Jailed ChronoPay Co-Founder Denied Bail

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2 November 2011
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A Moscow court on Monday denied bail for Pavel Vrublevsky, a Russian businessman who was charged earlier this year with hiring hackers to launch costly online attacks against his rivals. The denial came even after Vrublevsky apparently admitted his role in the attacks, according to Russian news outlets.

Vrublevsky, 32, is probably best known as the co-founder of ChronoPay, a large online payment processor in Russia. He was arrested in June after Russian investigators secured the confession of a man who said he was hired by Vrublevsky to launch a debilitating cyber attack against Assist, a top ChronoPay competitor. The former ChronoPay executive reportedly wanted to sideline rival payment processing firms who were competing for a lucrative contract to process payments for Aeroflot, Russia’s largest airline. Aeroflot’s processing systems faltered for several days in the face of the attack, an outage that Aeroflot says cost the company about a million dollars a day — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Windows zero-day used in Duqu infections

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2 November 2011
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Researchers have figured out one way the Stuxnet-like Duqu trojan is infecting computers — via a Word document that exploits a previously unknown Windows kernel bug.

The installer file is a Microsoft Word document that exploits the kernel vulnerability, which allows code to be executed on the infected system, Symantec said in a post on its site. There may be other infection methods used by other Duqu variants that have not been uncovered yet, Kevin Haley, a director with Symantec Security Response, told ZDNet Australia‘s sister site CNET.

Microsoft is working on a fix, according to Jerry Bryant, group manager for response communications at Microsoft Trustworthy Computing — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Whoops: AAPT domain name expires

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2 November 2011
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The Australian-based website domain for business telecommunications company AAPT temporarily expired today.

I noticed when I couldn’t visit the AAPT site today around midday that there was no response from the server. Then I had a look at Ausregistry, which said that the AAPT.com.au domain, registered through Melbourne IT, had expired — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Google moves Reader sharing to Plus, despite complaints

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1 November 2011
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With its upgrade of Google Reader on Monday, Google has shut down the native social content-sharing features of the popular RSS feed manager and shifted the functionality in modified form to Google+.

Google Reader users who want to continue sharing RSS feed content with others thus need to set up a membership in Google+, the company’s new social networking site.

If they have been sharing on Reader using a pseudonym, they’ll now have to switch to using their real name, which is required for a Google+ account. Google has said that it will allow pseudonyms on Google+ at some point, but hasn’t said when nor how — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Met police using surveillance system to monitor mobile phones

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31 October 2011
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Britain’s largest police force is operating covert surveillance technology that can masquerade as a mobile phone network, transmitting a signal that allows authorities to shut off phones remotely, intercept communications and gather data about thousands of users in a targeted area.

The surveillance system has been procured by the Metropolitan police from Leeds-based company Datong plc, which counts the US Secret Service, the Ministry of Defence and regimes in the Middle East among its customers. Strictly classified under government protocol as Listed X, it can emit a signal over an area of up to an estimated 10 sq km, forcing hundreds of mobile phones per minute to release their unique IMSI and IMEI identity codes, which can be used to track a person’s movements in real time.

The disclosure has caused concern among lawyers and privacy groups that large numbers of innocent people could be unwittingly implicated in covert intelligence gathering. The Met has refused to confirm whether the system is used in public order situations, such as during large protests or demonstrations — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Radically Designed Whisper-Quiet Wind Turbine Targets Small Scale Production

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30 October 2011
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Wind turbines have, in recent times, attracted negative publicity in Australia with a number of people living near wind farms reporting health problems as a result of the constant low level noise emitted by the three-bladed turbines. Consequently a number of anti-wind farm groups have been formed to oppose their construction. See here for a report in The Australian over an ongoing court case, which details typical allegations raised over this divisive issue.

However a radically new Australian design called the Eco Whisper Turbine has been developed with increased efficiency and reduced noise in mind. Rated at a 20kW capacity, the turbine is 23 metres high with 30 blades extending out from a 6.5 metre radius from the hub — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Google Denies Requests To Remove Videos of Police Brutality

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29 October 2011
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In a show of good faith today, Google touted the fact that it has refused to cooperate with local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. who requested the removal of YouTube videos of police brutality and criticisms of law enforcement officials. Google cited its transparency report from the first half of this year, but to mention it today is telling. With violent crackdowns at Occupy Oakland this week, citizen media like YouTube have been a vital channel — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Blue Coat Acknowledges Syria Used Its Gear for Internet Censorship Amid Arab Spring

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29 October 2011
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A US company that makes Internet-blocking gear acknowledges that Syria has been using at least 13 of its devices to censor Web activity there — an admission that comes as the Syrian government cracks down on its citizens and silences their online activities.

Blue Coat Systems Inc of Sunnyvale, California, says it shipped the Internet filtering devices to Dubai late last year, believing they were destined for a department of the Iraqi government. However, the devices — which can block websites or record when people visit them — made their way to Syria, a country subject to strict US trade embargoes — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Two-year-old Superhero Saves Mom’s Life

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28 October 2011
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Lia Vega is only 2, but her mother is calling her a superhero. The little girl made a phone call Thursday that saved her mother’s life.

Lia was at her grandmother’s house in Houston with her mother, Larissa Taylor, and her baby sister when Taylor blacked out and collapsed, according to Houston affiliate KTRK-TV. Lia picked up her mother’s phone and called her grandmother, Bobbie Gonzalez, for help.

She said, ‘My mom fell down,’ Gonzalez told KTRK. I said, ‘Let me talk to your mom.’ And she said, ‘She won’t wake up.’

I never taught her how to use the phone, so I have no idea how she picked it up. I assume just by watching us, Taylor said — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Strange tales from the Royal Society

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26 October 2011
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The world’s oldest scientific academy, the Royal Society, has made its historical journal, which includes over 8000 scientific papers, permanently free to access online.

