/PRNewswire/ -- "Do Not Track Me" legislation introduced in Congress today by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-CA, will let consumers block unwanted tracking of their information online, said the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog at a press conference today with the bill author and consumer and privacy advocates.
The bill authorizes the Federal Trade Commission to enact and enforce regulations that would give consumers a right to block companies from tracking their activities as they use the Internet. The concept is analogous to the popular "Do Not Call" list that prevents advertisers from calling consumers who do not wish to be disturbed by telemarketing.
"Consumers should have the right to choose if their private information – from shoe size, to health concerns, to religious beliefs – is collected, analyzed and profiled by companies tracking activities online. Do Not Track is the simple way for consumers to say 'no thanks' to being monitored while they surf the web," said Carmen Balber, Washington director for Consumer Watchdog.
Rep. Speier's bill is the first in Congress to explicitly provide for a Do Not Track mechanism.
"Right now much of the online advertising market is based on unauthorized spying on consumers," said John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog's Inside Google Project. "A Do Not Track mechanism would give consumers better control of their information and help restore their confidence in the Internet. That's a win-win for consumers and business. What kind of lasting business can be built on snooping on your customers?"
A poll by Consumer Watchdog last summer found that 80% of Americans support a Do Not Track option. A USA Today/Gallup poll released this week found that most Americans are worried about their privacy and security when they use Facebook and Google.
Read Consumer Watchdog's poll here: http://insidegoogle.com/2010/07/consumer-watchdog-poll-finds-concern-about-googles-wi-spy-snooping/
Read the USA Today poll here: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-02-09-privacypoll09_ST_N.htm
Consumer Watchdog noted that Do Not Track legislation does not solve all online privacy issues, but must be an option for consumers to have a fundamental right to privacy online.
Online privacy is one of the few issues that appears to have bipartisan backing in Congress, said Consumer Watchdog, and urged members to approve Do Not Track legislation this year.
Interest in Do Not Track legislation increased after the FTC issued a report in December backing the concept. David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection testified to Congress that a Do Not Track mechanism was both feasible and enforceable. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz recently wrote:
"We also believe, as do most American businesses, that no company loses by respecting the wishes of its customers. Do Not Track will allow the Internet to continue to thrive while protecting our basic right to privacy when we travel in cyberspace."
Other legislators are working on privacy legislation. In the House Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Il., introduced a general online privacy bill Thursday and Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fl., is expected to offer legislation soon. In the Senate, Sen. John Kerry, D-Ma., is working on a bill, while Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ar. has been considering offering Do Not Track legislation.
Comments on the FTC's report on privacy, "Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change: A Proposed Framework for Businesses and Policymakers," are due next Friday, Feb. 18.
Consumer Watchdog has been working to protect consumers' online privacy rights and educate them about the issues through its Inside Google Project. The goal has been to convince Google of the social and economic importance of giving consumers control over their online lives. By persuading Google, the Internet's leading company, to adopt adequate guarantees, its policies could become the gold standard for privacy for the industry, potentially improving the performance of the entire online sector.
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Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
E-mails Containing Malware Sent To Businesses Concerning Their Online Job Postings
Recent FBI analysis reveals that cyber criminals engaging in ACH/wire transfer fraud have targeted businesses by responding via e-mail to employment opportunities posted online.
Recently, more than $150,000 was stolen from a US business via unauthorized wire transfer as a result of an e-mail the business received that contained malware. The malware was embedded in an e-mail response to a job posting the business placed on an employment website and allowed the attacker to obtain the online banking credentials of the person who was authorized to conduct financial transactions within the company. The malicious actor changed the account settings to allow the sending of wire transfers, one to the Ukraine and two to domestic accounts. The malware was identified as a Bredolab variant, svrwsc.exe. This malware was connected to the ZeuS/Zbot Trojan,
which is commonly used by cyber criminals to defraud US businesses.
The FBI recommends that potential employers remain vigilant in opening the e-mails of perspective employees. Running a virus scan prior to opening any e-mail attachments may provide an added layer of security against this type of attack. The FBI also recommends that businesses use separate computer systems to conduct financial transactions.
For more information on this type of fraud and prevention tips, please refer to previous Public Service Announcements by clicking the links below:
* http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/CorporateAccountTakeOver.pdf
* http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/WorkAtHome.pdf
* http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/091103.aspx
Anyone who believes they have been a target this type of attack should immediately contact their financial institutions and local FBI office, and promptly report it to the IC3's website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3's complaint database links complaints together to refer them to the appropriate law
enforcement agency for case consideration. The IC3 also uses complaint information to identify emerging trends and patterns.
Source: IC3
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Recently, more than $150,000 was stolen from a US business via unauthorized wire transfer as a result of an e-mail the business received that contained malware. The malware was embedded in an e-mail response to a job posting the business placed on an employment website and allowed the attacker to obtain the online banking credentials of the person who was authorized to conduct financial transactions within the company. The malicious actor changed the account settings to allow the sending of wire transfers, one to the Ukraine and two to domestic accounts. The malware was identified as a Bredolab variant, svrwsc.exe. This malware was connected to the ZeuS/Zbot Trojan,
which is commonly used by cyber criminals to defraud US businesses.
The FBI recommends that potential employers remain vigilant in opening the e-mails of perspective employees. Running a virus scan prior to opening any e-mail attachments may provide an added layer of security against this type of attack. The FBI also recommends that businesses use separate computer systems to conduct financial transactions.
For more information on this type of fraud and prevention tips, please refer to previous Public Service Announcements by clicking the links below:
* http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/CorporateAccountTakeOver.pdf
* http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/WorkAtHome.pdf
* http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/091103.aspx
Anyone who believes they have been a target this type of attack should immediately contact their financial institutions and local FBI office, and promptly report it to the IC3's website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3's complaint database links complaints together to refer them to the appropriate law
enforcement agency for case consideration. The IC3 also uses complaint information to identify emerging trends and patterns.
Source: IC3
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Clayton State to Host Google Interactive Workshop
For the first time, Google is coming to Georgia.
Although Georgia (and Georgians) may well be used to going to Google, here's the first chance to learn how Google tools can help small businesses, without leaving the state. In partnership with the Georgia Small Business Development Center and the Clayton State University School of Business, Google will be bringing a three-hour interactive workshop to Clayton State on Wednesday, Feb. 2. The workshop will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the ballroom of the Clayton State Student Activity Center
In this workshop, participants will be shown how Google tools can help reach more customers, understand what customers are searching for, and operate more efficiently.
“We are delighted that we have this opportunity to partner with Google, one of America’s most technologically innovative companies,” says Dr. Alphonso Ogbuehi, dean of the Clayton State School of Business.
The workshop will cover online marketing best practices, including how to:
• Claim your business on Google Maps and create a Google Place Page;
• Reach the right audience using Google AdWords and boost your ad performance by choosing the right keywords and writing compelling ads;
• Use Google Analytics to track online traffic and optimize your website.
Receive half off each additional person with the purchase of the Google Interactive Workshop at full price, $49. All registrations must be made at the same time in order to receive discount. This discount can not be combined or used with any other discount or coupon. For more information, please call (678) 466-5100 or email morrow@georgiasbdc.org.
Space is limited, so interested parties are urged to sign up soon for this dynamic opportunity.
A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Although Georgia (and Georgians) may well be used to going to Google, here's the first chance to learn how Google tools can help small businesses, without leaving the state. In partnership with the Georgia Small Business Development Center and the Clayton State University School of Business, Google will be bringing a three-hour interactive workshop to Clayton State on Wednesday, Feb. 2. The workshop will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the ballroom of the Clayton State Student Activity Center
In this workshop, participants will be shown how Google tools can help reach more customers, understand what customers are searching for, and operate more efficiently.
“We are delighted that we have this opportunity to partner with Google, one of America’s most technologically innovative companies,” says Dr. Alphonso Ogbuehi, dean of the Clayton State School of Business.
