money - what's the catch with this offer? blogs ONLINE probiert the new Ultrazoomer from:

The fastest camera in the world.

This camera is faster than any other, much faster: With an entirely new digital camera technology researchers achieved exposure times of trillionth seconds. The rapid camera will help scientists and physicians.

 

London - The new camera worked a thousand times faster than traditional cameras, said Keisuke Goda of the University of California at Los Angeles and his colleagues. Moreover, they do exposure times of 440 trillionth seconds and can shoot picture series, where the frames at a distance of only 163 billionths of a second shot will explain in their development the researchers involved.

DDP / T.Sato
Test picture: With the new high-speed camera photographed the researchers, such as a pistol bullet in an apple penetrates

Potential applications are the developers of the fast photo apparatus, for example in medicine. When laser surgery or when taking pictures of shock waves could be the unique device useful services, write the researchers in the journal "Nature" (vol. 458, S.1145, doi: 10.1038/nature07980).

Past Digital worked with the so-called CCD technology. This information will be used to redirect electrical charges from one CCD cell to the next. The new camera, the scientists put the other hand, no CCD detectors, but a technique in which the time-dependent two-dimensional image is encrypted and will be visually enhanced. The signal can then be only for one pixel light detectors are covered. For this signal, the image is finally reconstructed digitally.

Because the camera reinforces the visual images, it bypasses the compromise between a high sensitivity and high speed picture, as he at the usual CCD detectors have entered. The new camera requires neither refrigeration nor a very bright light. The authors have the function of the camera already demonstrated real-time recordings, such as so-called laser ablation. Here, the surface of a material, such as in medical fabrics, worn by laser pulses.

Researchers decipher Star Trek faces.

Who's on the Enterprise really what to say and why Spock always looks right? Profound questions, the U.S. researchers answer: With facial recognition software analyzed old Star Trek episodes - and want to revolutionize how we see movies.

 

Helmsman Sulu usually looks upward, ship doctor McCoy thoughtfully down, navigator Chekov is almost never seen. The captain, however, is not only on the bridge, the first man in the 60-year television series Star Trek: More than 20 minutes, he is in some 45-minute sequence of the series to see the screen and dominates events. That will change until the end of the third season hardly anything, even if the skipper agile occasionally somewhat less is present in many times more do not follow ten minutes playing time given.

Such insights that we owe the U.S. company
Pittsburgh Pattern Recognition (pittpatt), with the help of special software can analyze how often each actor during a movie in the picture can be seen. The combination of face detection and face tracking has allowed researchers to follow All 67 of the first three Star Trek squadrons then analyze who, when and for how long while guckt.

This sounds initially not much, but it is. Unlike us humans, it is not easy computers, humanoid beings based on their faces to be distinguished, especially not if they are from different angles and different illumination look into the camera.

Therefore it is no wonder that, for example, Henry Schneiderman Firmenmitgründer ten years as a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University in the Face Recognition Technology werkelte before he and some colleagues founded pittpatt to its accumulated expertise to silver. Now he sells software that is better and more reliable than any competing human faces to detect bad images and individuals in videos can also be identified if they are not directly look into the camera.

Who speaks to whom when

Star Trek Action is therefore nothing more than a PR coup. However, one of just the right time comes. After running in the near future, the new Star Trek movie in the cinemas, it should explain how the young James T. Kirk and Spock to the Vulcan Starfleet came to that were an inseparable team that William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy from 1966 in Television embodied - and their performances by pittpatt now were analyzed.

That's nice, to show what they can, but not the ultimate goal of development. Rather, the technology used to film a new way of life to make. Instead of a film, such as current DVDs and Blu-rays, easily split by chapter, it could be using the software after pittpatt his protagonists go through.

Because the software is also broken down exactly who is in his head when the direction is inclined, it could be even analyze what most characters related. And if you missed it, what is actually in the movie or how it goes after a story verschwurbelten dissolution of the drama, can you just the way the protagonist of the film back. A research tool for movie fans.

Star Trek certainly should hardly be necessary. So complicated were the plots of the legendary TV series. Instead, the project of U.S. researchers forcefully, how far the development has advanced. While the face detection feature in Apple's iPhoto photo software occasionally still
Cookies recognize as faces, seems pittpatts program a step further to be - at least.

Channel Kidnapping for emergencies.

While police, fire and rescue services in Germany at the launch of the Tetra digital radio authorities wait for researchers already working in the communications networks of the future: channel find, use and quickly beat it - this is the future.

 

Communication is an important weapon against the chaos in the event of a disaster. In large damage capacity radio equipment are scarce. Not infrequently obstruct reporters and concerned citizens of the mobile phone with them. Equally, the technical infrastructure is damaged, as in the Italian earthquake zone, where radio amateurs helped to establish contact with isolated villages maintain.

AP
Fireman use in life: There are situations in the job, because you would like to ensure someone can achieve when things get out of control

In this context, the thesis of Qiwei Zhang of the University of Twente in the Netherlands on progress in the development of a "cognitive radio" that this could solve many problems. Zhang researched methods to free radio frequencies in the event of a disaster at fitting to take, without the actual spectrum users disrupted.

With the channel as a function Kidnapping principle include depleted capacity for voice and data of the past. Better still: The proposed radio system consists of individual forms on the radio frequencies hijacked an ad hoc network and thus is no longer on a fixed infrastructure.

Tetra radio: Better, but not optimal

On the set in Germany's civil and security authorities. Although the increases currently under construction Tetra digital radio for public authorities and organizations with security tasks, the voice transmission capacity. It solves the problems but not completely and creates elsewhere even new, as Bernhard resin, radio expert of the Berlin Fire Department reported. "The rescue work of the new Tetra portable radios in direct fashion," explains resin.

If hot, the devices communicate there as traditional walkie-talkies with one another, without even the powerful Tetra network access. The advantage is that the communication in the closest vicinity to work. The downside: Direct Mode Operation (DMO) has only a range of several hundred meters. The advantages for communication and coordination, the Tetra radio actually offer to represent so precisely in the worst case on the spot.

But otherwise it's not, you need the salve DMO, because it is missing in Germany at the appropriate coverage. Tetra radio transponder is instructed, just as cell phones. If not in range or for other reasons can not be reached, the salve DMO - if it is seriously threatened again the bottleneck. In addition, existing analog building in the digital radio does not work anymore and the transmission rate for data applications with three kilobits per second sparse fails.

"It would be fabulous if the fire department its own wireless network could bring the same", will resin.

Pure flexibility: the response to frequency congestion

In the Netherlands, sparks police, fire and rescue services already using the Tetra technology, nonetheless began the "Twente Institute for Wireless and Mobile Communications BV of exactly those reasons four years ago, the communication of forces to fundamentally rethink.

"There were experiences from the devastating explosion disaster in Enschede in 2000 and the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 in New York, we have shown that it is not enough to rely on the authorities and the mobile radio network to leave," says CEO Hugo Institut de Graaf. Unfortunately, there are in the lower frequency with which a good building supply and range could be achieved, no more seats. "That's why we have with the idea of radio addresses Congnitive. With a view over time it can be noted that only 6 percent of the interesting frequency range is actually occupied."

Cognitive radio will start exactly there: By the spot itself each frequency space searches. Application focus of the new technique is a powerful data within the framework of the international borders easily assistance and technical system boundaries can be overcome.

For the Echteinsatz the technology would have the frequency regulators internationally, however, already use the assigned radio channels allow: Cognitive radio, if you will, a kind of piggyback concept. This requires rethinking. An EU-level working group has been an emphasis on the importance of cognitive communication does not come out.

The industry-oriented research in Twente needs exploitable results, however: "We have some functional principles of cognitive radios, and build this' intelligence 'now in wireless terminals, which both GSM as well as WiMAX could be up," proclaimed Hugo de Graaf. Such radios can be an ad hoc network and will be presented this year on the market. "This is not the Cognitive Radio in its pure form," says de Graaf, "but at least times a useful start."

Cyber Gang botnet-building authorities.

Nearly two million PCs to be criminals from the Ukraine under its control have brought. Most of them are in government and may soon be millions of spam e-mails sent daily. An American researcher believes that with technology alone, such attacks were not fighting.

 

The discovery presented a security company Finjan in the IT security RSA Conference in San Francisco. Total
1.9 million PCs were with a certain malicious software has been infected, which they controlled from the outside do, it is said in a statement the company. As part of a study were employees of Finjan Malicious Code Research Center (MCRC), a so-called command-and-control server examines the cyber criminals the zombie network. The server itself localized the experts in the Ukraine.

Screenshot of the command server: 1.9 million PCs in a botnet

According to the report, mainly in government computer networks of the infection, with the majority of hijacked PCs in the U.S. be ready. Approximately 45 percent of zombie computers, as Finjan, were in U.S. government domains with extensions such as. Gov has been found. In Germany, according to Finjan four percent of Ukraine from the remote computer, so at least 76,000 devices. The rest of zombie computers are spread all over the world.

According to Finjan researchers in charge of a criminal group with six members of the network. With the help of the investigated command server if they were capable of almost any command on the infected PC to run. Thus, for example, read e-mails, copy files or you can record keystrokes. Above all, it is possible for them that hijacked PC to send spam e-mails to be used.

Facher million spam shipping

And that can cause plenty of trouble. A recent study by the California security company Tracelabs to send some PCs into botnets involved
up to 25,000 spam emails per hour. On the botnet discovered by Finjan transferred 1.14 million would be the nerve-mails in just one hour, more than 27 million messages per day - and thus potentially a lot of money that the botnet operators can thus earn their services.

As the infection for which the underlying malicious botnet software Finjan has a rigged Web page identified. "The increasing sophistication of malware, as well as the rapidly rising number of infected computers show that cyber-criminals ever higher the bar set," said Finjan's financial chief Yuval Ben-Itzhak. Money was the driving force behind cybercrime, said the manager, called on companies and organizations, more than ever, prior to their corporate data to protect cyber attacks.

