Tech Weekly

Microsoft has released an out-of-band security update, MS08-078, to fix a vulnerability in its Internet Explorer Web browser that's being actively exploited.

"At this time, we are aware only of attacks that attempt to use this vulnerability against Windows Internet Explorer 7," said Christopher Budd, Microsoft security response communications lead, in an e-mailed statement. "Our investigation of these attacks so far has verified that they are not successful against customers who have applied the security update. MS08-078 has a maximum severity rating of Critical for all versions of Internet Explorer."

This security update resolves a publicly disclosed vulnerability. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

This security update is rated Critical for Internet Explorer 5.01, Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1, and Internet Explorer 7. For information about Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2, please see the section, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

VIA (Information Week & Microsoft)

Labels: IE, Patch Tuesday

Many security packages leave files and registry entries behind that can make it difficult to install a different or new suite, but AppRemover, a new beta app that completely removes security software, can ease the transition from one desktop security suite to another.

Norton and Symantec antivirus clients can be installed with password protection enabled, or by an antivirus management server. In these situations, if a user tries to locally uninstall the antivirus via the Add/Remove Programs tool* of the Windows Control Panel, the software will prompt the user to provide a password.

If the user doesn’t know (or remember) the password, or if the management server is down (or no longer exists), it will be difficult to successfully uninstall the antivirus – even after it expires!

AppRemover is ideal for these situations, enabling users to remove Symantec and Norton antivirus clients without a password or connection to the management server

This application works with just about any anti-virus needing to be removed. Especially those new computers that come installed with McAfee or Trend Micro.

Via (App Scout & AppRemover Blog)

Labels: Anti-Virus, Download of the day, Windows XP Tips and Tweaks

Unfortunately, each Google Chrome installation contains a unique ID that allows Google to identify its user. Google doesn't make it an easy job to remove this ID either.
UnChrome helps you with this task. It replaces your unique ID with Null values so that your browser cannot be identified any longer. The functionality of Google Chrome is not influenced by this. You only need to apply UnChrome once.
If Google Chrome is started now then please close it. Afterwards, please click on the link below to anonymize your Chrome installation.

UnChrome - Anonymize Google Chrome - UnChrome removed the unique ID from Google Chrome

Labels: Browser Help - Chrome

Hackers have helped logging firms in Brazil evade limits on tree felling, says a Greenpeace report.

The hi-tech criminals penetrated a computer system designed to monitor logging in the Brazilian state of Para. Once inside the system, hackers issued fake permits so loggers could cut down far more timber than environmental officials were prepared to allow. Greenpeace estimates that 1.7m cubic metres of illegal timber may have been removed with the aid of the hackers.

The hack was made possible by a decision in 2006 to do away with paper forms to help monitor whether logging and charcoal firms were keeping to the quotas they were set.

Instead, the Amazon state of Para turned to a fully-computerised system that issued travel permits for the timber logging firms were removing. The intent was that travel permits would stop being issued once logging companies had reached their annual quota.

With the help of the hackers, Brazilian logging firms were able to issue fake permits allowing them to bust through these caps.

The companies behind the mass hack attack got away with two billion reals (£564m) the estimated value of the timber illegally sold.

The satellite photo shown here shows the extent of this scam on the forest in the Amazon.

Via (BBC News)