Michael Gracie

I think the statement that “Companies Can’t Put A Stop To Data Thefts” is more than a bit misleading. They could, and likely can, but it isn’t in their economic best interests to do so. Leaving the hapless customer to deal with recovering their funds, and their identity, seems to be the modus operandi. “Here’s a free credit report” is the spokesperson’s statement of choice nowadays.

The data companies are entrusted with (with or without our permission) is extremely valuable - worth billions if not trillions. There should be more accountabillity.

As a free markets believer, I like competition that drives consumer costs down. But, the telco industry continues to sell broadband for ever cheaper prices (disregarding all the strings attached) while complaining they can’t recover bandwidth costs, and pointing fingers at content providers. Financial services players (and big data brokers) seem to take on the same line of thinking - create ever cheaper services for consumers, and if they are thwarted by hackers, garbage bin divers, or even their own stupidity, point the finger at someone else.

Something has to change, and I for one wouldn’t mind paying a little more for that change.
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Bill Husted breaks down some needed tools you have to have to stay safe from evildoers lurking on our computer networks. Firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and you are set. But for how long?

“Unfortunately, given the state of computer security, your term of enlistment is for life.

I disagree. A lifetime’s enslavement is only for those who can’t stand change (or just aren’t willing to step out of their comfort zone for a bit). You could prepare yourself for the future by studying the past. Pick a new operating system - one that ends with an “X” instead of starting with it. You might be waiting a long long time for a less “invasive” solution.

The Register notes that a new bug is out in the open, deemed critical to IE users.

It seems so long since I’ve heard that - a critical IE flaw. I don’t know if it is because of all the attention Firefox got, or the fact that everyone I know is running an alternative browser on Linux or OS X. Maybe I just thought people weren’t using IE anymore, or I just haven’t been paying attention. Geez, I don’t even think this page renders all that well on IE for Windows, and I just haven’t had the inclination to figure out how to fix it (although any thoughts on that sidebar indent issue would be appreciated).

See, its not that I don’t care - I think I’ve just grown numb to the idea of Internet Explorer problems. I wonder how many are in the same boat? I hope few, as complacency can be as dangerous as the bugs themselves.
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Skype, that free (and quite secure) voice-over-IP program we all know and love, was purchased by eBay for billions. Niklas Zennstrom & Co., who were previously responsible for peer-to-peer file sharing application KaZaA, made out like bandits, and I couldn’t be happier for them.

Now they are being sued by StreamCast Networks, maker of the Morpheus file-sharing program, for alleged RICO violations.

I can’t help but think this event is fueled by jealousy and contempt. I am a bit suspicious as well - I wouldn’t be surprised if we soon heard that StreamCast is cutting deals with big telcos and media players.
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“Right On!” goes out to Florida for squeaking past Georgetown in the last thirty seconds of Friday night’s matchup.

Now, they just have to get past Villanova and UConn, and we’ll have a nice SEC matchup (against LSU) for the Final!

How’s that for subtle predictions? I will likely eat my words.
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A sophisticated hacker broke into a Georgia state database, and gained access to more than a half-million personal records on state employees. Included were names and social security numbers, as well as ACH data for retirees receiving direct deposits.

So far, the GTA has not been notified by any employees in the system of problems, but they aren’t taking any chances.

What the hell are they waiting for? Half the population of Georgia is in Atlanta, and even if the hacker doesn’t have full address information when trying to verify an identity (for, say, getting a credit card in someone else’s name), all they have to do is say “I live on Peachtree” and they’re in.

Notification, boys and girls, notification.

If you are the venerable United Press International, you’d say that Washington sees “GM Files Bankruptcy” written on the wall. The blogosphere would rather say the whole pension debacle is making people insane.

I’d say throw in an incapacitated government sponsored guarantor just for shits and giggles. Retirement for some is going to be one hell of a ride. Companies are dropping defined benefit plans - I just hope it isn’t too late.

Or maybe that should be “next to the Zip disks.”

Sophos discovered a spyware kit for sale on a Russian website. Price? Under $20 bucks.

Some look at it as opening up the spyware game to any and every wanna-be malcreant. But since the scripts, etc. contained in the kit will be useless very soon (now that they have been discovered), I see it differently. To me, it is just one more case of buying technology, only to find it’s obsolete the moment you leave the store.

If you thought the Executive Director of the Colorado Republican party needed help, get a load of this story out of Oklahoma City.

On resolution by the helpful, but hardly responsible, Linux developer Johnny Hughes (who by the way, deserves a medal for not walking down to the Tuttle City Manager’s office and knocking Jerry Taylor’s lights out), the vile bureaucrat couldn’t even admit how ridiculous he acted.

“I am sorry that we had to go through the process and accusations to get the problem resolved. It could have been resolved a lot quicker if the initial correspondence with you provided the helpful information that was transmitted in the last messages. My initial contact with VIDIA disallowed any knowledge of creating the problem.”

Read the whole email thread here. Absolutely hilarious, and a true reflection of the quality of human being that the kind, if overly patient, developer was dealing with.

So sad.
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I don’t have time today to check this out (how irresponsible, eh?) but I’ve been told that the suits and fines I “reported” on earlier today are linked together. According to an anonymous tip, Gratis Internet was the main cog, selling lists to Datran (which Spitzer got a hold of), and Jumpstart (which was just fined by the FTC).

Gratis who just got sued in NY sold the lists to Datran and Jumpstart. Spitzer got Datran and the Feds got Jumpstart. Datran doesn’t seem to have violated CAN-SPAM, but did violate the privacy policies which is how Spitzer got them. I’ll bet the Feds took Jumpstart away from Spitzer because of CAN-SPAM.

I suspect the next one will be JDR that Gratis sold the lists to. See the legal complaint against them to see who else they worked with.

Looks like Datran was trying to do the right thing but didn’t know who they were buying from. The Gratis lawsuit (item 41) indicates they thought they were getting a legal list.

Can’t get to digging up the complaint, so I can’t validate any of this - but it is interesting, and none too surprising. Can someone throw the community a bone here? Almost forgot - thanks for the write in.