The gangsters have to be hunted

Only in technology should allow for this self-defense, however, do not leave the postulated
Security expert Joe Stewart Secure Works. Also there was little chance of success, to try a botnet operators off by him through his hosting provider from the network can take. In general, would command a new server in another country, a little later its function.

Stewart proposes that the formation of a special kind of group IT security industry. The target should be the traces of individual criminal groups and their members to hunt until the last ding notes can be made. Only then, Stewart believes, could be the problem of botnets - and the associated malicious programs and spam e-mails - really get to grips with.

Pentagon denies Datenleck.

Hackers should design plans from a stolen stealth jets have reported on Tuesday a U.S. newspaper. The denial of the Pentagon was not long in coming. The presentation was incorrect, but would you really do not comment.

 

The U.S. Department of Defense and the defense firms Lockheed Martin deny that they were massive data on the new U.S. F-35 fighter has been stolen. He had no specific knowledge about such a Datenleck known, said ministry spokesman Bryan Whitman on Tuesday. According to other reports about a successful cyber-attack were false.

AP
Multipurpose fighter aircraft F-35: Structural data of the stealth jets to be stolen by hackers have been

The reason for the excitement is an article by the Wall Street Journal was published on Tuesday. The paper had relied on the former and current government officials reported that large quantities of Hackers
Information about the fighter aircraft F-35 was off. Thus were several terabytes of documents, such as the advanced electronics of the airplane that had been stolen. In the development of multi-purpose fighter jets invest the eight participating countries, according to the Reuters news agency a total of 300 billion U.S. dollars.

During a Press Conference, said Lockheed Martin Chief Financial Officer Bruce Tanner: "We believe that the presentation of the Wall Street Journal, there has been successful cyber-attacks on the F-35-program, is not correct. As far as we know, secret data was never compromised. "

The Wall Street Journal "is to his story

Tanner noted, however, that the computer networks of Lockheed Martin, as well as the U.S. government, constantly attacked from the outside would. The company had but "stringent measures taken to detect such attacks and combat." The Pentagon, however, said that it would not comment on actual or alleged cyber-infiltration, potential impact on activities of the Ministry of Defense or the possible investigation "submit.

The Defense Science Board, an advisory board of the Pentagon, the Defense Ministry had recently pointed out that the U.S. military machine is still not sufficient for the defense against cyber attacks was armed. As a result, concluded the report, national security was clearly identified by cyber-attacks threatened.

The Wall Street Journal holds regardless of Pentagon denials, on his representation on the intrusion of hackers into government networks and the theft of sensitive design data, said company spokesman Robert Christie.

Software errors presented T-Mobile network paralyzed.

Radio silence at T-Mobile: Millions of mobile operator customers with their mobile phones could spend hours or even phone SMS. On the evening of the technicians found Telekom subsidiary the error - but everything works until it is still "a few hours' time.

 

Hamburg - Some over 16 clock on Tuesday afternoon
were many T-Mobile customers with their mobile phones are no longer attainable and could no longer even call. T-Mobile spokesman said Dirk Wende, against 19 clock technicians had the system reset and rebooted. It will still "a few hours' time before the radio was completely manufactured.

DPA
Disturbance in the T-Mobile network: A software error was the cause

Cause of the malfunction was a software error in the so-called Home Location Register (HLR) have been. Here are the phone numbers to each SIM card assigned to said turning. A total of three databases that have been affected and should once again be made available.

It is still unclear whether it is indeed a nation-wide failure whatsoever. It seems not all T-Mobile customers to refrain from cell phone calls have been forced to be. In Hamburg and Frankfurt could be supplied with some SIM cards from T-Mobile phone problems - with other cards in the same cell did not.

T-Mobile rival Vodafone announced that its customers could easily make phone calls. "For us, everything around," said a spokesman. But Vodafone would also customers no longer with T-Mobile users can make phone calls.

The federal government was unaware of the network disorder. "The Chancellor is always reachable," said a government spokesman. If there was a technical problem, will quickly find a replacement solution. Angela Merkel is on operations like using SMS to keep. Which mobile network uses the prime minister, said the spokesman not.

No T-connection under this number.

Suddenly, the dead line: Millions of customers of mobile operator T-Mobile must have been hours on their mobile phone conversations with abandon. The technicians of the Telekom subsidiary looking after the cause of network disruption.

 

Hamburg - Germany was the network of T-Mobile failed, said the company. "We have for 16 clock malfunctions in the nationwide network, however, the only voice and SMS," confirmed T-Mobile spokeswoman Marion Kessing blogs ONLINE. Of data services are not affected by the failure.

DPA
No connection: Conversations in the T-Mobile network were responsible for many cell phone owners because of the power failure is not possible

However, not all T-Mobile customers to refrain from cell phone calls to be forced. How many of the nearly 40 million customers of T-Mobile by the disorder are affected, the company could not comment. In Hamburg and Frankfurt could be supplied with some SIM cards from T-Mobile phone problems with other cards in the same cell not. According to Kessing T-Mobile is looking for the cause yet, when the fault will be remedied, could not yet foresee. "

T-Mobile rival Vodafone announced that its customers could easily make phone calls. "For us, everything around," said spokesman Jens Kuerten. However, even Vodafone customers no longer with T-Mobile-phone users.

The federal government was unaware of the network disorder. "The Chancellor is always reachable," said a government spokesman. If there was a technical problem, will quickly find a replacement solution. Angela Merkel is on operations like using SMS to keep. Which mobile phone network, the head of government is used, the spokesman could not say.

iPod touch device will be war.

Apple's multimedia player goes to war: Because he is so robust, versatile and relatively cheap, the iPod U.S. military as a universal communicator serve, writes a U.S. newspaper. Allegedly, the Pentagon, some exciting ideas.

 

Concludes with expensive special developments, past the time when the U.S. military's communication equipment tailor-made. At least in theory could be the army save the effort, but instead simply a wagonload iPods order gives you the
"Newsweek" faith.

Getty Images
War machine: the iPod touch will soon even bombs can fernzünden

A preliminary report of the news magazine that sets the U.S. military to the iPod touch as a universal tool - for communication, as a translation program and many other applications. An iPod is everything that soldiers need, said Lieutenant Colonel Jim Ross, who in the U.S. Army among other things, for electronic warfare is responsible, the "Newsweek".

Apparently Apple's player meets all the requirements of military hardware: It is robust, easily manageable, combines many features in itself - and costs much less than comparable, state-developed equipment procurement. While the iPhone would actually be better suited for military purposes, is in the military but because of its purchase price of at least $ 600 by far not as popular as the iPod telefonlose. In addition, many soldiers are familiar with the handling of an iPod, have in many cases, a separate device.

Because communication between the military is extremely important is promoting now allegedly the Pentagon to develop new technologies for Apple's devices. Accordingly, the Company will shortly Wave system software for the iPhone to bring out that recognize street signs and on the basis of the data thus obtained potentially useful information from databases for the soldiers to be put together. Furthermore, an application for face recognition in development. Another program will not allow it, via iPod bombs ignited.

How many iPods are currently in the U.S. Armed Forces are in place, the Pentagon wanted neither Apple nor the "Newsweek" to disclose. The reticence may be related to the fact that the iPod touch is still considered safe against IT attacks from outside and this is certainly not jeopardized. A representative of the U.S. Army in Baghdad that the iPod has so far not successfully hacked.

Hackers crack secret jet project.

Serious setback for the U.S. Department of Defense: Unknown in the computers of the Pentagon infiltrated, have terabytes of data is copied, including detailed plans of a new fighter plane. The military now fear the power of the aviator.

 

The F-35 is the most expensive development ever approved by the Pentagon. 300 billion U.S. dollars will be invested the Super Bird, better than any other enemy aircraft from the sky and get themselves against attacks to defend themselves may be. Now detailed plans of the high-tech aircraft have been stolen - by hacker attack.

AP
Lockheed Martin F-35: Secret of the data called the Joint Strike Fighter are made of Pentagon computers had been stolen

The intruders had several terabytes of data from the computers of the Defense Ministry deducted, reported the
Wall Street Journal in its Tuesday edition. It was also detailed information on the electronic systems of the jet has been compromised, the paper quoted unspecified government officials said. Defense experts now fear that it might be easier to potential adversaries, against the sophisticated military aircraft for the defense to .

The development of the F-35, the Joint Strike Fighter, has for years had worked. The aircraft is an advanced stealth fighter. A total of 2443 copies of the flagship aircraft to the U.S. armed forces to purchase. First work on this project several branches in a joint combat aircraft in several versions of Air Foce, Navy and Marine Corps will be used.

China denies accusations from

The F-35-incident is just the latest link in a chain of cyber-attacks against U.S. infrastructure, and defense facilities. Almost two weeks discovered specialists in the networks of the U.S. electricity grid unknown programs that may be capable of doing would have been the U.S. electricity off. Moreover, according to the Wall Street Journal, was the air monitoring network in the U.S. Air Force in recent months target of Internet attacks have been.

The theft of the airplane blueprints is water on the mills of those who have been long rant, the United States were insufficient forces on an electronic fairs prepared. Especially from China should ever again attacks have been executed. Even now discovered attack is expected to be from China.

The Chinese embassy in Washington denied the allegations vehemently starting immediately. Man 'condemn and prohibit all forms of cyber-crime ", it was said by the Chinese.

Hacker Wanted

That the U.S. government cybersecurity contingency is well known, shows a job with an IT service provider to the U.S. Homeland Security Agency is looking for new staff at present. The requirement profile
Edel-hackers are looking for which any detected vulnerability in the networks of government agencies and with hacker methods can detect as yet unknown.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Investigation: FBI uses the first U.S. citizen to terrorist list (21.04.2009)

Water Boarding: Obama defends release of torture memos (21.04.2009)

Cyber security: U.S. Homeland Security wants to hire hackers (19.04.2009)

Lauschangriff: U.S. magazine reveals sniffing strategy of the FBI (18.04.2009)

Warning IT expert: Hackers could power the U.S. ausknipsen (08.04.2009)

With such well-trained experts, the cyber-defense of the United States in the coming years, better protected against attacks from the Internet coverage. A total of 250 specialists, the U.S. government for a year to train future.