The workshop will cover online marketing best practices, including how to:
• Claim your business on Google Maps and create a Google Place Page;
• Reach the right audience using Google AdWords and boost your ad performance by choosing the right keywords and writing compelling ads;
• Use Google Analytics to track online traffic and optimize your website.
Receive half off each additional person with the purchase of the Google Interactive Workshop at full price, $49. All registrations must be made at the same time in order to receive discount. This discount can not be combined or used with any other discount or coupon. For more information, please call (678) 466-5100 or email morrow@georgiasbdc.org.
Space is limited, so interested parties are urged to sign up soon for this dynamic opportunity.
A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
---
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011
AMBER Alert Program Expands to Facebook
/PRNewswire/ -- Life-saving AMBER Alerts are now available to the millions of people on the social networking service Facebook. Effective today, Facebook users are able to sign up to receive AMBER Alert bulletins for their state which will be sent to them through the Facebook "News Feed" feature. A total of 53 new AMBER Alert Pages have been created, one for each state, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. Facebook users will also be able to share the AMBER Alerts with their friends.
There are more than half a billion users of Facebook. The new Facebook AMBER Alert pages represent an important expansion of the national AMBER Alert program.
"Everyone at Facebook feels a responsibility to help protect children and, as a former federal prosecutor and a father of two, I am particularly proud that we are now part of the AMBER Alert program," said Chris Sonderby, Facebook Lead Security and Investigations Counsel. "Our hearts go out to the families of the missing and our gratitude goes to the officers, volunteers, and other AMBER Alert partners who work tirelessly to bring them home. We are hopeful that today's announcement offers these dedicated officials another useful tool to find and safely recover abducted children."
Information about the new initiative was announced today by Facebook, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The announcement was made the day before the 15th anniversary of the abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, namesake of the national AMBER Alert Program.
"As the National AMBER Alert Coordinator, I am pleased to see the growth of the program's national network. I would like to thank NCMEC and Facebook for working together to develop another way the public can join with us to bring home missing and abducted children. We each can play our part by being aware and responsive to AMBER Alert postings that we will now see on Facebook," said Laurie O. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs.
An estimated 800,000 children are reported missing every year. AMBER Alert is a voluntary partnership involving law-enforcement agencies and broadcasters. An urgent AMBER Alert bulletin is issued by law enforcement in the most serious child-abduction cases that meet specific criteria. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of the child.
"Average people doing average things but paying attention are saving lives and reuniting families," said Ernie Allen, President of NCMEC. "With more than 500 million Facebook users this bold initiative will help us mobilize many more people and bring more missing children home."
All Amber Alerts on Facebook press materials can be found at http://scr.bi/fbAMBER. The Facebook Amber Alert page is http://on.fb.me/AMBERalertFB.
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There are more than half a billion users of Facebook. The new Facebook AMBER Alert pages represent an important expansion of the national AMBER Alert program.
"Everyone at Facebook feels a responsibility to help protect children and, as a former federal prosecutor and a father of two, I am particularly proud that we are now part of the AMBER Alert program," said Chris Sonderby, Facebook Lead Security and Investigations Counsel. "Our hearts go out to the families of the missing and our gratitude goes to the officers, volunteers, and other AMBER Alert partners who work tirelessly to bring them home. We are hopeful that today's announcement offers these dedicated officials another useful tool to find and safely recover abducted children."
Information about the new initiative was announced today by Facebook, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The announcement was made the day before the 15th anniversary of the abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, namesake of the national AMBER Alert Program.
"As the National AMBER Alert Coordinator, I am pleased to see the growth of the program's national network. I would like to thank NCMEC and Facebook for working together to develop another way the public can join with us to bring home missing and abducted children. We each can play our part by being aware and responsive to AMBER Alert postings that we will now see on Facebook," said Laurie O. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs.
An estimated 800,000 children are reported missing every year. AMBER Alert is a voluntary partnership involving law-enforcement agencies and broadcasters. An urgent AMBER Alert bulletin is issued by law enforcement in the most serious child-abduction cases that meet specific criteria. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of the child.
"Average people doing average things but paying attention are saving lives and reuniting families," said Ernie Allen, President of NCMEC. "With more than 500 million Facebook users this bold initiative will help us mobilize many more people and bring more missing children home."
All Amber Alerts on Facebook press materials can be found at http://scr.bi/fbAMBER. The Facebook Amber Alert page is http://on.fb.me/AMBERalertFB.
-----
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Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Stuttering Therapy App Launches After a Year of Clinical Testing
/PRNewswire/ -- Following a year of clinical trials, Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – www.stuttering.org), a non-profit center for stuttering research and treatment, has introduced a sophisticated stuttering therapy application that runs on iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices. Featuring proprietary voice monitoring technology, the app serves as a fluency training and home-practice tool for HCRI therapy program participants.
The new app evaluates, scores, and provides immediate feedback on physical speech behaviors taught during HCRI's 12-day stuttering treatment program. During the program, participants learn how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluent speech.
When therapy participants use the app in daily situations, such as a visit to a shopping mall or in a business setting, fluency measurements for each utterance are displayed in real time on the device screen. Having this data immediately available makes speech practice more effective and enhances long-term fluency outcomes. The net effect is that the user becomes more aware of what he or she is doing in order to become and remain a fluent speaker.
In addition, the app records every speech sample as an on-board file for later transmission to HCRI. This information enables the Institute's therapists to provide more detailed and precise feedback to clients, as they learn to apply new speech skills in everyday situations.
"We developed the stuttering therapy app to help program participants more easily transfer skills learned in the clinical setting to real world environments," said HCRI Founder and President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. "Along with being an excellent tool in the context of therapy, the app helps clients stay on track with their new fluency capabilities once they return home."
During the testing period, the application was only used during HCRI therapy so it could be closely monitored for effectiveness, accuracy, and user appeal. With the release, program participants continue to use the app in therapy and also have it installed on their devices for home-practice purposes. Former HCRI therapy participants can get the iPhone/ iPad/ iPod Touch app by emailing app@stuttering.org for downloading times and instructions.
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The new app evaluates, scores, and provides immediate feedback on physical speech behaviors taught during HCRI's 12-day stuttering treatment program. During the program, participants learn how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluent speech.
When therapy participants use the app in daily situations, such as a visit to a shopping mall or in a business setting, fluency measurements for each utterance are displayed in real time on the device screen. Having this data immediately available makes speech practice more effective and enhances long-term fluency outcomes. The net effect is that the user becomes more aware of what he or she is doing in order to become and remain a fluent speaker.
In addition, the app records every speech sample as an on-board file for later transmission to HCRI. This information enables the Institute's therapists to provide more detailed and precise feedback to clients, as they learn to apply new speech skills in everyday situations.
"We developed the stuttering therapy app to help program participants more easily transfer skills learned in the clinical setting to real world environments," said HCRI Founder and President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. "Along with being an excellent tool in the context of therapy, the app helps clients stay on track with their new fluency capabilities once they return home."
During the testing period, the application was only used during HCRI therapy so it could be closely monitored for effectiveness, accuracy, and user appeal. With the release, program participants continue to use the app in therapy and also have it installed on their devices for home-practice purposes. Former HCRI therapy participants can get the iPhone/ iPad/ iPod Touch app by emailing app@stuttering.org for downloading times and instructions.
-----
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Christmas and Holiday Sales Were Attack Targets According to December Top 10 Malware List
(BUSINESS WIRE)--GFI Software, a leading IT solutions provider for small and medium-sized enterprises, today revealed continuing high levels of Trojan and rogue malware circulating during December, with data revealing a surge in activity, boosted by themed activity around the Christmas and New Year holiday period. The top 10 data is compiled from monthly scans performed by GFI's award-winning anti-malware solution, VIPRE® Antivirus, and its antispyware tool, CounterSpy®, as a service of GFI Labs™.
