Photo Credit: Woz.org

Until now I haven’t tweaked Windows because I actually love how the Superbar and all the other changes work. I can say that this is the first version of Windows I was practically very satisfied with. However, earlier today I was rushing a really important project and that required me to open and maintain around 15 windows between various programs, and even the Superbar wasn’t able to actually help me out here. I remember sighing in frustration because switching windows somehow took too many clicks.

Taking a breather from my deadline-intensive task, I did a little googling and found Switcher, a nifty little app that emulates the actions of Mac OS X’s fabled Exposé. Okay, yeah I know this is one of those little apps that try to make Windows look and act like Mac OS X, and I’m usually against that kind of thing. I mean, if you’re going to make your PC look like Mac OS X, just get a freaking Mac, right? Or if you’re willing to go down the illegal route, just Hackintosh your beloved computer. But I digress.

The thing is, Switcher isn’t just one of those “me too” programs you install. It’s actually fast enough, and kinda light on system resources. I say “kinda” because it’s not exactly lightweight, but it’s good enough to be functional when I have around 20 windows open. I didn’t even have to install it. There’s a stand-alone version that runs pretty well. I don’t see myself using it all of the time, but when I’m overwhelmed by too many windows and clicks and alt-tab just isn’t cutting it, Switcher works pretty well.

Download Switcher here.

According to the website, the success of Bittorrent may just lead to trackers establishing legitimate relationships with media companies and eventually result in trackers discouraging the trading of pirated files. According to Pirate Bay founder Peter Sunde, they hope to release the first version of the software very soon. He has even started asking developers for help in developing the app by visiting http://securep2p.com.

Pirate Bay has unofficially become the poster child for the bittorrent movement — consistently thumbing their noses at authorities and always managing to go back online even if they are shut down by authorities. The development of this new software will become another contention for media companies that are so obviously losing the battle against so called pirates.

At this stage of this cycle it looks like the hackers are on the upsurge. Security vendors have reported that there has been an increase in malware activity in Russia.

Researchers from Trend Micro revealed that they have discovered a Russian server that is hosting around 400 types of malware in what is seen to be a likely preparation for a future large scale attack.

According to the report, Trend Micro network architect Paul Ferguson said that the server had a “cornucopia” of new malware. Further investigation revealed that web sites containing malicious iFrames that were proxying requests for the malware. All of the web sites had, according to them, Italian sounding names and content but the hosting facility is located in Germany.

This is a great caus of concern for us desktop and laptop users. I would suggest being more vigilant in opening ALL attachments and in allowing scripts to run on web sites you are not familiar with.

[tags]malware, Trend Micro, iFrames[/tags]

What I have done instead is to install Rockbox on my 5G iPod. The Rockbox is basically an operating system replacement to the  existing OS installed in various music players. The plug-in architecture of Rockbox means various features can  be added to further enhance the capabilities of these players.

I’ll write about the other great features of Rockbox at some future time. Right now I am quite happy that with this firmware/OS replacement I can now load my favorite FLAC files on my iPod. These files have now been freed from my laptop. Even OGG files can now play in my machine. Nothing gives a smile to your face than to hear your favorite songs in lossless fidelity. My Tom Waits collection appreciates the upgrade.

Before we continue, make sure you have administrative rights.
Go to the Windows System properties (Windows key + Pause Key). Now select Advanced System Settings.

In the advanced systems settings, select the Performance Settings.

Click now Add and navigate to the program you want to allow. Select it’s executable file and problem solved.

Alternatively you can also deactivate DEP completely.

To fix the all too common COM Surrogate Error in Windows Vista, browse to C:\Windows\System32 and select dllhost.exe.

If you’re worried about strangers slurping up your identity or your privacy in general, here’s what you can do about it.

Disclaimer: Tampering with a passport is punishable by 25 years in prison, not to mention the “special” customs search with rubber gloves.

I am not instructing you to try these methods, only discussing possible solutions.

The RFID-tagged passports have a distinctive logo on the front cover. The chip is embedded in the back.

Accidentally leaving your passport in the jeans you just put in the washer won’t work to disable the RFID chip. You’re more likely to ruin the passport itself than the chip.

Forget about nuking it in the microwave as the chip could burst into flames, which wouldn’t be good. It would probably leave telltale scorch marks, besides a burnt passport probably wouldn’t smell to nice.

So what is the best approach you might be asking yourself?

Hammer time. Hitting the chip with a blunt, hard object should disable it.

To the best of my knowledge, a nonworking RFID doesn’t invalidate the passport, so you can still use it.

I bet right about now you’re wondering what information is stored on the RFID chips. I’ll tell you… your name, nationality, sex, date of birth, place of birth and a digitized photograph of you, the passport holder.

Eventually, the government contemplates adding additional digitized data such as fingerprints or iris scans.

According to a document I found, the State Department claims it has addressed privacy concerns. The chipped passports “will not permit ‘tracking’ of individuals,” the department said.

I don’t buy it for one second. How about you?

The document goes on to say that the RFID chip “will only permit governmental authorities to know that an individual has arrived at a port of entry, which governmental authorities already know from presentation of non-electronic passports with greater assurance that the person who presents the passport is the legitimate holder of the passport.”

If you have any more information about this exciting violation of our privacy, let me know. Feel free to comment or contact me in private.

The patented system, called MatchLogon, from newcomer FingerPIN, has been designed from the ground up to overcome the limitations of conventional biometric systems that have been found to be open to simple spoofing attacks.

Instead of using only a unique fingerprint to gain access to a network or PC, the system uses a sequence of such prints in a random order known only to the user.

To overcome the system, an attacker would need to have access not only to four or more of the user’s fingerprints, but would have to enter them in the correct sequence.

FingerPIN hopes that by using the multi-factor sequencing design of a PIN code in combination with a series of prints unique to an individual, it can convince its target audience in the financial and call center sectors to adopt software that greatly increases security over basic password management systems.

According to the company’s website, the chances of overcoming the print matching engine by chance are one in ten billion.

The software, which comes as a Windows Active Directory-compatible management server and client application, can be made to work with any third-party USB fingerprint reader, including one from Microsoft.

The organization, which acts as a nuclear safety watchdog in Canada, reports that there was a security breach on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 during the afternoon.

Commission spokesman Aurele Gervais said “they had the Web site down within five minutes of being alerted to the attack.”

He adds “they are not sure when the hacker broke into the site or how long he or she was there.”

Gervais would only say that the news release section of the site was replaced with graphic images but would not describe them.

It was widely reported in the Canadian press that the images were of a nuclear explosion.

The Ottawa Citizen newspaper published a color photo of one of the pages that had been tampered with but the photo is not shown online.

Aurele Gervais said the attack was limited to the website’s public media section and “there’s been no internal information that’s been compromised.”

Source: Windsor Star