Whether for the job as Nobly hacker in government procurement have a qualified candidate is found, is unclear. Some aspects of the requirement profile may be used by most hackers is difficult to fulfill. Candidates will be among others already have the highest security classification of the U.S. secret services have.

U.S. Homeland Security wants to hire hackers.

The U.S. Homeland Security Department is already on the lookout for hackers. This time, however, the computer specialists are not behind bars, but behind the desk - to the safety of U.S. government networks to be improved.

 

Washington - An offer like this does not often get to see: people will be someone who is "the common weaknesses and vulnerabilities and also knows hacker methods, tools and tactics mastered, so a hacker himself. The search is such a computer specialist but it is not because of some dark underground organization, but from
General Dynamics Information Technology, a company by the U.S. DHS (Department of Homeland Security) to provide IT services.

DDP
Post for Noble Hacker: IT experts are weaknesses in U.S. government networks find and seal

The new plan is apparently a response to the growing fear of the politicians of cyber-attacks. For years, computer networks and by U.S. authorities from abroad under permanent digital fire. As China is regularly accused by the fact of trying to intrude into state computers. Only one and a half month reported the Wall Street Journal, IT specialists from the U.S. secret services had in the networks of energy suppliers in the country, identification of foreign programs. What are the functions of the unknowns smuggled software should meet, remained unclear.

Sure, the experts were only that the existence of the foreign programs in their networks, a latent danger of revealing sources. Equipped with the expertise and the necessary infrastructure, other countries
American energy sensitive networks meet, thereby possibly endangering millions of people and the country serious harm.

There is no emergency plan

But against such attacks, the U.S. will be better protected. Currently the country but was still slightly vulnerable, experts fear. While sophisticated response plans for floods, plane hijackings and the like there is on cyber attacks poorly prepared. In March, warned David Powner, technology expert of the government, the United States were "clearly not as prepared as we should."

Therefore, the cyber-defense now seems to be staffed - even if only moderately. To contain the budget plan for the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week submitted an item which said that the U.S. Department of Defense until 2011 in a position to want, 250 IT professionals per year to train. Currently it is only 80th

A secure job

The now sought by General Dynamics, however, plays a specialist in a different league. The notification of job, a yawning gap for the government to fill said
Nadia Short, Vice President of General Dynamics Information Technology, the news agency Associated Press.

Light, however, there will hardly be a candidate to obtain the high requirements in the job offer can be defined. Accordingly, interested parties are already on the highest security level "top secret" and for the specific security classification "Sensitive Compartmented Information" released. Moreover, it is said in the request list, would prefer candidates with a certificate as a Certified Ethical Hacker presented. Thus an expert who specializes in using methods hackers intrude into networks to ensure their security arrangements to be tested.

Sounds like a dream job for hackers, and is at least for the next few years, a safer workplace. As Nadia Short explains, General Dynamics Information Technology a four-year contract with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) completed. The task: threats to the U.S. government networks and detect possible security concepts. The budget: 60 million U.S. dollars.

The creative console.

There must also be on gezappelt. Nintendo's portable Game DSI can be like the Wii to control body movements. In addition the manufacturer has some creative features added. Who's with the DS predecessor is satisfied, but found few incentives to switch.

 

Easy on the Playing games console, that was yesterday. Today we want to allow his brain to train. So-called edutainment software is trendy. With titles like "Dr. Kawashimas brain-jogging" for example, the console manufacturer Nintendo inspire many users - and new target groups. More than 100 million copies of the portable play equipment have been sold worldwide.

Now Nintendo has the DS-up, brings the DSI as a successor to the market. The new version comes up with creative functions, is lighter and has become bigger and brighter screens get. New are also two integrated cameras, which are not only taking pictures, but also needed to play through gestures to control.

With the camera inside the console players take self portraits. The second camera is affixed to the outside, so it can be used to the surroundings abzulichten. Once recorded, the images are via touchscreen is easy to edit and alienate. A face can be, for example, grinning broadly for hydrocephalus with a stretch or distort sunglasses. Serious image is unlikely, but the DSI is also a game, is particularly fun.

MP3 Music Player

Snap shots are in 256 megabytes of memory on the console or SD card secured. In theory, the DSI order up to 32 gigabytes of memory cards with large images vollschreiben. Useful, such capacity is not because the cameras only photos with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels (640 x 480 pixels) recording - even with cell phones today are at least three cameras with megapixel resolution usual. Another shortcoming is the constant image quality. The cameras are not very sensitive to light. In the twilight often disturbing images with image noise.

Also audio recordings can be made with the DSI and change. Votes can be distorted songs with effects like the scratching of a record supportable. For adult users, this gadget certainly only briefly entertaining. Many of them probably would have welcomed it if the console as a music player, the popular MP3 format would support. Nintendo decided but for the use of Apple's iTunes AAC format.

Shopping in Nintendo Points

With the launch of DSI Nintendo Console opens and the DSI's Online Shop. As for the Wii console can games and applications on the Internet purchased and downloaded. Paid with so-called Nintendo Points. 2000 This items cost about 20 euros. For the best downloads are 200 points account. Free is an Internet browser. The support, however, no flash videos from sites like YouTube can not see.

With the pay programs, there are ways of thinking and mini games that are only a short time entertain the application "WarioWare: snapped!" (5), which was on the camera is controlled. As for the Wii navigates the user with body movements through the game. Unfortunately the console does not recognize all the gestures perfectly. But after half an hour, the players know all the functions. It therefore remains to be hoped that the application only a foretaste of upcoming games and applications. Nintendo already has an application for creating cartoons announced.

GAME CONSOLES: THE LATEST GENERATION

Wii

obs / Nintendo of Europe

The small competitor is in contrast to the rival consoles, not high-resolution graphics, but delivers traditional television resolution. Nevertheless, the device is so popular that the manufacturer has not announced prices. In the United States overtook the Wii in July 2008 Microsoft's Xbox 360, what the sales figures are concerned. The console features a motion controller and bewegungssensitiven-oriented accessories, such as the "Balance Board" from. With simple sports and fun games, it has for the industry, captured new audiences. A detailed test Wii can be found here.

Playstation 3

DDP

The direct competitor to Microsoft's Xbox 360 - the two consoles to compete with the hardcore gamers who are also prepared for high-resolution graphics to a TV buy. In March 2007, the console on the market in Europe. In July 2008, there were either 40 or 60 GB hard drive - will also soon have a version with 80 GB on the market. It is the most expensive among the current models and gives a high-resolution video via an HDMI-out output. As the only game currently available, it contains a Blu-ray drive, which is also high-resolution Blu-ray discs can play. A detailed
Test of the PS3 can be found here.

Xbox 360

Microsoft's high-definition console is of the three longest current competitors on the market, namely since the end of 2005. Microsoft has repeatedly screwed on price and features. The 360 has a normal DVD drive in its basic version, but no hard drive. In July 2008, there were a model without a hard drive, a 20 gigabyte model and the black "elite" with 120 GB hard drive. The current models of HD images on an HDMI-out output. A comprehensive test on the Xbox 360 can be found here.

Sony PSP

The Playstation Portable, on the market since 2005, is Sony's first attempt, which traditionally used by Nintendo (Game Boy) dominated the market for mobile games a bit abzuzwacken. Since 2007, there is a slightly thinner version, called Slim and Lite. The mobile console games can not only present but also movies and music. Moreover, it can be via W-LAN to the Internet. Movie downloads and other content may differ from the PS3 to the PSP will be delayed, may also mobile console to the Internet as a kind of remote for the PS3 to be used. The PSP is on the market for mobile games second rear Nintendo DS. A detailed
Test of the PSP can be found here.

Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS is since 2005 in a first version on the market since 2006 in an edition called slimmer DS Lite (pictured). DS stands for "dual screen". The console has a normal and in the bottom half of a touch-screen. Games will be on buttons or a stylus, the touchscreen with the edited, played. The DS is the PSP over Wi-Fi to connect to the internet, including online games and gimmicks such as pictures chat are possible. With games like "Nintendogs" and "Dr. Kawashimas brain-jogging" tapped the DS new target for mobile consoles. The DS is currently the best selling mobile game. A test report on the first version of the Nintendo DS can be found here.

For greater security when DSI provides the W-LAN in accordance with the WPA2 encryption standard. But even here there is a restriction. WPA2 is available only for DSI applications like the Opera browser used. Who from the older games DS console online play, you have the less secure WEP encryption back.

If so you have 170 euros to take expensive DSI? Provides plenty of entertainment, because all the old DS games also work on the new device. The few previously offered download title run, but only on the DSI, as well as the funny ways of snapshots to alienate. So if you already have a Nintendo DS the first generation has, in the new edition will find little of what the purchase would be justified. Those who opposed the first console to purchase a bag will lie with the DSI true.

Trojan botnet builds from Macs.

Gone are the days when you feel safe on the Mac was: Security experts say that the first network of Mac computers hijacked to have discovered. The fact that even as many computers will be able to make observers aback - the danger has been known for several months.

 

Now might be true for Mac users the time of carefree Web-surfing past. Since programmers are trying, by trojan, virus and worm malicious software in computer einzuschleusen, other computers to take over or damaging them, she had little to fear. While Windows-based computers of hundreds of thousands of different variants of malicious programs were threatened, they were fine out: Macs were not on the food label of pests.

Corbis
The first network of zombie Macs: A Trojan takes control of the Apple computer

But this period of calm seems to pass, say security experts Symantec Mario Barcena and Alfredo Pesoli. In the journal "
Virus Bulletin ", they have asserted that a Trojan horse software, which since January on Macs disseminated, now seems to be a botnet called builds a composite hijacked, remote computer.