Users were targeted with a variety of infected email, web links and other delivery mechanisms promising festive information, discount offers, Christmas e-cards and free software. The month also saw the big movie release of the season, Disney’s TRON Legacy, targeted by a wide array of SEO poisoned links, unwanted installs and other malware fakery, while a spate of fake iTunes emails caught several people off-guard, resulting in users running afoul of a malicious script that took advantage of a known Java exploit. GFI researchers also uncovered an Amazon receipt generator scam aimed at fooling retailers into honoring fraudulent receipts during the busy holiday shopping season.
December once again saw significant activity from Trojan threats, which continue to dominate the overall malware landscape. Seven of the top 10 malware detections were Trojans, with those seven accounting for almost 35% of all malware detections for the month. In addition to a range of Trojans, Worms also created major problems during December. Most significant was Worm.Win32.Downad.Gen (v), appearing at number seven in December's top 10, a detection for the Downadup worm, otherwise known as Conficker and Kido.
Taking advantage of a vulnerability in Windows Server service which allows remote code execution when file sharing is enabled, the Worm spreads across networks as well as removable drives, taking advantage of weak administrator passwords along the way. It commonly turns off some system services and anti-malcode protection, exposing infected systems to additional infection from other malware.
“Following on from the increased themed threat traffic we saw in November around Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, criminals once again attempted to take advantage of Christmas and the holiday season with themed attacks designed to drive users towards infected sites and to trick them into opening infected email and executables. Themed attacks, along with themed SEO poisoning and fake application installs, are firmly established as a successful means for malware creators to distribute malcode and create disruption for organizations and families alike,” said Tom Kelchner, communications and research analyst for GFI Software.
“December is a challenging month for computing security, with many businesses shut for a prolonged period and consumers at home for the holidays. Casual computer use rises and vigilance can drop, creating opportunities for malware infection that would otherwise not happen the rest of the year. The top 10 serves as a stark reminder that IT security should not be taken for granted at any time,” Kelchner added.
The problem of fake software was highlighted by FraudTool.Win32.FakeVimes!delf (v), number nine on this month’s top 10. This is a heuristic detection for files associated with the FakeVimes family of rogue security products, illustrating the continued growth of fake and compromised security applications as a means to circulate and covertly install malware onto PCs.
ThreatNet is GFI Lab’s monitoring system that retrieves real-time data from VIPRE installations. Statistics come from tens of thousands of machines running VIPRE.
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Users were targeted with a variety of infected email, web links and other delivery mechanisms promising festive information, discount offers, Christmas e-cards and free software. The month also saw the big movie release of the season, Disney’s TRON Legacy, targeted by a wide array of SEO poisoned links, unwanted installs and other malware fakery, while a spate of fake iTunes emails caught several people off-guard, resulting in users running afoul of a malicious script that took advantage of a known Java exploit. GFI researchers also uncovered an Amazon receipt generator scam aimed at fooling retailers into honoring fraudulent receipts during the busy holiday shopping season.
December once again saw significant activity from Trojan threats, which continue to dominate the overall malware landscape. Seven of the top 10 malware detections were Trojans, with those seven accounting for almost 35% of all malware detections for the month. In addition to a range of Trojans, Worms also created major problems during December. Most significant was Worm.Win32.Downad.Gen (v), appearing at number seven in December's top 10, a detection for the Downadup worm, otherwise known as Conficker and Kido.
Taking advantage of a vulnerability in Windows Server service which allows remote code execution when file sharing is enabled, the Worm spreads across networks as well as removable drives, taking advantage of weak administrator passwords along the way. It commonly turns off some system services and anti-malcode protection, exposing infected systems to additional infection from other malware.
“Following on from the increased themed threat traffic we saw in November around Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, criminals once again attempted to take advantage of Christmas and the holiday season with themed attacks designed to drive users towards infected sites and to trick them into opening infected email and executables. Themed attacks, along with themed SEO poisoning and fake application installs, are firmly established as a successful means for malware creators to distribute malcode and create disruption for organizations and families alike,” said Tom Kelchner, communications and research analyst for GFI Software.
“December is a challenging month for computing security, with many businesses shut for a prolonged period and consumers at home for the holidays. Casual computer use rises and vigilance can drop, creating opportunities for malware infection that would otherwise not happen the rest of the year. The top 10 serves as a stark reminder that IT security should not be taken for granted at any time,” Kelchner added.
The problem of fake software was highlighted by FraudTool.Win32.FakeVimes!delf (v), number nine on this month’s top 10. This is a heuristic detection for files associated with the FakeVimes family of rogue security products, illustrating the continued growth of fake and compromised security applications as a means to circulate and covertly install malware onto PCs.
ThreatNet is GFI Lab’s monitoring system that retrieves real-time data from VIPRE installations. Statistics come from tens of thousands of machines running VIPRE.
Top 10 detections for December | |||||||||||||||||||
| Detection | Type | Percent | |||||||||||||||||
| Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT | Trojan | 21.93 | |||||||||||||||||
| Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot.gen | Trojan | 3.79 | |||||||||||||||||
| Trojan.Win32.Generic.pak!cobra | Trojan | 3.14 | |||||||||||||||||
| Trojan.Win32.Generic!SB.0 | Trojan | 2.78 | |||||||||||||||||
| Exploit.PDF-JS.Gen (v) | PDF Exploit | 1.79 | |||||||||||||||||
| INF.Autorun (v) | Trojan | 1.63 | |||||||||||||||||
| Worm.Win32.Downad.Gen (v) | Worm | 1.27 | |||||||||||||||||
| Trojan.ASF.Wimad (v) | Trojan | 0.77 | |||||||||||||||||
| FraudTool.Win32.FakeVimes!delf (v) | Fake App 0.73 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Trojan.Win32.Meredrop | Trojan | 0.72 |
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Saturday, January 1, 2011
Tech support sucks
I tried to come up with a better title, one that didn't sound so... so... crude. But there's just no two ways about it, tech support sucks these days.
I've been with a hosting company for well over 12 years and have had as many as 30 sites with them at times. They've been gobbled up a couple of times and now I'm dealing with the newest incarnation. They outsource their tech support to India, like many, many others. I know the on-hold music and know which tunes mean I'll be speaking to Sam or Frank in India or Susan in the good-ol-USA. I tried hanging up repeatedly until I got the 'right' music but soon learned that doesn't work.
A few days ago I called and asked for a simple website change. I've done it with them before, it wasn't a problem back in the days when I talked with someone state-side. This time I wasn't talking to Susan or Sandy, I was talking to someone across the ocean. It turned into a complete fiasco. It's still spiraling and tumbling.
First we had the communication problem. I'd say what I wanted, Sam would say he understood, would repeat it back and have it backwards. I'd say no, and try to explain in a different way. He'd say he understood with some frustration, repeat it back and have it wrong. It's a dance that aggravated both of us. It's one that made a 30-second sentence into a 15-minute ordeal.
Needless to say, he never understood and they totally screwed everything up. My site was down for two days. They opened the ticket, then would say they fixed it, close the ticket... I'd call and want to know why they closed the ticket since the site was still down... we didn't dance, we politely battled. I know well enough to know that if I show my anger they get snippy and punish me somehow.
We finally got it resolved after 7 (seven) different phone calls and multiple ticket re-openings. THEN, I got up this morning and the other site that was involved, which was working when I went to bed last night was down.
I made an 8:30 call, was promised it would be up within four hours. I knew better but hoped for the best. 5 p.m. and the site's still down. Called again. Now they're doing something which will take up to 24-hours to fix.
One site is working, one isn't.
I'm looking for a new hosting company. The problem I think I'm going to run into is that I have a pretty good monetary deal with these guys. I could switch to Go Daddy, but I've heard their tech support isn't any better.
