I read about this, but I obviously never got around to it.
So the basic understanding that the government have been working with Microsoft to define a standard build for Windows XP, that is more hardened and secured.
Some of the specific information is abit patchy, but I imagine the build is just fully patched, disabled services and ports etc.
The Reg posted more info here.
Wolfram|Alpha’s long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone. We aim to collect and curate all objective data; implement every known model, method, and algorithm; and make it possible to compute whatever can be computed about anything. Our goal is to build on the achievements of science and other systematizations of knowledge to provide a single source that can be relied on by everyone for definitive answers to factual queries.
Wolfram|Alpha aims to bring expert-level knowledge and capabilities to the broadest possible range of people—spanning all professions and education levels. Our goal is to accept completely free-form input, and to serve as a knowledge engine that generates powerful results and presents them with maximum clarity.
Wolfram|Alpha is an ambitious, long-term intellectual endeavor that we intend will deliver increasing capabilities over the years and decades to come. With a world-class team and participation from top outside experts in countless fields, our goal is to create something that will stand as a major milestone of 21st century intellectual achievement.
I have stumbled across the excellent site of Audit Experts.
They have posted some information on a free PCI Self Assessment Tool, using a combination of OpenSource kit.
I highly recommend you take a look if your working in an environment working towards PCI compliance.
Google has released its new search engine power, using technology they are calling “semantic web technology”.
This essentially give a couple of improvements to its search results. From what I understand you can now give longer and improved search queries, and as a result the results snippets also contain more information. Apparently these snippets might even give you enough info so you dont actually have to visit the page to get your answer. The other improvement is the results may also contain information related to your search criteria.
Googles Example is as follows “The search query “principles of physics.†The related searches offer will include terms such as “special relativity,†“angular momentum,†“big bang†and “quantum mechanics.
Check out Googles Official Blog for more information.
As previously communicated, a new vulnerability was found in the recently patched Adobe Reader 9.1, and now Adobe has released a new 9.1.1 update to resolve this issue.
Download the Update Here
Vulnerability identifier: APSB09-06
CVE number: CVE-2009-1492, CVE-2009-1493
Platform: All Platforms
A critical vulnerability has been identified in Adobe Reader 9.1 and Acrobat 9.1 and earlier versions. This vulnerability (CVE-2009-1492) would cause the application to crash and could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system. Â A second vulnerability has also been reported that appears to affect Adobe Reader for UNIX only (CVE-2009-1493).
Adobe recommends users of Adobe Reader 9.1 and Acrobat 9.1 and earlier versions update to Adobe Reader 9.1.1 and Acrobat 9.1.1. Adobe recommends users of Acrobat 8 update to Acrobat 8.1.5, and users of Acrobat 7 update to Acrobat 7.1.2. For Adobe Reader users who can’t update to Adobe Reader 9.1.1, Adobe has provided the Adobe Reader 8.1.5 and Adobe Reader 7.1.2 updates.
Adobe Reader 9.1 and earlier versions.
Adobe Acrobat Standard, Pro, and Pro Extended 9.1 and earlier versions.
It would appear Tesco had to keep some of its stores closed after some routine overnight upgrades stopped the tills working.
It doesnt say what sort of updates these were, but apparently a reboot got them all working again. I can only assume that perhaps some of the tills tested where not running the same versions of those with issues, so they reverted back, or perhaps it was just some form of corruption.
Just goes to show even the big boys have testing issues, seems they did a nifty job of getting the stores quickly up and running again.