The deeper meaning of the operator of such criminal networks, it is shade usually, the zombie computers to abuse, for example, spam e-mails to send or Distributed Denial of Service attacks (DDOS) to initiate attacks on Web sites or servers through a large number of simultaneous requests via the Internet should be forced to ground.

HARMFUL AND spyware SOFTWARE: SO CO AND OPERATION TROJAN.

Click on the keywords to learn more

Trojans

Like the Trojan horse in Greek mythology Computer Trojans hide their real task (and harmfulness!) Behind a fairing. Most occur as a harmless software: screensavers, video file, access program. They are, for example as an e-mail attachment, spread. Who the program starts, is thus always a hidden malicious function: Most of this is the opening of a so-called backdoor, a backdoor to the computer system over the Internet opens, and the other malicious programs are downloaded.

Virus

Computer viruses infect existing files on the computers of their victims. The landlord files work? at least for a while - to continue as before. Because viruses are not discovered. They spread not independently, but rely on that computer users infected files to pass them by e-mail, to a USB stick copy or sharing settings. Of the other harmful and Spähprogrammen is a virus spread by the sole method. What damage it causes depends solely on the will of its creator from.

Rootkit

The small compound, the words "root" and "kit" together: "Root" is for Unix systems, users with administrator rights, even in the depths of the system must intervene. A "kit" is a collection of tools. A rootkit is thus a set of programs, with full access to the system of a computer equipped. This allows the rootkit widespread manipulation, without that, for example, from virus scanners can still be perceived. Either the rootkit software includes, for example, disable security scanner, or it builds a so-called shell, which is regarded as a kind of mini-operating system operating in all suspicious transactions to the host is hidden. The majority of the outstanding Rootkits can be used, trojans, viruses, and other additional malicious software over the Internet message. Rootkits are among the most severely compromise a computer traceable.

Worm

Computer worms are, in practice, the tuned, lowered variants of viruses and Trojans. In the strict sense of the term only describes a program, which provides its own spread - and the programs that are transported. Worms contain a nucleus is a malicious program, for example, by initiating your own mail program to spread from an infected computer makes. Your Hauptverbreitungsweg are the communication channels of the web: e-mail, chats, AIMs, P2P exchanges, and others. In practice, they are often seen as a vehicle for the dissemination of various other malicious programs used.

Drive-by

Under a drive-by is the influence of a computer or even infection of the PC by simply visiting an infected website. The method is very few years the trend: taking advantage of recent security vulnerabilities in browsers and the use of scripts, a website deposited on a malicious code on a computer influence. Thus, virus spread, sniffer programs installed, the browser requests redirected to websites that pay for and more. Drive-BYS are particularly perfidious because they are from PC users no activity (such as opening an e-mail) request, but only carelessness. Victims are mostly users that their software is not through regular updates, keep up to date - that is potentially as good as any.

Botnet

Botnets are networks of computers kidnapped - the bots. With the help of Trojan programs, for example, through websites or manipulated fictitious e-mails to infiltrate the computers, make the botnet operator access to the external PC, you can control it via the Web. Such botnets to rent, can be a lucrative business. The zombie armies to be used, inter alia, to millions of spam e-mails to send, through a multiplicity of simultaneous requests websites to its knees or on a large grassy style passwords deductible. (more on blogs ONLINE)

Fakeware / Ransomware

The word is composed of "fake", ie "forgery" and "goods", the acronym for Software: It is all about "wrong software". These are programs that claim a specific performances, in fact, quite another to do so. Top form: Alleged IT security programs and virus scanners. In its innocuous variant, they are useless, but annoying: They constantly warn against any non-existent viruses, and try to make the PC user to a purchase to move. As adware programs they annoy the users with advertisers.

The perfidious form but is Ransomware: You kidnappt regelrecht the computer, makes him a hostage. It hinders or prevents normal work loads viruses from the network and makes claims to a "cleaning fee" or release fee, which is nothing more than a ransom: Only if you pay, you can use the computer to work again. 2006/2007 had often, but has since declined.

Zero-day exploits

A zero-day exploit exploits a software vulnerability already andem day on which the risk at all is noticed. Normally delivered to manufacturers of security software and the authors of malicious programs, a head-to-head races with the stopper, seal and exploit well-known vulnerabilities.

Risk No. 1: User

The biggest security risk in the world of the computer sitting in front of the computer. Not only lack of discipline in necessary software updates to make the user dangerous: He has a great fondness for free music from obscure sources, funny file attachments in e-mails and a great joy in communication oh-so-informal Plauderraum of the Web. Most damage in the IT are likely to benefit from users' fingers to mouse buttons cause.

What is new is this procedure does not, there are many botnets. New is that this time only Macs to such a network of zombie computers are linked together, and say Barcena Pesoli.

The Trojan is a pirated copy

How such a calculator adoption in practice to speak, describes the Australian programmers
Pete Yandell in his blog. "This morning I found that a number of processes the entire computing power of my laptop consume," said Yandell. Apparently if it is a recurring PHP script, which tries to establish a certain web page request by repeated overloading.

The origin of the foreign program Yandell was a trial version of Apple's iWork office software 09 to identify. The software that he has received from friends detours, Yandell writes and concludes that he is the Trojans would not have been captured, he would have the package directly from Apple's web site concerned.

Because
that in a Web version of this kursierenden trial software is a trojan is hidden, since January is already known. The software now makes the rounds through web forums and download sites. The lure for the installation: Although really only intended for testing, the software was modified so that it without a serial number, so without pay, is running. That it was also modified so that they meet the Trojans OSX.Iservice placed on the computer, has apparently not yet spread. Meanwhile, a similar structured Lockversion the image processing software Adobe Photoshop CS4 in circulation, say the specialists.

Only a modest beginning

This Trojan horse, according to the Symantec researcher, was "an interesting piece of malicious software." Firstly, because he is typical some Macs for their own techniques, and secondly, because he is just the first apparently successful Trojans, who are actually distributed on Macs. About a total of 31 different commands of the pest can be controlled externally, to new goals or to spread itself to be instructed.

Compared to similar Windows-based programs is the proliferation of OSX.IService currently still modest. The number of Apple computers, the researchers quantified with "several thousand". On the regulars botnet operators, where only size is really important, so they should best get appropriate standing. Because Windows Botnets are simply much larger. One of the biggest, the currently very active
Conficker worm command: Approximately twelve million computers will be busy with the malicious program is now subject to.

The error is sitting at the keyboard

Surprisingly, however, actually, that such pests can spread all over, the suspects on security issues specialized author Larry Seltzer in "
eWeek. "Finally, operating systems like Linux, Windows Vista and Mac OS X usually run in a mode in which programs are only limited rights.

Pests like OSX.IService could therefore only be effective nest, even if the user once they assign these rights - just like the Mac Trojan is doing, by throwing himself in the installation file of a pirated software is hidden, only to get is when compared with full access rights on the computer equips. On the Mac, for example, you have to once the name and password of a user with special rights to enter the admin. Users do this willingly because they believe that a pirated copy to install.

The weak point is and remains at the user.

U.S. magazine unmasked sniffing strategy of the FBI.

The U.S. Federal FBI uses sniffing software to extortionists, terrorists and hackers to track. Now is a document has been published, showing how and, above all, how often the so-called spyware is used.

 

Have the documents seem at first glance not to disclose, but it actually read like a high-tech thriller. It appears that FBI employees plenty of trouble to read all the passages that are even now still be classified as secret. Actually, this is also the
152 pages authorities digitized paper (PDF) shows would have none of it before the year 2033 will be made public. But this plan failed. Even now the material is a deep insight into the high-tech investigative methods of the U.S. federal police.

That the documents classified as secret at all to the public domain, is the American Freedom of Information Act, the Freedom of Information Act, to thank. This law allows every citizen the right to inspect government records to obtain. And it is precisely this insight into the FBI files, the U.S. magazine "Wired" is now called - and get approved.

A total of 623 pages, with the question of espionage-related software, holds the authority continues to decline. At 152 pages, but the FBI has released and it is primarily made public, how often and how intense the police department has for years been hacking methods to fall back to suspect things to do.

The investigators sniffing software is the popular

The Schüffelsoftware the FBI was already in the summer of 2007 revealed to the public. Already at that time had "
Wired 'reports about how the FBI with the help of the spy program, the 15-year-old Josh Glazebrook was convicted. The student had emailed anonymous bomb threats at his school, but with traditional investigative methods to locate.

The use of this software called an FBI agent as "Computer and Internet Protocol Address Verifier" CIPAV shortly. Once on the computer of the suspect set, determined according to the program "Wired" various information about the software, hardware and Internet connection of the hijacked machine. The so-collected information to the software then to an FBI server in the state of Virginia and then moved into a surveillance mode to become active again if needed to be.

Previously it was assumed that the software only in a few cases have been set up. But this is apparently not so. As the now published documents show that the spying program was probably used so inflationary that an FBI employee was already on the first page in a memo pointing out that often can not be justified using "difficult issues" and conjure up the risk the software could be unmasked.

Hacker methods to the police authority

That is with the publication of the FBI papers done. Thus, the documents show how the malicious program on the computers of the suspects will be introduced. Instead of the old secret methods to use, perhaps home or office to break the target person and the software manually on the PC of the person concerned to install, the investigators use modern and totally unimaginative Cybercrime methods.

To use the FBI specialists vulnerabilities in the Web browser of the target person to be unnoticed access to their computers to wrongfully. With simple tricks to lure the suspects to well-prepared web pages, they animate to a specific link to click, so the sniffer program installed. Precisely in this way is that the investigators also Josh Glazebrook into the trap, by whose case "wired" to the software has been carefully.

Klappt's not always immediately

The papers that had the web address as attractants groomed site MySpace in a private chat room to place for the student's advantage. No sooner had the Internet investigators went to the glue, began CIPAV data on its online activities to the FBI to send - even when he Drohmails sent to his school.

Interestingly: The American spy program records only the Internet addresses of computers that the suspect ourselves. Records of the contents of e-mails or angesurften Web sites are not prepared. Quite similar work in Germany Vorratsdatenspeicherung the ISPs who are also only addresses, but not content recorded.