I really don't expect miracles from tech support. I used to work as a liaison between tech support, back end coders and the end users. I have a pretty good grasp of all the problems that can arise. However, if you're not able to communicate it really doesn't matter whether a problem is simple, it can explode into craziness, like my simple request seems to have done.
I'm one of a million, zillion, who gripe about tech support being outsourced to other countries. I can understand why it's done, especially with hosting which really is a fairly simple thing to deal with. I guess since 'everyone' is now doing it we, the end users, are stuck. Where do we go when everyone is outsourcing to the same place?
Now, my final questions... I want to know how they ended up moving my domain registration to another company that I've never heard of... and how come they took the site down and then said they couldn't do anything about it as it must be something to do with the software I use to build my sites... and how they managed to get a band of words at the top of my down site that they say they didn't do and I know I didn't do... and... and...
Oh, um, happy new year to everyone except my hosting company and their tech support staff.
I've been with a hosting company for well over 12 years and have had as many as 30 sites with them at times. They've been gobbled up a couple of times and now I'm dealing with the newest incarnation. They outsource their tech support to India, like many, many others. I know the on-hold music and know which tunes mean I'll be speaking to Sam or Frank in India or Susan in the good-ol-USA. I tried hanging up repeatedly until I got the 'right' music but soon learned that doesn't work.
A few days ago I called and asked for a simple website change. I've done it with them before, it wasn't a problem back in the days when I talked with someone state-side. This time I wasn't talking to Susan or Sandy, I was talking to someone across the ocean. It turned into a complete fiasco. It's still spiraling and tumbling.
First we had the communication problem. I'd say what I wanted, Sam would say he understood, would repeat it back and have it backwards. I'd say no, and try to explain in a different way. He'd say he understood with some frustration, repeat it back and have it wrong. It's a dance that aggravated both of us. It's one that made a 30-second sentence into a 15-minute ordeal.
Needless to say, he never understood and they totally screwed everything up. My site was down for two days. They opened the ticket, then would say they fixed it, close the ticket... I'd call and want to know why they closed the ticket since the site was still down... we didn't dance, we politely battled. I know well enough to know that if I show my anger they get snippy and punish me somehow.
We finally got it resolved after 7 (seven) different phone calls and multiple ticket re-openings. THEN, I got up this morning and the other site that was involved, which was working when I went to bed last night was down.
I made an 8:30 call, was promised it would be up within four hours. I knew better but hoped for the best. 5 p.m. and the site's still down. Called again. Now they're doing something which will take up to 24-hours to fix.
One site is working, one isn't.
I'm looking for a new hosting company. The problem I think I'm going to run into is that I have a pretty good monetary deal with these guys. I could switch to Go Daddy, but I've heard their tech support isn't any better.
I really don't expect miracles from tech support. I used to work as a liaison between tech support, back end coders and the end users. I have a pretty good grasp of all the problems that can arise. However, if you're not able to communicate it really doesn't matter whether a problem is simple, it can explode into craziness, like my simple request seems to have done.
I'm one of a million, zillion, who gripe about tech support being outsourced to other countries. I can understand why it's done, especially with hosting which really is a fairly simple thing to deal with. I guess since 'everyone' is now doing it we, the end users, are stuck. Where do we go when everyone is outsourcing to the same place?
Now, my final questions... I want to know how they ended up moving my domain registration to another company that I've never heard of... and how come they took the site down and then said they couldn't do anything about it as it must be something to do with the software I use to build my sites... and how they managed to get a band of words at the top of my down site that they say they didn't do and I know I didn't do... and... and...
Oh, um, happy new year to everyone except my hosting company and their tech support staff.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Bible.is Hits One Million Mark in Matter of Months
/PRNewswire/ -- Bible.is, the audio-based Bible app created by Faith Comes By Hearing, has reached one million downloads in just 5 months. Faith Comes By Hearing has established its Bible.is app as an expression of their Digital Bible Project (DBP). The DBP is a platform like none other in the world, combining the latest technology with the world's largest digital library of both Bible text and audio recordings.
The free app is offered on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices. It is marked by its unique combination of text and audio as well as the large number of languages offered to listeners, with more being added regularly.
The ministry reports that people from 166 countries have engaged in God's Word through Bible.is, with a remarkable average listening time of 36 minutes per person.
"I am new to the whole 'techy' thing," wrote a Bible.is mobile app user, "But, I love that you can read and listen at the same time. You can have your very own Bible study anytime, anywhere."
Another user commented, "It is almost impossible to find an Audio Bible app for Mandarin! Praise the Lord He brought this app to me."
Clearly the streaming audio, available in numerous languages, is a distinction that sets Bible.is apart – which is by design. Providing audio keeps with Faith Comes By Hearing's mission to record Audio Bibles for every nation, tribe, language and people.
"While the Bible.is apps are great at home, in church and on-the-go, we really see them as a part of a larger strategy to fulfill the Great Commission," said Troy Carl, the ministry's national director and architect of the DBP. "We are excited by this rapid growth, and especially the worldwide reach this technology has produced."
The ministry is optimistic that this rapid start will only increase as the app is localized into other languages. Localization refers to the language used when downloading and navigating within the app. Until recently, that language was English. However, the ministry has just released a Spanish version and other major language adaptations are currently under way.
The ministry believes this technology will eventually allow every people group to listen to God's Word in their own language.
Currently, the ministry has Scripture recordings in 500 languages, with a goal of 2,000 by 2016.
-----
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Twitter: @FayetteFP
The free app is offered on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices. It is marked by its unique combination of text and audio as well as the large number of languages offered to listeners, with more being added regularly.
The ministry reports that people from 166 countries have engaged in God's Word through Bible.is, with a remarkable average listening time of 36 minutes per person.
"I am new to the whole 'techy' thing," wrote a Bible.is mobile app user, "But, I love that you can read and listen at the same time. You can have your very own Bible study anytime, anywhere."
Another user commented, "It is almost impossible to find an Audio Bible app for Mandarin! Praise the Lord He brought this app to me."
Clearly the streaming audio, available in numerous languages, is a distinction that sets Bible.is apart – which is by design. Providing audio keeps with Faith Comes By Hearing's mission to record Audio Bibles for every nation, tribe, language and people.
"While the Bible.is apps are great at home, in church and on-the-go, we really see them as a part of a larger strategy to fulfill the Great Commission," said Troy Carl, the ministry's national director and architect of the DBP. "We are excited by this rapid growth, and especially the worldwide reach this technology has produced."
The ministry is optimistic that this rapid start will only increase as the app is localized into other languages. Localization refers to the language used when downloading and navigating within the app. Until recently, that language was English. However, the ministry has just released a Spanish version and other major language adaptations are currently under way.
The ministry believes this technology will eventually allow every people group to listen to God's Word in their own language.
Currently, the ministry has Scripture recordings in 500 languages, with a goal of 2,000 by 2016.
-----
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Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
Monday, December 20, 2010
U.N., FCC intensify efforts to regulate electronic speech
by Jerome Coursi
(c) 2010 RedAlert.WND.com
-used with permission
The United Nations is now joining Obama administration and Democratic commissioners on the FCC in an attempt to regulate the Internet.
The U.N. is reacting to concerns of member governments, including the United States, that the Internet has made companies like WikiLeaks possible, while the FCC is more concerned about conservative news outlets on the Internet that are increasingly undermining government attempts to control the news through sympathetic mainstream media outlets.
What is at stake is the future of electronic free-speech rights, as governments around the world realize how much less control government authorities have with a robust and critical press able to operate freely on the Internet.
U.N. efforts to regulate Internet
Last week, itNews.com in Australia, reported that the U.N. is considering whether to set up an inter-governmental working group to "harmonize" global efforts by policymakers to regulate the Internet.
The U.N. claims authority to regulate the Internet under a U.N. Economic and Social Council resolution passed in July that invited the U.N. secretary-general to begin discussions on coordinating government efforts to regulate the Internet on a global basis.
