Summary from c|net - it leaves out the win98 "tatoo" though. here're the ones that they left out, followed by their list. and this was JUST this week. Microsoft has confirmed a security vulnerability in its Windows NT operating system that could allow unauthorized access to sensitive information in administrator files. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,33558,00.html Microsoft software applications such as Word and Excel, generate unique identification numbers that include information about users' personal computers that are then transmitted during the Windows 98 registration process, Rob Bennett, a Windows product manager at the company, confirmed. Bennett said the trasmittal of the information is a flaw and will be fixed. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,33413,00.html [ok, this was sunday the 7th] week in review - privacy news: Netscape moved to patch a browser security hole that exposes a variety of information on users' hard drives. The bug in Netscape Communications' Communicator browser can reveal the content of HTML files, cache, and browsing directories. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33449%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 Netscape's Communicator version 4.51, the first minor point release since 4.5's October release, patches a trio of security holes discovered in recent months by independent bug hunters. These include holes that permitted frame-spoofing and window-spoofing, and one that mishandled caching metatags in a way that could have exposed private information in shared computing environments. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33493%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 A security problem in Windows 98 can leave private information vulnerable to interception by Web sites, according to a programmer who said he discovered the new bug. Through the latest bug, Smith said other sites can read customer ID numbers, including a unique number that identifies a specific user's PC through its Ethernet network card and a Microsoft-assigned identification number used to track movements on the company's Web site. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33625%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 Macromedia has moved to fix a privacy glitch in its Shockwave animation player that was sending users' private information back to the company. Part of Shockwave's automatic update feature sends Macromedia the URLs for Web sites users have visited. But Macromedia found itself receiving hundreds of Shockwave users' user names, passwords, and other information that was included in the URLs to some password-protected sites. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33648%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 Intel conceded today that it has incorporated a prototype version of its controversial processor serial number feature on certain Pentium II and Celeron chips for notebooks. The chipmaker said it released a fix today to disable the feature, which until now had been known to exist only on the new Pentium III processor. Privacy advocates say such information can be used to obtain private information of people who use computers with such processors. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33591%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 But a group of Canadian software developers say they have created a program that can obtain the Pentium III processor serial number despite the privacy protection measures taken recently by Intel. Zero Knowledge Systems of Montreal said today that it has developed an ActiveX control that can retrieve the serial number under certain circumstances, even after a software repair released last month by Intel has disabled the feature and ostensibly "hid" the number from prying eyes. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33622%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 Portals have evolved into the flashy cousins of ISPs, offering free email, personal Web sites, and custom content on their own dime-- but the resulting traffic gains also bring an array of legal traps and new responsibilities. A series of recent lawsuits underscores the challenge portals face in shielding the breadth of personal information they collect from consumers. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33560%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 Free speech watchdogs have been saying for years that attempting to censor Net material is like trying to plug a hole in a dam with bubble gum. That point has been underscored by the recent events surrounding the controversial Nuremberg Files anti-abortion site. Even after a federal court called the site "threatening" and its Web hosts dumped it, the Net still is crawling with lists detailing the whereabouts of doctors who provide abortions. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33670%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.wr.0313 > Kathy E. Gill > DCAC/MRM Methods Communication -- 425.965.6901 > Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to unlocking our >potential. ~ Liane Cardes > Microsoft Exchange: the perfect name for its users' greatest desire! > ____________________________________________________________________ -------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The NEW Web Consultants Association FORUMS and CHAT: Register Today at: http://just4u.com/forums/ Web Consultants Web Site : http://just4u.com/webconsultants Give the Gift of Life This Year... Just4U Stop Smoking Support forum - helping smokers for over three years-tell a friend: http://just4u.com/forums/ To get 500 Banner Ads for FREE go to http://www.linkbuddies.com/start.go?id=111261 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