HARMFUL AND spyware SOFTWARE: SO CO AND OPERATION TROJAN.

Click on the keywords to learn more

Trojans

Like the Trojan horse in Greek mythology Computer Trojans hide their real task (and harmfulness!) Behind a fairing. Most occur as a harmless software: screensavers, video file, access program. They are, for example as an e-mail attachment, spread. Who the program starts, is thus always a hidden malicious function: Most of this is the opening of a so-called backdoor, a backdoor to the computer system over the Internet opens, and the other malicious programs are downloaded.

Virus

Computer viruses infect existing files on the computers of their victims. The landlord files work? at least for a while - to continue as before. Because viruses are not discovered. They spread not independently, but rely on that computer users infected files to pass them by e-mail, to a USB stick copy or sharing settings. Of the other harmful and Spähprogrammen is a virus spread by the sole method. What damage it causes depends solely on the will of its creator from.

Rootkit

The small compound, the words "root" and "kit" together: "Root" is for Unix systems, users with administrator rights, even in the depths of the system must intervene. A "kit" is a collection of tools. A rootkit is thus a set of programs, with full access to the system of a computer equipped. This allows the rootkit widespread manipulation, without that, for example, from virus scanners can still be perceived. Either the rootkit software includes, for example, disable security scanner, or it builds a so-called shell, which is regarded as a kind of mini-operating system operating in all suspicious transactions to the host is hidden. The majority of the outstanding Rootkits can be used, trojans, viruses, and other additional malicious software over the Internet message. Rootkits are among the most severely compromise a computer traceable.

Worm

Computer worms are, in practice, the tuned, lowered variants of viruses and Trojans. In the strict sense of the term only describes a program, which provides its own spread - and the programs that are transported. Worms contain a nucleus is a malicious program, for example, by initiating your own mail program to spread from an infected computer makes. Your Hauptverbreitungsweg are the communication channels of the web: e-mail, chats, AIMs, P2P exchanges, and others. In practice, they are often seen as a vehicle for the dissemination of various other malicious programs used.

Drive-by

Under a drive-by is the influence of a computer or even infection of the PC by simply visiting an infected website. The method is very few years the trend: taking advantage of recent security vulnerabilities in browsers and the use of scripts, a website deposited on a malicious code on a computer influence. Thus, virus spread, sniffer programs installed, the browser requests redirected to websites that pay for and more. Drive-BYS are particularly perfidious because they are from PC users no activity (such as opening an e-mail) request, but only carelessness. Victims are mostly users that their software is not through regular updates, keep up to date - that is potentially as good as any.

Botnet

Botnets are networks of computers kidnapped - the bots. With the help of Trojan programs, for example, through websites or manipulated fictitious e-mails to infiltrate the computers, make the botnet operator access to the external PC, you can control it via the Web. Such botnets to rent, can be a lucrative business. The zombie armies to be used, inter alia, to millions of spam e-mails to send, through a multiplicity of simultaneous requests websites to its knees or on a large grassy style passwords deductible. (more on blogs ONLINE)

Fakeware / Ransomware

The word is composed of "fake", ie "forgery" and "goods", the acronym for Software: It is all about "wrong software". These are programs that claim a specific performances, in fact, quite another to do so. Top form: Alleged IT security programs and virus scanners. In its innocuous variant, they are useless, but annoying: They constantly warn against any non-existent viruses, and try to make the PC user to a purchase to move. As adware programs they annoy the users with advertisers.

The perfidious form but is Ransomware: You kidnappt regelrecht the computer, makes him a hostage. It hinders or prevents normal work loads viruses from the network and makes claims to a "cleaning fee" or release fee, which is nothing more than a ransom: Only if you pay, you can use the computer to work again. 2006/2007 had often, but has since declined.

Zero-day exploits

A zero-day exploit exploits a software vulnerability already andem day on which the risk at all is noticed. Normally delivered to manufacturers of security software and the authors of malicious programs, a head-to-head races with the stopper, seal and exploit well-known vulnerabilities.

Risk No. 1: User

The biggest security risk in the world of the computer sitting in front of the computer. Not only lack of discipline in necessary software updates to make the user dangerous: He has a great fondness for free music from obscure sources, funny file attachments in e-mails and a great joy in communication oh-so-informal Plauderraum of the Web. Most damage in the IT are likely to benefit from users' fingers to mouse buttons cause.

However, the papers also show that the installation process does not always runs as smoothly as in the case of Josh Glazebrook. Thus in another action a hacker in the sights of the FBI. A total of 29-times the man visited the Web page prepared without taking advantage of the FBI catching software. Apparently had some Inkompatilität with the system of the hackers, the installation routine of the spy program paralyzed. Only when the responsible officials its technology specialists asked for help, but suddenly everything went smoothly and the software is installed.

The end of anonymity?

Despite such failures, document the FBI records that their sniffing software in many cases has been used successfully. For example, in the case of a man who supposedly Drohmails an anonymous Hotmail account sent. Even a genuine contract killer is the electronic spy into the trap when he tried to its services online through an anonymous e-mail connection.

These cases document what the view of "Wired" the specialty of the software seems to be: Internet users to unmask who seek to disguise their identity by using proxy servers or anonymizing services. Exactly this ability in 2005 have been used to determine a man thing to do, the tried, several telecommunications companies to blackmail.

The blackmailer had initially various telecommunications cables cut in Boston to meet his demands to lend, the company then asked him for a monthly protection money in the amount of $ 10,000 to an anonymous account to pay. The account data should be him on a Web page form, which he allegedly has a German anonymisation service, probably the
Project AN.ON, ourselves. But his disguise tactics availed him nothing, the FBI spying program felt it all in spite of precautions to.

This automaticity with which the FBI program appears repeatedly on PC infiltrate was now likely to lose fitness. Now criminals are more careful with their updates against computer Vulnerabilities abzudichten and anti-virus software to install.

But the FBI will be prepared. CIPAV 2.0 is definitely already in development - or even already in use.

They still exist, the cell phone.

She is not dead easy to get: Cheap cell phones and prepaid tariffs are in spite of many German cities, public phones, some still in the old yellow Post of the seventies, some in the magenta-modern look, but more and more completely misused.

 

The house phone is at present Stuttgarter Platz in Berlin. It is tarot and stomach of steel, has four walls and a door. Stale air is pressing against one when the door opens. It smells of urine, from pistachio shells and cigarette butts are on the ground. One who has given up, here numbers to choose, his calling card on the machine are allowed. That is: "the bank is still on it."

The cell phone is a relic of the communication history, in times of mobile phones and Internet cafes will be less and less respected. Nevertheless, throughout Germany, according to the telecom equipment 100,000 still in operation, 17,000 of them in eastern Germany. The number has doubled in the last few years hardly changed, says Telekom spokesman Juergen Will.

Even where public phones are unprofitable, with only about 7500 euro more expensive houses to simple phones to a column of around 500 euros exchanged. To create a nationwide supply of public telephony to ensure only a few machines would disappear completely, says Will. In large cities such as Leipzig, Dresden and Berlin, there is still an impressive number. Why are still good?

Price of the interview: 20 Cent, the new penny

The phone houses past is at the Leonhardt mountain road in Charlotte. The cell from the year 1978, post-yellow, has a phone for coins and a door that is so difficult is that they must aufstemmen. Marc Ihlow is in the phone booth, which is older than him. The 23-year-old speaks rapidly in the handset: "Are you there. Yes? I come over?"

Then he lays down on. Not 20 seconds has his interview time, a 20-cent-penny it has cost him. "I have a phone with pre-paid card and how it is often no money on it," says the cell phone lot. "Then I stop to go home."

YOUR CELL PHONE PHOTOS BEAUTIFUL

Cell phone liable an ordinary breath of nostalgia. Perhaps you are one of the public phones has grown particularly fond, is at a specific place or just a specific story.

If so, write us, send us their most beautiful cell-phone photos. (If you wish to remain anonymous, please indicate in the e-mail.)

300 million phone calls were made in 2007 led to public apparatus. This is the most recent count, the cell operator Telecom has published. The year before she had even announced that some 35,000 of 100,000 viable cells were in Germany. Its turnover stood at less than 125 euros a month. Especially in rural areas, the number of cells is low. During 2009 alone in Berlin 4800 cells are - sometimes two or more at one site - it is in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania together 12,800. In the 1900-people village in the village of Jacob District Oder-Spree, there are about only one machine and without the house and roof. In Magdeburg, a cell phone even on the mini-public library converted.

Cells as junkies use Fix-space

Anders in Berlin. Only a few meters away from the Stuttgart court, between the Wilmersdorfer and Lewisham Road are four cells gregarious side by side. Two red, two yellow, two coins, two for tickets. Gamze Özcan also operates a juice bar.

In radio dudelt reggae music, the walls are painted in a cheerful orange deleted. The yellow of the fresh cells at the door for loading and adjusts the red-green fruit cocktails. "It is a misery that we see," says owner juice Gamze Özcan. It turns the cheerful music. "Uses the cells only by junkies for spraying or for men who do not find toilet. And all that just in front of my shop."

PC market collapses.

So far, the market for high-tech, and entertainment of the economic crisis largely to defy. Now clear that the crisis with a slight delay here durchschlägt: The PC market had in the first quarter of 2009, more than expected loser.

 

Stamford - The worldwide PC market in the first quarter of 2009 caved. The paragraph was compared to the same period last year by 6.5 percent to 67.2 million devices worldwide has declined, reported the market research firm Gartner on Thursday in Stamford (U.S. state of Connecticut) on the basis of preliminary figures.

For a market that for years knew nothing other than constant and steep rise, the lot. It is called the EMEA region, in addition to Europe, the Middle East and Africa includes disproportionately affected. Here, sales fell by 10.2 percent. With the exception of the Netbook, all the low segments of the decline affected. Remains the leading U.S. manufacturer Hewlett-Packard.