Obviously, the U.N. is uncomfortable with anything like the Internet that the globalists cannot control.
FCC moves to regulate the Internet
The FCC is preparing in its Dec. 21 meeting this week to vote on a proposal called "net neutrality."
The Obama administration likes to portray the proposed 85 pages of "net neutrality" rules as a way to ensure no user will be shut out of Internet access because of the user's content.
In other words, under the leadership of Chairman Julius Genachowski, an Obama administration Democrat, the FCC plans to use free expression arguments to set up a structure where the FCC would be the ultimate arbiter of who gets broadband Internet access and who does not.
In proceeding to regulate the Internet, the FCC, under Genachowski's direction, is choosing to ignore a unanimous ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last April that ruled the FCC lacked the authority to regulate the Internet.
Congress seeks to block FCC on net neutrality rules
Last week, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, filed an amendment to an appropriations bill aimed at blocking the FCC from adopting net neutrality, the Washington Post reported.
Hutchison's amendment would stop the FCC from using public money to implement any rule that would regulate Internet traffic, according to Reuters.
Republicans are concerned that the FCC's net neutrality proposal is an attempt to get the FCC's foot in the door to wide-ranging government control, extending over not just Internet operating procedures, but ultimately over Internet content.
Incoming House Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., along with Communications Chairman Greg Waldren, R-Or., and Vice Communications Chairman Lee Terry, R-Neb., wrote to the FCC last week with their concerns that the FCC has not been transparent about its effort to regulate the Internet, the Hill reported.
They demanded Genachowski release all 85 pages of his net neutrality proposal before the FCC votes on the rules this week.
On Wednesday, a group of 29 Republican senators wrote their own letter to Genachowski, warning him that if the FCC goes ahead to vote net neutrality, they will actively work to repeal the rules in the next Congress, according to the Daily Caller.
"You and the Commission's general counsel have admitted in published statements that the legal justification for imposing these new regulations is questionable and has 'serious risk of failure in court,'" the letter said.
The letter went on to stress that Congress has not granted the FCC the specific statutory authority to regulate the Internet, stating, "Whether and how the Internet should be regulated is something that America's elected representatives in Congress, not the Commission, should determine."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jerome R. Corsi received a Ph.D. from Harvard University in political science in 1972. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling books THE OBAMA NATION: LEFTIST POLITICS AND THE CULT OF PERSONALITY and the co-author of UNFIT FOR COMMAND: SWIFT BOAT VETERANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST JOHN KERRY. He is also the author of AMERICA FOR SALE, THE LATE GREAT U.S.A., and WHY ISRAEL CAN'T WAIT. Currently, Dr. Corsi is a Senior Managing Director in the Financial Services Group at Gilford Securities as well as a senior staff writer for WorldNetDaily.com.
(c) 2010 RedAlert.WND.com
-used with permission
The United Nations is now joining Obama administration and Democratic commissioners on the FCC in an attempt to regulate the Internet.
The U.N. is reacting to concerns of member governments, including the United States, that the Internet has made companies like WikiLeaks possible, while the FCC is more concerned about conservative news outlets on the Internet that are increasingly undermining government attempts to control the news through sympathetic mainstream media outlets.
What is at stake is the future of electronic free-speech rights, as governments around the world realize how much less control government authorities have with a robust and critical press able to operate freely on the Internet.
U.N. efforts to regulate Internet
Last week, itNews.com in Australia, reported that the U.N. is considering whether to set up an inter-governmental working group to "harmonize" global efforts by policymakers to regulate the Internet.
The U.N. claims authority to regulate the Internet under a U.N. Economic and Social Council resolution passed in July that invited the U.N. secretary-general to begin discussions on coordinating government efforts to regulate the Internet on a global basis.
Obviously, the U.N. is uncomfortable with anything like the Internet that the globalists cannot control.
FCC moves to regulate the Internet
The FCC is preparing in its Dec. 21 meeting this week to vote on a proposal called "net neutrality."
The Obama administration likes to portray the proposed 85 pages of "net neutrality" rules as a way to ensure no user will be shut out of Internet access because of the user's content.
In other words, under the leadership of Chairman Julius Genachowski, an Obama administration Democrat, the FCC plans to use free expression arguments to set up a structure where the FCC would be the ultimate arbiter of who gets broadband Internet access and who does not.
In proceeding to regulate the Internet, the FCC, under Genachowski's direction, is choosing to ignore a unanimous ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last April that ruled the FCC lacked the authority to regulate the Internet.
Congress seeks to block FCC on net neutrality rules
Last week, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, filed an amendment to an appropriations bill aimed at blocking the FCC from adopting net neutrality, the Washington Post reported.
Hutchison's amendment would stop the FCC from using public money to implement any rule that would regulate Internet traffic, according to Reuters.
Republicans are concerned that the FCC's net neutrality proposal is an attempt to get the FCC's foot in the door to wide-ranging government control, extending over not just Internet operating procedures, but ultimately over Internet content.
Incoming House Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., along with Communications Chairman Greg Waldren, R-Or., and Vice Communications Chairman Lee Terry, R-Neb., wrote to the FCC last week with their concerns that the FCC has not been transparent about its effort to regulate the Internet, the Hill reported.
They demanded Genachowski release all 85 pages of his net neutrality proposal before the FCC votes on the rules this week.
On Wednesday, a group of 29 Republican senators wrote their own letter to Genachowski, warning him that if the FCC goes ahead to vote net neutrality, they will actively work to repeal the rules in the next Congress, according to the Daily Caller.
"You and the Commission's general counsel have admitted in published statements that the legal justification for imposing these new regulations is questionable and has 'serious risk of failure in court,'" the letter said.
The letter went on to stress that Congress has not granted the FCC the specific statutory authority to regulate the Internet, stating, "Whether and how the Internet should be regulated is something that America's elected representatives in Congress, not the Commission, should determine."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jerome R. Corsi received a Ph.D. from Harvard University in political science in 1972. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling books THE OBAMA NATION: LEFTIST POLITICS AND THE CULT OF PERSONALITY and the co-author of UNFIT FOR COMMAND: SWIFT BOAT VETERANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST JOHN KERRY. He is also the author of AMERICA FOR SALE, THE LATE GREAT U.S.A., and WHY ISRAEL CAN'T WAIT. Currently, Dr. Corsi is a Senior Managing Director in the Financial Services Group at Gilford Securities as well as a senior staff writer for WorldNetDaily.com.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Keep Your Phone Working and Your Connection Warm in the Cold Outdoors: Tips From Verizon Wireless
/PRNewswire/ -- With wintry weather making an early and frigid debut across the nation, Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network, offers the following tips to help consumers use their wireless phones when it's cold outside:
* Keep your phone fully charged. Cold temperatures can run down the phone's battery charge more quickly. Use a car charger to keep the phone's charge if you get stranded or stuck in traffic on icy or snowy roads. Think about an extra battery as backup.
* Handle your phone with care. The display screen can become brittle when exposed to cold temperatures for long periods of time.
* Keep your phone in a warm place; avoid leaving it in an outside pocket or backpack or in the car overnight. When outside in the cold weather, carry your phone in an inside jacket pocket, keeping it close to your body for warmth.
* Remember you can't dial or access the keyboard on a touch screen with gloves, so consider adding finger flip gloves to your winter holiday wish list.
* Download free winter apps to your phone from Android Market™ such as:
o Winter Weather Outlooks – Allows you access to the National Weather Service Winter Weather Outlooks, so you'll know what kind of winter weather is headed your way.
o How Cold Is It? – A wallpaper that changes color depending on the outside temperature – deep red when it's hot and icy white when it's freezing.
o ShoppeHUB – This app allows you to make secure purchases on cold weather gear, including winter clothing.
o Coffee Recipes – Choose from more than 90 easy coffee recipes that will be sure to keep you warm.
