13. juni 2005

Russian business paying websites to hack your system A Russian business is paying web sites to include code lines that drop malicious programs into visitors' computers. IframeDollars.biz says it pays Webmasters to place a one-line exploit on their sites. The code exploits a number of patched Windows and Internet Explorer vulnerabilities, including some that go back as far as 2002. Systems that haven't been updated would be vulnerable to the exploit. According to analysis done by the SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center, the exploit drops at least nine pieces of malicious code--including back doors, other Trojans, spyware, and adware--on any PC whose user surfs to a site that hosts the exploit code. IframeDollars says it pays $61 per thousand unique installations, or 6.1 cents per compromised machine, to any site that signs up as an affiliate. If there is anyone deserving the FSB coming down on them like a ton of bricks, it must be those bastards. In the meantime, patch your system and block the site for your own system or network: According to the Internet Storm Center, companies can prevent the downloading of adware and spyware from iframeDollars' servers by blocking the IP address 81.222.131.59. That, obviously, is a short-term fix, as there are probably many out there running these schemes. 9:38:22 PM    comment []  trackback []

WikiHow Patterned on Wikipedia, WikiHow can be a useful source for how-to tips and short guides about all sorts of different things. Article ranges from the very useful (how to make martinis!), via the informative (how to blog successfully), the quite sophisticated (how to construct a septic system) to the outright useless (how to avoid porn). Maybe you know something you can share with others? That's the whole idea of a wiki. A non-wiki site covering much of the same is the famous HowStuffWorks. It has great articles, but very intrusive advertising. Link via Spiegel surfs the net. 6:38:38 PM    comment []  trackback []

Lebanon's third electoral round shatters anti-Syrian alliance The third of forth rounds in Lebanon's staggered polls ended with what the media dubbed a massive victory for pro-Syrian parties. That is partially true. General Michel Aoun, the archetypal anti-Syrian Christian leader, having returned from 15 years in forced exile, swept the Christian districts after having formed an alliance with former foes. The good thing about his victory is that Democracy works. The bad thing about this victory is the shattering of the anti Syrian opposition. Aoun allied himself with Syrian Loyalists in all the electoral districts, which means that his victory could have substantial negative implications on the future of Lebanon. Many fear what will come from this alliance, not exactly without precedence is Lebanon's shattered past (in the south, former enemies in the Hezbollah and the Amal militias similarly joined hands, or at least lists). Some voters at least see positive signs in former enemies joining in alliances. One positive impact of the current election season is the alliances being formed between former foes. Many voters in Mount Lebanon said they voted for Opposition leader Walid Jumblatt's ticket, because of the grouping of former rivals who battled each other during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war. "These alliances should happen so that we can forget the past. This is the only way to get over the war," Nada Najed, a housewife, said as she lined up outside a polling station. Ya Libnan also has lots of pictures from the latest round. Yes, there be babes. 5:15:18 PM    comment []  trackback []

More good news from Iraq Arthur Chrenkoff has published part 29 in Good news from Iraq, appropriately titled 'Step by step.' 3:35:32 PM    comment []  trackback []

Beheading as entertainment in Swedish schools The Swedish blog Jihad in Malmö has received a letter from an anonymous female high school teacher in the Swedish city of Malmö. Here's my translation: A couple of months ago I came into a computing room where self-study was supposed to take place. Around ten of the young Arab boys in the class were gathered around a PC and the mood was high. Spontanously I thought it was about porn surfing on the net and went over to watch in the hope that they would be ashamed. Alas, no, they were watching a DVD with murders of hostages in Iraq. One disgusting beheading after another rolled over the screen. Somewhat shocked I asked what they were doing. "We are watching Allah's fighters killing the Jews and Americans," was the answer. - It is disgusting to kill innocent people, I tried to rebuke them. They didn't understand what I was talking about. Everybody were speaking on top of each other and tried to explain to me that "the unfaithful" were now receiving their just punishment. When a Japanese was beheaded on the screen Amir laughed and pointed "this will happen to all the Jews." His friend added "Allah Akbar!" The mood quickly turned hateful. My attempts at discussing only provoked even bolder statements, so I left. [...] I was still shocked when I got hold of the director of studies and explained what had happened. Unfortunately I was no less shocked by his total indifference. First he argued it was the students' private issue what movies they watched. When I referred to the school's statement that it should support democracy and be against violence and racism he thought I "exaggerated." In the end the tone was so tense that he snapped "You should better take a job at some bloody Sörgården-school with well-behaved Swedish students." True, the temptation is strong to change jobs and repress reality, but that would feel like a betrayal of the ideals that me and many of my colleagues still believe in. If we disappear, then it will be people like the director of studies that remain. And the young people deserve something better.... Link via document.no. 2:47:45 AM    comment []  trackback []

'Get small. Think big.' Seth Godin: Small is the new big. 1:57:55 AM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2005 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.07.2005; 11:18:18.