The plague, the Great Fire of London and even the imprisonment of its editor — just a few of the early setbacks that hit the Royal Society’s early editions of the Philosophical Transactions. But against the odds the publication, which first appeared in 1665, survived. Its archives offer a fascinating window on the history of scientific progress over the last few centuries.

Nestling amongst illustrious papers by Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin are some undiscovered gems from the dawn of the scientific revolution, including gruesome tales of students being struck by lightning and experimental blood transfusions — via redwolf.newsvine.com

News Ltd Journos On Wrong Side Of Paywall

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26 October 2011
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News Limited staff are unhappy after being required to pay to read their own content behind The Australian’s new paywall. In an email sent to News staff last week, corporate affairs have offered the same three-month trial being marketed to ordinary punters, but with a special staff discount of up to 50 per cent.

One News Limited employee told New Matilda he thought the payment was a bit of a joke … why should we have to pay for something we worked to produce?

Although staff have been aware of the switch to paywalled content for some months, having to sign up to read their own premier masthead was a development sprung on us in the last couple of days — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Brisbane council rolls out free public Wi-Fi

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25 October 2011
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There may not be a wave in sight, but residents can now surf in Brisbane’s parks after the roll-out of wireless internet in public areas.

Locals and tourists will be able to access wireless internet in parks and public spaces in 20 locations, says Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.

Brisbane City Council has allocated $2 million in this year’s budget for the internet roll-out and a further $400,000 to upgrade Wi-Fi technology in 34 of its libraries — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Struggling Wikileaks stops publishing classified files

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25 October 2011
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What Does it Cost to Change the World? from WikiLeaks on Vimeo.

The whistle-blowing website Wikileaks is suspending its publication of classified files.

Wikileaks said that it would focus instead on raising funds to ensure its future survival.

The announcement came after what the group called a blockade by US-based finance companies.

This followed its disclosure on the internet of hundreds of thousands of secret US government files and diplomatic cables.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said that since last December an arbitrary and unlawful financial blockade had been imposed by Bank of America, Visa, MasterCard, PayPal and Western Union.

The attack has destroyed 95% of our revenue, he said — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Mother sues banks over son’s eBay scam

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24 October 2011
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A woman is suing Australia’s big four banks for their alleged role in a $200,000 money laundering scam masterminded by her teenage son.

The woman, from the NSW south coast, has launched an action in the Supreme Court seeking damages and wants an apology from the Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac and NAB for unconscionable conduct after they allegedly handed her son dozens of bank accounts and debit cards without reasonable scrutiny.

In 2007, the then 14-year-old was selling fictitious products on eBay and, at one stage, earning more than $6000 a day — via redwolf.newsvine.com

3D Printing Community to Crowdsource Saving a Species

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24 October 2011
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Where does 3D printing and species protection intersect? Hermit crabs, apparently. Makerbot Industries, who make do-it-yourself 3D printers, launched Project Shellter last Tuesday. Project Shellter intends to leverage the Makerbot community’s design talent and network of 5,000 3D printers to design and produce shells for hermit crabs who face a species threatening, man-made housing shortage. Hmm, sounds familiar.

Bre Pettis, a founder of Makerbot, explains on the Makerbot blog:

Hermit crabs don’t make their own shells. They scavenge their homes. And now, hermit crabs are facing a housing shortage as the worldwide shell supply is decreasing. With a shell shortage, hermit crabs around the world are being forced to stick their butts into bottles, shotgun shells, and anything else they can find. This is not acceptable. As a community, we can reach out to this vulnerable species and offer our digital design skills and 3D printing capabilities and give hermit crabs another option: 3D printed shells

— via redwolf.newsvine.com

Google+ to Support Pseudonyms

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20 October 2011
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Google+ will soon support pseudonyms and other forms of identity, says a Google executive.

During a conversation at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, SVP of Social Vic Gundotra revealed that Google will eventually support other forms of identity. While Google started with only allowing users to sign up if they used their real names, it will be adding features that will support other forms of identity in the next few months — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Mysterious Directors of Movie Anti-Piracy Group Unmasked

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19 October 2011
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As previously reported, US film distributor Lightning Entertainment has been approaching Australian ISPs in an attempt to obtain the identities of individuals they say illegal shared the movie Kill The Irishman.

Of course, it’s the same old story. Threaten to sue individuals but get them to hand over cash settlements instead.

The front company carrying out this work are called Movie Rights Group but until this week the identities of the people behind this group were unknown. An article in The Age has just completely unmasked them.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, especially considering the industry’s efforts around Europe and the United States with similar schemes, the people behind Movie Rights Group (MRG) are rich pornographers — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Future phones may rewire and reinvent themselves

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18 October 2011
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Future mobile devices may be able to reconfigure themselves to meet new demands, according to researchers that have developed a nanomaterial that can steer electrical currents. The discovery could lead to the development of smartphones and devices that can reconfigure their internal wiring and evolve into an entirely different and new device, to reflect the changing needs of consumers — via redwolf.newsvine.com

DRM Needs To Be Banned Because It’s Toxic

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17 October 2011
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With the European Greens’ adoption of the Pirate perspective on the copyright monopoly, I have received a few questions from entrepreneurs, the copyright industry lobby, and libertarians why we want to ban Digital Restrictions Management. It’s a good question that deserves a good answer.

First of all, DRM is a type of fraud that robs citizens of their lawful rights. The copyright monopoly is chock full of exceptions that allow copying in many circumstances; DRM takes no notice of this whatsoever but establishes and enforces a superset of restrictions that goes well above and beyond those of the law.

Therefore, to begin with, a ban on DRM can be seen as a form of consumer protection — via redwolf.newsvine.com

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