By Jeremy Kirk, Aug 16, 2009
Web sites such as Twitter are becoming increasingly favored by hackers as places to plant malicious software in order to infect computers, according to a new study covering Web application security vulnerabilities. Social-networking sites were the most commonly targeted vertical market according to a study of hacking episodes in the first half of the year. The study is part of the latest Web Hacking Incidents Database (WHID) report, released on Monday. In 2008, government and law enforcement sites were the most hit vertical. Social networks are "a target-rich environment if you count the number of users there," said Ryan Barnett, director of application security research for Breach Security, one of the report's sponsors, which also includes the Web Application Security Consortium. Twitter has been attacked by several worms, and other social-networking platforms such as MySpace and Facebook have also been used to distribute malware. That's often done when an infected computer begins posting links on social-networking sites to other Web sites rigged with malicious software. Users click on the links since they trust their friends who posted the links, not knowing their friend has been hacked.
By Harry McCracken, Aug 17, 2009
In a strictly logical sense, Windows 7 is an upgrade to the version of Windows that preceded it--which is, of course, Windows Vista.As a practical matter, however, most of the people who may buy Windows 7 as an upgrade or on a new PC are still using Windows XP. This means that the biggest question about the latest version of Microsoft's OS is not whether it's an advance on Windows Vista but whether millions of XP users who opted out of the Vista upgrade will make the move to Windows 7. Who better to ask than a whole bunch of Windows XP users? As part of the research for PC World's upcoming Windows 7 coverage, we conducted a survey of nearly 5,000 people who use XP as their primary OS, including readers of both PCWorld.com and my site, Technologizer. We asked them what they thought of Windows 7 (and whether they'd had a chance to try it). Ditto for Windows Vista. And we asked about their upgrade plans and general willingness to see Windows XP vanish from the scene.
by Scott Campbell August 17, 2009
Scientists at IBM Research and the California Institute of Technology have developed a method of manufacturing more powerful microchips by using artificial DNA nanostructure, according to IBM. The new chips would pack more power and speed, while costing less and using less energy, according to IBM. The chips combine lithographic patterning with self assembly - a method to arrange DNA origami structures on surfaces compatible with today's semiconductor manufacturing equipment, according to IBM. Today, the semiconductor industry is challenged with developing lithographic technology for sizes smaller than 22 nanometers and exploring new classes of transistors that employ carbon nanotubes or silicon nanowires, according to a release from IBM. Using artificial DNA molecules as a "scaffolding," where millions of carbon nanotubes could be deposited and assembled, could help reach sub-22 nanometer lithography, according to the company. "This is the first demonstration of using biological molecules to help with processing in the semiconductor industry," IBM research manager Spike Narayan said in an interview with Reuters. "Basically, this is telling us that biological structures like DNA actually offer some very reproducible, repetitive kinds of patterns that we can actually leverage in semiconductor processes."
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