-----
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www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
* Keep your phone fully charged. Cold temperatures can run down the phone's battery charge more quickly. Use a car charger to keep the phone's charge if you get stranded or stuck in traffic on icy or snowy roads. Think about an extra battery as backup.
* Handle your phone with care. The display screen can become brittle when exposed to cold temperatures for long periods of time.
* Keep your phone in a warm place; avoid leaving it in an outside pocket or backpack or in the car overnight. When outside in the cold weather, carry your phone in an inside jacket pocket, keeping it close to your body for warmth.
* Remember you can't dial or access the keyboard on a touch screen with gloves, so consider adding finger flip gloves to your winter holiday wish list.
* Download free winter apps to your phone from Android Market™ such as:
o Winter Weather Outlooks – Allows you access to the National Weather Service Winter Weather Outlooks, so you'll know what kind of winter weather is headed your way.
o How Cold Is It? – A wallpaper that changes color depending on the outside temperature – deep red when it's hot and icy white when it's freezing.
o ShoppeHUB – This app allows you to make secure purchases on cold weather gear, including winter clothing.
o Coffee Recipes – Choose from more than 90 easy coffee recipes that will be sure to keep you warm.
-----
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Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
Thursday, December 16, 2010
16-year old Launches Top 25 iPhone App
/PRNewswire/ -- In the style of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, 16-year old computer whiz kid William LeGate takes the Apple App Store by storm. With the launch of a new free App for iPhone through his company Imagination Research Labs, LeGates' Game Giveaway enjoyed overnight success. Each day Game Giveaway gives away a high quality paid game for free. Game Giveaway allows users to download a paid game for free everyday and developers to promote their games.
With over 300,000 game applications available for iPhone users, Game Giveaway gained instant popularity in just weeks on the market. With 100,000 downloads of Game Giveaway in just 24 hours, the App quickly rose to number two on the Top 25 Free iPhone applications with a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.
The first game promoted by Game Giveaway, Paper Ninja soared to number one in the App store creating a whirlwind of enthusiasm for game developers to promote their games through the App.
"It's basically a Groupon for the mobile gaming environment except that it's completely free," said developer William LeGate.
Game Giveaway provides a high quality game for free each day to users of the free Game Giveaway iPhone App. For 24-hours the Giveaway of the Day is available for users to download and keep forever.
-----
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www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
With over 300,000 game applications available for iPhone users, Game Giveaway gained instant popularity in just weeks on the market. With 100,000 downloads of Game Giveaway in just 24 hours, the App quickly rose to number two on the Top 25 Free iPhone applications with a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.
The first game promoted by Game Giveaway, Paper Ninja soared to number one in the App store creating a whirlwind of enthusiasm for game developers to promote their games through the App.
"It's basically a Groupon for the mobile gaming environment except that it's completely free," said developer William LeGate.
Game Giveaway provides a high quality game for free each day to users of the free Game Giveaway iPhone App. For 24-hours the Giveaway of the Day is available for users to download and keep forever.
-----
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Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
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Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
YouTube Becomes 'National Security Issue'
Conducting interviews on this topic is the news editor of WND.com, the largest independent Internet news service in the U.S., Bob Unruh.
Forum called 'leading website' for online jihad
By Bob Unruh
(c) 2010 WorldNetDaily
A new report from the Middle East Media Research Institute charges that YouTube has emerged as "the leading website for online jihad," replacing and surpassing even websites that the jihadists themselves are running.
The in-depth report, with dozens of examples, links and illustrations, documents that MEMRI already has briefed members of the U.S. government and Congress on the issue, and has offered its expertise to YouTube directly to identify videos that "incite violence and terrorist acts for possible removal.'
The report by Steven Stalinsky, the executive director of MEMRI, a donor-supported organization that monitors and reports on media issues from the Middle East, calls the use of the video-sharing service by terrorists worldwide "a grave national security issue."
The report was published only days ago, but is part of a series of analyses of the issue that MEMRI has been documenting for some time. And in fact the LA Times reported just yesterday that YouTube has created a new option that users now can flag a video for removal because of its promotion of terrorism.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Independent senator from Connecticut, called the protocol a "good first step toward scrubbing mainstream Internet sites of terrorist propaganda," according to the Times.
It was several weeks ago when YouTube banished from its servers videos - numbering in the hundreds - that featured the American-turned-fugitive Anwar al-Awlawki. His videos, however, still can be fouind on the site.
YouTube officials did not comment when WND asked for confirmation that the investigation produced its policy change, but they told the Times that they are committed to making sure the site isn't used to spread "terrorist propaganda or incite violence."
MEMRI said it has investigated thoroughly the issues of YouTube, especially relating to al-Awlaki, and in fact, has reported on the videos he posted, those who watched them, the YouTube work of the Taliban as well as the expanding jihadi base committed to using YouTube.
The newest chapter documents the posting of videos of American soldiers being killed by improvised explosive devices and snipers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"While YouTube should be applauded for adding new staff and a new function to identify and remove jihadi videos, this is only a beginning," MEMRI reported. "The removal of content is one part of the problem; the other part is keeping these videos from being posted in the first place - as shown by the recent removal of hundreds of Anwar al-Awlaki videos that were quickly reposted to other pages.
"It is no exaggeration to say that hundreds of thousands of assorted jihadi videos can be found on YouTube They include sermons by terrorist leaders, training videos by terrorists, footage of terrorist attacks, songs (nasheeds) to inspire terrorists, and much more. These videos are not only in English, but in dozens of other languages."
The report said the YouTube action followed the reporting that over the last few months, "numerous followers of Anwar al-Awlkai have been found guilty of involvement in terrorism. They all have one thing in common - they were incited by viewing him on YouTube."
Cited as an example was a video from "WachdogofAllah1" who posted a message on Nov. 4, warning of looming violence in Iraq, Egypt and "other countries."
"You have among us hundreds of thousands of followers, and hundreds of churches," the video warned, "and they will all be our targets if you do not respond."
Another video, the report said, praised Nidal Hassan, accused of killing more than a dozen at Fort Hood in Texas, as "a wonderful example."
MEMRI said among those who have been inspired to jihad by YouTube videos, had have subsequently been arrested, include:
* Zachary Adam Chesser, 02, from Virginia, who was arrested in July 2010 attempting to carry out jihad with al-Qaida in Somalia.
* Abdel Hameed Shehadeh, 21, who was arrested in Hawaii on October 21, 2010, for making false statements in a terrorism case.
* Paul and Nadia Rockwood, Alaska, a converted couple who pleaded guilty in July 2010 after being accused of creating a hit list of local media, religious officials, and military who "desecrated Islam."
* Mahmood Alessa and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, New Jersey, arrested in June 2010 en route to join al-Qaida forces in Somalia, hoping to kill U.S. troops.
"Al-Qaida and its affiliates use YouTube to spread propaganda online and to train followers for various actions," the report said. "Most jihadi websites now post links of major terrorist videos directly to YouTube."
Further, the jihadi-promoting videos include disturbing images of U.S. soldiers being killed in IED attacks as well as U.S. soldiers being shot and images of a decapitated soldier.
One YouTube Channel is marked "mujahidRPG's Channel" and features video after video after video of coalition vehicles disappearing into a a flash of flame and black smoke.
"In addition to clips of jihad against the West and the Jews, YouTube also has clips by Islamist groups calling for jihad against Christians. In one recent example, dated November 4, 2010, YouTube user 'WachdogofAllah1' posted a 'message from the soldier of the martyr battalion to the Christians in Egypt,'" the report said.
---
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www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
Forum called 'leading website' for online jihad
By Bob Unruh
(c) 2010 WorldNetDaily
A new report from the Middle East Media Research Institute charges that YouTube has emerged as "the leading website for online jihad," replacing and surpassing even websites that the jihadists themselves are running.