The demand was dwindling, according to Gartner, both the consumer and the business segment. The only bright spot was the Netbook which are already in the previous months had driven the market. "Cheap mobile PC will remain in most regions of the growth drivers," said Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa. However, when these devices a significant decrease in revenues to be expected because the average selling sänken.

Greater choice

This is true only for the Netbook with Intel and Microsoft-defined standard configuration. Within these industry giants are trying prescribed technical specifications, manufacturers, Netbook, exceeding unusual design or additional interfaces for specialized market niches, and to higher prices. In addition, increases in the number of Netbook-related products from Nettops for working or living on All-in-ones to more exotic solutions such as the EEEPC keyboard in which the computer from a wireless keyboard is the LCD TV as monitor uses. The industry has responded so with a genuine creativity Shear, the new types of devices produces, to the crisis.

Whether the downward trend continues, it is also from the perspective of market researchers are still not say that. "It is still unclear whether the global PC market has bottomed out," said Gartner analyst George Shiffler. There is some evidence indicates that the company primarily in the U.S. stocks increase it again, this could still not be rated as a recreation.

Hewlett-Packard has its advantage as a market expanded. According to Gartner, every fifth came from the U.S. computer manufacturers (19.8 percent market share). Dell continues to lose ground and split at around 13 percent market share in second place with Acer. While the U.S. company under the weakness of its home market suffered, benefited from the boom of the Taiwanese mini-notebook. The PC market saw six years in a row high, often double-digit growth rates, but stagnated in the last quarter of 2008.

Pencil against Photoshop.

How much does a computer drawn picture of a pencil sketch of the same scene? Two cartoonists to compete against Stefan Dokoupil and John Wieser report how they compete with pencil and mouse two variants have painted a scene.

 

Even professionals can now no longer differences between analog and digital photographs to determine the blind tests have been sufficient. The same would have been drawn or Painted in a few years ago does not even have to try.

However, although actually a Photoshop image editing program and - in contrast to Painter or Art Rage - no specialized software for painting or drawing techniques, are now two Austrian artists in the virtual ring, and have risen by the same photo create a nude drawing realized: John Wieser traditionally the pencil, Stefan Dokoupil with Photoshop, Mac and Wacom tablet.

FOUND IN ...

DOCMA 4 / 2009

Doc Baumann's Magazine for Digital Imaging

Issue & Free Subscription
www.docma.info
DOCMA Award 2009 "image forgery"

The fact that two artists against each other, is nothing very new in the Greek antiquity already made the painters Zeuxis and Parrhasius. Pliny reported that: "Zeuxis painted in rivalry with Parrhasius grapes so lifelike that birds herbeiflogen in order to pick out. Parrhasius then introduced his rival before a canvas on which a curtain of canvas was to be seen. When Zeuxis asked impatiently, but this finally to one side, around which are supposedly behind this picture to be had Parrhasius secure the victory because he had managed, Zeuxis deceived. The curtain had also painted. "

As the presence of the artistic rivalry with Eva clone "came and went like this, says Stefan Dokoupil here for DOCMA:" When I was last year on Natura 2008 in Altenmarkt Zauchensee was invited, I learned the Photorealistic John Wieser know. I saw his works and was immediately excited. After the intensive period of the exhibition, which is more than a month you buy a new, and some conversations I had the idea for this project.

I want my photos look like drawings, and John's intention was to always, his pictures are like photographs to be. So why not implement a joint project, where we meet in the middle? No competition, no question of faith, but a symbiotic relationship ...

We started with the common shooting a model and pose and lighting provided by common consent. It was important to us above all the shadows, so we are on a structured background could forgo.

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Then we began to draw - John after the photo on a white sheet of paper and I in Photoshop. We sent each other the intermediate stands, so the one from the other knew in what direction the whole thing developed. And finally, I then addressed John, because fixes have been easier for me than for him. My biggest problem was the hair.

I went from the original size of the image. John had a certain advantage. With very hard and fine details, he was able to pencil in the picture, which I shall in Photoshop could not implement. To view the character of the image drawn in conclusion to stress, I said by adding an alpha channel interference. A texture of coarse paper then served as a "paper" background.

Then can I just a big compliment to John directed, which affects its performance. This richness of detail, the contrasts and the light with such a pencil on the paper to bring - including a ridiculous talent and a merciless eye loose. I have with my digital tools for 15 hours drawing the implementation of 'clone Eva' is needed - John has worked with the pencil in his 140 hours worked Aktversion.

This project has for me and my work in Photoshop a lot, and I am going more and more as a painter / illustrator to work: My goal is not only the existing issues, but with a certain artistic freedom also add details.

The first step was out of the picture shows a line drawing to make. The contours have been added by hand (Wacom tablet) and traced with the wiping fingers alternately brighten and abdunkelnd processed. The shades of the body, I have layers and is applied in layers with the wiping fingers for so long afterwards, until I achieved a pleasing result, then the details at 300 percent magnification view of the finger and wiping a very small peak is created.

For the hair, I stood in front of the problem, not so fine detail to be able to prepare, as I myself would have wished. Therefore, again wiping the fingers are used. I have black spots initially created as a substrate, with small white dots on the strands, and again with the wiping fingers worked - with a high opacity (so long Verschmierungsstrecke) and the mode "Normal". Since depends very much on the brush tip from, and a coarse top, when the hair look a blurring creates is by default in Photoshop. By adding an alpha channel, I added noise, as the texture, I photographed a wall in addition to a paper look to be strengthened. It has a lot of fun and was a real challenge. "

While preparing to play the digital file in DOCMA no problems with their reproductions of the pencil drawing on the other hand, the two were not satisfied. Doc Baumann had coincidentally just before an interview with the developers of the Cruse scanner, and knew that one of its devices in Stuttgart Photolab M stands. Labor boss Rainer Tewes was immediately ready to help.

On 17 April 17 clock photo opens in cooking - Digital World, Innsbruckerstr. 73, 5020 Salzburg, the exhibition "Gang border between photography and painting," where these images are presented, they will run until 17.5.2009.

Visual glutamate.

If the exercise requires more than the conventional photo being made, the photographers use HDR method. To project an image of the photographer Andreas explains Papke uses the HDR technique and his way of lighting moods to stress.

 

As impressive a High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology is so easy to shoot you in their use over the top. I like to take advantage of the picturesque effect of the dynamic compression of Photomatix, but try to be operated at the viewer is not necessary. On the Danish island Samsø I discovered in the ruined house of Peder Store is the ideal backdrop for such an image. The density of detail is made there and the dynamic range would be with "normal" digital photo technology had to be recorded.

The house was the presence of the former occupant, a grumpy gardener, still being felt. It seemed, despite the progressive decline, and revived only briefly leave. Each room glances revealed in a past life, a world with many motif intact objects, different materials and structures as well as an enormous amount of detail between the deep shadows and bright light.

FOUND IN ...

DOCMA 4 / 2009

Doc Baumann's Magazine for Digital Imaging

Issue & Free Subscription
www.docma.info
DOCMA Award 2009 "image forgery"

Photographic rapprochement was relatively easy because of this large still life required no intervention and needed no productions. Photo technically but had a difficult lighting situation be overcome.

The flora of the once famous for its fine gardens had already reached the window vorgekämpft, they often had only a weak external light into the room. Artificial light was not yet available, it appeared the subject adequately.

The brightness differences could be many motives and not an exposure covered. Since I am both shadows and lights durchzeichnet have wanted, was the decision for the use of bracketing, which later HDRs over the entire dynamic range should be mapped. Light and shadow contrasts were aligned, thereby resigning Lichtstimmung but had stressed or eingemalt be. Here I was able to free care, no camera sensor, but my perception of gave me the dose of flavor enhancers before.

Lighting design by HDR - Photographer
Andreas Papke shows step by step how to do it: RAW development to edge contrast.

So good work printer-scanner-hermaphrodite.

In the area of A4 MFPs solved with scanning and copying function from the pure inkjet printer. The Fachmagazin Color photo has six models in the price range from 130 to 210 euros tested.

 

For A4 printers include a scan for the equipment more often.

FOUND IN ...

Color photo 5 / 2009

The magazine for digital and analog photography

Trial order
www.colorfoto.de

It is no longer an unsatisfactory compromise solutions.

Instead, the quality of printing to the standard of the solo-Printer, and the resolution of the scanner is designed for supervisory Templates satisfactory.

A Durchlichteinheit stands opposed to all devices are not transferred to the equipment list. At least the candidates from Canon and Epson make all disciplines in a good figure.

Speed, print quality, handling - "Corofoto compares six all-rounder printers.

The new gold.

What have LCD displays, hybrid vehicles and cell phones in common? You can not build if it is missing ores - Ores exotic metals, which are always scarce and more expensive. At the high-tech commodities experts that will ignite new conflicts.

 

Gallium, neodymium, Indium - the shortage of such raw materials with exotic names could soon be the future development of key technologies in Germany brakes. Manufacturers of flat panel displays and photovoltaics industries around competing for indium in the motors of hybrid vehicles stuck Neodymium magnets, and diodes, the semiconductor gallium metal is required.

REUTERS
Lots of copper: Many of the raw materials that make possible high-tech are going to be in the poorest regions of the world. This builds on the soon Chile's largest copper mine in the world

The rising demand for the rare high-tech metals will lead to economic constraints and fuel international conflict, as researchers from Berlin to warn.

The shortage of expensive raw materials "will help us in the coming decades, no longer let go", which is the scientific director of the Berlin Institute for Future Studies and Technology Assessment (IZT), Rolf Kreibich, convinced. Total 22 commodities and 32 future technologies, the researchers together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) under the microscope. The result: It is in the foreseeable future in many areas serious bottlenecks.

"Raw material shortages are massive expansion of solar power limit"

The demand for the metal indium particularly scarce for both the display industry as well as the photovoltaic manufacturers compete is up to 2030 more than three times as high as the current production, says researcher IZT Lorenz Erdmann, one of the authors of Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs commissioned study. Here are the manufacturer of displays at an advantage because their products at the price of the expensive raw material, much less significant than for solar cells. "We expect that raw material shortages the massive expansion of solar energy are limited," said Erdmann.

