All News Here :: News Blog

Linux/Unix more flawed than Windows, CERT says

2008-10-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Government has reported that fewer vulnerabilities were found in Windows than in Linux/Unix operating systems in 2005.

Linux/Unix-based operating systems--a set that includes Mac OS X, as well as the various Linux distributions and flavours of Unix--had more than twice as many vulnerabilities as Windows, according to the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).

The report, the Cyber Security Bulletin 2005, was published last week and found that out of 5,198 reported flaws, 812 were Windows operating system vulnerabilities, while 2,328 were Unix/Linux operating bugs. The remaining 2,058 were multiple operating system vulnerabilities.

However, the popularity of Windows means it is still much more likely to be attacked than Linux, security firm McAfee said Thursday.

"In the Windows versus Unix debate, the number of vulnerabilities is less relevant than the amount that are turned into successful attacks. We see far more successful attacks against Windows, because it's the most common environment," Greg Day, security analyst at McAfee, said.

"As Linux becomes more common, we'll see more attacks against it," Day added.

McAfee recommended companies look more at the probability of attack, rather than whether an attack is possible.

CERT's report did not include figures for how quickly vulnerabilities are patched once they are discovered. According to security provider Secunia, 124 of its security advisories relate to flaws in Windows XP Professional. Some 29 of these flaws are unpatched--which lands Microsoft's operating system with a "highly critical" security rating.

In contrast, Red Hat 9 is covered by 99 Secunia warnings, but only one of these flaws has not been patched by Red Hat. Suse Linux Enterprise Server 9 is covered in 91 advisories, but every one has been patched by the vendor. Both products get a "not critical" rating.

Sprint first to offer HTC Touch Pro

2008-10-01T07:29:00.000-07:00

Unlike last week's slip up, Sprint managed to keep this bit of news under wraps and announced on the opening day of CTIA Fall 2008 that it will offer the HTC Touch Pro starting October 19. The ultimate replacement for the Sprint HTC Mogul, the Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone will go for $299.99 with a two-year contract and after rebates.

The Touch Pro is similar to the HTC Touch Diamond for Sprint but has three major differences: 1) the smartphone features a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard; 2) it has expandable memory; and 3) the 3.2-megapixel camera has a flash. Of course, with the built-in keyboard, the Touch Pro is also slightly thicker and heavier than the Diamond, measuring 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.7 inch deep and weighing 5.3 ounces. On front, there's a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a 262,000 color output and 640x480 pixel resolution that allows you to interact with the 3D TouchFlo interface.

For the business user, the Touch Pro offers a full range of wireless options: EV-DO Rev. A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with A2DP support, and GPS. To complement the latter, the smartphone works with the Sprint Navigation for real-time, turn-by-turn driving directions. The usual Windows Mobile suspects are there, including the Microsoft Office Mobile Suite, Direct Push Technology, and Internet Explorer Mobile. The Opera browser is also installed on the device.

Entertainment and multimedia goodies include the aforementioned 3.2-megapixel camera, support for Sprint TV and the Sprint Music Store, and an HTC-developed YouTube application. There's 512MB of ROM and 288MB of RAM and a 1GB microSD card will be included in the box.

We're expecting to see HTC Touch Pro in person at the MobileFocus event, so stay tuned for some first impressions and hopefully a video. In addition, we'll be receiving our evaluation unit of the HTC Touch Diamond on Wednesday afternoon, so expect to see a full review soon.

GM Fire Sale Gathers Pace: Everything Must Go!

2008-10-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Detroit News reports that previous reports reporting GM’s attempts to sell its Strasbourg factory– oh, and the HUMMER brand– are part of a wider campaign to throw the rest of the furniture at the cash conflagration burning down the house. “The Detroit automaker has sold hundreds of acres of land in recent months — including a plant where World War II fighter planes were built — and has several blockbuster deals in the works to sell shuttered facilities and land nationwide to net millions for the company. That’s money GM desperately needs to fund vehicle development and manufacturing, pay bills, and weather a credit crunch that has prevented some buyers from financing new cars, analysts said.” Hey! That’s us! But hang on; how can any real estate deal forged in the current market possibly be considered “blockbuster?” Anyway, the DetN has the full catalog, and, as you’d suspect, GM spinmeisters are whirling like dervishes. “When we can sell surplus property or get it off our books, there are certain benefits from a business standpoint,” GM spokesman Dan Flores told his hometown paper. “It allows us to reduce our operating costs. But our real estate strategy does not drive the business. The company’s focus is to generate cash. We’re not doing anything different than what we always do.” How scary is that?

Citroen C3 HDi - most economical conventional car in Australia

2008-09-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

Step by Toyota Prius, there is a new kid in town, the Citroen C3 HDi. The Europeans have finally caught up to the iconic Toyota Prius, producing a conventional car with a fuel economy of just 4.4 litres/100kms. The new Citroen is now on par with the Prius for fuel economy.

The new Citroen C3 HDi goes to show that Diesel engines are able to keep up with the development of Hybrid cars, and with recent reports showing a swing against Hybrids, it seems that buyers are aware!

“The Citroën C3 HDi will be common sense choice for car buyers looking for the final in economy motoring,” says Miles Williams, General Manager for Citroën in Australia.Powered by a 1.6-litre 66 kW Turbo Diesel engine, the C3 HDi will do the 0-100 kmh sprint in a respectable 10.8 seconds.

More details for the new Citroën C3 HDi will be availabe in October.