The in-depth report, with dozens of examples, links and illustrations, documents that MEMRI already has briefed members of the U.S. government and Congress on the issue, and has offered its expertise to YouTube directly to identify videos that "incite violence and terrorist acts for possible removal.'
The report by Steven Stalinsky, the executive director of MEMRI, a donor-supported organization that monitors and reports on media issues from the Middle East, calls the use of the video-sharing service by terrorists worldwide "a grave national security issue."
The report was published only days ago, but is part of a series of analyses of the issue that MEMRI has been documenting for some time. And in fact the LA Times reported just yesterday that YouTube has created a new option that users now can flag a video for removal because of its promotion of terrorism.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Independent senator from Connecticut, called the protocol a "good first step toward scrubbing mainstream Internet sites of terrorist propaganda," according to the Times.
It was several weeks ago when YouTube banished from its servers videos - numbering in the hundreds - that featured the American-turned-fugitive Anwar al-Awlawki. His videos, however, still can be fouind on the site.
YouTube officials did not comment when WND asked for confirmation that the investigation produced its policy change, but they told the Times that they are committed to making sure the site isn't used to spread "terrorist propaganda or incite violence."
MEMRI said it has investigated thoroughly the issues of YouTube, especially relating to al-Awlaki, and in fact, has reported on the videos he posted, those who watched them, the YouTube work of the Taliban as well as the expanding jihadi base committed to using YouTube.
The newest chapter documents the posting of videos of American soldiers being killed by improvised explosive devices and snipers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"While YouTube should be applauded for adding new staff and a new function to identify and remove jihadi videos, this is only a beginning," MEMRI reported. "The removal of content is one part of the problem; the other part is keeping these videos from being posted in the first place - as shown by the recent removal of hundreds of Anwar al-Awlaki videos that were quickly reposted to other pages.
"It is no exaggeration to say that hundreds of thousands of assorted jihadi videos can be found on YouTube They include sermons by terrorist leaders, training videos by terrorists, footage of terrorist attacks, songs (nasheeds) to inspire terrorists, and much more. These videos are not only in English, but in dozens of other languages."
The report said the YouTube action followed the reporting that over the last few months, "numerous followers of Anwar al-Awlkai have been found guilty of involvement in terrorism. They all have one thing in common - they were incited by viewing him on YouTube."
Cited as an example was a video from "WachdogofAllah1" who posted a message on Nov. 4, warning of looming violence in Iraq, Egypt and "other countries."
"You have among us hundreds of thousands of followers, and hundreds of churches," the video warned, "and they will all be our targets if you do not respond."
Another video, the report said, praised Nidal Hassan, accused of killing more than a dozen at Fort Hood in Texas, as "a wonderful example."
MEMRI said among those who have been inspired to jihad by YouTube videos, had have subsequently been arrested, include:
* Zachary Adam Chesser, 02, from Virginia, who was arrested in July 2010 attempting to carry out jihad with al-Qaida in Somalia.
* Abdel Hameed Shehadeh, 21, who was arrested in Hawaii on October 21, 2010, for making false statements in a terrorism case.
* Paul and Nadia Rockwood, Alaska, a converted couple who pleaded guilty in July 2010 after being accused of creating a hit list of local media, religious officials, and military who "desecrated Islam."
* Mahmood Alessa and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, New Jersey, arrested in June 2010 en route to join al-Qaida forces in Somalia, hoping to kill U.S. troops.
"Al-Qaida and its affiliates use YouTube to spread propaganda online and to train followers for various actions," the report said. "Most jihadi websites now post links of major terrorist videos directly to YouTube."
Further, the jihadi-promoting videos include disturbing images of U.S. soldiers being killed in IED attacks as well as U.S. soldiers being shot and images of a decapitated soldier.
One YouTube Channel is marked "mujahidRPG's Channel" and features video after video after video of coalition vehicles disappearing into a a flash of flame and black smoke.
"In addition to clips of jihad against the West and the Jews, YouTube also has clips by Islamist groups calling for jihad against Christians. In one recent example, dated November 4, 2010, YouTube user 'WachdogofAllah1' posted a 'message from the soldier of the martyr battalion to the Christians in Egypt,'" the report said.
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Thursday, December 9, 2010
GFI Software Announces Top 10 Malware Threats for November
(BUSINESS WIRE)--GFI Software, a leading IT solutions provider for small and medium-sized enterprises, today announced the top 10 most prevalent malware threats for the month of November 2010. The report, compiled from monthly scans performed by GFI's award-winning anti-malware solution, VIPRE® Antivirus, and its antispyware tool, CounterSpy®, is a service of GFI Labs™.
As in recent months, Trojans dominated the threat landscape in November. ThreatNet data revealed that seven of the top 10 malware threats were classified as Trojans. The number-one detection, Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT, is a Trojan comprising over 20 percent of the ThreatNet detections.
Tom Kelchner, GFI Software communications and research analyst said, “There is another picture in the top-10 numbers. Three of them go after applications or server software that hasn’t been patched. The number six detection, Exploit.PDF-JS.Gen (v), tries to exploit a security flaw in PDF files with embedded JavaScript. That’s aiming at Adobe products. It often installs downloaders that pull down other malware from remote Web sites.”
Worm.Win32.Downad.Gen (v,) the Downadup worm (also called Conficker and Kido) in the number seven spot, is a worm that spreads across a network by taking advantage of a vulnerability in Windows Server service which allows remote code execution when file sharing is enabled. This vulnerability was patched some time ago.
Trojan.ASF.Wimad (v), in the number nine spot, is a VIPRE detection for a group of Trojanized Windows media files that exploit an old vulnerability in Windows Media Player. It redirects the victim’s browser to a web site to download malicious files. This is also is an old vulnerability that’s been fixed.
“If this malcode is still circulating, it means that the malcode writers are seeing a landscape with lots of unpatched and vulnerable machines. The conclusion is pretty clear for both enterprises and consumers: update Windows operating systems (including servers), browsers, Adobe products and media players and keep them updated,” said Kelchner.
ThreatNet is GFI Lab’s monitoring system that retrieves real-time data from VIPRE installations. Statistics come from tens of thousands of machines running VIPRE.
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As in recent months, Trojans dominated the threat landscape in November. ThreatNet data revealed that seven of the top 10 malware threats were classified as Trojans. The number-one detection, Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT, is a Trojan comprising over 20 percent of the ThreatNet detections.
Tom Kelchner, GFI Software communications and research analyst said, “There is another picture in the top-10 numbers. Three of them go after applications or server software that hasn’t been patched. The number six detection, Exploit.PDF-JS.Gen (v), tries to exploit a security flaw in PDF files with embedded JavaScript. That’s aiming at Adobe products. It often installs downloaders that pull down other malware from remote Web sites.”
Worm.Win32.Downad.Gen (v,) the Downadup worm (also called Conficker and Kido) in the number seven spot, is a worm that spreads across a network by taking advantage of a vulnerability in Windows Server service which allows remote code execution when file sharing is enabled. This vulnerability was patched some time ago.
Trojan.ASF.Wimad (v), in the number nine spot, is a VIPRE detection for a group of Trojanized Windows media files that exploit an old vulnerability in Windows Media Player. It redirects the victim’s browser to a web site to download malicious files. This is also is an old vulnerability that’s been fixed.
“If this malcode is still circulating, it means that the malcode writers are seeing a landscape with lots of unpatched and vulnerable machines. The conclusion is pretty clear for both enterprises and consumers: update Windows operating systems (including servers), browsers, Adobe products and media players and keep them updated,” said Kelchner.
ThreatNet is GFI Lab’s monitoring system that retrieves real-time data from VIPRE installations. Statistics come from tens of thousands of machines running VIPRE.