For many such metals, for example, because of their high temperature stability, its flexibility or its corrosion protection is sought, say the researchers provided a similar shortage. The demand for neodymium and 2030 will be four times the current production is, that even after six gallium.

The occurrence of the expensive high-tech metals is also extremely limited because they are often only as a byproduct in the promotion of other commodities fall. Indium, for example, is found in small amounts in zinc. The recycling in many divorce cases, because the raw materials together with other metals are being processed and is difficult to separate them again. The need is difficult to estimate, since this partly to the lack of transparency in armaments industry needed.

... is material for conflicts

Moreover, the sought-after metals very unevenly distributed around the world. The largest deposits of lithium, is essential for the development of batteries for electric cars is, for example, in Bolivia. China on the other hand, dominates the production of neodymium to 97 percent and has already secured Reserves in Africa, "as explained Kreibich. "Since the path to international conflicts."

In some countries, the war for expensive raw materials already begun. In the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo is also access to coltan Roherz at stake: It is the coveted tantalum obtained, for example, for new phones is needed.

In the highly competitive commodity markets, there is already a "deliberate scarcity by speculation," notes Kreibich resistant - even if the supply of such coveted goods are mostly long term and therefore little room for speculation there. To protect the future technologies calls IZT-director of an international or at least European agency, which should monitor the markets. "As the G20 for the financial markets decided that we need transparency," says Kreibich. That should be his opinion on the market for metals and raw materials "but more regularized as a virtual financial transactions."

Confickers wake-up call over the zombie network.

For months, there was alarm. Nothing happened. But now is a million times on PCs spread Conficker worm became active, invites other malicious software - and reveals an important date.

 

Actually it should be on 1 April start. Conficker, the worm, up to ten million PCs infected have to be hit, possibly significant damage was suspected.
Happened - almost - nothing. Because in fact spread only an update of the first worm, with an extensive address database for focal points in the network, from which he is the future, will provide updates.

Corbis
Computer worm Conficker: What did the malicious software programmers in mind?

A few days waiting for the security experts from more, then gave careful Entwarnung: As previously appeared twice Conficker simply nothing to do. A "sleeper" but he continued, it was composed of experts circles, but each time the action could be - and that is exactly what seems to happen now.

On the night of 8 April had Conficker with a peer-to-peer site in Korea, and a file is downloaded, the virus reported by researchers
Trend Micro. Maybe if it is a keylogger or similar program that tries to auszuspähen data, Trend Micro says manager David Perry. Apparently using the new malware is rootkit techniques to his presence on their PC should disguise.

Through an analysis of the encrypted file, the experts found that the new program is the 3rd May as the date in your pocket. On this day, then Trend Micro, it will adjust its activity. Until then, however, connect it at random to one of the following Web sites:

Myspace.com
msn.com
ebay.com
cnn.com
aol.com

Experts suspect the virus, the software is doing this to one Internet connection of their host PCs and the other the relevant date to consider. The main finding of the analysis described so far but they concluded that the Conficker via hijacked PCs from the botnet constructed now apparently is in full function for the distribution of worm updates used. A trial run, then?

About this zombie network will in any case is also a new variant distributed Conficker, the Trend Micro WORM_DOWNAD.E as described. This variant attempts to contact servers that have long been known to the Storm botnet are assigned, by a Waledac designated as malicious software was constructed.

About The purpose of this link researchers tap the virus still in the dark, but now suspect that behind Downadup / Conficker, and Storm Waledac one and the same group of cyber-criminals stand. Moreover, they assume that the dangers posed by Conficker expected to grow now.

CONFICKER: WHO IS AT RISK?

Safe RechnerUnsichere Calculator

Computer on which an operating system other than Windows are not affected. Doubtless there are also Windows-based PC, with a strong password to have shared file folders / drives are backed by the latest security updates installed and have an antivirus program that is Conficker / Downadup recorded and can delete. Autorun should be disabled.

Windows systems, the network only with a weak password is protected. The latest security updates are not received. Their virus scanner and update functions already covered by the worm were hors de combat. This single computer whose shared folders / drives are not secured. Desktop computers with a weak password protection, the autorun feature enabled, shared directories, unsecured and has already contaminated virus software.

  ->

All the more important it is for PC users, your computer now, after the pest to browse, Conficker where appropriate to remove them. This should be the first of the
University of Bonn's free use provided tools, then all the Windows updates, and finally its anti-virus software to the latest version. Importantly, the correct order. As long Conficker still on the system outrages drives, he obstructed the work of anti-virus software.

OVER-THE WORM: SO MAN PROTECTS AGAINST COMPUTERS CONFICKER

The most important answers at a glance: How Conficker, what you should do, and where can you free tools to remove the malicious software found.

So goes the worm before

The first method of attack targets a vulnerability in Microsoft's server software. Then spread the Downadup also called worm within networks, without the computer users themselves would have something to contribute: The worm tries, with the help of a software administrator passwords to crack. If this succeeds, the worm may be freely disseminated within the network. In a third phase, the worm spreads itself to target mobile devices, for example, via a USB interface with an infected computer system. Additionally, the worm searches through networks to "shared folders and network drives. Calculator, which deals with a network resource to connect, are also affected. The aim of the worm Downadup are especially corporate networks, but also personal computers can be infected.

Windows updates

Since Downadup First, the automatic update features of Windows and antivirus software frozen, you should try to initiate these updates manually. Private users will find the Windows feature that after clicking the Start icon, then under "Help and Support", then "the computer with Windows Update to the latest date."

USB Autorun function

Initially, you should use the autorun feature for USB flash drives off. But this is unfortunately not trivial and requires a change in the registry database: If you are not able to ask someone who really knows so. Improper interference with the registry can affect the functioning of the PC affect sensitive. The autorun function can also temporarily disable a trick: Simply the Shift key and hold, while a USB stick or other removable drive einsteckt. Only after notification of the drive spindle.

Computer with free tools

Who wants to be sure that his computer is clean, can be one of the specialized tools of the IT security companies, or rely on a Linux Live CD. Some companies offer such a thing as an ISO image to download: You can use the downloaded file to a CD. This is bootable and launches a lightweight Linux system with the help of current anti-virus scanning the hard drive of the infected computer, bypassing the operating system are investigated.

FREE Conficker helper

  Heise Security: background for dealing with tools

Microsoft Tutorial: Protect yourself from Conficker

Microsoft helpers: Malicious Software Removal Tool

Symantec instructions: The worm Conficker

  Enigma Software: Conficker-Removal Tool

  Kaspersky Tool: KidoKiller

A hacker could exploit the current U.S. ausknipsen.

Ailing, vulnerable, outdated: The U.S. power grid is considered to be potential security risk. Experts from the U.S. government have warned against dangerous leaks. Hackers have already infiltrated some networks - and could in the worst case, the U.S. might cut off the electricity.

 

Hamburg - It would be a nightmare scenario: The Wall Street Journal reported on its website statements by unnamed IT Security Officer in U.S. government circles that Russian and Chinese hackers are now in a position to be, critical infrastructures in the United States to intervene, this to disrupt - or even off.

Thus specialists American secret services in the networks of foreign suppliers of energy programs with unexplained tasks found. Moreover, had not notified the Chinese and Russians tried to "map our infrastructure," like an unnamed, but identified as a leading representative of the secret-Gazette said.

Warnings about the infiltration of critical infrastructures are neither new nor original: There is no digital network infrastructure around the world, in which no intrusion attempts were perpetrated, and hardly any that are entirely free from sniffer programs, Trojan horses or viruses would be.

Only last week had IT security researchers, the existence of a gigantic "Ghostnet" made public and now to the public so that the pressing Geheimdienstlern arguments supplied: From China, there was basis in recent years been a spate of hacking attacks against governments, authorities and institutions. Even German embassies and ministries, and are also affected.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Photo Series: Blackout - a banal world

Cyber-espionage: The dragon sniffs, where he can (29.03.2009)

Hacker Attacks: exiled Tibetans want to better protect against data espionage (30.03.2009)

Viruses wave: Conficker-zombies are waiting for the wake-up (01.04.2009)

So far, so trivial - and yet so potentially dangerous. The secret use of the public attention for the Ghostnet to once again put their message to the man to bring: There are infrastructures that are so important that it has disastrous consequences when the collapse. And yes, they are in many ways vulnerable and under virtual constant attack. And no, the attacks appeared not targeted, said the experts to the "Wall Street Journal," we did not know who is exactly what would and if at all. But "Cyber Attacks" are ubiquitous and always detectable.

Espionage attempts, said a representative of the Homeland Security Department the sheet, there is constantly against all possible networks across the country. In relation to the electricity supplier, he said: "There are burglaries, and their number is growing. There were a lot last year."

Is it something really dangerous?

This supports a recent statement by the top-secret service coordinator, Dennis Blair, U.S. MPs on attacks against critical infrastructure and abroad informed about the fact that American no less at risk.

That is precisely the danger of the power will be stressed, is no coincidence. The U.S. power grid is considered to be completely ramshackle, outdated and extremely vulnerable. Again and again it was in past decades by some minimal causes widespread power outages have come alone in New York was 1977, 2003 and last 2006 to power failures, the collapse of the temporary care and public policy led.

In January, the Nasa a report to the many shocks Official:
Severe Space Weather Events - Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts "calculated, as a natural, periodically occurring event such as a solar storm in extreme cases to Vollkollaps of the U.S. power grid could lead.

That, they calculated the Nasa experts cool, would within days, the water supply to a halt, the rest would be Domino: A collapsing infrastructure cracks down the next. At the end would be within a very short time millions of people dead and the country in a state from which it is on their own without any help from outside could hardly recover. The tech world, according to the NASA researchers who would, in the worst case back to a pre-engineering stage.

Cyber Security costs money

The consultant team Barack Obama had such a glaring scenario is not needed for the explosiveness of the topic to understand critical infrastructure. The Obama Administration began with the government over the issue of electricity all the way to the top of the agenda for cyber security measures, which next week will be presented.

Behind the scenes of the critical infrastructures are now a constant theme, the public regularly hochgekocht if greater spending and made it public that wants to create acceptance. At such times verstiegen itself FBI handlebars on abstruse scenarios such as hacking attacks on dam gates - but the joke should be accepted for the expansion of the secret surveillance and the creation. With success.

Once again, there should be about money, what the "Wall Street Journal" only very implicitly suggests: Even the Bush administration, they wrote with reference to unnamed sources, will be launched in the last few years, 17 billion U.S. dollars in the Cyber Security have invested. According to official figures alone, the Pentagon in the last six months 100 million U.S. dollars for the repair of cyber damage output.

The McKinnon-factor is always someone sniffs

What may sound more dramatic than it is. In such calculations are also update costs for vulnerable systems, man-hours and software costs after Virenbefällen as in the case Conficker. And of course, include damage such as caused by the "UFO Hacker" Gary McKinnon, who is on the lookout for evidence of UFOs to 97 NASA, Pentagon and other government computers were around.

McKinnon, who is still in the UK against his extradition to the U.S. is fighting, where it up to 70 years prison expected to be approximately $ 700,000 damage caused - blasphemous mouths say, mainly through disclosure faust big security holes that had to be stopped after McKinnon burglaries apparently made hattten. McKinnon himself says to his relief, everything was so easy. That is probably the most: Nobody knows how many McKinnon just underway, how many gaps in the so-sensitive key networks, such as yawning.

And of course, including hackers from China and Russia, and perhaps even state employees who are in the virtual networks with their colleagues from the NSA take, and measure the largest and most powerful U.S. Secret Service.

It has at least formally, no other task than the electronic espionage and counterintelligence. Whether the Chinese and Russians, the U.S. can cut off the electricity? Well possible, but they are faster than the NSA, when potential adversaries might attempt the same? Behind the scenes there is a competition of the other arms, the new variety. And yes, attacks on critical infrastructures are potentially highly dangerous. Well, if now and then one says - even if it is really no specific reason for doing so.

Cheap HD-dwarfs against the 4000-Euro-camera.

Cheap, but in HD: Small video cameras promise for very little money shots in HD quality. blogs ONLINE has two moving-Knirps tried - and with a professional camera compared.

 

Netbook are small, cheap and not too powerful - but they meet many people for browsing and typing. The Netbook principle to the point: just enough, but cheap. According to this principle works, a new generation of roadside cameras. The devices cost less than $ 200, promise of HD recordings, and fit in the hand and some even into the shirt pocket.

Photo: blogs ONLINE
Video: blogs ONLINE

Target group: people who like to go on a short video in order to view it on your computer and a video portal on the web.

Who expensive films for home TVs turn, should not the HD-dwarfs access. Because the HD-Symbol Knirps leads from these cameras a bit astray: They take videos with a resolution of 720 lines - says nothing of the additional HD. But this technical resolution says nothing about the picture quality.

What are low-cost HD cameras good? ONLINE blogs tests and equipment operation and compares the images of the Zi6 and Vado HD with Sony's Professional HVR-Z1E device.

Fakeware is the trend.

Software, which sails under a false flag, is the trend of bad business with malicious software. This is a recent study shows that Microsoft is now presented. It shows persistence of major problems with IT security - but also that we have the model boy of the PC world.

 

Unterschleißheim - Online criminals are increasingly trying, computer users with fake security programs to deceive. The number of attacks with the corresponding software is growing significantly, resulted in an international study, which Microsoft released on Wednesday.

Fakeware: software under false flag, services, and sometimes pretends exactly the opposite of doing

Measured by the number of viruses, trojans and worms attacking your computer Total cuts from Germany but good. The number of infected PCs is - Conficker or not - in the second half of 2008 declined by 5.4 percent, said Microsoft security expert Thomas Baumgärtner. Here, the study identified under the 1000 revised 3.6 PCs infected computers, internationally, there were 8.6 computers.

The biggest increase had been a year and a half attacks with pseudo-security software. They deceive the online criminals before their victims, their computers were allegedly contaminated. Then they try to convince users, full of perceived security software to install. For it will then either a payment due, or they "supplied" from the user installation with advertising or even kidnapped the Internet browser to pages that you do not have selected.

HARMFUL AND spyware SOFTWARE: SO CO AND OPERATION TROJAN.

Click on the keywords to learn more

Trojans

Like the Trojan horse in Greek mythology Computer Trojans hide their real task (and harmfulness!) Behind a fairing. Most occur as a harmless software: screensavers, video file, access program. They are, for example as an e-mail attachment, spread. Who the program starts, is thus always a hidden malicious function: Most of this is the opening of a so-called backdoor, a backdoor to the computer system over the Internet opens, and the other malicious programs are downloaded.

Virus

Computer viruses infect existing files on the computers of their victims. The landlord files work? at least for a while - to continue as before. Because viruses are not discovered. They spread not independently, but rely on that computer users infected files to pass them by e-mail, to a USB stick copy or sharing settings. Of the other harmful and Spähprogrammen is a virus spread by the sole method. What damage it causes depends solely on the will of its creator from.

Rootkit

The small compound, the words "root" and "kit" together: "Root" is for Unix systems, users with administrator rights, even in the depths of the system must intervene. A "kit" is a collection of tools. A rootkit is thus a set of programs, with full access to the system of a computer equipped. This allows the rootkit widespread manipulation, without that, for example, from virus scanners can still be perceived. Either the rootkit software includes, for example, disable security scanner, or it builds a so-called shell, which is regarded as a kind of mini-operating system operating in all suspicious transactions to the host is hidden. The majority of the outstanding Rootkits can be used, trojans, viruses, and other additional malicious software over the Internet message. Rootkits are among the most severely compromise a computer traceable.

Worm

Computer worms are, in practice, the tuned, lowered variants of viruses and Trojans. In the strict sense of the term only describes a program, which provides its own spread - and the programs that are transported. Worms contain a nucleus is a malicious program, for example, by initiating your own mail program to spread from an infected computer makes. Your Hauptverbreitungsweg are the communication channels of the web: e-mail, chats, AIMs, P2P exchanges, and others. In practice, they are often seen as a vehicle for the dissemination of various other malicious programs used.

Drive-by

Under a drive-by is the influence of a computer or even infection of the PC by simply visiting an infected website. The method is very few years the trend: taking advantage of recent security vulnerabilities in browsers and the use of scripts, a website deposited on a malicious code on a computer influence. Thus, virus spread, sniffer programs installed, the browser requests redirected to websites that pay for and more. Drive-BYS are particularly perfidious because they are from PC users no activity (such as opening an e-mail) request, but only carelessness. Victims are mostly users that their software is not through regular updates, keep up to date - that is potentially as good as any.

Botnet

Botnets are networks of computers kidnapped - the bots. With the help of Trojan programs, for example, through websites or manipulated fictitious e-mails to infiltrate the computers, make the botnet operator access to the external PC, you can control it via the Web. Such botnets to rent, can be a lucrative business. The zombie armies to be used, inter alia, to millions of spam e-mails to send, through a multiplicity of simultaneous requests websites to its knees or on a large grassy style passwords deductible. (more on blogs ONLINE)

Fakeware / Ransomware

The word is composed of "fake", ie "forgery" and "goods", the acronym for Software: It is all about "wrong software". These are programs that claim a specific performances, in fact, quite another to do so. Top form: Alleged IT security programs and virus scanners. In its innocuous variant, they are useless, but annoying: They constantly warn against any non-existent viruses, and try to make the PC user to a purchase to move. As adware programs they annoy the users with advertisers.

The perfidious form but is Ransomware: You kidnappt regelrecht the computer, makes him a hostage. It hinders or prevents normal work loads viruses from the network and makes claims to a "cleaning fee" or release fee, which is nothing more than a ransom: Only if you pay, you can use the computer to work again. 2006/2007 had often, but has since declined.

Zero-day exploits

A zero-day exploit exploits a software vulnerability already andem day on which the risk at all is noticed. Normally delivered to manufacturers of security software and the authors of malicious programs, a head-to-head races with the stopper, seal and exploit well-known vulnerabilities.

Risk No. 1: User

The biggest security risk in the world of the computer sitting in front of the computer. Not only lack of discipline in necessary software updates to make the user dangerous: He has a great fondness for free music from obscure sources, funny file attachments in e-mails and a great joy in communication oh-so-informal Plauderraum of the Web. Most damage in the IT are likely to benefit from users' fingers to mouse buttons cause.

In the best case, such Fakeware is a rough, highly questionable form of advertising, in the worst case, a criminal attack on the PC, to reach the target of extortion for ransom-blocked computer access or data (see box: "Fakeware / Ransomware").

Protection against any viruses offer the software as offered in any case not, but sometimes even pity, says Microsoft. Two of these malicious programs in the first half of 2008, not even among the top 25 of the experts were listed, were already in the second half to more than 1.5 million computers have been discovered.

Rather than exploit vulnerabilities in the operating system, focused cyber-criminals are now increasingly focused on security vulnerabilities in desktop and browser programs, the study showed. More than 90 percent of the vulnerabilities are in applications and browsers has been discovered.

VOTE

Fakeware attacks
Have you ever been a meeting with Fakeware gehabt?

Yes, I have been victims of Fakeware which I had to uninstall
Yes, I have seen such a thing already. "Trapped" I have nothing but
I know someone who is a prisoner has Fakeware
I'm not sure / no opinion
No, I do not know

For half of all security problems were however still lost or stolen computer is responsible. The study analyzed data from anonymous Microsoft hundreds of millions of computers worldwide. The U.S. software company Microsoft has a lively interest in the malware scene clean up: The majority of viruses and malicious software problems Windows-based systems from Microsoft.