Top 10 detections for November | ||||||
| Detection | Type | Percent | ||||
| 1. | Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT | Trojan | 22.44 | |||
| 2. | Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot.gen | Trojan | 3.88 | |||
| 3. | Trojan.Win32.Generic.pak!cobra | Trojan | 3.53 | |||
| 4. | Trojan.Win32.Generic!SB.0 | Trojan | 3.46 | |||
| 5. | INF.Autorun (v) | Trojan | 1.83 | |||
| 6. | Exploit.PDF-JS.Gen (v) | Exploit | 1.45 | |||
| 7. | Worm.Win32.Downad.Gen (v) | Worm.W32 | 1.42 | |||
| 8. | Trojan.Win32.Malware.a | Trojan | 0.83 | |||
| 9. | Trojan.ASF.Wimad (v) | Trojan | 0.76 | |||
| 10. | Trojan.Win32.Meredrop | Trojan Downloader | 0.68 | |||
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Wednesday, December 8, 2010
From rogue AV to fake disk clean-up utilities
Security researchers are reporting a surge in fake disk clean-up utilities reporting PC errors and demanding an activation fee to fix these problems.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Could This Be the Answer? The Answer Parents, Teachers, Judges, Prison Officials, Government Agencies and Even DOT Secretary LaHood are Searching For? Try Safety First Believes It Is
/PRNewswire/ -- Try Safety First (TSF) has invented new technology which promises a free solution to save lives, create jobs, improve education, reduce taxes, eliminate prison contraband, add $1.7 billion per year toward reducing the federal deficit and save the U.S. up to $450 billion each year.
Sounds sort of like a campaign promise and, in essence, it could be. Try Safety First (TSF) has developed a new set of wireless protocols for which they are seeking a congressional mandate. And various members of Congress have asked them for endorsement letters to show support for their technology. So if this applies to you, a respectful reply of an email, letter or phone call is being requested. A link to your congressman is provided below.
According to TSF, most people including many of our congressional leaders simply are not aware of the number or the magnitude of problems today's wireless technology presents. John Fischer, President and CEO of Try Safety First, says he usually begins by asking the following questions:
1. What piece of technology is the #1 smuggled prison contraband followed by heroin, cocaine and meth?
2. What piece of technology is the #1 cause of roadway accidents, the #1 killer of teens and, according to the World Health Organization, is costing the U.S. as much as three percent of its GDP?
3. What piece of technology is the #1 disruption in middle schools, high schools and colleges across the U.S.?
4. What piece of technology is the #1 cause of mistrials in court systems throughout the U.S.?
5. What piece of technology do terrorists use to detonate more than 60% of their IEDs?
Answer: the cell phone, but you already knew that. There is one simple solution to answer all of these problems and TSF claims to have it. That answer is to include in the operating system of each wireless device a standardized set of protocols expressly directing specific behavior whenever the phone is in a matching protocol limited range environment. In other words, the phone understands how to behave as such:
1. In a prison, the phone becomes disabled. Exception: guard is wearing matching protocol sensor disablement tag or in a common area where cell use is allowed.
2. In a vehicle, within one meter of the driver's seat, the texting and email features will be inhibited while allowing passengers' full use of their phones.
3. In a classroom, the teacher receives a remote classroom protocol switch which encourages use of the phone as a teaching tool, yet affords partial disablement when giving a quiz. All emergency 911 functionality remains intact along with two parental protocols.
4. In a courtroom or high security building, a judge/employer can silence all pedestrian phones and/or disable all juror phones. Again, all emergency 911 functionality remains intact.
5. In the line of fire, bomb experts can disable protocol enabled IEDs, making it increasingly more difficult for a terrorist to use a standard cell phone to detonate a roadside bomb.
When asked if TSF technology is just a tad bit too much government intrusion, Fischer responded emphatically NO. Use of a cell phone is not a right but a privilege, and we must respect it for everything that it is and realize we are not somehow magically immune to its dangers. The cell phone is much greater than a simple toy capable of doing some really cool things. Fischer believes the cell phone may be one of the greatest inventions ever known, but he says it was never envisioned to be smuggled contraband, facilitate massive cheating and disruption among students, cause an accident every 47 seconds or be a terrorist's best friend. Unfortunately, it has become the key ingredient in many disastrous recipes and we must not let good judgment be overtaken by our addiction to these cool gadgets. Fischer is certain the problems will only get worse unless we increase the functionality of our mobile devices to include a simple set of standard safety protocols.
Fischer is looking to start several grassroots efforts among various groups (parents, teachers, judges, prison officials, military personnel, homeland security and governors) to show support for these protocols. Anyone can write an email or make a phone call. Simply tell your congressional representative you support TSF safety protocol adoption. Your congressional representative link is: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml. Fischer is also requesting a copy of your endorsement be sent to admin@trysafetyfirst.com.
-----
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Sounds sort of like a campaign promise and, in essence, it could be. Try Safety First (TSF) has developed a new set of wireless protocols for which they are seeking a congressional mandate. And various members of Congress have asked them for endorsement letters to show support for their technology. So if this applies to you, a respectful reply of an email, letter or phone call is being requested. A link to your congressman is provided below.
According to TSF, most people including many of our congressional leaders simply are not aware of the number or the magnitude of problems today's wireless technology presents. John Fischer, President and CEO of Try Safety First, says he usually begins by asking the following questions:
1. What piece of technology is the #1 smuggled prison contraband followed by heroin, cocaine and meth?
2. What piece of technology is the #1 cause of roadway accidents, the #1 killer of teens and, according to the World Health Organization, is costing the U.S. as much as three percent of its GDP?
3. What piece of technology is the #1 disruption in middle schools, high schools and colleges across the U.S.?
4. What piece of technology is the #1 cause of mistrials in court systems throughout the U.S.?
5. What piece of technology do terrorists use to detonate more than 60% of their IEDs?
Answer: the cell phone, but you already knew that. There is one simple solution to answer all of these problems and TSF claims to have it. That answer is to include in the operating system of each wireless device a standardized set of protocols expressly directing specific behavior whenever the phone is in a matching protocol limited range environment. In other words, the phone understands how to behave as such:
1. In a prison, the phone becomes disabled. Exception: guard is wearing matching protocol sensor disablement tag or in a common area where cell use is allowed.
2. In a vehicle, within one meter of the driver's seat, the texting and email features will be inhibited while allowing passengers' full use of their phones.
3. In a classroom, the teacher receives a remote classroom protocol switch which encourages use of the phone as a teaching tool, yet affords partial disablement when giving a quiz. All emergency 911 functionality remains intact along with two parental protocols.
4. In a courtroom or high security building, a judge/employer can silence all pedestrian phones and/or disable all juror phones. Again, all emergency 911 functionality remains intact.
5. In the line of fire, bomb experts can disable protocol enabled IEDs, making it increasingly more difficult for a terrorist to use a standard cell phone to detonate a roadside bomb.
When asked if TSF technology is just a tad bit too much government intrusion, Fischer responded emphatically NO. Use of a cell phone is not a right but a privilege, and we must respect it for everything that it is and realize we are not somehow magically immune to its dangers. The cell phone is much greater than a simple toy capable of doing some really cool things. Fischer believes the cell phone may be one of the greatest inventions ever known, but he says it was never envisioned to be smuggled contraband, facilitate massive cheating and disruption among students, cause an accident every 47 seconds or be a terrorist's best friend. Unfortunately, it has become the key ingredient in many disastrous recipes and we must not let good judgment be overtaken by our addiction to these cool gadgets. Fischer is certain the problems will only get worse unless we increase the functionality of our mobile devices to include a simple set of standard safety protocols.
Fischer is looking to start several grassroots efforts among various groups (parents, teachers, judges, prison officials, military personnel, homeland security and governors) to show support for these protocols. Anyone can write an email or make a phone call. Simply tell your congressional representative you support TSF safety protocol adoption. Your congressional representative link is: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml. Fischer is also requesting a copy of your endorsement be sent to admin@trysafetyfirst.com.
-----
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Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
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